HAR § 18-231-91-13 — Filing of documents; amendment; dismissal; retention

(a) All pleadings, submittals, petitions, applications, charges, reports, maps, exceptions, briefs, memorandums, and other papers required to be filed in any agency appeal shall be filed with the director or as instructed by the director or presiding officer. Such papers may be sent electronically, by facsimile transmission, by United States mail, postage prepaid, or by hand-delivery to the department, within the time limit, if any, as set forth in any statute or rule, for such filing. The date on which the papers are actually received by the department or at the hearing shall be deemed to be the date of filing. (b) Filing electronically means emailing the filing in pdf format or other format as instructed by the director or presiding officer to an email address designated by the director or presiding officer. The email shall include HRS §231-91 HRS §231-91 HRS §231-91 HRS §231-91 ADMINISTRATION OF TAXES §18-231-91-16 a subject line identifying the appeal number, the respondent, and the hearing date and a description of the papers being filed. (c) All papers filed with the department, other than papers filed electronically or by facsimile, shall be written in ink, typewritten, or printed, shall be plainly legible, shall be on strong durable paper, not larger than 8-1/2 by 11 inches in size except that tables, maps, charts, and other documents may be larger, but shall be folded to the size of the documents to which they are attached. Papers filed electronically or by facsimile must be transmitted in a form that can be legibly and understandably printed to 8-1/2 by 11 inch paper or 8-1/2 by 17 inch paper. (d) All papers must be signed in ink by the party or a duly authorized agent or attorney. The presentation to the director (whether by signing, filing, submitting, or later advocating) of any paper shall constitute a certification that the party in interest has read the document; that to the best of the party’s knowledge, information, and belief every statement contained in the document is true and no such statements are misleading; and that the document is not interposed for delay. (e) Unless otherwise specifically provided by a particular rule or order of the department, an original and two copies of all papers shall be filed. Papers sent electronically or by facsimile transmission shall not require any copies. However, the original must be presented to the Department upon request. (f) The initial document filed by any person in any proceeding shall state on the document’s first page the name and mailing address of the person or persons who may be served with any documents filed in the proceeding. (g) All papers filed in an agency appeal shall be served on all other parties to the hearing by the filing party. Service may be accomplished by: (1) Personal service on the party, party’s officer or director, or party’s registered agent for service of process as shown in the records of the department of commerce and consumer affairs; (2) Service by certified mail, restricted delivery, sent to the party’s last known business or residence address or the address of party’s registered agent for service of process as shown in the records of the department of commerce and consumer affairs; or (3) If service by certified mail is not made because of refusal to accept service or because it has not been possible to ascertain the address necessary for service under paragraph (2) after reasonable and diligent inquiry, the papers may be served by publication at least once in each of two successive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation. (h) If any document initiating or filed in an agency appeal is not in substantial conformity with the applicable rules of the department as to the document’s contents, or is otherwise insufficient, the presiding officer, on his or her own motion, or on motion of any party, may strike the document, or require its amendment. The document initiating the agency appeal may not be stricken, but may be subject to required amendments. If amendments are required, the document with amendments shall be effective as of the date of the original filing. (i) All documents filed in an agency appeal shall be retained in the files of the presiding officer, except that the presiding officer may permit the withdrawal of original documents upon submission of properly authenticated copies to replace the original documents.