Georgia Magistrate Court Answer Form: How to Fill It Out and File

Getting served with a Statement of Claim in Georgia Magistrate Court gives you exactly 30 calendar days to file a written Answer. Miss that deadline, and the case enters default; whether a judgment can be entered without a hearing depends on whether the claimed damages are liquidated or need to be proven. The Answer form itself is straightforward, but small mistakes (wrong case number, missing certificate of service, filing with the wrong clerk) can create problems you don't need.

What the Answer Form Looks Like

Georgia doesn't have one statewide mandatory form. The Council of Magistrate Court Judges publishes standardized forms with "MAG" prefixes, but your county may use its own variation. Worth County provides a fillable "Statement of Claim Answer and Counterclaim" PDF. Fulton County uses forms through the eFileGA portal. Ask your county clerk which local form to use.

Regardless of the form's appearance, every Answer needs five elements:

• Court caption and case number — copy the exact county name, case number, and party names from the Statement of Claim you received
• Your full contact information — legal name, physical address, mailing address, phone number, email
• A response to each claim — you admit it, deny it, or state you lack knowledge to admit or deny
• Certificate of service — a statement that you mailed or delivered a copy to the plaintiff
• Your signature — notarization isn't required for a standard Answer

How to Respond to Each Claim

Magistrate Court doesn't require the paragraph-by-paragraph responses you'd see in Superior Court. A simple written statement denying liability is enough to prevent default under O.C.G.A. § 15-10-43(c). You have three options for each allegation:

Admit — the allegation is true. Don't admit anything you're genuinely disputing just because it seems minor.

Deny — the allegation is false or inaccurate. If the plaintiff says you owe $8,000 for a roofing job you believe was defective, you deny the claim.

Lack knowledge — you honestly don't know whether the allegation is true. This counts as a denial for purposes of the hearing.

If you're also suing the plaintiff back, use the "Answer and Counterclaim" version of the form. Georgia lets defendants counterclaim up to $15,000 in the same proceeding, as long as the claim arises from the same transaction.

Filing Methods by County

Your three options for getting the Answer to the clerk:

In-person — hand-deliver during business hours. Ask for a file-stamped copy as your receipt. This is the most reliable method.

Mail — the filing date is when the clerk physically receives the document, not the postmark date. Build in at least a week for delivery if you're close to the deadline.

E-filing — Fulton and Clayton counties require electronic filing; Fulton uses eFileGA and Clayton uses Odyssey. Smaller counties may accept online submissions through nCourt. The portal's time stamp counts as your filing time.

Filing a timely Answer within the 30-day window costs $0 in every Georgia county. You pay nothing to defend yourself — the plaintiff paid the filing fee when they started the case.

What Happens After You File

Once your Answer is on file, the clerk schedules a bench trial, typically 30 to 60 days later. You'll receive written notice of the date, time, and courtroom by regular mail. There are no jury trials in Magistrate Court — a judge hears the case alone.

Between now and the hearing, gather your evidence: contracts, invoices, photos, text messages, and repair estimates. Bring three physical copies of everything to court. Written statements from absent witnesses can be excluded as hearsay if objected to, so arrange for witnesses you need to appear in person.

If you've been served and your deadline is approaching, the complete Georgia response guide walks through every step from reading the papers to the hearing, with worksheets for organizing your answer, evidence, and deadlines.

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