Title 15

(a) The judges of the probate court who by law are vested with the management of the county business and for whom no compensation is provided and the clerks of the superior courts, for public services in relation to which no compensation is provided by law, shall be compensated i…

(a) In addition to any other qualification for judicial office, if a person has been removed from any judicial office upon order of the Supreme Court after review, that person shall not be eligible to be elected or appointed to any judicial office in this state until seven years h…

(a) The Supreme Court of Georgia shall establish rules and requirements for foreign language interpreters and interpreters for the hearing impaired utilized in the courts of this state and provide for the administration and enforcement of such rules. The Administrative Office of …

(a)(1) Any court that has jurisdiction over any criminal case which arises from the use, sale, possession, delivery, distribution, purchase, or manufacture of a controlled substance, noncontrolled substance, dangerous drug, or other drug may establish a drug court division to pro…

(a) As used in this Code section, the term: (1) ‘‘Developmental disability’’ shall have the same meaning as set forth in Code Section 37-1-1. (2) ‘‘Mental illness’’ shall have the same meaning as set forth in Code Section 37-1-1. (3) ‘‘Risk and needs assessment’’ means an actuari…

(a) As used in this Code section, the term: (1) ‘‘VA’’ means the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. (2) ‘‘Veteran’’ means a person who is a former member of the armed forces of the United States or a state’s National Guard. (b)(1) Any court that has jurisdiction over c…

(a) As used in this Code section, the term: (1) ‘‘Accountability court’’ means a superior, state, or juvenile court that has a drug court division, mental health court division, veterans court division, or operating under the influence court division or a juvenile court that has a…

(a)(1) As used in this subsection, the term ‘‘risk and needs assessment’’ means an actuarial tool, approved by the Council of Accountability Court Judges of Georgia and validated on a targeted population, scientifically proven to determine an individual’s risk to recidivate and to…

Parties may not give jurisdiction to a court by consent, express or implied, as to the person or subject matter of an action. However, lack of jurisdiction of the person may be waived, insofar as the rights of the parties are concerned, but not so as to prejudice third persons. F…

(a) As used in this Code section, the term: (1) ‘‘Accountability court’’ means a superior or state court that has a drug court division, mental health court division, or veterans court division or a juvenile court that has a family treatment court division. (2) ‘‘Criminal history…

(a) Pursuant to Article VI, Section VII, Paragraph VI of the Constitution, there is hereby created the Judicial Qualifications Commission, which shall have the power to discipline, remove, and cause involuntary retirement of judges in accordance with such Paragraph. As used in thi…

On and after January 1, 2019, no court or clerk of court shall enter into any exclusive agreement or contract that prohibits more than one electronic filing service provider to serve a court or clerk of court; provided, however, that such prohibition shall not require a court or c…

Every court has power: (1) To preserve and enforce order in its immediate presence and, as near thereto as is necessary, to prevent interruption, disturbance, or hindrance to its proceedings; (2) To enforce order before a person or body empowered to conduct a judicial investigati…

(a) The powers of the several courts to issue attachments and inflict summary punishment for contempt of court shall extend only to cases of: (1) Misbehavior of any person or persons in the presence of such courts or so near thereto as to obstruct the administration of justice; (2…

The rules of the respective courts, legally adopted and not in conflict with the Constitution of the United States or of this state, or the laws thereof, are binding and must be observed. History. — Orig. Code 1863, § 198; Code 1868, § 192; Code 1873, § 204; Code 1882, § 204; Civi…

The acts of a court shall not lack validity for the want of a clerk. Whenever there is no clerk, or none to be had, or the clerk is incapable of discharging his duty, and any court performs that duty itself, its action as such is valid. History. — Orig. Code 1863, § 203; Code 186…

It shall be unlawful for any Justice of the Supreme Court, Judge of the Court of Appeals, or judge of the superior courts to receive for himself or any member of his family, either directly or indirectly, any favor from any railroad company or any free railroad pass or any like f…

(a) No judge or Justice of any court, magistrate, nor presiding officer of any inferior judicature or commission shall: (1) Sit in any case or proceeding in which he is pecuniarily interested; (2) Preside, act, or serve in any case or matter when such judge is related by consangu…

Any judge, irrespective of his relationship to a party to the case or his interest in the case, shall be qualified to try any civil case in his court where there is no defense filed in the case, except where either party to the case objects to the related judge. History. — Ga. L. 1…

(a) As used in this Code section, the term: (1) ‘‘Administrative judge’’ means a superior court judge or senior judge of the superior court elected within an administrative district as provided by Code Section 15-5-4. (2) ‘‘Chief judge’’ means the judge most senior in time of ser…

(a) The office of senior judge of the superior courts is created, and judges of the superior courts or former judges of the superior courts may become senior judges as follows: (1) Any judge of the superior courts who retires pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 8 or Chapter 23 …

(a)(1) Any state court judge or juvenile court judge who retires pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 23 of Title 47 after having served for ten or more years in any combination of service as a judge of a state court or juvenile court may be appointed a senior judge of the type …

The entire state shall constitute one supreme judicial district. History. — Orig. Code 1863, § 46; Code 1868, § 44; Code 1873, § 42; Code 1882, 15-2-3 § 42; Civil Code 1895, § 5493; Civil Code 1910, § 6098; Code 1933, § 24-3701.

