--you did an excellent job on this, Mel.

Basically, as far as I can see, you caught them in a mistake at the very least and in a deceptive practive at worst.

The question is how far the judge's authority actually extends in these cases--and I admit I have no idea what the political considerations are. I couldn't even speculate whether the judge is compelled to follow the regulations to the letter, can bend them in certain cases, or is independent (and ornery) enough to want to make an example/teach a lesson to the other side and make them pay for their incompetence and/or deceit.

But Echoes is right; this is PRECISELY the type of thing that an advocacy organization should be lobbying abround, and bringing it up at the next neuropathy support meeting can only help. Wonder if you could get some of the administrators from the Association there . . .