12D-9.020. Exchange of Evidence

(1)(a)1. At least 15 days before a petition hearing, the petitioner shall provide to the property appraiser a list of evidence to be presented at the hearing, a summary of evidence to be presented by witnesses, and copies of all documentation to be presented at the hearing.

2. To calculate the fifteen (15) days, the petitioner shall use calendar days and shall not include the day of the hearing in the calculation, and shall count backwards from the day of the hearing. The last day of the period shall be included unless it is a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, in which event the period shall run until the end of the next previous day that is neither a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday.

(b) A petitioner’s noncompliance with paragraph (1)(a), does not affect the petitioner’s right to receive a copy of the current property record card from the property appraiser as described in Section 194.032(2)(a), F.S.

(c) A petitioner’s noncompliance with paragraph (1)(a), does not authorize a value adjustment board or special magistrate to exclude the petitioner’s evidence. However, under Section 194.034(1)(h), F.S., if the property appraiser asks in writing for specific evidence before the hearing in connection with a filed petition, and the petitioner has this evidence and knowingly refuses to provide it to the property appraiser a reasonable time before the hearing, the evidence cannot be presented by the petitioner or accepted for consideration by the board or special magistrate. Reasonableness shall be determined by whether the material can be reviewed, investigated, and responded to or rebutted in the time frame remaining before the hearing. These requirements are more specifically described in subsection (8), of this rule, and in paragraphs 12D-9.025(4)(a) and (f), F.A.C.

(2)(a) If the property appraiser receives the petitioner’s documentation as described in paragraph (1)(a), and if requested in writing by the petitioner, the property appraiser shall, no later than seven (7) days before the hearing, provide to the petitioner a list of evidence to be presented at the hearing, a summary of evidence to be presented by witnesses, and copies of all documentation to be presented by the property appraiser at the hearing. The evidence list must contain the current property record card. There is no specific form or format required for the petitioner’s written request.

(b) To calculate the seven (7) days, the property appraiser shall use calendar days and shall not include the day of the hearing in the calculation, and shall count backwards from the day of the hearing. The last day of the period so computed shall be included unless it is a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, in which event the period shall run until the end of the next previous day which is neither a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday.

(3)(a) If the petitioner does not provide the information to the property appraiser described in paragraph (1)(a), the property appraiser need not provide the information to the petitioner as described in subsection (2).

(b) If the property appraiser does not provide the information to the petitioner within the time required by paragraph (2)(b), the hearing shall be rescheduled to allow the petitioner additional time to review the property appraiser’s evidence.

(4) By agreement of the parties the evidence exchanged under this rule section shall be delivered by regular or certified U.S. mail, personal delivery, overnight mail, FAX or email. The petitioner and property appraiser may agree to a different timing and method of exchange. “Provided” means received by the party not later than the time frame provided in this rule section. If either party does not designate a desired manner for receiving information in the evidence exchange, the information shall be provided by U.S. mail. The property appraiser shall provide the information at the address listed on the petition form for the petitioner.

(5) Level of detail on evidence summaries: The summaries of evidence to be presented by witnesses for the petitioner and the property appraiser under this rule section shall be sufficiently detailed as to reasonably inform a party of the general subject matter of the witness’ testimony, and the name and address of the witness.

(6) Hearing procedures: Neither the board nor the special magistrate shall take any general action regarding compliance with this section, but any action on each petition shall be considered on a case by case basis. Any action shall be based on a consideration of whether there has been a substantial noncompliance with this section, and shall be taken at a scheduled hearing and based on evidence presented at such hearing. “General action” means a prearranged course of conduct not based on evidence received in a specific case at a scheduled hearing on a petition.

(7) A property appraiser shall not use at a hearing evidence that was not supplied to the petitioner as required. The remedy for such noncompliance shall be a rescheduling of the hearing to allow the petitioner an opportunity to review the information of the property appraiser.

(8) No petitioner may present for consideration, nor may a board or special magistrate accept for consideration, testimony or other evidentiary materials that were specifically requested of the petitioner in writing by the property appraiser in connection with a filed petition, of which the petitioner had knowledge and denied to the property appraiser. Such evidentiary materials shall be considered timely if provided to the property appraiser no later than fifteen (15) days before the hearing in accordance with the exchange of evidence rules in this section. If provided to the property appraiser less than fifteen (15) days before the hearing, such materials shall be considered timely if the board or special magistrate determines they were provided a reasonable time before the hearing, as described in paragraph 12D-9.025(4)(f), F.A.C. A petitioner’s ability to introduce the evidence, requested of the petitioner in writing by the property appraiser, is lost if not provided to the property appraiser as described in this paragraph. This provision does not preclude rebuttal evidence that was not specifically requested of the petitioner by the property appraiser.

(9) As the trier of fact, the board or special magistrate may independently rule on the admissibility and use of evidence. If the board or special magistrate has any questions relating to the admissibility and use of evidence, the board or special magistrate should consult with the board legal counsel. The basis for any ruling on admissibility of evidence must be reflected in the record.

Rulemaking Authority 194.011(5), 194.034(1), 195.027(1), 213.06(1) FS. Law Implemented 194.011, 194.015, 194.032, 194.034, 194.035, 195.022 FS. History–New 3-30-10, Amended 6-14-16, 4-10-18.