Magistrate Court

The Magistrate Court is a limited jurisdiction  court of Civil and Criminal Jurisdiction that was constitutionally created in 1983. The jurisdiction is found in O.C.G.A. 15-10-2, Georgia Code, and the Uniform Rules of the Magistrate Court. The Courts purpose, mission and goal is to provide the citizens of Twiggs County a high degree of judicial professionalism by providing a systematic, efficient and accurate court system, where all citizens and litigants of the county can expect a fair and impartial treatment with all aspects of the court and in a timely manner.

The Civil jurisdiction  includes the trial and adjudication of civil disputes of 15,000 or less. The cases consist of civil suits, garnishments, evictions (landlord-tenant), foreclosures of personal property/ rental property, trovers, post-judgment interrogatories and abandonment  of motor vehicles. The Magistrate  Court does not hold jury trials and is not a court of record.

The Criminal Jurisdiction includes issuing arrest warrants and search warrants, conducts pre-warrant hearings, first appearance hearings, bond hearings and preliminary hearings. The Court presides over and conducts trials for county ordinance violations,  animal control violations  and misdemeanor violations  on bad check/deposit account fraud.