Magistrate Court

The Magistrate Court of Barrow County is made up of one Chief Magistrate Judge, who is elected by the voters of Barrow County for a four year term and three Associate Judges that are appointed. The Magistrate Court has criminal and civil jurisdictions. The criminal division consists of the issuance of  arrest, search and good behavior warrants as well as conducting extraditions, first appearances, bonds, preliminary, and warrant application hearings.  In addition, The Magistrate Court presides over and conducts arraignment and trials for county ordinance violations, misdemeanor deposit account fraud, criminal trespass, underage possession of alcohol, misdemeanor shoplifting, and possession of marijuana less than one ounce cases. The civil division consists of trials and adjudication of statement of claims for cases that are $15,000 or less, dispossessory proceedings, abandonment of motor vehicles, personal property foreclosures, post-judgement interrogatories, the issuance of fieri facias, abandoned motor vehicles and garnishments.