HB798: HB798 Spalding County; State Court; modernize, update, and readopt provisions

The State Court of Spalding County (originally the City Court of Griffin) operates under a law first passed in 1897 and amended many times since. This bill repeals that patchwork of old laws and replaces them with a single, modernized version covering the court's jurisdiction, location, hours, fees, juries, and personnel. The biggest structural change is adding a second judge to the court starting January 1, 2026. The current judge keeps serving until his or her term ends in 2028, while the new second judge is appointed by the Governor to serve until 2028, after which both seats become elected positions. The bill also sets judge and solicitor-general salaries as percentages of the superior court chief judge's pay, restates jury and appeal procedures, and continues the county's Sentence Enforcement Department and Accountability Court. Most provisions take effect January 1, 2026, though the section allowing the Governor to appoint the new judge takes effect immediately once signed.

• Repeals and completely rewrites the original 1897 law and over 20 amending laws governing the State Court of Spalding County, replacing them with one updated Act.
• Creates a second judgeship for the court effective January 1, 2026, to be filled initially by gubernatorial appointment and later by election.
• Sets the chief judge's salary at 90 percent of the Spalding County Superior Court chief judge's total pay, and the new associate judge's salary at 100 percent of the chief judge's pay.
• Allows the clerk of the State Court to charge a technology fee of up to $5.00 per civil filing and up to $5.00 per fine, dedicated to a segregated technology fund.
• Continues the Spalding County Sentence Enforcement Department and State Court Accountability Court and lets the chief judge appoint their directors.
• Sets the solicitor-general's salary at 90 percent of the chief judge's salary and keeps that position as a partisan elected office.

Judges, the solicitor-general, the clerk of court, jurors, and staff of the State Court of Spalding County, along with the Spalding County Board of Commissioners, Sheriff, and Superior Court, since several county offices interact with the state court's operations and funding.

Spalding County residents who go through the State Court, whether for civil cases or criminal charges, would see a second judge added to help handle caseloads starting in 2026, along with updated jury and technology-fee rules that could affect court costs and case processing times.

• Section 1 replaces the entire prior law establishing the State Court of Spalding County with a rewritten version covering jurisdiction, location, procedure, and personnel.
• New Section 10 of the rewritten Act creates a second judgeship effective January 1, 2026, appointed by the Governor until the 2028 election, designated Judicial Post 2.
• New Section 6 authorizes a technology fee up to $5.00 per civil filing and up to $5.00 per fine, held in a 'State Court Technology Fund.'
• New Section 13 requires Spalding County to continue funding the Sentence Enforcement Department and Accountability Court, with an additional $6,300 annual supplement for the chief judge if certain specialty court divisions operate.
• Section 2 of the amending Act makes the judge-appointment provision effective upon the Governor's signature, but sets January 1, 2026 as the effective date for all other provisions.
• Section 3 repeals 22 specifically listed prior Acts dating from 1899 to 2016 that previously governed the court.

1. 2025-05-13Effective Date 2025-05-13
2. 2025-05-13Act 233
3. 2025-05-13House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2025-04-07House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2025-03-31Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
6. 2025-03-31Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
7. 2025-03-28Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
8. 2025-03-27House Passed/Adopted (House)

• Karen Mathiak (R, HD-082)Primary sponsor
• Beth Camp (R, HD-135)

1. PassedHouse voteMarch 27, 2025

   164 yea, 0 nay (12 not voting, 4 absent)

   Local Calendar : House Vote #317

2. PassedSenate voteMarch 31, 2025

   49 yea, 0 nay (5 not voting, 2 absent)

   Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #339

• Spalding County courts
• state court judges
• court fees
• local judicial appointments
• Georgia court system