This monograph is intended to help boards of education meet the increasingly stringent legal demands placed upon them when they are called upon to conduct adversary hearings, particularly in cases involving the termination of an employee or the expulsion or long-term suspension of a student. The material covers the requirements of due process as they apply to these two types of cases and then gives in-depth details on the mechanics of hearings. The concerns addressed include the participants and their roles, the handling of witnesses, the nature of evidence, aspects of testimony, the treatment of hearing records, and the making of acceptable decisions. Techniques for closing hearings, suggestions for hearing conduct, and a discussion of the board's actions following the hearing committee's decision conclude the document. (PGD)