Rockdale County Small Claims Court

Rockdale County Small Claims Court

When will my hearing date be?

In Rockdale 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.

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 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. In the event the mediation does not resolve the claim, 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 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:

• Allow the defendant to present evidence and render a decision without hearing from plaintiff
• Postpone the case until a later date
• dismiss the case.

If the defendant fails to appear at the hearing, the court may grant a default judgment against the defendant. The lesson to be learned is make sure you attent the hearing regardless of whether you are the plaintiff or the defendant.

What is a default judgment and why is it bad?

If the defendant fails to appear at the hearing or respond to the claim, the judge can issue a default judgment against the 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 only thirty days to respond to the claim. If the defendant fails to respond, the defendant is in default.

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

The case must be filed in the County where the defendant (or the person you are suing) lives. If the defendant lives in Rockdale 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 Rockdale County, file it here).
The plaintiff must also pay a filing fee which is submitted along with the initial paperwork (the sworn statement). 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 is an extra charge for serving 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, 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. Also, the clerk will not be able to tell you if they think you will win.

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

These are some examples of the types of cases that are filed in magistrate court:

• Renter does not or will not ay for damages to rental property
• Tenant fails to pay rent and landlord wants to evict tenant
• Tenant moves out and landlord refuses to return security deposit
• A Merchant fails to address issues with faulty merchandise
• Borrower refuses to pay back money which was loaned
• Dry cleaning business damages or loses items and refuses to pay for damage or loss

A mechanic charges for work not completed, unnecessary repairs, or poor workmanship.

Defendant’s Counterclaim

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 it is related to the initial claim and the amount asked for by the defendant is les 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.

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). 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).
• Name and street address of the defendant (this is what the court uses 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 relevant documents regarding the claim (for example, any contracts, receipts, etc.)



Rockdale County Small Claim courts may also be referred to as Magistrate Courts. If a dispute arises between parties that cannot be resolved, a party can file the matter in magistrate court.
The magistrate or small claims court was designed so that disputes under a certain amount ($15,000) could be handled informally. Because of this, the disputes in this court are handled quickly and inexpensively.

Can I hire an attorney for my Rockdale County Small Claims Court case?

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 completely without the assistance of an attorney. 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). 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.

Locations for Rockdale County Small Claims Court

The magistrate court for Rockdale County is located at:

PO Box 289
Conyers, GA 30012

The magistrate judge is Chief Magistrate Phinia Aten. The telephone number for the court is: 770-278-7800. The fax number is .

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 a witness is not cooperative or is not willing to appear, prepare a subpoena.
• 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.

How does the defendant learn of the case?

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. From that point, the defendant has thirty days to respond or answer.

Appealing 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 Rockdale County. For the appeal, either party may request a jury trial (remember you aren’t entitled to a jury trial in magistrate court). The appeal needs to be filed within thirty days of the court’s decision.