Opinion ID: 1275843
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: a. judicial review

Text: At the outset we note the scope of judicial review applicable in a case of this nature. In Appeal of Prezkop, 154 W.Va. 759, 179 S.E.2d 331 (1971), this Court held in syllabus point 1: A final order of a police civil service commission based upon a finding of fact will not be reversed by a circuit court upon appeal unless it is clearly wrong or is based upon a mistake of law. In syllabus point 2 thereto we also held: The judgment of a circuit court affirming a final order of a police civil service commission, upon appeal therefrom as provided by statute, will not be reversed by this Court unless the final order of the commission was against the clear preponderance of the evidence or was based upon a mistake of law. Elsewhere we have distinguished between the scope of judicial review of conclusions of law, as opposed to findings of fact, by an administrative agency: `Findings of fact by the [administrative agency] ... should not be set aside unless such findings are plainly wrong; however, the plainly wrong doctrine does not apply to conclusions of law by the [administrative agency].' Syl. pt. 1, Lough v. Cole, ___ W.Va. ___, 310 S.E.2d 491 (1983), quoting syl. pt. 1, Kisamore v. Rutledge, ___ W.Va. ___, 276 S.E.2d 821 (1981). Similarly, `[i]n reviewing the judgment of a lower court this Court does not accord special weight to the lower court's conclusions of law, and will reverse the judgment below when it is based on an incorrect conclusion of law.' Syl. pt. 1, Pierce v. Pierce, ___ W.Va. ___, 274 S.E.2d 514 (1981), quoting Syl. pt. 1, Burks v. McNeel, ___ W.Va. ___, 264 S.E.2d 651 (1980). We now turn to the substantive law in this area.