State Office of Administrative Hearings

When a Texas physician is investigated for professional misconduct, the Texas Medical Board will decide whether or not to pursue disciplinary action against him or her. If the board does decide to issue sanctions, the physician has the opportunity to accept, negotiate, or reject the disciplinary action outlined by the board. When a physician chooses to contest the board’s decision, the board may file charges against him or her through the State Office of Administrative Hearings (SOAH).

What is the SOAH?

The SOAH oversees disputes between the Texas Medical Board and physicians regarding cases of suspected physician misconduct. The job of the SOAH is to make decisions on legal matters between opposing parties. These types of cases are handled much like any other legal case, with a judge handling the proceeding as the two sides argue their respective cases.

SOAH Proceeding Overview

A SOAH judge will hear the entire case, including evidence and testimony from both sides. Once the proceeding has concluded, the judge will release a decision regarding the physician’s liability and whether he or she committed professional misconduct. The Texas Medical Board is then responsible for issuing penalties or disciplinary action, if any, according to the judge’s decision in the case.

Defending Your Case

Contested cases brought before the SOAH are often complex and require a thorough understanding of health law, administrative law, criminal law, and other facets of law related to the case. Without an experienced Texas license defense lawyer, you could be at a loss as to how to effectively argue your case and disprove arguments made by the board. It is therefore important to seek legal advice and assistance from an experienced medical license attorney who will work aggressively to defend your case.

Contact Us

To learn more about the State Office of Administrative Hearings and what you can expect from your proceeding, do not hesitate to contact the Texas license defense lawyers of the Leichter Law Firm today by calling 512-495-9995.