HB999: HB999 Magistrate courts; collecting sums and fees authorized by law; revise provisions

This bill makes several changes to how Georgia's magistrate courts operate. It rewrites the fee statute (O.C.G.A. § 15-10-80) covering filing deposits, service of process costs, and fees for writs of fieri facias (a legal tool used to collect on a judgment), setting the filing deposit cap at $22.00 and the fieri facias fee at $4.00. It also raises the dollar limit on civil claims magistrate courts can hear, from $15,000 to $25,000, effective January 1, 2027, and applying only to cases filed on or after that date. Separately, the bill corrects a scrivener's error in a 2025 law about nonpartisan election of magistrates and probate judges, clarifying that an automatic repeal provision tied to a constitutional amendment applies only to the section on nonpartisan elections, not the whole 2025 Act. Most of this bill takes effect July 1, 2026.

• Rewrites the magistrate court fee law (O.C.G.A. § 15-10-80) to set a filing deposit cap of $22.00 covering most costs except service of process.
• Sets the fee for issuing a writ of fieri facias, a legal order used to seize property to satisfy a debt, at $4.00.
• Raises the maximum dollar amount magistrate courts can hear in civil claims from $15,000 to $25,000, effective January 1, 2027.
• Corrects a drafting error in a 2025 law so that an automatic repeal tied to a probate judge election constitutional amendment applies only to the relevant section, not the entire Act.
• Requires plaintiffs to pay the actual cost of serving each party, capped at what sheriffs charge for the same service.

People and businesses who file civil lawsuits in Georgia's magistrate courts, court clerks and staff who collect fees, sheriffs who serve process, and magistrates and probate judges affected by the 2025 nonpartisan election law being corrected.

Raising the claim limit to $25,000 lets more disputes, such as unpaid debts or property claims, be resolved in magistrate court, which is generally faster and less costly than superior court. The fee changes clarify what plaintiffs pay to file and serve a case.

• Section 1 rewrites O.C.G.A. § 15-10-80, capping the filing deposit at $22.00 and setting the fieri facias issuance fee at $4.00.
• Section 2 corrects a scrivener's error in the 2025 magistrate courts Act (Ga. L. 2025, p. 780) so its automatic repealer applies only to the nonpartisan election provision tied to a constitutional amendment.
• Section 3 amends O.C.G.A. § 15-10-2 to raise the magistrate court civil claim limit from $15,000 to $25,000.
• Section 4 sets the general effective date as July 1, 2026, but delays the new $25,000 claim limit until January 1, 2027, applying only to cases filed on or after that date.
• Section 5 repeals conflicting laws.

1. 2026-05-12Effective Date 2026-07-01
2. 2026-05-12Act 707
3. 2026-05-12House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2026-04-10House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2026-04-02Senate Agreed House Amend or Sub (Senate)
6. 2026-03-23House Agreed Senate Amend or Sub As Amended (House)
7. 2026-03-18Senate Passed/Adopted As Amended (Senate)
8. 2026-03-18Senate Third Read (Senate)

• Rob Leverett (R, HD-123)Primary sponsor
• Mary Oliver (D, HD-084)
• Stacey Evans (D, HD-057)
• Stan Gunter (R, HD-008)
• Kimberly New (R, HD-040)
• Matt Reeves (R, HD-099)
• Bo Hatchett (R, SD-050)

1. PassedHouse voteFebruary 3, 2026

   158 yea, 4 nay (1 not voting, 12 absent)

   Passage: House Vote #474

2. PassedSenate voteMarch 18, 2026

   44 yea, 6 nay (0 not voting, 4 absent)

   Adoption Of Amendment #3 By The Senator From The 37th: Senate Vote #738

3. PassedSenate voteMarch 18, 2026

   46 yea, 4 nay (0 not voting, 4 absent)

   Passage As Amended: Senate Vote #739

4. PassedHouse voteMarch 23, 2026

   167 yea, 0 nay (1 not voting, 8 absent)

   Agree To Senate Am As Am: House Vote #748

5. PassedSenate voteApril 2, 2026

   48 yea, 1 nay (4 not voting, 1 absent)

   Agree To House Amendment To Senate Amendment: Senate Vote #957

• magistrate courts
• court fees
• civil claims limit
• judicial elections
• Georgia courts