Cherokee County Small Claims Court

Cherokee County Small Claims Court

How can I file a claim?

A plaintiff (person who starts the claim or lawsuit) must file a sworn statement with the clerk of the appropriate magistrate court. 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:

• The name, address, and telephone number of the plaintiff (and attorney if there is one)(Make sure this is correct as this is how the court will contact you if there are any issues)
• Name and street address of the defendant (this is what the court uses to serve the defendant)
• Amount of money plaintiff is seeking (sometimes called damages)
• Brief, succint statement detailing why the defendant is being sued (include dates of all relevant events)
• Include copies of all documents relevant to the claim (perhaps a contract for the purchase of a product, or lease)(Keep the originals with you for when you appear at the court trial)

Can I hire an attorney?

We cannot tell you whether or not you should hire an attorney. However, you may hire an attorney if you wish, 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 Cherokee County. On the appeal, either party may request a jury trial (something you cannot have at the magistrate court level). The appeal needs to be filed within thirty days of the court’s decision.

Procedures for the Hearing

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 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 the parties are agreeable to settling the case through mediation, a plaintiff may still ask the defendant to pay court costs. In the event the mediation does not resolve the claim, 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 all parties are finished presenting their evidence, the court will render a decision. The court could award damages to the plaintiff, the defendant, or both depending on the merits 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.
• continue the case.
• The court can dismiss the case

If the defendant fails to appear at the hearing, the court may grant a default judgment against the defendant. 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).

Default Judgments

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 granted, the plaintiff is entitled to what he or she asked for in the action and 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 a 30 day window to respond to plaintiff’s claim. If the defendant fails to respond, the defendant is in default.

What types of cases are filed in Cherokee County Small Claims Court?

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

• Renter does not or will not ay for damages to rental property
• A landlord wants to evict a tenant for failure to pay rent
• Tenant moves out and landlord refuses to return security deposit
• A merchant refuses to repair, replace, or refund faulty merchandise
• A person who borrowed money refuses to return it
• A dry cleaner will not pay for clothing which was damaged or lost
• A mechanic charges for work not completed, unnecessary repairs, or poor workmanship.

Is Cherokee County the “proper” County for my case?

If the defendant is a person, the case must be filed in the County where they live. If the defendant is a corporation, the claim must be filed in the county of the registered agent for the company. In order to find the registered agent for service of process, contact the contact the Corporations Division of the Secretary of State either online or at 404-656-2817. If the business you are suing is unincorporated, you should file the case in the County where the business is physically located.
Plaintiff has to also pay a filing fee which is submitted with the initial paperwork. 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. There is an extra charge for service for any additional defendants (if you are suing more than one person). The extra charge could is usually between $25-$35 (to serve the added party).
The Cherokee County Clerk for the Magistrate Court can help you complete the necessary forms but CANNOT give legal advice. For example, a clerk could review your forms to make sure there is a signature where it is required but cannot tell you who you should name as a defendant. Additionally, the clerk will not be able to tell you if they think you will win your case (so don’t bother asking).

Cherokee County Court Location

The magistrate court for Cherokee County is located at:

90 North St. Ste 150

Canton, GA 30114

The magistrate judge is Chief Magistrate James E. Drane, III. The telephone number for the court is: 678-493-6431. The fax number is 678-493-6440.

In Cherokee County, small claims court is sometimes called magistrate court. These courts are used to resolve disputes if the parties are unable to resolve the dispute.
The purpose of magistrate court is to resolve claims in an informal manner for any amount less than $15,000. Because of this, the disputes in this court are handled quickly and inexpensively.

Can the Defendant File a Claim Against 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.

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. The defendant has 30 days to respond or answer the claim.

How do I pick a hearing date?

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

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.
• Contact any witnesses you need to call to prove your case and confirm that they will appear on the hearing date
• If a witness will not agree to appear, you need to subpoena them.
• If you need additional documents for your case, you can issue a subpoena for those documents to obtain documents from other parties.
• 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.

A subpoena can be obtained from the clerk’s office.