<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<section article="gin" article_name="Insurance" number="11-503" title_number="11" title_name="Insurance Rating Law" subtitle_number="5" subtitle_name="Hearings and Appeals">
  <level label="a">
    <text>An order or decision of the Commissioner under this title is subject to judicial review by appeal to the Circuit Court for Baltimore City.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <level label="1">
      <text>Within 30 days after the issuance of an order or decision of the Commissioner, an appeal may be commenced by filing a notice of appeal with the Circuit Court for Baltimore City and a copy of the notice of appeal with the Commissioner.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>If an appeal is not commenced under paragraph (1) of this subsection, the right to appeal no longer exists.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>The Commissioner shall be made a party to each appeal under this section.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <level label="1">
      <text>After a copy of the notice of appeal is filed with the Commissioner, the Commissioner shall prepare or cause to be prepared an official record.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The official record:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>shall be certified by the Commissioner;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>shall include a copy of:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>all proceedings;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>the findings and order of the Commissioner; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="3">
          <text>a transcript of any testimony and exhibits or records; and</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>may be in typewritten form.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>If a hearing was not held by the Commissioner on the matter that is the subject of the appeal, the Commissioner shall prepare and certify a transcript of the files in the office of the Commissioner relating to the matter.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>Within 30 days after a copy of the notice of appeal is filed with the Commissioner, the Commissioner shall file the official record with the Circuit Court for Baltimore City.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <level label="1">
      <text>Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, the filing of the notice of appeal acts as a stay of a ruling, order, or decision of the Commissioner pending the final determination of the issue if the ruling, order, or decision relates to an increase or decrease of premiums or rate or to a change in a rating system.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Paragraph (1) does not apply if the ruling, order, or decision approves or allows a filing of an insurer or rating organization.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <level label="1">
      <text>Within 60 days after the date of the filing of a notice of appeal, the Circuit Court for Baltimore City shall:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>hear and decide the appeal; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>affirm, reverse, or modify the order or decision of the Commissioner from which the appeal is taken.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The Circuit Court for Baltimore City shall reverse or modify the order or decision of the Commissioner wholly or partly if the court finds that the order or decision:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>is not supported by the preponderance of the evidence on consideration of the record as a whole; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>is not in accordance with law.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <level label="1">
      <text>An appeal to the Appellate Court of Maryland may be taken from the decision of the Circuit Court for Baltimore City as in other civil cases.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The Commissioner shall be made a party to each appeal to the Appellate Court of Maryland under paragraph (1) of this subsection.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
