---
title: O.C.G.A. § 18-4-16. Plaintiff filing traverse.
collection: code
id: 18-4-16
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 18-4-16 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/18-4-16
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/18-4-16.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/18-4-16/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t18-t19-(v16)-2022-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=b0848ebd_0#page=206
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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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: DEBTOR AND CREDITOR / GARNISHMENT PROCEEDINGS / GENERAL PROVISIONS
---

# O.C.G.A. § 18-4-16. Plaintiff filing traverse.

(a) Within 20 days after the plaintiff has been served with the garnishee’s answer, the plaintiff may file a traverse stating that the garnishee’s answer is untrue or legally insufficient. Such statement places in issue all questions of law and fact concerning the garnishee’s answer. The form for a plaintiff’s traverse is set forth in Code Section 18-4-87.

(b) The plaintiff may also file a traverse within 30 days after the plaintiff has been served with a garnishee’s motion to modify default judgment pursuant to Code Section 18-4-24 or 18-4-43, stating that the motion is untrue or legally insufficient, and by doing so bears the burden of proving that the motion to modify default was not timely, that the costs to accompany such motion were not paid or were paid in an incorrect amount, or that the total of money or property identified in and paid with garnishee’s motion to modify as belonging or being owed to the defendant was not correct. The timeliness of the motion to modify, the payment of costs to accompany such motion, and the amount due from garnishee as belonging or being owed to the defendant during the applicable period are the only issues for trial on a traverse pursuant to this subsection. If a garnishee’s motion to modify is found to be true and legally sufficient but for payment of costs in an incorrect amount, the court shall allow the garnishee to pay the remaining unpaid cost amount within a time not less than 30 days, shall consider the motion modified accordingly, and upon such payment shall grant the modification sought in said motion.

## History

Code 1981, § 18-4-16, enacted by Ga. L. 2016, p. 8, § 1/SB 255; Ga. L. 2020, p. 691, § 13/SB 443.

The 2020 amendment, effective January 1, 2021, designated the existing provisions as subsection (a) and added subsection (b).