WPC/ ||l-z#{gCAg*%g`;y =zV:Gy!+ Pvϕ E*iQ0+Pn?I*ha:l9=<4@x@Y VA =Į£)gKVF#ʦ\2_F:[ӫṠ砍~x |P„V^#>@. \Kbt4}A<OaۡI8l]9Xy/2d\H'b*uH2{z)v'z?b~ShŻǂ{<[ClH l6nS5_)\AXXZuM7y[0Vas* `t@l7AvR.c'?g\Tޒp,+J (_23  ` &<<DL&23  ..  2( 4 <DL2  *;+J (_22   #DL#23  ..  2( 4 <DL2  *8+J (_21    DL 23  ..  2( 4 <DL2  *5+J (_20  h DDL23  ..  2( 4 <DL2  *2+J (_19   L23  ..  2( 4 <DL2  */+J (_18    L23  ..  2( 4 <DL2  * (_1723  Ԁ*DJ (_16   ," <DL,23  Ԁ  2( 4 <DL2  *AJ (_15   ) <DL)23  Ԁ  2( 4 <DL2  *>J (_14  ` &<<DL&23  Ԁ  2( 4 <DL2  *;J (_13   #DL#23  Ԁ  2( 4 <DL2  *8J (_12    DL 23  Ԁ  2( 4 <DL2  *5J (_11  h DDL23  Ԁ  2( 4 <DL2  - -*2J (_10   L23  Ԁ  2( 4 <DL2  (/J &_9    L23  Ԁ  2( 4 <DL2  ( &_823  (DJ &_7   ," <DL,23   2( 4 <DL2  (AJ &_6   ) <DL)23   2( 4 <DL2  (>J &_5  ` &<<DL&23   2( 4 <DL2  (;J &_4   #DL#23   2( 4 <DL2  (8J &_3    DL 23   2( 4 <DL2  (5J &_2  h DDL23   2( 4 <DL2  (2J &_1   L23   2( 4 <DL2  &/J $_    L23   2( 4 <DL2  (|G2$ !.8NdXXd8         0  = d(|3M$ !.8NdXXd8     VVVV'dxd)!dxdx( $ Figure  1  ^_X`YE<<CLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(|3M$ !.8NdXXd8     ($$   1  X[Z&OLE 2.0 Box <=8C HKKKK !.8Ndd8     _   N8iXXdd8Oa@ C$NINTHESUPREMECOURTOFTENNESSEE  @kk$ATNASHVILLE#NC$+#Ԉ &   April3,2001Session L XiXN #NXXi#OLIVERPATTERSONv.TENNESSEEDEPARTMENTOFLABORAND J WORKFORCEDEVELOPMENTXiXN   ^ @@ AppealfromtheCourtofAppeals,MiddleSection  ^ ChanceryCourtforDavidsonCounty  J @@No.00510IIIEllen_Hobbs_ԀLyle,Chancellor  6  @@*AV) ` dE<` A   @@TTNo.M200001259S10CVFiledNovember8,_2001_   AV) ` dE<` A      #NXXi#XiXNAfterbeingdischargedbyhisTennesseeemployer,OliverPattersonfiledaclaimforunemployment  compensationbenefitswiththeTennesseeEmploymentSecurityDivision.Hisclaimwasdenied; x theAppealsTribunalandtheBoardofReviewaffirmedthedecision.Pattersonfiledapetitionfor d judicialreviewandapetitiontoproceedinforma_pauperis_withtheChanceryCourtforDavidson P County.Inthepetitions,PattersondescribedhimselfasanArkansasresident.Thechancellordenied < hispetitionsbaseduponTenn.CodeAnn.2012127(Supp.2000),whichpermitsonlyTennessee (x residentstocommencecivilactionsinforma_pauperis_.Pattersonfiledamotionforinterlocutory d appealandamotiontoproceedinforma_pauperis_onappeal.Thechancellordeniedthemotionson P thesamegrounds,i.e.,thatPattersonwasnotaTennesseeresident.TheCourtofAppealsaffirmed < thedecision.OnappealtothisCourt,Pattersoncontendsthathehasarighttoseekjudicialreview ( oftheadministrativedecisioninforma_pauperis_.Afterthoroughreviewandconsideration,wehold  thatTenn.CodeAnn.2012127isinapplicabletojudicialreviewofanadministrativedenialof  unemploymentcompensationbenefits.Wefurtherholdthatthepertinentprovisionofthe  unemploymentcompensationstatute,Tenn.CodeAnn.507304(_i_)(1999),doesnotlimitjudicial  reviewtoTennesseeresidents,andthereforenonresidentsmayproceedinforma_pauperis_inseeking t  judicialreviewofanadministrativedenialofunemploymentcompensationbenefits.Accordingly, `!  thejudgmentoftheCourtofAppealsisreversed,andthiscauseisremandedtotheChanceryCourt L"! forDavidsonCounty. 8#" /=Ndd= Tenn.R.App.P.10ExtraordinaryAppealbyPermission;JudgmentoftheCourtof %` $ AppealsReversed;RemandedtotheChanceryCourtforDavidsonCounty  %L!