2021 Georgia Code
Title 15 - Courts
Chapter 10 - Magistrate Courts
- Article 1 - General Provisions
- Article 2 - Magistrates
- Article 3 - Civil Proceedings
- Article 4 - Violation of Ordinances of Counties and State Authorities
- Article 5 - Fees and Costs
- Article 6 - Constables, Clerk, and Other Court Personnel
- Article 7 - Transitional Provisions
- Article 8 - Magistrate Training
- Article 9 - Magistrate Court Serving as Municipal Court
- Article 10 - Deposit Account Fraud Prosecutions
- Article 11 - Senior Magistrates
- Article 12 - Remittance of Interest From Funds
- Article 13 - Trials of Certain Misdemeanors
- Transfer of cases, Uniform Transfer Rules.
Editor's notes.- Ga. L. 1983, p. 884, § 2-1, effective July 1, 1983, repealed the Code sections formerly codified at this chapter and enacted the current chapter. The former chapter contained provisions concerning justice of the peace courts and consisted of five articles as follows: Article 1, §§ 15-10-1 through15-10-16; Article 2, §§ 15-10-30,15-10-31 [repealed by Ga. L. 1982, p. 2107, § 54],15-10-33,15-10-33.1,15-10-34 through15-10-36; Article 3, §§ 15-10-50 through15-10-62; Article 4, §§ 15-10-80 through15-10-111; Article 5, §§ 15-10-130 through15-10-138.
The former chapter was based on Laws 1799, Cobb's 1851 Digest, p. 638; Laws 1811, Cobb's 1851 Digest, pp. 638-640, 642-647; Laws 1814, Cobb's 1851 Digest, p. 647; Laws 1816, Cobb's 1851 Digest, pp. 644, 648; Laws 1819, Cobb's 1851 Digest, pp. 207, 648, 649; Laws 1827, Cobb's 1827 Digest, p. 649; Laws 1829, Cobb's 1851 Digest, p. 650; Laws 1830, Cobb's 1851 Digest, p. 359; Laws 1835, Cobb's 1851 Digest, p. 361; Laws 1840, Cobb's 1851 Digest, p. 651; Laws 1841, Cobb's 1851 Digest, p. 651; Laws 1842, Cobb's 1851 Digest, pp. 652, 653; Ga. L. 1853-54, p. 36, § 1; Ga. L. 1853-54, p. 44, § 2; Ga. L. 1855-56, p. 254, §§ 1, 2; Ga. L. 1855-56, p. 255, § 2; Laws 1857, Cobb's 1851 Digest, p. 54; Ga. L. 1857, p. 117, § 2; Ga. L. 1857, p. 118, § 1; Ga. L. 1857, p. 119, § 2; Ga. L. 1858, p. 92, § 1; Ga. L. 1860, p. 47, §§ 1, 2; Code 1863, §§ 408 - 411, 413 - 432, 434, 3623, 3995, 4036, 4038, 4040 - 4045, 4048 - 4051, 4053 - 4058, 4060, 4064, 4065, 4068, 4071 - 4078, 4081, 4083, 4084; Ga. L. 1866, p. 64, § 71; Code 1868, §§ 470 - 473, 475 - 494, 496, 3648, 3915, 4065 - 4068, 4070 - 4079, 4081, 4084 - 4089, 4093 - 4097, 4100 - 4107, 4110, 4112, 4113; Ga. L. 1868, p. 131, §§ 1, 3; Ga. L. 1868, p. 132, §§ 1, 3; Ga. L. 1869, p. 143, § 1; Ga. L. 1871-72, p. 45, §§ 1 - 3; Code 1873, §§ 435, 437 - 439, 441 - 460, 462, 3699, 3991, 4130, 4131, 4133 - 4135, 4136 - 4156, 4158, 4159, 4160, 4163 - 4168, 4171 - 4172a, 4505; Ga. L. 1873, p. 32, § 1; Ga. L. 1873, p. 34, § 1; Ga. L. 1873, p. 39, § 1; Ga. L. 1873, p. 47, § 4; Ga. L. 1874, p. 86, § 15; Ga. L. 1876, p. 38, § 1; Ga. L. 1877, p. 83, §§ 1, 3; Ga. L. 1877, p. 88, § 1; Ga. L. 1878-79, p. 31, § 1; Ga. L. 1878-79, p. 67, § 1; Ga. L. 1878-79, p. 78, § 1; Ga. L. 1878-79, p. 191, § 1; Ga. L. 1880-81, p. 66, § 1; Ga. L. 1880-81, p. 76, § 1; Ga. L. 1880-81, p. 82, § 1; Ga. L. 1880-81, p. 84, §§ 1, 2; Ga. L. 1880-81, p. 