GA Code § 15-6-3 (2021)
2021 Georgia Code|Title 15 - Courts|Chapter 6 - Superior Courts|Article 1 - General Provisions|§ 15-6-3. Terms of Court

 The terms of court for the superior courts for each of the judicial circuits shall commence as follows:   (1) A LAPAHA CIRCUIT:   Atkinson County - First Monday in April and October.   Berrien County - First Monday in February and August.   Clinch County - Third Monday in March and September.   Cook County - Second Monday in January and July.   Lanier County - Fourth Monday in April and October;   provided, however, that if any term of court in the Alapaha Circuit begins on an official state holiday, the term of court shall commence on the following Tuesday; and if any other day within the term of court shall be an official state holiday, the court shall be closed for that holiday.   (2) A LCOVY CIRCUIT:   Newton County - Second and third Mondays in January, April, July, and October.   Walton County - First and second Mondays in February, May, August, and November.   (2.1) A PPALACHIAN CIRCUIT:   Fannin County - Second Monday in May and second Monday in November.   Gilmer County - Second Monday in April and second Monday in October.   Pickens County - Second Monday in March and second Monday in September.   (3) A TLANTA CIRCUIT:   Fulton County - First Monday in January, March, May, July, September, and November.   (4) A TLANTIC CIRCUIT:   Bryan County - Third Monday in March and first Monday in November.   Evans County - First Monday in February and first Monday in August.   Liberty County - Second Monday in February and September.   Long County - First Monday in March and third Monday in August.   McIntosh County - Third Monday in May and first Monday in December.   Tattnall County - Third Monday in April and October.   (5) A UGUSTA CIRCUIT:   Burke County - Fourth Monday in April and October.   Richmond County - Third Monday in January, March, May, July, September, and November.   (5.1) B ELL-FORSYTH CIRCUIT:   Forsyth County - Second Monday in March, July, and November.   (6) B LUE RIDGE CIRCUIT:   Cherokee County - Second Monday in January, May, and September.   (7) B RUNSWICK CIRCUIT:   Appling County - Second and third Mondays in February and third and fourth Mondays in October.   Camden County - First Monday in April and November.   Glynn County - Second Monday in March and September.   Jeff Davis County - First and second Mondays in March; fourth Monday in September; and first Monday in October.   Wayne County - Third and fourth Mondays in April and November.   (8) C HATTAHOOCHEE CIRCUIT:   Chattahoochee County - Fourth Monday in March and September.   Harris County - Second Monday in January, May, and September.   Marion County - Fourth Monday in April and October.   Muscogee County - First Monday in February, April, June, August, October, and December.   Talbot County - Second Monday in March and November and third Monday in August.   Taylor County - Second Monday in February, June, and October.   (9) C HEROKEE CIRCUIT:   Bartow County - First Monday in February, May, August, and November.   Gordon County - First Monday in March, December, and June; and second Monday in September.   (10) C LAYTON CIRCUIT:   Clayton County - First Monday in February, May, August, and November.   (11) C OBB CIRCUIT:   Cobb County - Second Monday in January, March, May, July, September, and November.   (11.1) C OLUMBIA CIRCUIT:   Columbia County- Fourth Monday in March and September.   (12) C ONASAUGA CIRCUIT:   Murray County - Second Monday in February and August.   Whitfield County - Second Monday in January and July.   (13) C ORDELE CIRCUIT:   Ben Hill County - Second and third Mondays in January; first, second, and third Mondays in April; third and fourth Mondays in June; and third and fourth Mondays in September and Monday following.   Crisp County - Third and fourth Mondays in February and Monday following; third and fourth Mondays in May; first, second, and third Mondays in August; and second and third Mondays in November.   Dooly County - First and second Mondays in February; fourth Monday in April and Monday following; third and fourth Mondays in July; and third and fourth Mondays in October.   Wilcox County - Second and third Mondays in March; fourth Monday in August and Monday following; and first and second Mondays in December.   (14) C OWETA CIRCUIT:   Carroll County - Second Monday in January and first Monday in April and third Monday in June and first Monday in October.   Coweta County - First Monday in March and first Tuesday in September.   Heard County - Third Monday in March and September.   Meriwether County - Third Monday in February, May, August, and November.   Troup County - First Monday in February, May, August, and November.   (15) D OUGHERTY CIRCUIT:   Dougherty County - Second Monday in January, March, May, July, September, and November.   (15.1) D OUGLAS CIRCUIT:   Douglas County - Second Monday in April and October.   (16) D UBLIN CIRCUIT:   Johnson County - Third Monday in March, June, September, and December.   Laurens County - Fourth Monday in January, April, July, and October.   Treutlen County - Third Monday in February and August.   Twiggs County - Second Monday in January, April, July, and October.   (17) E ASTERN CIRCUIT:   Chatham County - First Monday in March, June, September, and December.   (17.1) E NOTAH CIRCUIT:   Towns County - January 1 and July 1.   Union County - January 1 and July 1.   Lumpkin County - Fourth Monday in February and August.   White County - First Monday in April and October.   (18) F LINT CIRCUIT:   Henry County - Fourth Monday in January, April, and October and second Monday in July.   Griffin Circuit:   Fayette County - Second Monday in March and second Monday in September.   Pike County - Second Monday in March and second Monday in September.   Spalding County - Second Monday in March and second Monday in September.   Upson County - Second Monday in March and second Monday in September.   (20) G WINNETT CIRCUIT:   Gwinnett County - First Monday in March, June, and December and second Monday in September.   (21) H OUSTON CIRCUIT:   Houston County - First Monday in January, April, July, and October.   (22) L OOKOUT MOUNTAIN CIRCUIT:   Catoosa County - First Monday in March and second Monday in September.   Chattooga County - First Monday in February and August.   Dade County - First Monday in April and second Monday in October.   Walker County - First Monday in May and November.   (23) M ACON CIRCUIT:   Bibb County - First Monday in February, April, June, August, October, and December.   Crawford County - Third and fourth Mondays in March and October.   Peach County - First and second Mondays in March and August and third and fourth Mondays in November.   (24) M IDDLE CIRCUIT:   Candler County - First and second Mondays in February and August.   Emanuel County - Second Monday in January, April, July, and October.   Jefferson County - Second Monday in May and November.   Toombs County - Fourth Monday in February, May, August, and November.   Washington County - First Monday in March, June, September, and December.   (25) M OUNTAIN CIRCUIT:   Habersham County - January 1 and July 1.   Rabun County - January 1 and July 1.   Stephens County - January 1 and July 1.   (26) N ORTHEASTERN CIRCUIT:   Dawson County - First Monday in March and second Monday in September.   Hall County - Second Monday in January, April, and July, and first Monday in October.   (27) N ORTHERN CIRCUIT:   Elbert County - Third Monday in January and fourth Monday in July.   Franklin County - Third Monday in March and September.   Hart County - Third Monday in February and August.   Madison County - Third Monday in April and October.   Oglethorpe County - Third Monday in May and November.   (28) O CMULGEE CIRCUIT:   Baldwin County - Second Monday in January, April, July, and October.   Greene County - Fourth Monday in January, April, August, and November.   Hancock County - Fourth Monday in March and September.   Jasper County - Second Monday in February, May, August, and November.   Jones County - First Monday in February and August and third Monday in April and October.   Morgan County - First Monday in March, June, September, and December.   Putnam County - Third Monday in March, June, September, and December.   Wilkinson County - Fourth Monday in February, first Monday in April and October, and third Monday in August.   (29) O CONEE CIRCUIT:   Bleckley County - Second Monday in March and July and fourth Monday in October, and there shall be a grand jury for each term.   Dodge County - Third Monday in February, first Monday in June, and last Monday in September, and there shall be a grand jury for each term.   Montgomery County - First Monday in February and second Monday in August, and there shall be a grand jury for each term.   Pulaski County - Second Monday in April and September and first Monday in December, and there shall be a grand jury for each term.   Telfair County - Third Monday in March and August and first Monday in November, and there shall be a grand jury for each term.   Wheeler County - Last Monday in January and first Monday in August, and there shall be a grand jury for each term.   (30) O GEECHEE CIRCUIT:   Bulloch County - First Monday in February, May, August, and November.   Effingham County - First Monday in June and December.   Jenkins County - First Monday in March and September.   Screven County - Second Monday in January and first Monday in April, July, and October.   (31) P ATAULA CIRCUIT:   Clay County - Second Monday in March and September.   