(1) The district courts of appeal are empowered, upon the filing of appropriate notices of appeal, to review final orders of the commission pursuant to s. 120.68. A copy of the notice of appeal shall be filed with the commission. The record in the proceeding, certified by the commission, shall be filed with the court in accordance with the Florida Rules of Appellate Procedure.

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   (2) Upon the filing of a notice of appeal, the appropriate district court of appeal shall thereupon have jurisdiction of the proceeding and may grant such temporary or permanent relief or restraining order as it deems just and proper and may enforce, modify, affirm, or set aside, in whole or in part, the order of the commission. The findings of the commission with respect to questions of fact, if supported by substantial evidence on the record considered as a whole, shall be conclusive.

   (3) The court may award to the prevailing party all or part of the costs of litigation and reasonable attorney’s fees and expert witness fees whenever the court determines that such an award is appropriate. However, no such costs or fees shall be assessed against the commission in any appeal from an order issued by the commission in an adjudicatory proceeding between adversary parties conducted pursuant to this part.

   (4) The commencement of proceedings under this section shall not, unless specifically ordered by the district court of appeal, operate as a stay of the commission’s order.

   (5) Appeals filed under this part shall be heard expeditiously by the district court of appeal to which presented and shall take precedence over all other civil matters except prior matters of the same character.

s. 3, ch. 74-100; s. 20, ch. 77-343; s. 3, ch. 79-295.