Rucker, J.
Resolving a long-standing lack of consensus on the subject, today we hold that a petitioner seeking judicial review of an agency action must file with the trial court the agency record as defined by the Administrative Orders and Procedures Act. Failure to do so results in dismissal of the petition.
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All four justices in Meyer agreed that the trial court lacked authority to extend the filing deadline for an agency record that was not filed within the required statutory period or an authorized extension thereof. We reasoned:
The purpose of AOPA section 13 is to ensure that the review of agency action proceeds in an efficient and speedy manner, and that the reviewing trial court has access to the record before rendering its decision. . . . The filing requirement also ensures that no relevant evidence or materials are hidden, and no “new” or “secret” evidence is introduced to either contradict or support an agency decision.
Meyer, 927 N.E.2d at 370 (internal quotation and citation omitted). This reasoning applies with equal force to a requirement that the official agency record must be filed with the trial court in order for judicial review to proceed. In sum we hold a petitioner for review cannot receive consideration of its petition where the statutorily-defined agency record has not been filed. [Footnote omitted.] In our view this bright-line approach best serves the goals of accuracy, efficiency, and judicial economy. Here because TOPS did not file the agency record as anticipated by AOPA, the trial court properly dismissed its petition for judicial review.
Conclusion
We affirm the judgment of the trial court.
Rush, C.J. and Dickson, David and Massa, JJ., concur.