Georgia County Magistrate Court Defendant Guide: Fulton, Gwinnett, Cobb, DeKalb, and More

For ordinary civil money claims, Georgia Magistrate Courts follow the same core statute — O.C.G.A. § 15-10-43 gives you 30 calendar days from service to file your answer, the $15,000 jurisdictional cap applies, and jury trials are not available. Eviction or dispossessory cases follow separate rules, including a 7-calendar-day answer deadline under O.C.G.A. § 44-7-51(b). The way you physically file an answer, the forms available, and the minor administrative quirks vary by county. If you have been served with a Statement of Claim, here is what defendants need to know in seven of Georgia's highest-volume Magistrate Courts.

Fulton County

Fulton County Magistrate Court handles more civil filings than any other county in Georgia. The courthouse is at 185 Central Avenue SW in Atlanta. Fulton County lists eFileGA as mandatory for civil filings. Check the clerk's instructions for any exception that may apply to your filing.

To file online, you need to create an eFileGA account, search for your case by number, and upload your answer as a PDF. The system generates a timestamp confirmation that serves as proof of timely filing. Fulton County also has the R.E.A.C.H. Consumer Clinic, which offers limited free assistance to defendants in consumer debt cases — though ordinary civil disputes like contractor or landlord-tenant claims are generally outside its scope.

Gwinnett County

Gwinnett County Magistrate Court is located at 75 Langley Drive in Lawrenceville. E-filing availability can depend on the court and case type, so confirm the current portal and filing instructions with the clerk before submitting an answer online. Check the clerk's office for paper-filing hours as well.

Gwinnett's Magistrate Court handles a high volume of landlord-tenant disputes and contractor claims, reflecting the county's rapid residential growth. The 30-day statutory deadline applies to ordinary civil claims, though local filing mechanics can vary. If the court schedules mandatory mediation before the hearing, the county's Alternative Dispute Resolution office coordinates the session — but attendance at mediation does not pause the answer deadline if you have not filed yet.

Cobb County

Cobb County Magistrate Court operates at 32 Waddell Street in Marietta. Confirm with the clerk which filing methods are available for Magistrate Court answers. If filing by mail is allowed, the answer must be physically received and file-stamped by the deadline — a postmark does not count.

Cobb County processes a high volume of home repair and renovation disputes. If a contractor has sued you, the answer process is the same as any other civil claim: file within 30 days, deny the claims you dispute, and raise any counterclaim for defective work or incomplete repairs.

DeKalb County

DeKalb County Magistrate Court is at 3630 Camp Circle in Decatur. The county has electronic filing through eFileGA/Odyssey for Magistrate Court matters. Confirm with the clerk whether paper filing is accepted for your case.

DeKalb's Magistrate Court has a particular concentration of security deposit disputes between tenants and landlords. If you are a landlord being sued for an unreturned deposit, or a tenant being sued for property damage, the same 30-day answer deadline applies. Georgia law governs security-deposit duties, which are substantive questions separate from the filing deadline. The procedural requirement is to file your answer with the DeKalb clerk on time.

Chatham County

Chatham County Magistrate Court is located at 133 Montgomery Street in Savannah. Statewide rules govern the case, but local filing instructions can vary. Check with the clerk's office about whether electronic filing is available for Magistrate-level civil cases.

Chatham County's proximity to military installations means some cases involve the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA), which can affect default procedures for servicemembers. Georgia court materials include an Affidavit of Military Service form. If you are on active duty, seek legal help promptly to understand any applicable default protections.

Richmond County

Richmond County Magistrate Court is at 735 James Brown Boulevard in Augusta. The court handles civil claims for the Augusta-Richmond consolidated government area. Confirm with the clerk which filing methods are available for Magistrate Court answers; county practices vary, and a portal used by another court may not accept these filings.

Richmond County follows the standard Georgia rules without significant local variation. The Uniform Magistrate Court Rules published by the Supreme Court of Georgia apply, and Rule 1.2 gives the Chief Magistrate limited authority to set local internal operating procedures — but these do not change the ordinary civil claim's 30-day answer deadline or default cure window.

Bibb County

Bibb County Magistrate Court serves the Macon area. The clerk's office is located at the Bibb County Courthouse. Confirm the clerk's current filing hours and permitted filing methods before taking an answer to the courthouse.

Bibb County, like many mid-size Georgia counties, sees a mix of contractor disputes, vehicle sale disagreements, and unpaid service claims. For an ordinary civil claim, file your answer within 30 days of service, deny what you dispute, and include any counterclaim you have.

What Does Not Change by County

Regardless of which county you are in, these rules are set by state statute and the Uniform Magistrate Court Rules:

• For ordinary civil money claims, the answer deadline is 30 calendar days from service under O.C.G.A. § 15-10-43(c); dispossessory cases have a separate deadline
• No jury trial is available — the judge decides everything
• The $15,000 jurisdictional cap applies
• Filing a defendant's answer during the 30-day window carries no mandatory court filing fee
• For ordinary civil claims, the 15-day default cure window (Days 31–45) requires payment of accrued court costs
• Court clerks cannot give you legal advice about your case

The Georgia Small Claims Response Guide covers the statewide procedure step by step and includes county-specific notes on filing locations and e-filing availability, so you can focus on your answer rather than hunting down local rules.

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