Emanuel County Small Claims Court

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.

What’s a default judgment?

When a defendant fails to appear at the hearing or respond to the claim, the court can grant a default judgment. If it is granted, the plaintiff is entitled to the amount of damages asked for in the suit, plus court costs. If the plaintiff asks for damages that are not measured in money (like specific property), the court will likely conduct an additional hearing to place a dollar amount on the value of the property (or item being asked for). The defendant has only thirty days to respond to the claim. Once this time period passes, the defendant is in “default.”

Emanuel County Court Location

The magistrate court for Emanuel County is located at:

107 North Main Street

Swainsboro, GA 30401

It can be reached by telephone at: 478-237-7278. The fax number is 478-237-9154. The magistrate judge is Chief Magistrate Ronald Wiggins .

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 Emanuel County, you may file the case in this County. 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 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 Emanuel County, file it here).
The plaintiff must also pay a filing fee. This filing fee includes the cost for the 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. The extra charge is usually between $25 to $35 and caries by county.
The court clerk can direct you to the necessary forms and will check them for completeness once you have filled them out. However, the clerk is prohibited by law from giving legal advice. A clerk would be able to review your forms to make sure there is a signature in the appropriate blanks but will not be able to tell you which party you should sue. Additionally, the clerk will not be able to tell you if they think you will win your case (so don’t bother asking).

Types of Cases Filed in Emanuel County Small Claims Court

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

A tenant refuses to pay for damages which are more than the security deposit
Renter fails to pay rent or Owner seeks to evict renter
Tenant moves out and landlord refuses to return security deposit
A merchant refuses to repair, replace, or refund faulty merchandise
Borrower refuses to make payments on a loan
A dry cleaner will not pay for clothing which was damaged or lost
Automobile shop conducts unnecessary repairs or work on your car

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 usually fifteen to thirty days after the defendant files an answer.

How do I appeal a judgment?

If you are not happy with the court’s decision (and generally at least one party, sometimes both, are not satisfied with the judgment), the party may file an appeal (or ask a higher court to review the judgment). The appeal will be heard in the state or superior court of Emanuel County. Either party may request a jury trial for purposes of the appeal (something which is unavailable at the magistrate court level). Appeals must be filed within 30 days of the judge’s decision.

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 an attempt to try and settle the case without a hearing. 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 hear evidence and provide an opportunity for both the plaintiff and the defendant to introduce their evidence (and allow each side to comment on the evidence introduced by the other party). 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:

allow defendant the opportunity to put on evidence and issue a decision without the plaintiff present.
Postpone the case until a later date
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).

How Much Time Does a Defendant Have to Answer?

After the plaintiff files the claim, the magistrate court will serve the defendant with a copy of the claim (including the sworn statement) and a summons (with the date and time of the hearng) to appear in court. After that, the defendant has thirty days to respond or answer the claim.

How do I prepare for the hearing?

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

Collect all the documents you need for your case. Also prepare extra copies for the judge and other party (or parties)
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 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 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. A subpoena can be obtained from the clerk’s office of the Magistrate Court for Emanuel County.

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). The sworn statement should usually include the following:
- 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)
- Include the name and street address of the defendant (this is what the court will use to serve the defendant)
- Amount of money plaintiff is seeking (sometimes called damages)
- Explain why the defendant is being sued (and why the defendant owes the money)
- Copies of all relevant documents regarding the claim (for example, any contracts, receipts, etc.)

Emanuel County Small Claims Court