Magistrate Court Fees and Forms

* Appeal Cost: Must be paid at the time of filing to both Magistrate Court and to either State or Superior Court.

• Magistrate Court Cost: defendant upon cost of original civil filing.
• If appealed to State Court: the fee is $198.00.
• If appealed to Superior Court: the fee is $216.00.
• Acceptable forms of payment are: Credit Cards, Cash, Business Check, Money Order or Certified Check, payable to Magistrate Court.

• Civil: Credit Cards, Cash, Business Check, Money Order or Certified Check
• Warrant and Bad check application: Cash only
• Dismissal and Bad check payoff: Cash, Credit Card, Money Order or Certified Check
• Ordinance: Credit Card, Cash, Money Order or Certified Check

A $4.00 fee will be added per case for using credit cards.

Photo ID matching the name on the card is required and cardholder must be present.

Forms

• Financial Garnishment
• Continuing Garnishment
• Notice to Defendant
• Garnishment for Support
• Plaintiffs-Traverse
• Modification of Continuing Garnishment

• Collecting Your Judgment - If you receive a judgment and you are not voluntarily paid, this form provides several methods of collection.
• Interrogatories Form - Written questions sent to the losing party to try to find out what cash and other assets the loser has to satisfy the judgment.
• Interrogatories Instructions - 5 steps to the interrogatories
• Open Records Request Form - To request records under the Georgia Open Records Act (O.C.G.A. 50-18-70), please fill out the above form.
• Civil Dismissal Form - This form is to be submitted to dismiss any civil matter.

• Bad Check Application - Used by merchants and individuals to obtain a criminal bad check citation/warrant.
• Bad Check Notice (Civil) - Letter written to the maker of a bad check demanding payment plus costs prior to filing a civil suit.
• Bad Check Notice (Criminal) - Used to notify the writer of the check that the check will be turned over to the Magistrate Court as a citation and allows them to make the check good, prior to filing criminal charges.

• Introduction to Small Claims - What you need to know about small claims.
• Sheriff's Service Sheet - This form must be completed in order for the Sheriff to serve a civil small claims suit on the defendant.
• Request for Sheriff's ReService Sheet - This form must be completed in order for the Sheriff to ReServe a civil small claims suit on the defendant.
• Statement of Claim - Used by the plaintiff in a civil small claims suit to explain why they are suing the defendant(s), as well as disclose to the defendant the amount of money for which they are suing.

• Abandoned Motor Vehicle - Includes instruction sheet, subject to lien notice, affidavit for foreclosure of lien against abandoned motor vehicle, request for hearing, notice of hearing, order to foreclose abandoned motor vehicle, DMVS telephone number.
• Election of Option - Form to be used by Sheriff’s Office to obtain the personal property foreclosure.
• Mechanic's Lien - Includes instruction sheet, mechanic's lien form with notice (O.C.G.A 40-3-54), order, DMVS telephone number.
• Personal Property Foreclosure - Includes instruction sheet, affidavit for foreclosure of personal property, application and writ of possession - order, notice of hearing, personal property foreclosure summons, order.
• Proceeding Against Tenant Holding Over (Eviction Form) - This form is used to evict someone out of the premises.
• Property Demand Letter - Letter written to any unauthorized holder of property, demanding the return of the property within five days, allowing them to return the property, prior to filing criminal charges.
• Writ of Possession (Personal Property Foreclosure) - Order granting Defendant to surrender said personal property to Plaintiff in retention or disposition, (or) advertise and sell same as in the case of levy and sale.
• Application for Writ of Possession (Eviction form)

For electronic and photographic media access to Magistrate Court proceedings, please complete the Rule 11 form.

Instructions for submitting:

For all hearings occurring Monday through Friday (8 a.m. – 5 p.m.), email to Tahnicia.phillips@cobbcounty.org and Leanne.dolin@cobbcounty.org. Call and confirm receipt with the Judge Murphy’s office at 770-528-8915.

For all hearings occurring Monday through Friday AFTER 5:00 p.m. or during weekends and holidays, email to EWIcallin@cobbcounty.org. Call and confirm receipt with the Warrant office at 770-528-1567.

State Court
Hears traffic violations, misdemeanor cases, and civil lawsuits

State Court Administration
(770) 528-2622
Provides administrative support for judges, manages probation cases, oversees petit jury service

State Court Clerk
(770) 528-2660
statecourt@cobbcounty.org
Maintains all State Court records and collects all fines and fees associated with such

Superior Court
Hears felony, divorce, and title to land cases

Superior Court Administration
(770) 528-1800
Provides administrative support for judges, oversees jury service

Superior Court Clerk
(770) 528-1300
Maintains all Superior Court records, including divorce decrees and real estate records

Probate Court
(770) 528-1900
probatecourt@cobbcounty.org
Oversees guardianship appointments, management of decedent estates, probate of wills; issues marriage and weapons carry license

Juvenile Court
(770) 528-2220
Hears cases involving children under the age of 18

Magistrate Court
(770) 528-8900
Issues arrest warrants, hears small claims cases, conducts weddings, offers volunteer mediation

District Attorney
(770) 528-3080
cobbdistrictattorney@cobbcounty.org
Felony prosecution and appeals, alternative case resolution, victim witness unit and child support enforcement

Solicitor General
(770) 528-8500
info@cobbsolicitorgeneral.org
Investigates crimes, interviews victims and witnesses, prosecutes misdemeanors