Gonzalez Moreno, Duberli

Applicant Duberli Gonzalez Moreno filed a petition for removal from a WCJ's November 10, 2025 order taking the matter off calendar. The WCJ ordered the matter off calendar after repeatedly advising the parties to meet and confer about a disagreed disposition before addressing the judge, which the parties failed to do despite ample opportunity. The Appeals Board, applying the extraordinary-remedy standard for removal, found that applicant had not shown substantial prejudice or irreparable harm, nor that reconsideration would be an inadequate remedy, because applicant could simply refile a declaration of readiness to proceed. While noting that WCAB Rule 10759(b)'s meet-and-confer requirement is important, the Board observed that the rule does not compel taking a matter off calendar and encouraged WCJs to consider alternative remedies to avoid unnecessary delay. The petition for removal was denied.