§34-24-194. Complaint charging violation of article; hearing; subpoenas; judicial review of revocation or refusal of license.

(a) Any person may file a complaint with the board against any licensed physical therapist or licensed physical therapist assistant in the state charging the person with a violation of this article. The complaint shall set forth specifications of charges in sufficient detail to disclose to the accused fully and completely the alleged acts of misconduct for which he or she is charged. When a complaint is filed, the executive director of the board shall mail a copy thereof to the accused by registered mail at his or her address of record, with a written notice of the time and place of a hearing of the complaint, advising the accused that he or she may be present in person and by counsel if he or she so desires to offer testimony and evidence in his or her defense.

(b) The board may issue subpoenas and compel the attendance of any witness or the production of any book, writing, or other documentation in the possession, custody, or control of any person. Any person refusing to produce any book, writing, or other documentation or to appear to testify, without legal excuse, at a hearing of the board, after having been served with a subpoena issued by the board requiring the person to appear, produce any book, writing, or other form of documentation or testify at the hearing, shall be guilty of contempt. Upon certification of the act of contempt by the board to the judge of the circuit court in whose jurisdiction the hearing is held or is to be held, the judge shall punish the contempt as though committed before the judge. The accused party shall, on application to the board, be furnished by the board with a subpoena for any witness in his or her behalf or for the production of any book, writing, or other documentation to be used in his or her behalf at the hearing.

(c) At the hearing, the board shall receive evidence upon the subject matter under consideration and shall accord the accused person a full and fair opportunity to be heard in his or her defense. The board shall not be bound by strict or technical rules of evidence, but shall consider all evidence fully and fairly except, that all oral testimony considered by the board must be under oath. If the board is convinced that the licensed physical therapist or the licensed physical therapist assistant has violated this article, it may revoke his or her license.

(d) The action of the board in revoking or refusing to issue a license may be reviewed by the Circuit Court of Montgomery County by a writ of mandamus, accompanied by a bond to be approved by the court, to determine whether the board acted arbitrarily, capriciously, or illegally. The review procedure provided in this subsection shall not suspend the action of the board in the revocation or refusal of a license.

(e) The board may restrict a license and require the licensee to report regularly to the board on matters related to the reasons for the restricted license.

(Acts 1965, No. 476, p. 686, §13; Acts 1969, No. 622, p. 1128, §12; Acts 1982, No. 82-189, p. 218, §4; Acts 1985, No. 85-334, p. 268, §3; Acts 1993, No. 93-154, p. 228, §3; Act 2012-387, p. 1036, §1.)