<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<section article="gsg" article_name="State Government" number="10-222" title_number="10" title_name="Governmental Procedures" subtitle_number="2" subtitle_name="Administrative Procedure Act -- Contested Cases">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <text>Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, a party who is aggrieved by the final decision in a contested case is entitled to judicial review of the decision as provided in this section.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>An agency, including an agency that has delegated a contested case to the Office, is entitled to judicial review of a decision as provided in this section if the agency was a party before the agency or the Office.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>Where the presiding officer has final decision–making authority, a person in a contested case who is aggrieved by an interlocutory order is entitled to judicial review if:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>the party would qualify under this section for judicial review of any related final decision;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>the interlocutory order:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>determines rights and liabilities; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>has immediate legal consequences; and</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>postponement of judicial review would result in irreparable harm.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>Unless otherwise required by statute, a petition for judicial review shall be filed with the circuit court for the county where any party resides or has a principal place of business.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The court may permit any other interested person to intervene in a proceeding under this section.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>If the agency has delegated to the Office the authority to issue the final administrative decision pursuant to § 10–205(a)(3) of this subtitle, and there are 2 or more other parties with adverse interests remaining in the case, the agency may decline to participate in the judicial review. An agency that declines to participate shall inform the court in its initial response.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The filing of a petition for judicial review does not automatically stay the enforcement of the final decision.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Except as otherwise provided by law, the final decision maker may grant or the reviewing court may order a stay of the enforcement of the final decision on terms that the final decision maker or court considers proper.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <level label="1">
      <text>Judicial review of disputed issues of fact shall be confined to the record for judicial review supplemented by additional evidence taken pursuant to this section.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The court may order the presiding officer to take additional evidence on terms that the court considers proper if:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>before the hearing date in court, a party applies for leave to offer additional evidence; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>the court is satisfied that:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>the evidence is material; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>there were good reasons for the failure to offer the evidence in the proceeding before the presiding officer.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>On the basis of the additional evidence, the final decision maker may modify the findings and decision.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>The final decision maker shall file with the reviewing court, as part of the record:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>the additional evidence; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>any modifications of the findings or decision.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="g">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The court shall conduct a proceeding under this section without a jury.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>A party may offer testimony on alleged irregularities in procedure before the presiding officer that do not appear on the record.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>On request, the court shall:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>hear oral argument; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>receive written briefs.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="h">
    <text>In a proceeding under this section, the court may:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>remand the case for further proceedings;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>affirm the final decision; or</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>reverse or modify the decision if any substantial right of the petitioner may have been prejudiced because a finding, conclusion, or decision:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>is unconstitutional;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>exceeds the statutory authority or jurisdiction of the final decision maker;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>results from an unlawful procedure;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>is affected by any other error of law;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="v">
        <text>is unsupported by competent, material, and substantial evidence in light of the entire record as submitted;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="vi">
        <text>in a case involving termination of employment or employee discipline, fails to reasonably state the basis for the termination or the nature and extent of the penalty or sanction imposed by the agency; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="vii">
        <text>is arbitrary or capricious.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="i">
    <text>The court or an officer of the court may not charge a fee to an individual petitioning for judicial review to a circuit court from an Office decision in a Medicaid fair hearing contested case proceeding.</text>
  </level>
</section>
