People often ask “who will hear my
case?” In Georgia, the answer depends on where you and/or the defendant lives
and what your case is about, however many cases are heard by the Superior
Court.
There are 10 Judicial Districts in
Georgia which includes 49 Superior Court Judicial Circuits. http://www.georgiacourts.gov/aoc/selfhelp/gacourts_guide.pdf.
Every county in Georgia has its own Superior Court, but it may be attached to
another Judicial Circuit. For example, the Gwinnett Superior Court Circuit just
includes Gwinnett County while the Alcovy Superior Court Circuit includes both
Newton and Walton Counties. Your Superior Court is based on the County you live
in.
The
Superior Court has general jurisdiction, which means the Superior Court can
rule on any criminal or civil action which is not already designated to be
heard by another Court, such as traffic, misdemeanors, bankruptcy, immigration,
or probate. Georgia Superior Courts hear a large variety of cases including
felonies, contracts, real estate, civil disputes, child custody, and divorce. http://georgiainfo.galileo.usg.edu/conart6.htm.
Recently,
the Alcovy Circuit Court posted a Press Release announcing that, “ The judges of the Superior Courts of the Alcovy Judicial
Circuit (Newton County and Walton County) were sworn in for their new four-year
terms on December 21, 2012.” http://alcovycircuit.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=8&Itemid=26.
The Judges for this Court include
(from left to right in photo below): Judge Horace J. Johnson, Jr.; Judge
William Kendall Wynne, Jr.; Judge Eugene M. Benton; Judge William M. Ray, II;
Judge Samuel D. Ozburn; and Judge John M. Ott.
Information on each Judge can be
found in the Press Release and on the Court website: www.alcovycircuit.com.
Christine M Bechtold, Esq. practices
in the Alcovy and Gwinnett Judicial Circuits. Call or email today for your free
initial consultation 770.466.2700 Christine@Bechtold-Law.com.