Atkinson County Small Claims Court

Hearing Date for my Small Claims Case

The court will select a hearing date after the defendant files an answer to the claim. The date for the hearing is generally 15 to 30 days after the defendant files his or her answer.

Can I hire an attorney?

In County cases, you may hire an attorney to represent you but are not required to do so. You can file the case on your own (without retaining an attorney). All cases are tried and heard before a judge, without a jury. You should remember that the procedures and rules for small claims court cases are designed so that a party should not need to have to retain an expensive attorney in order for their case to be effectively presented. Some courts utilize mediation as a tool to resolve a case without the time and expense of a trial. Some counties will even require a case to attempt to be settled at mediation prior to it being set for trial.

Atkinson County Court Location

The magistrate court for Atkinson County is located at:

P.O. Box 674

Pearson, GA 31642

It can be reached by telephone at: 912-422-7158. The fax number is 912-422-7989. The magistrate judge is Chief Magistrate Hilda James.

Types of Cases Filed in Atkinson County Small Claims Court

Here are examples of cases that are often found in small claims court:

Tenant does not and will not pay for damages caused to rental which are in excess of security deposit
A landlord wants to evict a tenant for failure to pay rent
Renter moves out and Owner fails to return deposit
A merchant refuses to repair, replace, or refund faulty merchandise
A person who borrowed money refuses to return it
Dry cleaning business damages or loses items and refuses to pay for damage or loss

Unnecessary repairs or work done on a car by a mechanic

Defendant’s Time to Answer

After the case is filed, the clerk of the magistrate court serves the defendant with a copy of the claim along with a summons. After that, the defendant has thirty days to respond or answer the claim.

Filing Procedures for Atkinson Small Claims Court cases

The plaintiff (or person filing the action) needs to file a sworn statement with the magistrate court clerk in the proper county. The sworn statement simply spells out the claims made against the defenant and includes the facts on which the claim is based. The sworn statement should usually include the following:

As the plaintiff, include your name, address, and telephone number (and your attorney’s if you retain one)(This is to ensure the court and other parties can contact you should the need arise).
Include the name and street address of the defendant (this is what the court will use to serve the defendant)
Include the amount of money you are asking for as the plaintiff
Detail why the defendant is being sued (and why this defendant owes the money)
Copies of all documents relevant to the claims (Keep the originals for your hearing)

Appealing a Judgment

A party that is not satisfied with the judge’s decision can file an appeal of that judgment. The appeal will be heard in the state or superior court of Atkinson County. On the appeal, either party may request a jury trial (something you cannot have at the magistrate court level). The appeal must be filed within thirty days of the court’s decision.

Hearing Procedures and Mediation

In some counties, the court requires both parties to attempt to resolve the case through mediation before the court will hear the case (if the mediation is unsuccessful). Mediation is a dispute resolution tool designed to try and resolve the case by meeting with an independent third party who can evaluate the case and try to reach a settlement that is agreeable to all parties. Even if mediation is successful, a plaintiff can still seek to recover court costs. If mediation is not successful, the case will proceed to the hearing. The court will also allow the plaintiff and defendant to question or dispute each other’s evidence during the hearing. When both parties are done, the judge will issue a decision (or judgment). The judge may award damages to the plaintiff, defendant, or both depending on the facts of the case.
If the plaintiff fails to appear at the hearing, the court may:

The court can allow defendant to put on his or her evidence and then issue a decision without hearing from the plaintiff.
The court can continue the case to a later date
dismiss the case.

If the defendant does not show at the hearing, the court has the authority to grant a default judgment against the defendant. The name comes from the fact that because the defendant does not show, the plaintiff wins the case by “default.” The lesson to be learned is make sure you attent the hearing regardless of whether you are the plaintiff or the defendant.

How do I prepare for the hearing?

We recommend taking the following steps to prepare for your hearing:

Ensure you have all copies of any documents you need for the case. You should make at least two additional sets of copies (one for the court and one for the other party).
Contact any witnesses you need to call to prove your case and confirm that they will appear on the hearing date
If you need to bring in a witness to prove your case and the witness is not being cooperative with you, prepare a subpoena.

Similarly, if you need additional documents that are not in your possession, you can issue a subpoena for the documents as well.

A subpoena is a documnt which can be completed by you and issued by the court which commands a person to appear in court and may require them to bring certain documents to court as well.

You can obtain a subpoena from the Atkinson County Clerk for the Magistrate Court.

Which County do I file my case in?

The case must be filed in the County where the defendant (or the person you are suing) lives. If the defendant lives in Atkinson County, you may file the case in this County. If you are suing a corporation, you must file your case in the County where the registered agent for service of process is located. To find the registered agent, contact the Corporations Division of the Secretary of State either online or at 404-656-2817. If the defendant is an unincorporated business (fancy for is not a corporation), file the case in the county where the business is physically located (ie. if the business is located in Atkinson County, file it here).
The plaintiff must also pay a filing fee which is submitted along with the initial paperwork (the sworn statement). A portion of the filing fee is for the cost for the court clerk to serve one defendant. Filing fees vary county to county but are generally between $45 and $55. If an additional defendant is named in the action, there will be an extra charge for the court to serve the additional party. This extra charge could be between $25 and $35.
The Clerk for the Magistrate Court can direct you to the necessary forms (and review them for completeness) but is prohibited by law from giving legal advice. For example, the court clerk would be able to review your completed forms to make sure your signature is in the appropriate blanks but is not able to tell you which defendant you should sue. Also, the clerk will not be able to tell you if they think you will win.

What’s a default judgment?

If the defendant fails to answer the claim or appear at the hearing, the judge can issue a default judgment without hearing from defendant. If a default judgment is entered, the plaintiff is awarded the amount that was requested in the claim along with court costs. An additional hearing by the court will be necessary if the plaintiff asked for something that does not have a specific dollar amount. The defendant has only thirty days to respond to the caim. Once defendant fails to respond, the defendant is in “default.”

Can the Defendant sue the Plaintiff?

The defendant is able to sue the plaintiff (this is called a counterclaim). The defendant can file this against the plaintiff’s original claim if the defendant’s claim is related to the plaintiff’s initial claim and the amount asked for by the defendant is less than $15,000. The counterclaim will likely be heard the same day as the plaintiff’s claim.