What happens if a party fails to plead or defend in an administrative proceeding?

In administrative proceedings, if a party fails to plead or defend, the consequence is that their right to a hearing is waived. This means that by not participating in the process—either by not submitting the necessary pleadings or by failing to take action to defend their case—the party effectively gives up their opportunity to contest the claims made against them.

This waiver is significant because it can lead to automatic judgments or decisions being made based on the information available, without the input of the non-participating party. It is important to recognize that this does not necessarily involve a formal dismissal of the case—rather, it reflects a forfeiture of the right to engage actively in the proceedings. The administrative process often has specific rules that provide for the handling of situations where a party does not appear, typically resulting in predetermined actions being taken, such as issuing a ruling based on the available evidence.