FILING AN APPEAL ONLINE WITH THE DIVISION OF ADMINISTRATIVE LAW APPEALS (DALA)
(NOT applicable to Bureau of Special Education Appeals (BSEA))
The quickest way to file an appeal with the DALA is to file the appeal online.
Individuals filing an appeal online should be aware of the following:
1. The person filing the case at DALA is generally referred to as the “PETITIONER” and the agency or person answering the case is referred to as the “RESPONDENT”.
2. It is the responsibility of the PETITIONER to comply with all statutory and other filing deadlines. Failure to submit the case in a timely manner will result in the case being dismissed as untimely.
3. Documents submitted to DALA may be subject to disclosure under the public records law.
4. Petitioners’ technology problems e.g., problems with the Petitioner’s Internet Service Provider (ISP), hardware, or software problems, will not excuse an untimely filing.
5. Petitioners filing online are expected to submit an electronic copy of the document they are appealing. Petitioners unable to submit the case with DALA online have other options to file an appeal, as outlined on DALA’s website, but all statutory and other filing deadlines still apply, regardless of how the appeal is filed.
6. An appeal filed online is not considered filed until the PETITIONER has:
A. Completed all sections of the online appeal form.
B. And when applicable, completed the section to pay the filing fee online (through credit card or checking account, or sought a fee waiver).
7. When all the steps in Paragraph 6 have been satisfied, the petitioner will receive a confirmation email from DALA. If you do not receive a confirmation email from DALA, your appeal is not considered filed and may be dismissed as untimely unless you have filed a timely appeal using one of the four alternate methods of filing an appeal (in-hand, by mail, by fax or by email).