GA Code § 36-32-10 (2021)
2021 Georgia Code|Title 36 - Local Government|Chapter 32 - Municipal Courts|Article 1 - General Provisions|§ 36-32-10. Jurisdiction in Cases of Furnishing Alcoholic Beverages to and Purchase and Possession of Alcoholic Beverages by Underage Persons; Retention of Fines and Bond Forfeitures; Transfer of Cases; Penalties

  The municipal courts are granted jurisdiction to try and dispose of a first offense violation of Code Section 3-3-23, relating to furnishing alcoholic beverages to, and purchase and possession of alcoholic beverages by, a person under 21 years of age, if the offense occurred within the corporate limits of such municipal corporation. The jurisdiction of such municipal court shall be concurrent with the jurisdiction of any other courts within the county having jurisdiction to try and dispose of such cases.   Any fines and bond forfeitures arising from the prosecution of such cases shall be retained by the municipal corporation and shall be paid into the treasury of such municipal corporation.   Any defendant charged with a first offense violation of Code Section 3-3-23 in a municipal court shall be entitled upon request to have the case against him transferred to the court having general misdemeanor jurisdiction in the county in which the alleged offense occurred.   A person convicted in a municipal court of a first offense violation of Code Section 3-3-23 shall be punished as provided in paragraph (1) of subsection (b) of Code Section 3-3-23.1, provided that nothing in this Code section or Code Section 3-3-23.1 shall be construed to give any municipal corporation the right to impose a fine or punishment in excess of the limits set forth in the charter of such municipal corporation.   Nothing in this Code section shall affect the original and exclusive jurisdiction of the juvenile court as set forth in Code Section 15-11-10.     (Code 1981, §36-32-10, enacted by Ga. L. 1987, p. 1462, § 1; Ga. L. 2000, p. 20, § 22; Ga. L. 2013, p. 294, § 4-46/HB 242; Ga. L. 2015, p. 693, § 3-32/HB 233.)   Code Commission notes.   - Pursuant to Code Section 28-9-5, in 1987, Code Section 36-32-9, as enacted by Ga. L. 1987, p. 1462, § 1, was redesignated as Code Section 36-32-10.   Editor's notes.   - Ga. L. 2013, p. 294, § 5-1/HB 242, not codified by the General Assembly, provides that: "This Act shall become effective on January 1, 2014, and shall apply to all offenses which occur and juvenile proceedings commenced on and after such date. Any offense occurring before January 1, 2014, shall be governed by the statute in effect at the time of such offense and shall be considered a prior adjudication for the purpose of imposing a disposition that provides for a different penalty for subsequent adjudications, of whatever class, pursuant to this Act. The enactment of this Act shall not affect any prosecutions for acts occurring before January 1, 2014, and shall not act as an abatement of any such prosecutions."   Ga. L. 2015, p. 693, § 4-1/HB 233, not codified by the General Assembly, provides that: "This Act shall become effective on July 1, 2015, and shall apply to seizures of property for forfeiture that occur on or after that date. Any such seizure that occurs before July 1, 2015, shall be governed by the statute in effect at the time of such seizure."   Law reviews.   - For article on the 2015 amendment of this Code section, see 32 Ga. St. U. L. Rev. 1 (2015).