Early County - Second Monday in January and July.   Miller County - Third Monday in February and August.   Quitman County - Fourth Monday in March and September.   Randolph County - Second Monday in May and November.   Seminole County - Third Monday in April and October.   Terrell County - First Monday in June and December.   (31.1) P AULDING CIRCUIT:   Paulding County - Second Monday in January and July.   (32) P IEDMONT CIRCUIT:   Banks County - First Monday in February and August; and there shall be a grand jury for each term, but the grand jury shall not be required to be impaneled in the first day of each term.   Barrow County - First Monday in February and August; and there shall be a grand jury for each term, but the grand jury shall not be required to be impaneled in the first day of each term.   Jackson County - First Monday in February and August; and there shall be a grand jury for each term, but the grand jury shall not be required to be impaneled in the first day of each term.   (32.1) R OCKDALE CIRCUIT:   Rockdale County - First Monday in January, April, July, and October.   (33) R OME CIRCUIT:   Floyd County - Second Monday in January, March, July, and September and first Monday in May and November.   (34) S OUTH GEORGIA CIRCUIT:   Baker County - Third Monday in January and July.   Calhoun County - Last Monday in May and November.   Decatur County - First Monday in May and November.   Grady County - Third Monday in March and September.   Mitchell County - Third Monday in April and October.   (35) S OUTHERN CIRCUIT:   Brooks County - First Monday in April and October.   Colquitt County - First Monday in February and August.   Echols County - First Monday in February and August.   Lowndes County - First Monday in March and first Tuesday immediately following first Monday in September.   Thomas County - First Monday in April and October.   (36) S OUTHWESTERN CIRCUIT:   Lee County - Fourth Monday in April and October.   Macon County - Second Monday in May and November.   Schley County - Second Monday in February and August.   Stewart County - Third Monday in March and September.   Sumter County - Fourth Monday in February, May, and August and the Monday following the fourth Thursday in November.   Webster County - Second Monday in January and July.   (37) S TONE MOUNTAIN CIRCUIT:   DeKalb County - First Monday in January, March, May, July, September, and November.   (38) T ALLAPOOSA CIRCUIT:   Haralson County - Third Monday in January and August.   Polk County - Third Monday in March and July;   provided, however, that in the Tallapoosa Circuit, if the Monday set for the term of court to begin is a legal holiday, the term of court shall commence on the Tuesday next following that Monday.   (39) T IFTON CIRCUIT:   Irwin County - Second Monday in February and second Monday in August.   Tift County - Second Monday in March and second Monday in September.   Turner County - Second Monday in April and second Monday in October.   Worth County - Second Monday in January and second Monday in July.   (40) T OOMBS CIRCUIT:   Glascock County - Third Monday in February, May, August, and November.   Lincoln County - Fourth Monday in January, third Monday in April, fourth Monday in July, and third Monday in October.   McDuffie County - Second Monday in March, June, September, and December.   Taliaferro County - Fourth Monday in February, May, August, and November.   Warren County - Third Monday in January and first Monday in April, July, and October.   Wilkes County - First Monday in February, May, August, and November.   (40.1) T OWALIGA CIRCUIT:   Butts County - Second Monday in January, April, July, and October.   Lamar County - Second Monday in March, June, September, and December.   Monroe County - Second Monday in February, May, August, and November.   (41) W AYCROSS CIRCUIT:   Bacon County - Third Monday in April and October.   Brantley County - Fourth Monday in February and August.   Charlton County - Second Monday in February and August.   Coffee County - Second Monday in March and September.   Pierce County - Third Monday in March and September.   Ware County - Second Monday in April and October.   provided, however, that the grand jury shall not be required to be impaneled on the first day of each new term but upon a date and time as scheduled by the court.   (42) W ESTERN CIRCUIT:   Clarke County - Second Monday in January, April, July, and October.   Oconee County - Second Monday in March and September.   (Ga. L. 1982, p. 3, § 15; Ga. L. 1982, p. 439, §§ 1, 5; Ga. L. 1982, p. 536, § 2; Ga. L. 1982, p. 546, § 1; Ga. L. 1983, p. 3, § 12; Ga. L. 1983, p. 405, § 1; Ga. L. 1983, p. 415, § 1; Ga. L. 1983, p. 418, § 1; Ga. L. 1983, p. 761, § 4; Ga. L. 1984, p. 22, § 15; Ga. L. 1984, p. 331, § 1; Ga. L. 1984, p. 351, § 1; Ga. L. 1984, p. 439, § 1; Ga. L. 1984, p. 440, § 1; Ga. L. 1984, p. 498, § 1; Ga. L. 1985, p. 281, § 1; Ga. L. 1986, p. 230, § 1; Ga. L. 1986, p. 1526, § 1; Ga. L. 1987, p. 2, § 1; Ga. L. 1987, p. 37, § 1; Ga. L. 1987, p. 250, § 1; Ga. L. 1987, p. 294, § 1; Ga. L. 1987, p. 295, § 1; Ga. L. 1987, p. 296, § 1; Ga. L. 1988, p. 257, § 1; Ga. L. 1988, p. 258, § 1; Ga. L. 1988, p. 551, § 1; Ga. L. 1989, p. 283, § 1; Ga. L. 1990, p. 920, § 2; Ga. L. 1991, p. 372, § 1; Ga. L. 1992, p. 1786, § 4; Ga. L. 1993, p. 447, § 1; Ga. L. 1993, p. 805, § 1; Ga. L. 1994, p. 360, § 1; Ga. L. 1994, p. 1052, § 1; Ga. L. 1996, p. 829, § 1; Ga. L. 1998, p. 220, § 4; Ga. L. 1999, p. 67, § 15; Ga. L. 1999, p. 81, § 15; Ga. L. 1999, p. 158, § 1; Ga. L. 2000, p. 1242, § 1; Ga. L. 2000, p. 1312, § 1; Ga. L. 2002, p. 405, § 3-4; Ga. L. 2002, p. 468, §§ 1, 3; Ga. L. 2006, p. 701, § 1/SB 264; Ga. L. 2006, p. 873, §§ 1, 2/HB 1496; Ga. L. 2006, p. 893, § 1/HB 1423; Ga. L. 2007, p. 47, § 15/SB 103; Ga. L. 2007, p. 89, § 1/SB 177; Ga. L. 2007, p. 278, § 1/HB 53; Ga. L. 2008, p. 324, § 15/SB 455; Ga. L. 2009, p. 847, § 1/HB 216; Ga. L. 2013, p. 570, § 3-1/HB 451; Ga. L. 2014, p. 482, § 1/SB 386; Ga. L. 2018, p. 231, § 1/HB 808; Ga. L. 2019, p. 313, § 1/HB 296; Ga. L. 2021, p. 5, § 4-3/SB 9.)    The 2018 amendment,  effective January 1, 2019, deleted "second Monday in" preceding "October" in subparagraph (41)(A); substituted "February and August" for "January and second Monday in September" in subparagraph (41)(B); in subparagraph (41)(C), substituted "Second" for "Fourth", and substituted "August" for "September"; in subparagraph (41)(D), substituted "Second" for "Third", and substituted "September" for "October"; substituted "Third Monday in March and September" for "First Monday in May and first Monday in December" in subparagraph (41)(E); substituted "Second Monday in April and October" for "First Monday in April and second Monday in November" in subparagraph (41)(F); and substituted "the grand jury shall not be required to be impaneled on the first day of each new term but upon a date and time as scheduled by the court" for "if any term of court in the Waycross Circuit begins on an official state holiday, the term of court shall commence on the following Tuesday; and if any other day within the term of court shall be an official state holiday, the court shall be closed for that holiday" in the proviso of the ending undesignated paragraph of paragraph (41).    The 2019 amendment,  effective July 1, 2019, substituted "Second Monday in January, April, and July, and first Monday in October" for "First Monday in May and November and second Monday in January and July" in subparagraph (26)(B).    The 2021 amendment,  effective July 1, 2021, deleted former subparagraph (5)(B), which read: "Columbia County - Fourth Monday in March and September."; redesignated former subparagraph (5)(C) as present subparagraph (5)(B); and added paragraph (11.1).   Code Commission notes.   - Pursuant to Code Section 28-9-5, in 1998, paragraph (18.1) was redesignated as paragraph (5.1).   Pursuant to Code Section 28-9-5, in 1999, punctuation was revised in subparagraphs (29)(B) and (29)(C) and in subparagraph (40.1)(A).   Editor's notes.   - Ga. L. 1999, p. 67, §§ 1-10, not codified by the General Assembly, provided for the creation of the Towaliga Judicial Circuit, for the offices of the judge and district attorney, for transfer of pending litigation from the superior courts of Butts, Lamar, and Monroe counties, and other similar matters.   Ga. L. 2002, p. 468, § 4, not codified by the General Assembly, provides that: "As Section 2 of this Act provides for the Tifton Judicial Circuit, the November, 2002, term of court in Irwin County shall continue until the second Monday in February, 2003; the December, 2002, term of court in Tift County shall continue until the second Monday in March 2003; the October, 2002, term of court in Turner County shall continue until the second Monday in April 2003; and the October, 2002, term of court in Worth County shall continue until the second Monday in January, 2003." The reference to Section 2 of the Act should be to Section 3 of the Act.   Ga. L. 2021, p. 5, §§ 1-1 through 3-4/SB 9, not codified by the General Assembly, provided for creation of the Columbia Judicial Circuit, which circuit shall be composed of Columbia County, provided for the transfer of pending litigation from the Superior Court of Columbia County at such time as it was a part of the Augusta Judicial Circuit, and provided for terms, election of successors, powers, duties, dignities, jurisdiction, privileges, immunities, and other similar matters.   JUDICIAL DECISIONS   ANALYSIS    General Consideration   Motions and Judgments   Other