Opinion ID: 1957244
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Adding Additional Evidence to the Record, M.R. Civ. P. 80C(e)

Text: [¶ 20] The Collaborative next argues that even if the e-mail did not fall within the scope of the administrative record, the Superior Court should have reviewed it as additional evidence of the Department's bias pursuant to Rule 80C(e). See Trimble v. Comm'r, Dep't of Human Servs., 635 A.2d 937, 938-39 (Me.1993). Rule 80C(e) applies when evidence that is not part of the record, and could not have been made a part of the record by the propounding party, is relevant to a determination before the court. It is not available to present evidence that the applicant should have presented to the agency, and is most appropriately asserted when there is evidence relevant to bias or prejudice, or, in some instances, an equitable defense or claim that could not have been addressed to the agency during the administrative proceedings. [¶ 21] Rule 80C(e) requires that the party offering additional evidence file a motion for the admission of that additional evidence with the court within ten days after the administrative body filed the record with the Superior Court. Here, the court concluded that the motion was untimely because the Collaborative did not file its motion within ten days after the record was filed with the court. M.R. Civ. P. 80C(e). Accordingly, the court concluded that the Collaborative had waived any right to the taking of additional evidence pursuant to M.R. Civ. P. 80C(e). [¶ 22] The Superior Court has the discretion to determine whether to take additional evidence on appeal from an agency's decision. See Murphy v. Bd. of Envtl. Prot., 615 A.2d 255, 260 (Me.1992). Ordinarily, a court would not be said to have engaged in an unsustainable exercise of discretion in denying a motion pursuant to Rule 80C(e) when the moving party failed to adhere to the ten-day deadline. Indeed, in ordinary circumstances, the rule should be applied literally. [¶ 23] In the circumstances of the present case, however, the late filing was occasioned by the failure of the agency to provide the pertinent information. Because the Collaborative began its search for the e-mail evidence promptly following the filing of the agency record, we would recognize a narrow exception to the ten-day deadline, and we vacate the court's denial of the motion to take additional evidence to the extent that it is based on an untimely filing. [¶ 24] Accordingly, on remand, the court should first determine whether the correspondence should have been made a part of the record pursuant to M.R. Civ. P. 80C(f), or was additional evidence outside the record that may demonstrate bias or prejudice, M.R. Civ. P. 80C(e). The court should then address the Collaborative's claim of bias in light of the entire record.