Georgia CommonsHB1571: HB1571 Bryan County; State Court; revise terms
Last action May 11, 2026 · Effective Date 2026-07-01
A bill would change how often the State Court of Bryan County holds its criminal and civil trial terms, setting four annual criminal terms and monthly civil terms starting July 1, 2026.
In plain language
The State Court of Bryan County, once known as the City Court of Pembroke, operates under a 1938 state law that has been amended several times, most recently in 1996. This bill rewrites Section 11 of that law, which sets the court's terms, the scheduled periods when the court hears cases. Under the revised language, the court would hold four regular terms for criminal trials each year, starting the second day of January and the first day of April, July, and October. Civil trials would be held monthly, starting the first day of each month. A jury would be summoned for the January, April, July, and October terms, and the chief judge or judges could call additional juries when needed for pending cases. The change would take effect July 1, 2026.
What the bill does
- Rewrites Section 11 of the law governing the State Court of Bryan County to set new criminal and civil trial term schedules.
- Establishes four annual criminal trial terms starting on set dates in January, April, July, and October.
- Establishes monthly civil trial terms beginning on the first day of each month.
- Requires a jury to be summoned for the four criminal terms, while allowing the chief judge or judges to call additional juries as needed.
- Sets the effective date of the changes as July 1, 2026 and repeals conflicting laws.
Who it affects
This bill affects people with criminal or civil cases in the State Court of Bryan County, the judges and staff who administer that court, jurors who may be summoned for its terms, and local attorneys who practice there.
Why it matters
Changing when the court's terms occur affects how quickly criminal and civil cases move through the system in Bryan County, when juries are called, and how court schedules line up with attorneys' and litigants' planning for trials.
Key provisions
- Section 1 revises Section 11 of the 1938 Act establishing the State Court of Bryan County (as amended in 1996) to set new term dates.
- Criminal trial terms are set for the second day of January and the first day of April, July, and October each year.
- Civil trial terms are set to occur monthly, beginning the first day of each month.
- A jury must be summoned for the January, April, July, and October terms, with additional juries allowed at the chief judge's discretion.
- Section 2 sets the effective date as July 1, 2026.
- Section 3 repeals any laws that conflict with this Act.
From the bill
“(2) For civil trials, monthly commencing on the first day of each month.”
Status timeline
- Effective Date 2026-07-01
- Act 603
- House Date Signed by Governor (House)
- House Sent to Governor (House)
- Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
- Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
- Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
- House Passed/Adopted (House)
Show full history (13 actions)
- House Third Readers (House)
- House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
- House Second Readers (House)
- House First Readers (House)
- House Hopper (House)
Sponsors
- Ron Stephens (R, HD-164)
- Jesse Petrea (R, HD-166)
- Lehman Franklin (R, HD-160)
Votes
- House voteMarch 25, 2026
164 yea, 0 nay (8 not voting, 4 absent)
- Senate voteMarch 31, 2026
45 yea, 0 nay (5 not voting, 4 absent)
Topics
- Bryan County
- state courts
- court terms
- local legislation