James P. Mitchell, v. James Davenport, Commissioner of the Departmentof Employment Security of the State of Tennessee, Noma Outdoor Products, Inc.

In this unemployment compensation case, James Mitchell (“Mitchell”) filed a claim 2 for unemployment compensation with the Tennessee Department of Employment Security (“TDES”). TDES approved Mitchell’s claim, and Mitchell’s employer, NOMA Outdoor Products, Inc. (“NOMA”), appealed TDES’ claim approval. On appeal, the Appeals Tribunal ruled that Mitchell was not eligible for unemployment benefits pursuant to T.C.A. § 50-7-303(a)(2) due to work-connected misconduct and declared that the $1,190.00 in unemployment benefits that Mitchell had previously received was an overpayment. Mitchell thereafter requested that TDES waive his $1,190.00 overpayment pursuant to T.C.A. § 50-7-303(d)(2). The Appeals Tribunal denied Mitchell’s request for a waiver of the overpayment, and Mitchell appealed the decision of the Appeals Tribunal to the Board of Review. The Board of Review adopted the findings of fact and decision of the Appeals Tribunal and denied Mitchell’s request for a waiver of the overpayment. Mitchell thereafter filed a petition to rehear which was denied by the Board of Review. Pursuant to T.C.A. § 50-7-304(i), Mitchell filed a petition for certiorari in chancery court seeking judicial review of the Board’s decision. The chancery court dismissed Mitchell’s petition for certiorari and affirmed the decision of the Board of Review, denying Mitchell’s request for a waiver of the overpayment. Mitchell appeals from the order of the chancery court arguing that the chancery court erred in admitting additional evidence and erred in not vacating or setting aside the decision of the Board of Review. For the reasons stated hereafter, we affirm the judgment of the chancery court.