O.C.G.A. § 15-9-158 (2019)
Qualifications of assistant prosecuting attorneys; assistance by qualified law student or law school graduate
(a) Any assistant prosecuting attorney or other attorney at law employed by the county for the purposes of prosecuting in the probate court shall be a member in good standing of the State Bar of Georgia.
(b) A qualified law student or law school graduate who is allowed to practice pursuant to Code Section 15-18-22 or the Supreme Court of Georgia’s rules governing such practice may assist in the prosecution of cases in the probate court.
History
Code 1981, § 15-9-158, enacted by Ga. L. 2013, p. 565, § 1/SB 120.
CHAPTER 10 MAGISTRATE COURTS Article 1
Article 3
General Provisions
Civil Proceedings
Sec.
Creation of magistrate courts. General jurisdiction. Jurisdiction over certain cases involving litter. Oath and commission of magistrate, constable, and clerk. Sessions of court. Offices, courtrooms, and equipment. Local court rules. Council of Magistrate Court Judges. Authority of retired magistrate to perform marriage ceremonies. Article 2
Magistrates
Sec.
Number; selection; term; filling vacancies; chief magistrate; bonds. Qualifying in absentia for magistrates serving on active military duty. Powers and duties of chief magistrate. Qualifications; restrictions on practice of law. Minimum compensation; annual salary; increases; supplements. Monthly contingent expense allowance for the operation of the magistrate court. Discipline, removal, and involuntary retirement. Training requirements; payment of training costs. Conflicts between local ordinances and local Acts. Continuation of certain county civil court officials as magistrate court officials.
Applicability of article. No jury trials; appeal. Applicability of the Civil Practice Act. Statement of claim; service of process; answer to claim; default judgments; opening of default; relief in magistrate court. Trial procedure. Compulsory and permissive counterclaims. Ordering deferred partial payment of judgment. Effect, recordation, execution, and enforcement of money judgments; fee for recordation. Form of statement of claim, verification, and notice. Procedure in attachment, garnishment, dispossessory, and distress warrant proceedings. Interrogatories to judgment debtor; form; contempt; authorized discovery procedures. Authorizing clerks to sign notices and summonses. Party name in action. Filing documents by electronic means. Use of personally identifiable data in court documentation; redaction. Article 4
Violation of Ordinances of Counties and State Authorities
Applicability of article; suspended sentences. No right to trial by jury; right of removal to state or superior court.
Sec.
Prosecution upon citation or accusation; service; arrest. Use of citations; arrests. Cash bonds. Execution upon unpaid fines; sheriff to receive sentenced persons. Certiorari to superior court. Prosecuting attorney.
Sec.
Transitional Provisions
Fees and Costs
Filing fee; service of process costs; writ of fieri facias fee; costs taxed to losing party. Costs upon conviction of violation of ordinance. Hearing fee on application for search or arrest warrant or deposit account fraud citation; no fee assessed against certain alleged victims. Constables’ fees for levies and judicial sales. Fee for administering oath. Fees and costs to be deposited into county treasury. Law library fees. Transfer of filing fee upon transfer of case to state or superior court; failure to transmit fee.
Certain officials to become magistrates; term of office [Repealed]. Transfer of pending cases to magistrate courts. Courts exempt from chapter. Local law references to justices of the peace deemed references to magistrates. Article 8
Magistrate Training
Short title. Definitions. Creation of Georgia Magistrate Courts Training Council. Oath; certificate of appointment. Officers; quorum; minutes; annual report. Compensation and reimbursement of members. Powers and duties. Training requirements of certified magistrates. Article 9
Article 6
Magistrate Court Serving as Municipal Court
Constables, Clerk, and Other Court Personnel
Appointment of other court personnel; compensation. Article 7
Article 5
Appointment of constables; compensation; chief constable.
Annotations
Cross references. - 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 through 15-10-16; 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 through 15-10-36; Article 3, §§ 15-10-50 through 15-10-62; Article 4, §§ 15-10-80 through 15-10-111; Article 5, §§ 15-10-130 through 15-10-138.
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 GENERAL
Magistrates 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.
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ARTICLE 1 GENERAL PROVISIONS
Law reviews. - For article, "Courts: Juvenile Justice Reform," see 30 Ga. St. U. L. Rev. 63 (2013).