§34-13-31. Appeal from decision of board.

(a) Whenever, by decision, final order or other final determination upon any public hearing provided for by this chapter, a party to such hearing shall feel aggrieved, an appeal may be taken to the circuit court for the county within which such party resides or, if he or she is not a resident of Alabama, then to the circuit court for the county within which the hearing was held. However, if there is more than one appellant, the circuit court having jurisdiction to hear the appeal of the first appellant filing a notice of appeal shall have jurisdiction to hear all appeals arising from the same hearing, irrespective of the place of residence of the appellants.

(b) On taking and perfecting an appeal to the circuit court having jurisdiction thereof, the court shall proceed as in other cases.

(c) All appeals shall be taken within 30 days from the date of the order entered of the board which is the basis of the appeal and shall be granted as a matter of right and be deemed perfected by filing with the board a bond for security of costs of the appeal. Upon filing of a verified petition and hearing thereon, the court may, in its discretion, stay the order appealed from pending final judicial review. No new or additional evidence may be introduced in the circuit court except as to fraud or misconduct of some person engaged in the administration of this chapter and affecting the order, rule, or ruling appealed from. The court shall otherwise hear the case upon the record as certified to the court by the executive secretary of the board and shall set aside the order, rule, or action appealed from if the court finds that the board erred to the prejudice of the appellant's substantial rights in its application of the law; or, the order, decision, or award was procured by fraud or was based upon a finding of facts contrary to the substantial weight of the evidence, or that the order was arbitrary, capricious, or inconsistent with respect to any of the material issues involved; or that the board failed in its order to find sufficient facts as to each material issue involved to enable the court to determine the basis for the conclusion of the board. The court, instead of setting aside the order, shall remand the case to the board for further proceedings in conformity with the direction of the court. The court may, in advance of judgment and upon a sufficient showing, remand the cause to the board for the purpose of taking additional testimony or other proceedings.

(d) An appeal may be taken from the judgment decree or any appealable order of the circuit court to the Supreme Court of this state. Appeals to the Supreme Court shall be taken, perfected, heard, and determined in the manner prescribed by law and the Alabama Rules of Appellate Procedure for taking, perfecting, hearing, and determining appeals to the Supreme Court.

(Acts 1975, No. 214, p. 705, §32; Act 2014-125, §1.)