If the hearing panel is the board of directors, the violator must appeal to:

• A. An authority outside the community association, such as an alternative dispute resolution body.
• B. The same board as a higher review.
• C. A court of law.
• D. The committee that initially requested the hearing.

Answer: (D)

When the hearing panel is the board of directors, the appeal goes to the committee that initially requested the hearing. This follows the internal dispute process so the original initiator of the issue retains a formal route to have the decision reviewed by the same governance body that started the process. The committee that requested the hearing has context on the matter and the authority to reconsider or route the matter appropriately within the association’s rules, ensuring consistency and due process.

Choosing an outside authority or a court would bypass the internal review framework, which is typically not appropriate unless the governing documents explicitly authorize such steps. Appealing back to the board that already served as the hearing panel wouldn’t add a new layer of review, so the designated next step is the committee that initiated the hearing.