Magistrate Court


  • The Magistrate Clerk is no longer located inside Magistrate Chambers on the 2nd floor. As of January 2020, the Clerk of Superior Court also became the Clerk for Magistrate Court. 
  • Please note that the mailing address has changed for all filings with Magistrate Court as well.  All new filings should be submitted to the Clerks Office which is located on the 1st floor of the courthouse and the mailing address is: PO Box 7 Jefferson, GA. 30549. 
  • Forms must be notarized prior to mailing. If filing an answer regarding a Dispossessory, you will be provided with your court date at that time. 
  • Please contact the Clerks Office at (706) 387-6249 with any questions regarding filings, service upon defendants, or copies. If you have questions concerning a scheduled court date please contact the Magistrate office directly at (706) 387-6358.
  • The Magistrate Court office is open for business normal hours.

Magistrate Courts are the successors to the justice courts and a wide variety of other courts of limited jurisdiction. The Magistrate Court is most accessible to the public. The individual, encouraged by the lack of formality, as the Magistrate Court is not a court of record, may file a criminal complaint or a civil action without the assistance of an attorney if he so wishes.


Appeal Decisions

Law binds the Magistrate Court to do substantial justice. This does not mean every individual entering the Magistrate Court system is going to win their case, but hopefully they will have felt they have been and have had their day in court. If a party is not satisfied with a decision made by a magistrate in a civil matter, the individual may appeal their case to State or Superior Court in what is called a de novo appeal.


Hearings

The Magistrate Court not only hears civil actions, but also conducts hearings and trials on criminal cases, such as ordinance violations. The Magistrate Court will hear applications, and issue arrest warrants for law enforcement officers and private citizens if probable cause is found to do so. After hearing a law enforcement officer's sworn affidavit determining probable cause, a magistrate may then issue a search warrant. Magistrate Court of Jackson County does not allow for any defendant(s) or witness to be served via a Process Server.