%   _Adolpho_ԀA.Birch,Jr.,J.,deliveredtheopinionofthecourt,inwhichFrankF._Drowota_,III, '$#' C.J.,E.RileyAnderson,JaniceM.Holder,andWilliamM.Barker,JJ.,joined. ($( JohnE._Herbison_,Nashville,Tennessee,fortheappellant,OliverPatterson. *%* PaulG.Summers,AttorneyGeneralandReporter,MichaelE.Moore,SolicitorGeneral,E.Blaine p,', _Sprouse_,AssistantAttorneyGeneral,fortheappellee,TennesseeDepartmentofLaborand \-(- WorkforceDevelopment. H.). Oa    _| OPINION     @I.FactsandProceduralHistory    OliverPatterson,theappellant,filedaclaimforunemploymentcompensationbenefitswith ` theTennesseeEmploymentSecurityDivision(TESD)oftheDepartmentofLaborandWorkforce L  DevelopmentafterbeingdischargedfromhisjobinMemphis,Tennessee.TheTESDfoundthat 8  Pattersonhadlefthisemploymentwithoutgoodcause,anditdeniedhisclaim.PursuanttoTenn. $ t CodeAnn.507304(d)and(e)(1999),PattersonappealedtotheAppealsTribunal.Itaffirmed  ` theTESDsruling,asdidtheBoardofReview.  L    PattersonfiledaprosepetitionforjudicialreviewintheChanceryCourtforDavidson $  County.Herequestedtoproceedasanindigentandattachedanaffidavitofindigencythereto,   althoughhedidnotgivesecurityforcostsandtaxes.Pattersonaverred,however,thathewasa   residentofArkansas.ThechancellordeniedhisrequestforindigentstatusbaseduponTenn.Code   Ann.2012127(a)(Supp.2000),whichprovidesthat [a]nycivilactionmaybecommencedby   aresidentofthisstatewithoutgivingsecurityasrequiredbylawforcostsandwithoutthepayment p oflitigationtaxesdue...(emphasisadded).Thechancellorfoundthatunderthisstatute,only \ Tennesseeresidentscouldcommenceanactionwithoutgivingsecurityforcostsandtaxes. H   Thereafter,Pattersonfileda NoticeofInterlocutoryAppeal.Thechancellortreatedthis  p  NoticeasamotionforaninterlocutoryappealunderRule9oftheTennesseeRulesofAppellate  \ Procedureanddeniedthemotion.Pattersonalsofiledamotiontoproceedinformapauperison H appeal.Thechancellordeniedthemotion,ashedidtheothermotions,onthegroundsthatPatterson 4 wasnotaTennesseeresident.     Pattersonthenfiledan ExParteApplicationforInterlocutoryReviewwiththeCourtof  Appeals.ThecourtorderedtheattorneygeneraltofilearesponsepursuanttoRule10ofthe  TennesseeRulesofAppellateProcedure,whichwasdone.ThecourtdeniedPattersonsapplication.    WegrantedPattersonsapplicationforpermissiontoappealtodeterminewhethera X  nonresidentmay XiXXXiԀproceedinformapauperiswhenseekingjudicialreviewofanadministrative D! decision. #  1      #XiXX Xi# 0"    ?TII.StandardofReview $X"   Constructionofastatuteanditsapplicationtothefactsofacaseareissuesoflaw.SeeThe %0!$ BeareCo.v.TennesseeDept.ofRevenue,858S.W.2d906,907(Tenn.1993).Ourreview, &"% therefore,isdenovowithoutanypresumptionofcorrectnessgiventothetrialcourtsconclusions '#& oflaw.SeeStatev.Owens,20S.W.3d634,637(Tenn.2000).NXXi (#'  )$( #XiXN #  III.Analysis  @!  Wehavebeenaskedtodeterminewhetheranonresidentmayseekjudicialreviewinforma  pauperisofanadministrativedecisiondenyingunemploymentcompensationbenefits. #  2      ׀Indenying t Pattersonspetition,thetrialcourtandtheCourtofAppealsrelieduponTenn.CodeAnn.2012 ` 127,entitledthe Paupersoathstatute,whichprovides: L  8  8`   (a)Anycivilactionmaybecommencedbyaresidentofthisstate $ t withoutgivingsecurityasrequiredbylawforcostsandwithoutthe  ` paymentoflitigationtaxesdueby L ` x` x 8  8`   (1)Filingthefollowingoathofpoverty:$ ` x` x 8  8`   I,__________,dosolemnlyswearunderpenaltiesofperjury,that   owingtomypoverty,Iamnotabletobeartheexpenseoftheaction   whichIamabouttocommence,andthatIamjustlyentitledtothe   reliefsought,tothebestofmybelief;p` x` x 8  8`   andH` x` x 8  8`   (2)Filinganaccompanyingaffidavitofindigencyasprescribedby  p courtrule. \` x` x 8  8`   (b)Thefilingofacivilactionwithoutpayingthecostsortaxesor 4 givingsecurityforthecostsortaxesdoesnotrelievethepersonfiling   theactionfromresponsibilityforthecostsortaxesbutsuspendstheir   collectionuntiltaxedbythecourt.