Opinion ID: 1330380
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Appeal to Circuit Court

Text: On September 26, 1995, the DEP filed a petition for appeal of the Board's final order in the Circuit Court of Kanawha County, pursuant to W. Va.Code, 22B-1-9 [1994] (general provisions for judicial review) and 29A-5-4 [1964] (judicial review of contested cases) of the State Administrative Procedures Act (APA). The circuit court heard arguments on the matter on May 15, 1996. At the hearing, counsel for the DEP contended that Kingwood failed to successfully rebut the presumption that it owned or controlled T & T's mining operations. 38 C.S.R. 2-2.84(b)(6) (1996). After hearing arguments of counsel for both the DEP and Kingwood, the circuit court affirmed the Board's final order, concluding that the board's decision was not clearly wrong. See W. Va.Code, 29A-5-4(g)(5) [1964]((g) The court may affirm the order or decision of the agency or remand the case for further proceedings. It shall reverse, vacate or modify the order or decision of the agency if the substantial rights of the petitioner or petitioners have been prejudiced because the administrative findings, inferences, conclusions, decisions or order are:.... (5) Clearly wrong in view of the reliable, probative and substantial evidence on the whole record [.]). The circuit court entered an order to this effect on May 24, 1996. It is from this order that the DEP now appeals.