(a) Any person may appeal the judgment of a magistrate court to the circuit court as a matter of right by requesting such appeal not later than twenty days after such judgment is rendered or not later than twenty days after a decision is rendered upon a motion to set aside such judgment. Such person shall be required to post a bond with good security in a reasonable amount not less than the reasonable court costs of the appeal nor more than the sum of the judgment and the reasonable court costs of the appeal, upon the condition that such person will satisfy the judgment and any court costs which may be rendered against him on any such appeal. The bond and the circuit court filing fee shall be collected by the magistrate court clerk or deputy clerk at the time the appeal is filed, and be forwarded to the clerk of the circuit court along with other appropriate documents regarding the appeal. No bond shall be required of any governmental agency or authority or of a person who has been permitted to proceed without prepayment in accordance with the provisions of section one, article two, chapter fifty-nine of this code. If an appeal is not perfected within such twenty-day period, the circuit court of the county may, not later than ninety days after the date of judgment, grant an appeal upon a showing of good cause why such appeal was not perfected within such twenty-day period. The filing or granting of an appeal shall automatically stay further proceedings to enforce the judgment.
(b) In the case of an appeal of a civil action tried before a jury, the hearing on the appeal before the circuit court shall be a hearing on the record. In the case of an appeal of a civil action tried before the magistrate without a jury, the hearing on the appeal before the circuit court shall be a trial de novo, triable to the court, without a jury.
(c) In the case of an appeal of a civil action tried before a jury, the following provisions shall apply:
(1) To prepare the record for appeal, the party seeking the appeal shall file with the circuit court a petition setting forth the grounds relied upon, and designating those portions of the testimony or other matters reflected in the recording, if any, which he or she will rely upon in prosecuting the appeal. The responding party or parties may designate additional portions of the recording. Unless otherwise ordered by the circuit court, the preparation of a transcript of the designated portions of the recording and the payment of the cost thereof shall be the responsibility of the party requesting the transcript: Provided, That a party may be permitted to proceed without prepayment in accordance with the provisions of section one, article two, chapter fifty-nine of this code. The circuit court may, by general order or by order entered in a specific case, dispense with preparation of a transcript and review the designated portions of the recording aurally.