---
title: O.C.G.A. § 15-6-8. Jurisdiction and powers of superior courts.
collection: code
id: 15-6-8
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 15-6-8 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/15-6-8
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/15-6-8.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/15-6-8/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t15-ch1-11a-(v13)-2020-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=d8a8826c_0#page=232
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.
up: https://georgiacommons.org/code/15-6.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/code/15-6-7.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/code/15-6-9.md
index: https://georgiacommons.org/code/index.md
version: the only printed version
in_force: true
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: COURTS / SUPERIOR COURTS / GENERAL PROVISIONS
---

# O.C.G.A. § 15-6-8. Jurisdiction and powers of superior courts.

The superior courts have authority:

(1) To exercise original, exclusive, or concurrent jurisdiction, as the case may be, of all causes, both civil and criminal, granted to them by the Constitution and laws;

(2) To exercise the powers of a court of equity;

(3) To exercise appellate jurisdiction from judgments of the probate or magistrate courts as provided by law;

(4) To exercise a general supervision over all inferior tribunals and to review and correct, in the manner prescribed by law, the judgments of:

(A) Magistrates;

(B) Municipal courts or councils;

(C) Any inferior judicature;

(D) Any person exercising judicial powers; and

(E) Judges of the probate courts, except in cases touching the probate of wills and the granting of letters of administration, in which a jury must be impaneled;

(5) To punish contempt by fines not exceeding $1,000.00, by imprisonment not exceeding 20 days, or both; and

(6) To exercise such other powers, not contrary to the Constitution, as are or may be given to such courts by law.

## History

Laws 1799, Cobb’s 1851 Digest, p. 1135; Code 1863, § 242; Code 1868, § 236; Code 1873, § 246; Code 1882, § 246; Civil Code 1895, § 4320; Penal Code 1895, § 791; Civil Code 1910, § 4849; Penal Code 1910, § 791; Code 1933, § 24-2615; Ga. L. 1982, p. 974, §§ 1, 2; Ga. L. 1983, p. 884, § 3-10; Ga. L. 1987, p. 3, § 15; Ga. L. 2013, p. 561, § 1/SB 66.

## Cross References

Judicial dissolution of corporations, § 14-2-1430 et seq., § 14-3-1430 et seq. Exercise of contempt power generally, § 15-1-4. Requirement of availability of one judge in each circuit on primary or election days, § 21-2-412. Jurisdiction of superior courts to hear cases pertaining to primary or election contests, § 21-2-523. Proceedings before superior courts regarding exercise of power of eminent domain generally, § 22-2-130 et seq. Jurisdiction of superior courts over questions regarding determination of legal heirs and their interests, § 53-4-30.

## Law Reviews

For article, ‘‘Jury Trials in Contempt Cases,’’ see 20 Ga. B. J. 297 (1957). For survey article on legal ethics, see 34 Mercer L. Rev. 197 (1982). For article, ‘‘Contempt of Court in Georgia,’’ see 23 Ga. St. B. J. 66 (1987). For annual survey of legal ethics decisions, see 58 Mercer L. Rev. 239 (2006). For article, ‘‘How Not to Get Thrown in Jail,’’ see 22 Ga. Bar. J. 17 (June 2017).