The complaint shall be heard by the court without a jury. If the court shall find upon the hearing that the offense or offenses charged in the complaint have been established by the evidence, the court shall order the revocation or suspension of the permit. If the court finds that the permittee has not previously violated the law in the operation of his licensed business, and that no permit or license held by him has previously been suspended or revoked, and if it appears to the satisfaction of the court that there is reasonable ground to expect that the permittee will not again commit the offense or offenses charged in the complaint and that to revoke the permit would be unduly severe, then the court may suspend the permit for such period of time as the court deems proper. However, if the permittee has previously had his permit suspended or revoked, it shall be mandatory upon the court upon a finding of guilty to revoke the said permit. The judgment of the court revoking or suspending such permit shall not be superseded or stayed during the pendency of an appeal therefrom. A certified copy of the final order or decree of the court shall be forwarded by the clerk of the court to the commissioner.
After the filing of a complaint with the clerk of the court for the revocation or suspension of a permit, the court in which the complaint is filed shall retain jurisdiction to hear and determine such complaint and to enter judgment revoking or suspending such permit. For the purpose of such hearing and as to the effect of the judgment of the court entered pursuant thereto, the permit shall be in full force and effect even though the permittee, after filing of such complaint, may have surrendered his permit, or such permit may have expired, or the rights of the permittee thereunder may have otherwise terminated. It is the purpose of this section to preclude the permittee from avoiding the effect of a judgment of revocation by a court by reason of conditions arising subsequent to the filing of a complaint.