The Supreme Court shall consist of nine Justices. History. — Code 1981, § 15-2-1.1, enacted by Ga. L. 1987, p. 324, § 1; Ga. L. 2016, p. 883, § 4-1/HB 927.

The additional justiceships created in 2016 shall be appointed by the Governor for a term beginning January 1, 2017, and continuing through December 31, 2018, and until their successors are elected and qualified. Their successors shall be elected in the manner provided by law for …

(a) In all cases decided by the Supreme Court, the concurrence of a majority of the Justices shall be essential to a judgment of reversal. If the Justices are evenly divided, the judgment of the court below shall stand affirmed. In all cases decided by the court, with at least a …

The Supreme Court shall have full power and authority to make all rules, not in conflict with the Constitution or laws of this state, as may be necessary for carrying the Constitution into effect and regulating the court’s proceedings thereunder. To these ends it may, by rules, pr…

(a) The Supreme Court and the Justices thereof shall have the power to prescribe, modify, and repeal rules of procedure, pleading, and practice in civil actions and proceedings in the courts of this state and of practice and procedure for appeal or review in all cases, civil and …

The Justices of the Supreme Court shall be authorized to appoint law assistants for the use of the court and to remove them at pleasure. The law assistants shall have been admitted to the bar of this state as practicing attorneys; provided, however, that an individual who graduat…

Whenever one or more of the Justices of the Supreme Court are unable from providential cause to preside in any case and the parties desire a full bench, it shall be the duty of the remaining Justices to designate a judge or judges of the superior court to preside in the place of …

The officers of the Supreme Court are a clerk, a reporter and an assistant reporter, a sheriff, and stenographers. History. — Orig. Code 1863, § 213; Code 1868, § 207; Code 1873, § 220; Code 1882, § 220; Civil Code 1895, § 5507; Ga. L. 1896, p. 46, § 1; Civil Code 1910, § 6119; C…

The Supreme Court may employ and fix the salaries of such stenographers, clerical assistants, and employees as may be deemed necessary by the court. Their salaries shall be paid by the clerk from the appropriations for the operation of the Supreme Court. History. — Ga. L. 1943, p.…

The sheriff of the Supreme Court shall be appointed by the Justices for such term as may be specified by the order of appointment, not to exceed six years. History. — Ga. L. 1882-83, p. 74, § 2; Civil Code 1895, § 5523; Civil Code 1910, § 6135; Code 1933, § 24-4401.

The Justices of the Supreme Court are authorized to fix the annual compensation of the officers and employees of the court, provided that the total salaries and expenses of the court shall be within the amount of money available for such purposes. History. — Orig. Code 1863, § 157…

(a) Before entering on the discharge of their duties, the Justices shall take the oath prescribed for judges of the superior courts, along with all other oaths required for civil officers. (b)(1) The annual salary of each Justice of the Supreme Court shall be as specified in Code …

(a) The Supreme Court shall sit at the seat of government. (b) Unless the Supreme Court by rule or order chooses to extend its terms of court, the terms shall be as follows: (1) December term beginning the first Monday in December; (2) April term beginning the first Monday in April…

The Supreme Court may hear oral argument at places other than the seat of government. Reasonable notice shall be given of such hearings. History. — Code 1933, § 24-3804, enacted by Ga. L. 1979, p. 1107, § 1.

It shall be the duty of all the Justices of the Supreme Court to attend each term thereof. However, if, from providential cause, any of the Justices cannot attend the court, the court may be held by a quorum as defined by Article VI, Section VI, Paragraph I of the Constitution of …

When from providential cause the Supreme Court cannot be held at the time and place designated by law, it may be adjourned by order of the Justices or by a quorum thereof, in either term time or vacation, to some other convenient time and place; and the session then held shall be…

The Supreme Court has authority: (1) To exercise appellate jurisdiction, and in no appellate case to hear facts or examine witnesses; (2) To hear and determine all cases, civil and criminal, that may come before it; to grant judgments of affirmance or reversal, or any other order…

(a) The Supreme Court of this state, by rule of court, may provide that when it shall appear to the Supreme Court of the United States, to any circuit court of appeals or district court of the United States, or to the Court of Appeals or the District Court of the District of Colu…

The clerk of the Supreme Court shall hold his office for six years unless removed for incapacity, improper conduct, or neglect of duty. Before entering upon his duties, he shall take an oath faithfully to discharge them and shall also take all other oaths required of civil office…

The clerk of the Supreme Court may appoint one or more deputies, in his discretion, under such rules as the court may adopt and shall be responsible for the faithful performance of their duties. When so appointed, the powers and duties of the deputy clerks shall be the same as th…

The clerk of the Supreme Court, with the approval of the court, may employ such stenographers, clerical assistants, and employees as may be necessary for the performance of the duties in the office of the clerk. Their salaries shall be paid by the clerk from the appropriations fo…

The clerk of the Supreme Court shall have the following duties: (1) To keep an office at the seat of government where all books, records, archives, and the seal of the court shall remain; (2) To attend all sessions of the court and obey all its lawful orders; (3) To keep fair and…

(a) When judgment is pronounced in any case, the clerk shall tax the costs thereof, which shall be entered without charge on the minutes at the foot of the judgment. The clerk shall make no charge for attaching the seal to the remittitur, nor for any precept issued by him, nor fo…