KRS 16.150: Appeal from disciplinary action or removal.

(1) Any officer of the department who shall be found guilty by the trial board of any

charge as provided in KRS 16.140 shall have the right, within ten (10) days from

the date of judgment of the trial board, to appeal to the Franklin Circuit Court,

provided the punishment be a suspension of more than twenty (20) days or his pay

be reduced more than ten percent (10%), or if he is reduced in grade, if his

classification so warrants, or is removed or dismissed from the department;

provided, however, the enforcemen t of the judgment of the trial board upon said

charges shall not be suspended during said appeal.

(2) To perfect said appeal within the time specified, such officer shall file in the office

of the clerk of the Franklin Circuit Court a copy of the order, of all the evidence

heard, and of all the steps taken by the trial board relative to such charges, but shall

first post a bond to secure the cost of the action in a lump sum to be approved by the

circuit clerk, with corporate surety approved by the Departmen t of Insurance as to

solvency and responsibility and authorized to transact business in this state, or he

may post a cash bond. The members of the trial board and the commissioner shall

be necessary parties to such appeal. The circuit clerk shall docket the case as though

it were a petition in equity and shall immediately issue a summons for the appellee.

The summons shall be returnable in the same manner as in equity cases. Service of

summons upon the commissioner or acting commissioner shall be deemed ser vice

upon the board.

(3) Such action shall be set down for trial as soon as possible, and the hearing thereof

shall be expedited in the same manner as a declaratory judgment suit.

(4) No new or additional evidence shall be introduced in the Franklin Circui t Court,

except as to fraud or misconduct of some party engaged in the administration of

KRS 16.010 to 16.170, or one (1) who is a member of the trial board, but the court

shall otherwise hear the case upon the record as attested by the board, and in all

respects dispose of the appeal in a summary manner. Its review shall be limited to

determining whether or not:

(a) The board acted without or in excess of its powers;

(b) The order appealed from was procured by fraud; or

(c) If questions of fact are in issu e, whether or not any substantial evidence

supports the order appealed from. After such a hearing, the court shall enter a

judgment sustaining or setting aside the order of the trial board appealed from.

The cost of the action shall follow the judgment of the court.

(5) Any party aggrieved by a judgment of the Franklin Circuit Court may appeal to the

Court of Appeals in the manner provided in the Rules of Civil Procedure, but such

appeal shall be docketed within sixty (60) days from the entry of judgment, u nless

the time be extended by the Circuit Court, but in no event beyond one hundred

twenty (120) days from the entry of judgment.