§ 3-2A-06. Review of award or costs by court
West's Annotated Code of MarylandCourts and Judicial Proceedings
MD Code, Courts and Judicial Proceedings, § 3-2A-06
§ 3-2A-06. Review of award or costs by court
(a) A party may reject an award or the assessment of costs under an award for any reason. A notice of rejection must be filed with the Director and the arbitration panel and served on the other parties or their counsel within 30 days after the award is served upon the rejecting party, or, if a timely application for modification or correction has been filed within 10 days after a disposition of the application by the panel, whichever is greater.
(b)(1) At or before the time specified in subsection (a) of this section for filing and serving a notice of rejection, the party rejecting the award shall file an action in court to nullify the award or the assessment of costs under the award and shall file a copy of the action with the Director. Failure to file this action timely in court shall constitute a withdrawal of the notice of rejection. Subject to the provisions of subsection (c) of this section, the procedures applicable to the action including the form and necessary allegations in the initial pleading shall be governed by the Maryland Rules. The Director need not be named a party to any action under this section.
(c) An allegation by any party that an award or the assessment of costs under an award is improper because of any ground stated in § 3-223(b) or § 3-224(b)(1), (2), (3), or (4) of this title or § 3-2A-05(h) of this subtitle shall be made by preliminary motion, and shall be determined by the court without a jury prior to trial. Failure to raise such a defense by pretrial preliminary motion shall constitute a waiver of it. If the court finds that a condition stated in § 3-223(b) of this title exists, or that the award or the assessment of costs under an award was not appropriately modified in accordance with § 3-2A-05(h) of this subtitle, it shall modify or correct the award or the assessment of costs under an award. If the rejecting party still desires to proceed with judicial review, the modified or corrected award shall be substituted for the original award. If the court finds that a condition stated in § 3-224(b)(1), (2), (3), or (4) of this title exists, it shall vacate the award, and trial of the case shall proceed as if there had been no award.
(d) Unless vacated by the court pursuant to subsection (c) of this section, the unmodified arbitration award is admissible as evidence in the judicial proceeding. The award shall be presumed to be correct, and the burden is on the party rejecting it to prove that it is not correct.
(e)(1) Depositions taken in the arbitration proceedings shall be as fully admissible as if noticed in court proceedings. Interrogatories and requests for admissions and production of documents in the arbitration proceedings remain binding in the court proceedings, subject to a duty of supplementation.
(f)(1) Upon timely request, the trier of fact shall by special verdict or specific findings itemize by category and amount any damages assessed for incurred medical expenses, rehabilitation costs, and loss of earnings. Damages assessed for any future expenses, costs, and losses shall be itemized separately. If the verdict or findings include any amount for such expenses, costs, and losses, a party filing a motion for a new trial may object to the damages as excessive on the ground that the plaintiff has been or will be paid, reimbursed, or indemnified to the extent and subject to the limits stated in § 3-2A-05(h) of this subtitle.
(3)(i) If the court finds from the evidence that the damages are excessive on the grounds stated in § 3-2A-05(h) of this subtitle, subject to the limits and conditions stated in § 3-2A-05(h) of this subtitle, it may grant a new trial as to such damages or may deny a new trial if the plaintiff agrees to a remittitur of the excess and the order required adequate security when warranted by the conditions stated in § 3-2A-05(h) of this subtitle.
(g) If the verdict of the trier of fact is not more favorable to the party that rejected the arbitration panel's award, than was the award, the costs of the judicial proceedings shall be assessed against the rejecting party. Otherwise, the court may determine the assessment of such costs. If the court vacates an assessment of arbitration costs, it shall reassess those costs as justice requires.
Credits
Added by Acts 1976, c. 235, § 1, eff. July 1, 1976. Amended by Acts 1977, c. 265, § 1, eff. July 1, 1977; Acts 1979, c. 156, § 1, eff. July 1, 1979; Acts 1981, c. 588, § 1, eff. July 1, 1981; Acts 1986, c. 640, § 1, eff. July 1, 1986; Acts 1987, c. 596, § 1, eff. July 1, 1987; Acts 1988, c. 109, § 7, eff. July 1, 1988; Acts 1988, c. 160, § 1, eff. July 1, 1988; Acts 1989, c. 5, § 1, eff. March 9, 1989; Acts 1991, c. 21, § 3, eff. Oct. 1, 1991; Acts 1991, c. 25, § 1, eff. April 9, 1991; Acts 2003, c. 252, § 10, eff. July 1, 2003; Acts 2004, 1st Sp. Sess., c. 5, § 1, eff. Jan. 11, 2005; Acts 2006, c. 44, § 6, eff. April 8, 2006..
MD Code, Courts and Judicial Proceedings, § 3-2A-06, MD CTS & JUD PRO § 3-2A-06
Current with legislation effective through June 1, 2023, from the 2023 Regular Session of the General Assembly. Some statute sections may be more current, see credits for details.
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