` x` x Tenn.CodeAnn.2012127(Supp.2000)(emphasisadded).ThisCourthasheretoforenot  determinedwhetherthisstatuterequiresnonresidentstogivesecurityforcostsandtaxesbefore l seekingjudicialreviewofanadministrativedecision. X    WebeginwithanalysisoftheUniformAdministrativeProceduresActandthe 0"  unemploymentcompensationstatute.Carefulexaminationoftheseprovisionsrevealsthatthe #l! Paupersoathstatuteisnotcontrollinginthiscase.TheUniformAdministrativeProceduresAct $X" providesinpertinentpart: Apersonwhoisaggrievedbyafinaldecisioninacontestedcaseis $D # entitledtojudicialreviewunderthischapter,whichshallbetheonlyavailablemethodofjudicial %0!$ ?T H   review....Tenn.CodeAnn.45322(a)(1)(1998Repl.)(emphasisadded).Likewise,the  statutoryprovisionwhichgovernstheprocedureforappealofadenialofunemployment  compensationbenefitsprovidesthata [p]etitionforjudicialreviewshallbeheardbythechancellor  ...asamatterofright,anyotherstatuteofthisstatetothecontrarynotwithstanding,anditfurther t providesthat [i]nanyjudicialproceedingsunderthissubsection,theappellantorpetitionershall ` givebondforcosts,orinlieuthereoftaketheoathprescribedbylawforpaupers.Tenn.Code L  Ann.507304(i)(3),(5)(1999)(emphasisadded).Thus,thestatuteprovidesthatpetitionersmay 8  seekjudicialreviewinthechancerycourtasamatterofright,anditpreservestherightofindigent $ t petitionerstoproceedinformapauperis.TheprovisionmakesnoreferencetoTenn.CodeAnn.  ` 2012127,nordoesitprovidethattherighttoproceedinformapauperisshouldbereservedsolely  L  toTennesseeresidents.  8    Itcouldbearguedthattheunemploymentcompensationreviewstatuteitselfcontainsa   residencyrequirementbecauseitprovidesthat anypartyaggrieved[byadecisionofthe   unemploymentcompensationboardofreview]maysecurejudicialreviewthereofbyfilingapetition   forjudicialreviewinthechancerycourtofthecountyofsuchpartysresidenceandprovidesno   instructionregardingthefilingofpetitionsforjudicialreviewbyclaimantswhodonotresidein p Tennessee.Tenn.CodeAnn.507304(i)(1)(emphasisadded).Inlight,however,ofthestatutory \ pronouncementthatpersonsseekingunemploymentcompensationbenefitsmaypetitionforjudicial H reviewasamatterofright,weconcludeitwouldbeillogicaltointerpretanotherportionofthesame 4 statutetoallowonlyTennesseeresidentstofilesuchapetition.BecauseTenn.CodeAnn.507  p 304doesnotoutlineproceduresforthefilingofpetitionsbynonresidents,weturntothejudicial  \ reviewprovisionoftheUniformAdministrativeProceduresAct,codifiedatTenn.CodeAnn.45 H 322,todeterminetheappropriateplaceoffilingforjudicialreviewpetitionsbynonresidents.That 4 provisionprovidesthat [p]roceedingsforreviewareinstitutedbyfilingapetitionforreviewinthe   chancerycourtofDavidsonCounty,unlessanothercourtisspecifiedbystatute.Sincenostatute   specifiesthecourtwherenonresidentsmayfileapetitionforreview,apetitionmayproperlybefiled  intheChanceryCourtforDavidsonCounty.Therefore,Tenn.CodeAnn.507304(i)(1)doesnot  