Correct Answer:
B. Adjourn and impose costs
When a party defaults in attendance at a hearing, the Hearing Officer's primary role is to ensure fairness and procedural integrity. Adjourning and imposing costs (B) is the correct action because it allows for rescheduling, giving the absent party another chance while penalizing them for the inconvenience caused. This upholds the principle of natural justice, which requires both sides to be heard.
- (A) Issue an arrest warrant is an extreme measure reserved for criminal contempt or failure to comply with court orders, not simple non-attendance.
- (C) Decide immediately in favor of the present party would be unjust, as it denies the absent party their right to present their case.
- (D) Transfer the case does not address the default itself and is not a standard response to non-attendance.