2016 Georgia Code
Title 18 - Debtor and Creditor
Chapter 4 - Garnishment Proceedings
Article 1 - General Provisions
§ 18-4-10. Responses by garnishee; judgment by default

(a) The summons of garnishment shall state that if the garnishee fails to file a garnishee's answer to such summons in a timely manner, a judgment by default shall be entered against the garnishee for the amount remaining due on a judgment as shown in the plaintiff's affidavit of garnishment.

(b) The summons of garnishment shall be directed to the garnishee, commanding the garnishee to respond and state what money or other property is subject to garnishment. Except as provided in subsection (c) of this Code section and Articles 2 and 3 of this chapter, the garnishee's answer shall be filed with the court issuing the summons not sooner than 30 days and not later than 45 days after service of the summons, and the money or other property subject to garnishment shall be paid to or delivered to the court concurrently with such garnishee's answer.

(c) When the garnishee is a financial institution and the garnishment is not a continuing garnishment or continuing garnishment for support, such garnishee's answer shall be filed with the court issuing the summons of garnishment not sooner than five days and not later than 15 days after the date of service of the summons, and the money or other property subject to garnishment shall be paid to or delivered to the court concurrently with such garnishee's answer. If the defendant does not have an active account with and is not the owner of any money or other property in the possession of such financial institution, then the garnishee may immediately file the garnishee's answer; provided, however, that such garnishee's answer shall be filed not later than 15 days after the date of service of the summons.