Section 661.401.310. Evidence.

       401.310(1) The presiding officer shall rule on admissibility of evidence and may, where appropriate, take official notice of facts in accordance with all applicable requirements of law.

       401.310(2) Stipulation of facts is encouraged. The presiding officer may make a decision based on stipulated facts.

       401.310(3) Evidence in the proceeding shall be confined to the contested issues as provided in Iowa Code section 97A.6.

       401.310(4) The party seeking admission of an exhibit must provide opposing parties with an opportunity to examine the exhibit prior to the ruling on its admissibility. Copies of documents should normally be provided to opposing parties. All exhibits admitted into evidence shall be appropriately marked and be made part of the record.

       401.310(5) Any party may object to specific evidence or may request limits on the scope of any examination or cross-examination. Such an objection shall be accompanied by a brief statement of the grounds upon which it is based. The objection, the ruling on the objection, and the reasons for the ruling shall be noted in the record. The presiding officer may rule on the objection at the time it is made or may reserve a ruling until the written decision.

       401.310(6) Whenever evidence is ruled inadmissible, the party offering that evidence may submit an offer of proof on the record. The party making the offer of proof for excluded oral testimony shall briefly summarize the testimony or, with permission of the presiding officer, present the testimony. If the excluded evidence consists of a document or exhibit, it shall be marked as part of an offer of proof and inserted in the record.