Section 31-11-36. Suspension or revocation of license; appeal to superior court

   (a) Any license issued under this article may be suspended or revoked for a failure of a licensee to comply and to maintain compliance with this article or rules and regulations issued under this article, but only after opportunity for a hearing as provided in Article 1 of Chapter 5 of this title.

(b) Any person who has exhausted all administrative remedies available within the department and who is substantially aggrieved by a final order or final action of the license officer is entitled to judicial review in the manner provided by Article 1 of Chapter 5 of this title and, notwithstanding Code Section 31-5-3, shall be entitled to an appeal to superior court as provided in subsection (c) of this Code section.

(c) Appeal to the superior court shall be by petition which shall be filed in the clerk's office of such court within 30 days after the final order or action of the department; the petition shall set forth the names of the parties taking the appeal, the order, rule, regulation, or decision appealed from, and the reason it is claimed to be erroneous. The enforcement of the order or action appealed from shall be automatically stayed upon the filing of such petition unless the commissioner of public health in his final order certifies that his decision if stayed will harm the public health and safety, in which case a reviewing court may order a stay only if the court makes a finding that the public health and safety will not be harmed by the issuance of the stay. Upon the filing of such petition, the petitioner shall serve on the commissioner a copy thereof in the manner prescribed by law for the service of process, unless such service of process is waived. The appeal shall be an appeal de novo to the superior court and the appealing party shall have a right to a jury trial and all rights provided under Chapter 11 of Title 9, the "Georgia Civil Practice Act." The superior court shall render a decision approving, setting aside, or modifying the order or action appealed from.

Code 1933, § 88-3107, enacted by Ga. L. 1972, p. 625, § 1; Ga. L. 1985, p. 149, § 31; Ga. L. 1988, p. 1923, § 2; Ga. L. 2009, p. 453, § 1-6/HB 228; Ga. L. 2011, p. 705, § 6-5/HB 214.