(b) In the event the civil service commission sustains the action of the sheriff, the deputy has an immediate right of appeal to the circuit court of the county. In the event that the commission reinstates the deputy, the sheriff has an immediate right of appeal to the circuit court. In the event either the sheriff or the deputy objects to the amount of the attorney fees awarded to the deputy, the objecting party has an immediate right of appeal to the circuit court. Any appeal must be taken within ninety days from the date of entry by the civil service commission of its final order. Upon an appeal being taken and docketed with the clerk of the circuit court of the county, the circuit court shall proceed to hear the appeal upon the original record made before the commission and no additional proof may be permitted to be introduced. The circuit court's decision is final, but the deputy or sheriff, as the case may be, against whom the decision of the circuit court is rendered has the right to petition the supreme court of appeals for a review of the circuit court's decision as in other civil cases. The deputy or sheriff also has the right, where appropriate, to seek, in lieu of an appeal, a writ of mandamus. The deputy, if reinstated or exonerated by the circuit court or by the supreme court of appeals, shall, if represented by legal counsel, be awarded reasonable attorney fees as approved by the court and the fees shall be paid by the sheriff from county funds.
(c) The removing sheriff and the deputy shall at all times, both before the civil service commission and upon appeal, be given the right to employ counsel to represent them.
(d) If for reasons of economy or other reasons it is deemed necessary by any appointing sheriff to reduce the number of his or her deputies, the sheriff shall follow the procedure set forth in this subsection. The reduction in the numbers of the deputy sheriffs of the county shall be effected by suspending the last person or persons, including probationers, who have been appointed as deputies. The removal shall be accomplished by suspending the number desired in the inverse order of their appointment: Provided, That in the event the number of deputies is increased in numbers to the strength existing prior to the reduction of deputies, the deputies suspended under the terms of this subsection shall be reinstated in the inverse order of their suspension before any new appointments of deputy sheriffs in the county are made.
(e) Notwithstanding any other provision of this article to the contrary, no deputy sheriff in any county subject to the provisions of this article may serve as a deputy sheriff in any county subject to the provisions of this article after attaining the age of sixty-five years.