Section 17-10-70. Appeals

   (a)   Appeals in cases brought under this article shall be governed by Chapter 6 of Title 5 except that as to final orders of the court which are adverse to the applicant, no appeal shall be ordered unless the Supreme Court of this state issues a certificate of probable cause for the appeal.

(b) If an unsuccessful applicant desires to appeal, he or she must file a written application for a certificate of probable cause to appeal with the clerk of the Supreme Court within three days of the entry of the order denying relief. The applicant shall also file within the same period a notice of appeal with the clerk of the concerned superior court. The Supreme Court shall either grant or deny the application within a reasonable time after filing. In order for the Supreme Court to consider fully the request for a certificate, the clerk of the concerned superior court shall forward, as in any other case, the record and transcript, if designated, to the clerk of the Supreme Court when a notice of appeal is filed. The clerk of the concerned superior court need not prepare and retain and the court reporter need not file a copy of the original record and a copy of the original transcript of proceedings. The clerk of the Supreme Court shall return the original record and transcript to the clerk of the concerned superior court upon completion of the appeal if the certificate is granted. If the Supreme Court denies the application for a certificate of probable cause, the clerk of the Supreme Court shall return the original record and transcript and shall notify the clerk of the concerned superior court and the parties to the proceedings below of the determination that probable cause does not exist for appeal.

(c) If the trial court finds in favor of the applicant, no certificate of probable cause need be obtained by the respondent as a condition precedent to appeal. A notice of appeal filed by the respondent shall act as a supersedeas and shall stay the judgment of the superior court until there is a final adjudication by the Supreme Court.

Code 1981, § 17-10-70, enacted by Ga. L. 1988, p. 1003, § 2.