barnonresidentsfromseekingjudicialreviewofadecisionbytheboard,andthusitfollowsthatthe  statutealsodoesnotbarthosenonresidentsfromproceedinginformapauperiswhenfilingapetition l forreview. X    ThisCourthasstatedthat [t]hemostbasicprincipleofstatutoryconstructionistoascertain 0"  andgiveeffecttothelegislativeintentwithoutundulyrestrictingorexpandingastatutescoverage #l! beyonditsintendedscope.Owensv.State,908S.W.2d923,926(Tenn.1995)(emphasisadded). $X" Wealsohaverecognizedthatspecificstatutoryprovisionstypicallywillbegivenforceandeffect $D # overmoregeneralstatutoryprovisions.See,e.g.,FiveStarExpress,Inc.v.Davis,866S.W.2d944, %0!$ 946(Tenn.1993).Thepurposeoftheunemploymentcompensationstatuteisto giveaidtopersons &"% whoareunemployedbyreasonofcircumstancesnotoftheirownfaultorcontrivance.Adamsv. '#& AmericanLavaCorp.,216S.W.2d728,731(Tenn.1948);seealsoTenn.CodeAnn.507101 (#' (1999).Prohibitingnonresidentindigentsfromseekingjudicialreviewinformapauperisineffect )$( wouldclosethedoorsofthecourtstononresidentindigents.Becausebothresidentsand |*%) nonresidentsmayfindthemselvesunemployedandindigent byreasonofcircumstancesnotoftheir h+&* ownfaultorcontrivance,sucharesultwouldstiflethestatutespurpose.SeeAdams,216S.W.2d T,'+ at731.GiventhepurposeandtheunambiguouslanguageoftheUniformAdministrativeProcedures @-(, Actandtheunemploymentcompensationstatutes,applyingTenn.CodeAnn.2012127tolimit  anonresidentsrighttoseekjudicialreviewinformapauperisofunemploymentcompensation  claimswouldundulyenlargethatstatutesscoveragebeyonditsintendedscope.Inaddition,the  reviewprovisionoftheunemploymentcompensationstatutecontainsnoresidencyrequirementfor t proceedinginformpauperis,andthisspecificstatuteiscontrollingontheissue. `   PattersonworkedinTennessee,wasdischargedinTennessee,appliedforunemployment 8  compensationbenefitsinTennessee,sought!andcanonlyseek!judicialreviewinTennessee,yethe $ t residesinArkansas.BecauseTenn.CodeAnn.507304(i)doesnotlimittherighttoseekjudicial  ` reviewinformapauperistoTennesseeresidentsandthereisnoindicationthatthelegislature  L  intendedtodoso,weholdthatPatterson,anonresident,hasarighttoseekjudicialreviewinforma  8  pauperisbeforetheChanceryCourtforDavidsonCounty.Ourdispositionofthiscaserendersit $  unnecessarytoaddresstheissuesraisedbythepartiesregardingtheconstitutionalityofTenn.Code   Ann.2012127.ThejudgmentoftheCourtofAppealsisreversed,andthiscauseisremanded   totheChanceryCourtforDavidsonCountyforfurtherproceedings.     IV.Conclusion p BG  BecauseTenn.CodeAnn.2012127(Supp.2000)isinapplicabletojudicialreviewof H administrativeproceedingsandTenn.CodeAnn.507304(i)(1999)doesnotlimittheavailability 4 ofjudicialreviewinformapauperistoTennesseeresidents,weholdthatthestatuteconfersupon  p anindigent,regardlessofresidency,therighttoseekjudicialreviewinformapauperisofan  \ administrativedecisiondenyingunemploymentcompensationbenefits.ThejudgmentoftheCourt H ofAppealsisthereforereversed,andthiscauseisremandedtotheChanceryCourtforDavidson 4 Countywherethecauseshallproceedinamannerconsistentwiththisopinion,subject,ofcourse,   tothechancellorsfindingastoPattersonsindigency. #  3      ׀Costsofthisappealaretaxedtothe   TennesseeDepartmentofLaborandWorkforceDevelopment.  =Ndd=   @  @`  @  @  @h  @  @ _______________________________ D! (L  ADOLPHOA.BIRCH,JR.,JUSTICE