§ 4-21-307 — Judicial review

(a) A complainant, respondent or intervenor aggrieved by an order of the commission, including an order dismissing a complaint or stating the terms of a conciliation agreement, may obtain judicial review, and the commission may obtain an order of the court for enforcement of its order, in a proceeding brought in the chancery court or circuit court in which the alleged discriminatory practice that is the subject of the order occurred or in which a respondent resides or transacts business. (b) (1) The proceeding for review or enforcement is initiated by filing a petition in court. (2) Copies of the appeal shall be served upon all parties of record. (3) Within thirty (30) days after the service of the petition for appeal upon the commission or its filing by the commission, or within such further time as the court may allow, the commission shall transmit to the court the original or a certified copy of the entire record upon which the order is based, including a transcript of testimony, which need not be printed. (4) By stipulation of all parties to the review proceeding, the record may be shortened. (5) The findings of fact of the commission shall be conclusive unless clearly erroneous in view of the probative and substantial evidence on the whole record. (6) The court has the power to grant such temporary relief or restraining order as it deems just and to enter an order enforcing, modifying and enforcing as modified, or setting aside in whole or in part the order of the commission, or remanding the case to the commission for further proceedings. (7) All such proceedings shall be heard and determined by the chancery court or circuit court and court of appeals as expeditiously as possible and with lawful precedence over other matters. (c) If the commission has failed to schedule a hearing in accordance with § 4-21-304 or has failed to issue an order within one hundred eighty (180) days after the complaint is filed, the complainant, respondent or an intervenor may petition the chancery court or circuit court in a county in which the alleged discriminatory practice set forth in the complaint occurs or in which the petitioner resides or has the petitioner's principal place of business for an order directing the commission to take such action. The court shall follow the procedure set forth in subsection (b) so far as applicable. (d) (1) The court shall not consider any matter not considered by, nor any objection not raised before, the hearing examiner or examiners unless the failure of a party to present such matter to or raise such objection before the hearing examiner or examiners are excused because of good cause shown. (2) A party may move the court to remand the case to the commission in the interest of justice for the purpose of adducing additional specified material evidence and seeking findings thereon; provided, that the party shows good cause for the failure to adduce such evidence before the commission. (e) (1) The jurisdiction of the chancery court or circuit court shall be exclusive, and its final judgment or decree shall be subject to review by the court of appeals as provided by the Rules of Civil Procedure. (2) The commission's copy of the testimony shall be available to all parties for examination without cost during business hours at the commission's office in Nashville. (f) (1) A proceeding under this section must be initiated within thirty (30) days after a copy of the order of the commission is petitioned or the petition is filed under § 4-21-304 . (2) If no proceeding is so initiated, the commission may obtain a decree of the court of enforcement of its order upon showing that a copy of the petition for enforcement was served on the respondent and the respondent is subject to the jurisdiction of the court.

Legislative History

Acts 1978, ch. 748, § 22; T.C.A., §§ 4-2120, 4-21-120; Acts 1996, ch. 777, §§ 2-5.