Butts County Small Claims Court

Butts County Small Claims Court

How Much Time Does a Defendant Have 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. From that point, the defendant has thirty days to respond or answer.

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 Butts County, you may file the case in this County. If the person you are suing is a corporation, the case must be filed 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 you are suing an unincorporated business, you must file the case where the business is physically located. If the business is in Butts County, you can file here.
Plaintiff has to also pay a filing fee which is submitted with the initial paperwork. The filing fee includes the cost to serve one defenant. The filing fee varies by each county but is generally between $45 and $55. There is an extra charge for service for any additional defendants (if you are suing more than one person). 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.

Do I need to hire an attorney?

In County cases, you may hire an attorney to represent you but are not required to do so. You are able to file the case on your own, without the assistance of an attorney (again, the process was designed to be inexpensive). These cases are tried and heard in front of a judge, without a jury (again, they are designed so a party does not need to retain an expensive attorney to represent them in a case). Mediation is a tool that is sometimes used to help resolve a case without a trial. Some counties offer this as a service, and some counties require a case be sent to mediation prior to it being heard at a trial.

How do I appeal 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 Butts County. On the appeal, either party may request a jury trial (something you cannot have at the magistrate court level). Appeals must be filed within 30 days of the judge’s decision.

Types of Cases Filed in Butts County Small Claims Court

Here are some examples of common case types which are filed in Butts County Small Claims court:

• A tenant refuses to pay for damages which are more than the security deposit
• Tenant fails to pay rent and landlord wants to evict tenant
• Tenant moves out and landlord refuses to return security deposit
• Failure of a merchant to deal with faulty merchandise
• Borrower refuses to pay back money which was loaned
• Business loses or damages personal property and refuses to pay
• A mechanic charges for work not completed, unnecessary repairs, or poor workmanship.

Butts County Court Location

The Butts County magistrate court is located at:

P.O. Box 457

Jackson, GA 30233

It can be reached by telephone at: 770-775-8220. The fax number is 770-775-1954. The magistrate judge is Chief Magistrate Rebecca J. Pitts.

What are the hearing procedures?

Some counties require the parties to attempt to resolve the case through mediation before the court hears the case (assuming the mediation is unsuccessful). Mediation is a way for both parties to meet with an independent third party who can evaluate the case and try to reach a settlement that is agreeable to both parties. Even if the parties are agreeable to settling the case through mediation, a plaintiff may still ask the defendant to pay 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 (or all parties) are done presenting evidence, the judge will issue a decision. The judge may award damages to the plaintiff, defendant, or both depending on the facts of the case.
If the plaintiff does not appear at the hearing, the court may do any of the following:

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

If the defendant does not show at the hearing, the court has the power to grant a default judgment against the defendant. It is called a default judgment because the plaintiff wins the case by “default.” It is strongly recommended you attend the hearing whether you are the plaintiff or defendant (regardless of whether you believe the case to be strong or weak).

What are the procedures for filing a case?

The case begins with the plaintiff filing a sworn statement with the magistrate court clerk in the proper county. The sworn statement describes the charges made against the defendant (the person or business that is being sued by the plaintiff). At a minimum, the sworn statement should include the following facts:

• 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
• Brief, succint statement detailing why the defendant is being sued (include dates of all relevant events)
• Copies of all documents relevant to the claims (Keep the originals for your hearing)

How do I prepare for the hearing?

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

• Make sure you have copies of all the documents you need for your case. Prepare copies to provide to the opposing party and the court.
• Communicate with any witnesses you intend to call to prove your case. Confirm they are available on the day of the hearing.
• If a witness is not cooperative or is not willing to appear, 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 piece of paper completed by you and issued by the court which commands certain persons to appear in court and may direct them to bring documents with them or to produce evidence. You can obtain a subpoena from the Butts County Clerk for the Magistrate Court.
  

  Default Judgments

  When a defendant fails to appear at the hearing or respond to the claim, the court can grant a default judgment. If a default judgment is entered, the plaintiff is awarded the amount that was requested in the claim along with court costs. If the plaintiff is asking for non-monetary damages (like property), the court has to conduct a separate hearing to determine the dollar amount of the damages. The defendant has only thirty days to respond to the claim. Once defendant fails to respond, the defendant is in “default.”

  How do I pick a hearing date?

  The court selects the hearing date after the defendant responds to the claim in Butts County. The date for the hearing is usually fifteen to thirty days after the defendant files an answer.

  Can the Defendant sue the Plaintiff?

  The defendant is able to issue a claim against 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 of the defendant is generally heard by the magistrate court at the same time as the plaintiff’s initial claim.
  

  

  Butts County Small Claim courts may also be referred to as Magistrate Courts. If you are unable to settle a dispute with a person or business, the matter can be filed in magistrate court.
  Small Claims courts handle cases where the amount in dispute is less than $15,000.00. They are designed to quickly and inexpensively settle the dispute.