30 Tex. Admin. Code § 80.127 - Evidence

(a) General admissibility of evidence.

(1) Irrelevant, immaterial, or unduly repetitious evidence shall be excluded. The Texas Rules of Civil Evidence, as applied in nonjury civil cases in the district courts of this state, shall be followed. When necessary to ascertain facts not reasonably susceptible of proof under those rules, evidence not admissible under those rules may be admitted, except where precluded by statute, if it is of a type commonly relied upon by reasonably prudent people in the conduct of their affairs. The judge shall give effect to the rules of privilege recognized by law.

(2) Testimony will be received only from witnesses called by a party or the judge. The judge may allow or request testimony from any person whose position is not adequately represented by any party, subject to cross-examination by all parties. Such testimony shall only be allowed at the judge's discretion. All parties shall have an opportunity to conduct discovery of such person.

(3) Testimony offered by any witness shall be under oath.

(4) In a contested case hearing concerning a permit application, the executive director shall not rehabilitate the testimony of a witness unless the witness is an agency employee testifying for the sole purpose of providing information to complete the administrative record.

(b) Stipulation. Evidence may be stipulated by agreement of all parties. The judge and commission will determine the weight, if any, to be accorded stipulated evidence.

(c) Prefiled testimony and exhibits. The judge may require or allow parties to prepare their direct testimony in written form if the judge determines that a proceeding will be expedited and that the interests of the parties will not be prejudiced substantially. The judge may require the parties to file and serve their direct testimony and exhibits before the beginning of the hearing. The prepared testimony of a witness upon direct examination, either in narrative or question and answer form, may be admitted into evidence as if read or presented orally, upon the witness being sworn and identifying the same as a true and accurate record of what the testimony would be if given orally. The witness shall be subject to cross-examination, and the prepared testimony shall be subject to objection.

(d) Exhibits.

(1) Exhibits of a documentary character shall not exceed 8 1/2 by 11 inches unless they are folded to the required size. Maps and drawings which are offered as exhibits shall be rolled or folded so as not to unduly encumber the record. Exhibits not conforming to this rule may be excluded.

(2) Each exhibit offered shall be tendered for identification and placed in the record. Copies shall be furnished to the judge, each of the parties, and the hearings reporter, unless the judge rules otherwise.

(3) If an exhibit has been identified, objected to, and excluded, it may be withdrawn by the offering party. If withdrawn, the exhibit will be returned and the offering party waives all objections to the exclusion of the exhibit. If not withdrawn, the exhibit shall be included in the record for the purpose of preserving the objection to the exclusion of the exhibit.

(e) Official notice.

(1) The judge may take official notice of all facts judicially cognizable. In addition, the judge may take official notice of any generally recognized facts within the specialized knowledge of the commission.

(2) The judge shall notify all parties of any material officially noticed, including any memoranda or data prepared by the executive director and relied upon by the commission in prior proceedings. All parties shall be afforded an opportunity to contest any material so noticed.

(f) Invoking the "rule." At the request of the party, and subject to the discretion of the judge, witnesses may be placed under "the rule" as provided by, and subject to the conditions of, Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 267 and Texas Rule of Evidence 614.

(g) Staff testimony and evidence. Testimony or evidence given in a contested case permit hearing by agency staff, regardless of which party called the staff witness or introduced the evidence relating to the documents listed in § 80.118 of this title (relating to Administrative Record), or any analysis, study, or review that the executive director is required by statute or rule to perform, shall not constitute assistance to the permit applicant in meeting its burden of proof.

(h) In contested cases regarding a permit application filed with the commission on or after September 1, 2015, and referred under Texas Water Code, § 5.556 or § 5.557, the filing of the administrative record as described in § 80.118 of this title (relating to Administrative Record) establishes a prima facie demonstration that the executive director's draft permit meets all state and federal legal and technical requirements, and, if issued, would protect human health and safety, the environment, and physical property. The ALJ shall admit the administrative record into evidence for all purposes.

Notes

30 Tex. Admin. Code § 80.127

The provisions of this §80.127 adopted to be effective June 6, 1996, 21 TexReg 4763; amended to be effective December 1, 1997, 22 TexReg 11381; amended to be effective November 15, 2001, 26 TexReg 9105; Amended by Texas Register, Volume 40, Number 52, December 25, 2015, TexReg 9697, eff. 12/31/2015