111, § 1; Code 1882, §§ 340a, 340b, 435, 437 - 439, 441 - 460, 462, 3699, 3700a, 3700b, 3991, 4130, 4131, 4133 - 4156, 4158 - 4160, 4163 - 4168, 4171, 4172, 4172a, 4172b, 4505; Ga. L. 1882-83, p. 58, § 1; Ga. L. 1882-83, p. 103, §§ 1, 2; Ga. L. 1882-83, p. 110, § 1; Ga. L. 1884-85, p. 95, §§ 1, 2; Ga. L. 1884-85, p. 103, § 1; Ga. L. 1887, p. 55, § 1; Ga. L. 1893, p. 23, § 1; Civil Code 1895, §§ 4051, 4053 - 4059, 4061, 4062, 4064 - 4073, 4075 - 4082, 4101, 4103 - 4106, 4108, 4110 - 4137, 4150 - 4152, 4156 - 4161, 4164 - 4167, 4755, 5403; Penal Code 1895, §§ 293 - 296, 302, 731 - 733, 1110; Ga. L. 1895, p. 49, § 1; Ga. L. 1896, p. 51, § 2; Ga. L. 1897, p. 33, § 1; Ga. L. 1899, p. 35, § 1; Ga. L. 1901, p. 40, § 1; Ga. L. 1903, p. 40, § 1; Ga. L. 1909, p. 175, § 1; Civil Code 1910, §§ 4648, 4650 - 4656, 4658, 4659, 4661 - 4670, 4672 - 4679, 4698, 4700 - 4703, 4705, 4709 - 4737, 4750 - 4752, 4756 - 4761, 4764 - 4767, 5324, 5985, 6002, 6003; Penal Code 1910, §§ 297 - 300, 306, 788 - 790, 1139; Ga. L. 1919, p. 99, § 1; Ga. L. 1922, p. 132, § 1; Code 1933, §§ 24-401 - 24-406, 24-408, 24-502, 24-503, 24-601 - 24-606, 24-701 - 24-704, 24-901, 24-903 - 24-908, 24-1001 - 24-1016, 24-1101 - 24-1112, 24-1201 - 24-1203, 24-1301 - 24-1305, 24-1401 - 24-1419, 24-1501, 24-1502, 24-1601, 24-9901, 24-9902, 63-304; Ga. L. 1943, p. 324, § 1; Ga. L. 1943, p. 325, § 1; Ga. L. 1946, p. 231, § 1; Ga. L. 1949, p. 956; Ga. L. 1958, p. 201, § 1; Ga. L. 1961, p. 479, § 1; Ga. L. 1962, p. 522, § 1; Ga. L. 1967, p. 469, § 1; Ga. L. 1977, p. 196, § 1; Ga. L. 1978, p. 894, §§ 1 - 9; Ga. L. 1980, p. 441, § 1; Ga. L. 1980, p. 638, § 1; Ga. L. 1981, p. 623, § 1; Ga. L. 1982, p. 3, § 15; Ga. L. 1982, p. 2107, § 11; and Ga. L. 1983, p. 3, § 50. Ga. L. 1983, p. 884 also revised Code sections throughout the Code to conform to the provisions of the revised Chapter 10 of Title 15.
The intent of Ga. L. 1983, p. 884 was stated in § 1-1 of the Act as follows: "It is the intent of this Act to implement certain changes required by Article VI of the Constitution of the State of Georgia." See also Ga. Const. 1983, Art. VI, Sec. X, Para. I and Code Section 15-10-120 for transfer of functions of justice of the peace courts, small claims courts, and other specified courts to magistrate courts.
Law reviews.- For annual survey of law on trial practice and procedure, see 35 Mercer L. Rev. 315 (1983). For article, "Digital Searches, the Fourth Amendment, and Magistrates' Revolt," see 68 Emory L.J. 51 (2018).
OPINIONS OF THE ATTORNEY GENERALMagistrates should be classified as county officials for purposes of social security reporting and contributions. 1986 Op. Att'y Gen. No. 86-9.
Prosecution of claims in magistrate's court.- Only a member of the Georgia State Bar may represent another in a proceeding in magistrate's court, but a corporation may appear pro se in such a proceeding by and through the corporation's nonattorney officer or employee. 1983 Op. Att'y Gen. No. U83-73.
RESEARCH REFERENCES
ALR.
- Propriety and effect of corporation's appearance pro se through agent who is not attorney, 8 A.L.R.5th 653.
