Opinion ID: 2809702
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Production of the Investigative File

Text: Our holding regarding the Circuit Court’s reversal of the WSSC’s deemed denial of Lafarge’s claim and limited remand renders moot the WSSC’s question regarding the authority of the Circuit Court to order production of the agency’s investigative file, 25 On appeal, the WSSC did not take exception to the part of the Circuit Court’s order requiring that the refund be calculated in accordance with Standard Procedures for Adjustment and Correction of Water/Sewer Bill, SP Number CUS 10-01. Further, if CUS 10-01 is a standard and uniform method of determining refunds, as the parties’ memoranda before the Circuit Court (and the document’s title and content) suggest, then it might be arbitrary and capricious for the WSSC to calculate Lafarge’s refund using a different standard. 26 In addition to the provisions cited above, PUA § 25-106(f) authorizes refunds for excess charges even if there is no pending claim for the refund. 27 In the circumstances of the present case, a hearing on remand is possible, but would be limited to inquiry as to the proper amount of the refund. 24 whether for consideration as part of the agency “record” or otherwise. We note, however, an observation or two as to this contretemps because instances of judicial review of deemed denials by operation of law are “an exotic bird in these woods.” 28 The WSSC does not claim any prejudice resulting from the production of the investigative file. Indeed, production of additional documents could help furnish the sparse administrative record with evidence sufficient to justify the deemed denial. By the same token, this sort of “evidence” had not been tested by the crucibles of examination/cross-examination (if a witness or witnesses were called to authenticate or identify the documents) or rebuttal evidence. Nonetheless, “[i]t is the policy of this Court not to reverse for harmless error and the burden is on the appellant in all cases to show prejudice as well as error.” Crane v. Dunn, 382 Md. 83, 91, 854 A.2d 1180, 1185 (2004) (citing Rippon v. Mercantile Safe Deposit Co., 213 Md. 215, 222, 131 A.2d 695, 698 (1957)). As such, we decline to determine whether the Circuit Court erred by ordering the WSSC to produce, in this judicial review proceeding, additional documents from the agency’s preliminary investigation of the claim. Generally, supplementation of an agency record while on judicial review is not permitted, except where agency bias or improper ex parte communications are asserted. See Montgomery Cnty. v. Stevens, 337 Md. 471, 48485, 654 A.2d 877, 883-84 (1995); c.f. SG § 10-222(f) (indicating that additional evidence should generally be collected by the agency). 28 This descriptive phrase was spoken by the Frank Underwood character in the U.S. version of “House of Cards.” House of Cards: Chapter 5 (Media Rights, Capital Panic Pictures (II), Trigger Street Productions 2013). 25 JUDGMENT OF THE COURT OF SPECIAL APPEALS AFFIRMED. COSTS TO BE PAID BY THE PETITIONER. 26