(a) A person who is aggrieved by a final decision in a contested case is entitled to judicial review under this chapter, which shall be the only available method of judicial review.

(b) Proceedings for judicial review of a final order are instituted by filing a petition for review in the chancery court in the county where the municipality lies. Such petition must be filed within sixty (60) calendar days after the entry of the final order that is the subject of the review.

(c) The filing of the petition for review does not itself stay enforcement of the final order. The reviewing court may order a stay on appropriate terms, but if it is shown to the satisfaction of the reviewing court, in a hearing that shall be held within ten (10) business days of a request for hearing by either party, that any party or the public at large may suffer injury by reason of the granting of a stay, then no stay shall be granted until a good and sufficient bond, in an amount fixed and approved by the court, shall be given by the petitioner conditioned to indemnify the other persons who might be so injured and if no bond amount is sufficient, the stay shall be denied.

(d) Within forty-five (45) calendar days after service of the petition, or within further time allowed by the court, the administrative hearing officer shall transmit to the reviewing court the original or a certified copy of the entire record of the proceeding under review. By stipulation of all the parties of the review proceedings, the record may be shortened. A party unreasonably refusing to stipulate to limit the record may be taxed by the court for the additional cost. The court may require or permit subsequent corrections or additions to the record.

(e) If, before the date set for hearing, application is made to the court for leave to present additional evidence, and it is shown to the satisfaction of the court that the additional evidence is material and that there were good reasons for failure to present it in the administrative proceeding, the court may order that the additional evidence be taken before the administrative hearing officer upon conditions determined by the court. The administrative hearing officer may modify its findings and decision by reason of the additional evidence and shall file that evidence and any modifications, new findings or decisions with the reviewing court.

(f) The procedure ordinarily followed in the reviewing court will be followed in the review of contested cases decided by the administrative hearing officer, except as otherwise provided in this chapter. The administrative hearing officer that issued the decision to be reviewed is not required to file a responsive pleading.

(g) The review shall be conducted by the court without a jury and shall be confined to the record. In cases of alleged irregularities in procedure before the administrative hearing officer, not shown in the record, proof thereon may be taken in the court.

(h) The court may affirm the decision of the administrative hearing officer or remand the case for further proceedings. The court may reverse or modify the decision if the rights of the petitioner have been prejudiced because the administrative findings, inferences, conclusions or decisions are:

(1) In violation of constitutional or statutory provisions;

(2) In excess of the statutory authority of the administrative hearing officer;

(3) Made upon unlawful procedure;

(4) Arbitrary or capricious or characterized by abuse of discretion or clearly unwarranted exercise of discretion; or

(5) Unsupported by evidence that is both substantial and material in the light of the entire record. In determining the substantiality of evidence, the court shall take into account whatever in the record fairly detracts from its weight, but the court shall not substitute its judgment for that of the administrative hearing officer as to the weight of the evidence on questions of fact.

(i) No administrative hearing decision pursuant to a hearing shall be reversed, remanded or modified by the reviewing court unless for errors that affect the merits of such decision.

(j) The reviewing court shall reduce its findings of fact and conclusions of law to writing and make them parts of the record.