Current through 2024 Legislative Session Act Chapter 531
Section 328 - Appeal from the Commissioner(a) Except as to matters arising under Chapter 25 of this title (Rates and Rating Organizations), an appeal from the Commissioner shall be taken only from an order on hearing or as to a matter on which the Commissioner has refused or failed to hold a hearing after application therefor or issue an order on hearing as required by § 323 of this title.(b) Any person who was a party to such hearing or whose pecuniary interests are directly and immediately affected by any such refusal or failure, and who is aggrieved by such order, refusal or failure, may appeal from such order or as to any such matter within 60 days after:(1) The order on hearing has been mailed or delivered to the persons entitled to receive the same or given by last publication thereof where delivery by publication is permitted; or(2) The Commissioner has refused or failed to make an order on hearing as required under § 323 of this title; or(3) The Commissioner has refused or failed to grant or hold a hearing as required under § 323 of this title.(c) The appeal shall be granted as a matter of right and shall be taken to the Superior Court in any county in this State.(d) The appeal shall be taken by filing in the Court a verified petition stating the grounds upon which the review is sought, together with a bond with good and sufficient sureties to be approved by the Court, conditioned to pay all costs which may be assessed against the appellant or petitioner in such proceedings and by serving a copy of the petition upon the Commissioner. If the appeal is from the Commissioner's order on hearing, the petitioner shall also deliver to the Commissioner a sufficient number of copies of the petition and the Commissioner shall mail or otherwise furnish a copy thereof to the other parties to the hearing to the same extent as a copy of the Commissioner's order is required to be furnished to the hearing parties under § 323 of this title.(e) Upon receiving the petition for review, the Commissioner shall cause to be prepared an official record certified by the Commissioner which shall contain a copy of all proceedings and orders of the Commissioner appealed from and the transcript of testimony and evidence or summary record thereof. Within 30 days after the petition is served upon him or her, the Commissioner shall file such official record with the Court in which the appeal is pending.(f) Upon filing of the petition for review the Court shall have full jurisdiction of the proceeding. Such filing shall not stay the enforcement of the Commissioner's order or action appealed from unless so stayed by order of the Court.(g) If the appeal is from the Commissioner's order on hearing, the review of the Court shall be limited to matters shown by the Commissioner's official record; otherwise, the review shall be de novo. The Court shall have the power, by preliminary order, to settle questions concerning the completeness and accuracy of the Commissioner's official record.(h) In its discretion the Court may remand the case to the Commissioner for further proceedings in accordance with the Court's directions or, in advance of judgment and upon a sufficient showing, the Court may remand the case to the Commissioner for the purpose of taking additional testimony or other proceedings.(i) From the judgment of the Superior Court, either the Commissioner or other party to the appeal may appeal directly to the Supreme Court of the State in the same manner as is provided in civil cases. 18 Del. C. 1953, § 333; 56 Del. Laws, c. 380, § 1; 70 Del. Laws, c. 185, § 1; 70 Del. Laws, c. 186, § 1.;