Section 12-9-16. Hearings and review

   Any order of a hearing officer issued after a hearing as provided in Code Section 12-9-15 or 12-9-22, or any order of the director issued under Code Section 12-9-13, 12-9-20, or 12-9-22, either:

   (1) Unappealed from, as provided in those Code sections; or

   (2) Affirmed or modified pursuant to judicial review provided by this article or Chapter 13 of Title 50 and from which no further review is taken may be filed as a final order by certified copy from the director, in the superior court of the county wherein the person resides, or if the person is a corporation in the county wherein the corporation maintains its principal place of business, or in the county wherein the violation occurred, whereupon the court shall render judgment in accordance therewith and notify the parties. Such judgment shall have the same effect, and all proceedings in relation thereto shall thereafter be the same, as though the judgment had been rendered in an action duly heard and determined by such court.

Ga. L. 1978, p. 275, § 18; Ga. L. 1992, p. 918, § 2; Ga. L. 1992, p. 2886, § 1.