---
title: O.C.G.A. § 15-10-22. Qualifications; restrictions on practice of law.
collection: code
id: 15-10-22
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 15-10-22 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/15-10-22
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/15-10-22.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/15-10-22/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t15-ch1-11a-(v13)-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=9c57686b_0#page=111
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
license: CC0-1.0
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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version: the only printed version
in_force: true
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: COURTS / MAGISTRATE COURTS / MAGISTRATES
---

# O.C.G.A. § 15-10-22. Qualifications; restrictions on practice of law.

(a) Each magistrate taking office on or after July 1, 2019, shall:

(1) Have been a resident of the county for two years next preceding the beginning of his or her term of office;

(2) Be at least 25 years of age;

(3) Remain a resident of such county during his or her term of office;

(4) Be a citizen of the United States;

(5) Be a registered voter; and

(6) Have obtained a state accredited high school diploma or state approved high school equivalency (HSE) diploma.

(b) Additional qualifications for the office of chief magistrate or magistrate or both may be imposed by local law.

(c) A magistrate who is an attorney may practice in other courts but may not practice in the magistrate’s own court or appear in any matter as to which that magistrate has exercised any jurisdiction.

## History

Code 1981, § 15-10-22, enacted by Ga. L. 1983, p. 884, § 2-1; Ga. L. 1984, p. 1096, § 3; Ga. L. 1987, p. 430, § 1; Ga. L. 2019, p. 658, § 3/HB 257; Ga. L. 2022, p. 168, § 1/SB 397.

## Amendments

The 2022 amendment, effective July 1, 2022, substituted “state approved high school equivalency (HSE)” for “general educational development (GED)” in paragraph (a)(6).