When a judgment has been rendered in a civil action in a general district court and the papers in the action have been returned to the clerk of the circuit court for filing and preserving, executions upon and abstracts of the judgment may be issued by the clerk of such circuit court within the periods permitted under § 8.01-251, provided that such judgment has been duly entered in the judgment lien docket book of such court. However, for a period of two years from the date of any such judgment, the judge or clerk of the general district court may also issue executions upon and abstracts of the judgment. In addition, proceedings by interrogatories may be had in the circuit court as if the judgment had been rendered by that court.