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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>75768</law_id><section_number>2.2-4027</section_number><catch_line>Issues on review</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>2.2-4007.03</reference><reference>2.2-4009</reference><reference>2.2-4025</reference><reference>2.2-4028</reference><reference>2.2-4029</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="2.2">Administration of Government</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="II">Administration of State Government</unit><unit label="part" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="B">Transaction of Public Business</unit><unit label="chapter" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="40">Administrative Process Act</unit><unit label="article" level="5" order_by="1" identifier="5">Court Review</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>The burden shall be upon the <span class="dictionary">party</span> complaining of <span class="dictionary">agency action</span> to designate and demonstrate an error of law subject to review by the <span class="dictionary">court</span>. Such <span class="dictionary">issues</span> of law include: (i) accordance with constitutional right, power, <span class="dictionary">privilege</span>, or immunity, (ii) compliance with statutory authority, <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> limitations, or right as provided in the <span class="dictionary"><span class="dictionary">basic laws</span></span> as to subject matter, the stated objectives for which <span class="dictionary">regulations</span> may be made, and the factual showing respecting violations or entitlement in connection with <span class="dictionary">case decisions</span>, (iii) observance of required procedure where any failure therein is not mere harmless error, and (iv) the substantiality of the evidentiary support for <span class="dictionary">findings</span> of <span class="dictionary">fact</span>. The determination of such <span class="dictionary">fact</span> <span class="dictionary">issue</span> shall be made upon the whole evidentiary record provided by the agency if its proceeding was required to be conducted as provided in &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Evidentiary hearings on regulations" href="/2.2-4009/">2.2-4009</a> or <a class="law" title="Formal hearings; litigated issues" href="/2.2-4020/">2.2-4020</a> or, as to subjects exempted from those sections, pursuant to constitutional requirement or statutory provisions for opportunity for an agency record of and decision upon the <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> therein.
		In addition to any other judicial review provided by law, a small business, as defined in subsection A of &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Regulatory flexibility for small businesses; periodic review of regulations" href="/2.2-4007.1/">2.2-4007.1</a>, that is adversely affected or aggrieved by final <span class="dictionary">agency action</span> shall be entitled to judicial review of compliance with the requirements of subdivision A 2 of &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Economic impact analysis" href="/2.2-4007.04/">2.2-4007.04</a> and &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Regulatory flexibility for small businesses; periodic review of regulations" href="/2.2-4007.1/">2.2-4007.1</a> within one year following the date of final <span class="dictionary">agency action</span>.
		When the decision on review is to be made on the agency record, the duty of the <span class="dictionary">court</span> with respect to <span class="dictionary">issues</span> of <span class="dictionary">fact</span> shall be to determine whether there was substantial <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> in the agency record to support the agency decision. The duty of the <span class="dictionary">court</span> with respect to the <span class="dictionary">issues</span> of law shall be to review the agency decision <span class="dictionary">de novo</span>. The <span class="dictionary">court</span> shall enter <span class="dictionary">judgment</span> in accordance with &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Court judgments" href="/2.2-4029/">2.2-4029</a>.
		Where there is no agency record so required and made, any necessary <span class="dictionary">facts</span> in controversy shall be determined by the <span class="dictionary">court</span> upon the basis of the agency file, minutes, and records of its proceedings under &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Notice of intended regulatory action; public hearing" href="/2.2-4007.01/">2.2-4007.01</a> or <a class="law" title="Informal fact finding proceedings" href="/2.2-4019/">2.2-4019</a> as augmented, if need be, by the agency pursuant to <span class="dictionary">order</span> of the <span class="dictionary">court</span> or supplemented by any allowable and necessary proofs adduced in <span class="dictionary">court</span> except that the function of the <span class="dictionary">court</span> shall be to determine only whether the result reached by the agency could reasonably be said, on all such proofs, to be within the scope of the legal authority of the agency.
		Whether the <span class="dictionary">fact</span> <span class="dictionary">issues</span> are reviewed on the agency record or one made in the review action, the <span class="dictionary">court</span> shall take due account of the <span class="dictionary">presumption</span> of official regularity, the experience and specialized competence of the agency, and the purposes of the <span class="dictionary">basic law</span> under which the agency has acted.</p></section></text><history>1975, c. 503, &#xA7; 9-6.14:17; 1989, c. 601; 2001, c. 844; 2005, cc. 619, 682; 2007, cc. 873, 916; 2013, c. 619.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
