Magistrate Court
The Magistrate Court is a limited jurisdiction court of Civil and Criminal Jurisdiction that was constitutionally created in 1983. The jurisdiction is found in O.C.G.A. 15-10-2, Georgia Code, and the Uniform Rules of the Magistrate Court. The Courts purpose, mission and goal is to provide the citizens of Crawford County a high degree of judicial professionalism by providing a systematic, efficient and accurate court system, where all citizens and litigants of the county can expect a fair and impartial treatment with all aspects of the court and in a timely manner.
The Civil jurisdiction includes the trial and adjudication of civil disputes of 15,000 or less. The cases consist of civil suits, garnishments, evictions (landlord-tenant), foreclosures of personal property/ rental property, trovers, post-judgment interrogatories and abandonment of motor vehicles. The Magistrate Court does not hold jury trials and is not a court of record.
The Criminal Jurisdiction includes issuing arrest warrants and search warrants, conducts pre-warrant hearings, first appearance hearings, bond hearings and preliminary hearings. The Court presides over and conducts trials for county ordinance violations, animal control violations and misdemeanor violations on bad check/deposit account fraud.
Our office provides the following services...
Statement of Claim: Amount demanded or the value of property claimed is 15,000 or less.
Defendant must reside in Crawford County.
Filing fee: $102.00 plus $50.00 for any additional Defendant(s)
Trover: When a person or entity holds personal property that is alleged to belong to another and will not return.
Filing Fee: $102.00 plus $50.00 for any additional Defendant(s)
Dispossessory: Evection by Landlord against Tenant(s)
Filing Fee: $102.00 plus $50.00 for any additional Defendant(s). You can view a Landlord-Tenant handbook at:
www.dca.ga.gov Garnishment: Proceeding in which a third party (the garnishee) who has money or other property belonging to the debtor is required to turn over such money or property to the court.
Filing Fee: $102.00 – Expires after 195th day from date of service, you will be required to re-file in order to continue to garnish debtor’s wages.
You can view a handbook at:
www.garnishment book.com
Foreclosure on Personal Property: To obtain possession of collateral or leased property and to foreclose debtor's interest in collateral
Filing Fee: $102.00 plus $50.00 for any additional Defendant(s)
Abandoned Motor Vehicle
Motor vehicle or trailer left by owner with auto dealer, repairman or wrecker service for repair or other reason, within 30 days after agreed upon date, within 30 days after and no time agreed upon, within 30 days after the completion or repair. Any vehicle left on public property for at least 5 days.
Filing Fee: $10.00
Fieri Facias (Fifa)
Writ of execution directing a Sheriff to levy on goods or chattels of someone against whom the judgment has been obtained.
Filing Fee: $4.00 for Magistrate Court and $5.00 for Superior Court
Deposit Account Fraud (Bad Check)
Must have been uttered in Crawford County Filing Fee: $20.00 per check $50.00 for any service outside out the county.
Pre-Warrant Application
Application to apply for a warrant for someone’s arrest. The crime must have occurred in Crawford County.
Filing Fee: $20.00 if you are requesting personal service and additional $50.00 service fee is required
Online filling Dispossessory Civil Suits
Dispossessory Civil Suits – Answer to both type cases
Filing Fee: 102.00 and any additional defendant(s) 50.00 plus a $20.00 convenience charge at
www.ncourt.com There is also a Magistrate Courts Free Forms Generator: This program is provided free by the Council of Magistrate Court Judges for public use and print form. The program guides the user by questions and providing background information and definition. At the end, the user may print off a form to bring to Magistrate Court and file. The link to the form generator is www.georgiamagistratecouncil.com
