Georgia Uniform Magistrate Court Rules: What Small Claims Filers Need to Know

What the Uniform Rules Cover

Georgia's Uniform Magistrate Court Rules provide statewide procedures for small claims cases, subject to the rules' provisions for local practices. The Supreme Court of Georgia adopts the rules; the Council of Magistrate Court Judges recommends changes.

The rules work alongside O.C.G.A. Title 15, Chapter 10, which sets the court's statutory authority. O.C.G.A. § 15-10-2 defines the civil jurisdiction: money-only claims up to $25,000 as of July 1, 2026 (raised from $15,000 by House Bill 999).

Filing Requirements Under the Rules

O.C.G.A. § 15-10-43(a) requires a Statement of Claim to be signed and verified under oath. Without the required verification, the clerk may reject the filing.

Under 50 U.S.C. § 3931, a plaintiff must file a military-status affidavit before a default judgment when the defendant has not appeared. The Department of Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC) provides a way to check military status.

Uniform Rule 31 allows a corporation, sole proprietorship, partnership, or unincorporated association to designate an officer or full-time employee to represent it in Magistrate Court. The designated agent must file a sworn affidavit or other supporting documents establishing that status; local forms may vary.

The 30-Day Answer Rule

Under the Uniform Rules and O.C.G.A. § 15-10-43(b), a defendant must file an Answer within 30 calendar days of being served. Time computation follows O.C.G.A. § 1-3-1(d)(3) — the day of service does not count, and if Day 30 falls on a weekend or holiday, the deadline extends to the next business day.

If no Answer is filed by Day 30, the case enters default. The defendant has a 15-day grace period (Days 31-45) to open default as a matter of right by filing an Answer and paying all accrued costs. After Day 45, the plaintiff can apply for a default judgment.

Counterclaim Rules

Uniform Rule 13 allows defendants to file counterclaims when submitting an Answer. Compulsory counterclaims — those arising from the same transaction as the plaintiff's claim — must be raised or they are waived. Permissive counterclaims from unrelated transactions may also be filed if they fall within the court's jurisdiction.

If a counterclaim exceeds the $25,000 cap, the Magistrate Court loses jurisdiction over the entire case and must transfer it to State Court or Superior Court.

Evidence and Hearing Procedures

The standard practice is to bring three identical copies of exhibits — one for the judge, one for the opposing party, and one for yourself. Magistrate Court hearings are informal, but the Georgia Rules of Evidence apply; organized, clearly labeled evidence makes a significant difference.

The court may refer cases to mediation through court-connected ADR programs. If mediation produces a settlement, the terms are formalized as a Consent Judgment — a binding, enforceable court order.

What the Rules Do Not Cover

The Uniform Rules govern procedure, not strategy. Court clerks follow these rules when processing your filings, but they are strictly prohibited from giving legal advice, evaluating the strength of your claim, or helping you draft your factual narrative. That gap between "here are the rules" and "here is how to apply them to your specific case" is where self-represented filers get stuck.

Putting the Rules Into Practice

The Georgia Small Claims Filing Guide translates the Uniform Magistrate Court Rules into a step-by-step workflow with checklists, deadline calculators, and document trackers — so you follow every procedural requirement without having to parse the rules yourself.

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