23-3-511. Review by circuit court.

23-3-511. Review by circuit court. (a) Any party to a proceeding conducted pursuant to this subchapter before the Arkansas Public Service Commission, within twenty (20) days after a final order is made, may file a petition with the Pulaski County Circuit Court against the commission for the purpose of having the lawfulness of its final decision inquired into and determined. (b) Every such petition to review shall state briefly the nature of the proceeding before the commission and shall set forth the order or decision complained of and the ground upon which the order or decision is claimed to be unlawful. (c) Upon the filing of a petition to review, the clerk of the circuit court shall mail a notice of the filing of the petition and a copy of the petition to the commission by certified or registered mail. In the alternative, the clerk may cause the notice and a copy of the petition to be served upon either the secretary or chair of the Arkansas Public Service Commission by the Pulaski County Sheriff or his or her deputy. (d) Thereupon, the commission, within thirty (30) days from the mailing or service of the notice shall answer the petition and certify to the court a complete transcript of the record in the case made before the commission, which shall include a copy of all pleadings, proceedings, testimony, exhibits, orders, findings, and opinions in the case. However, the parties and the commission may stipulate that a specified portion only of the record as made before the commission shall be included in the transcript to be filed with the court. (e)(1) No new or additional evidence shall be introduced in the court in which such a review is sought, but every case shall be determined upon the transcript of the record made before the commission as certified to by it. (2) All evidence before the commission shall be considered by the court regardless of any technical rule which might have rendered the evidence inadmissible if originally offered in the trial of any action at law or in equity. (f) Upon hearing, the court may dismiss the petition to review or vacate the order complained of in whole or in part, as the case may be. In case the order is wholly or partially vacated, the court may also in its discretion remand the matter to the commission for further procedure not inconsistent with the judgment of the court as, in the opinion of the court, justice may require. (g) The review shall not be extended further than to determine whether the commission has regularly pursued its authority, including a determination of whether the order or decision under review violated any right of the complainant under the United States Constitution or the Arkansas Constitution.