HB 999: Magistrate courts; collecting sums and fees authorized by law; revise provisions

Magistrate courts in Georgia are small claims-style courts that handle civil disputes, evictions, and other minor matters. Currently they can only hear civil claims up to $15,000. This bill raises that limit to $25,000, meaning more disputes can be resolved in magistrate court instead of superior court, though prejudgment attachment still is not allowed. The bill also clarifies that magistrate courts can collect certain fees required by other Georgia laws (referencing O.C.G.A. § 15-23-7) in addition to the standard filing, service, and fieri facias fees already listed in the code. Separately, it fixes a scrivener's error in a 2025 law about electing probate court judges without party affiliation, limiting an automatic repeal clause so it only affects the section on nonpartisan election procedures. Most changes take effect July 1, 2026, but the higher claim limit applies to cases filed on or after January 1, 2027.

• Raises the maximum dollar amount magistrate courts can hear in civil claims from $15,000 to $25,000, effective for cases filed on or after January 1, 2027.
• Adds a new subsection to the magistrate court fee law clarifying that other legally required sums, including those under O.C.G.A. § 15-23-7, can be collected in addition to standard filing and service fees.
• Corrects a scrivener's error in a 2025 law so the automatic repeal clause only applies to the section on nonpartisan probate judge elections, not the whole Act.
• Sets different effective dates: most provisions start July 1, 2026, while the higher claim limit starts January 1, 2027.

People filing or defending small civil claims, garnishments, and attachments in Georgia magistrate courts; magistrate court clerks and judges who collect fees and set jurisdictional limits; and officials involved in the 2027 transition to nonpartisan election of probate court judges.

Raising the claim limit to $25,000 lets more disputes be resolved in the faster, less formal magistrate court system rather than superior court. The fee clarification affects how much litigants pay, and the correction ensures the 2025 nonpartisan election law does not accidentally repeal itself entirely if the constitutional amendment fails.

• Section 1 rewrites O.C.G.A. § 15-10-80 to add subsection (e), allowing collection of sums under O.C.G.A. § 15-23-7 and other legally required fees on top of existing filing, service, and fieri facias fees.
• Section 2 corrects a scrivener's error in the 2025 nonpartisan magistrate election law (Ga. L. 2025, p. 780), limiting the automatic repealer to the section on nonpartisan election procedures.
• Section 3 amends O.C.G.A. § 15-10-2(5) to raise the magistrate court civil claim jurisdiction limit from $15,000 to $25,000, while keeping the ban on prejudgment attachment.
• Section 4 sets the general effective date as July 1, 2026, except the new $25,000 claim limit, which applies to actions filed on or after January 1, 2027.
• 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 (Cámara de Representantes)
4. 2026-04-10House Sent to Governor (Cámara de Representantes)
5. 2026-04-02Senate Agreed House Amend or Sub (Senado)
6. 2026-03-23House Agreed Senate Amend or Sub As Amended (Cámara de Representantes)
7. 2026-03-18Senate Passed/Adopted As Amended (Senado)
8. 2026-03-18Senate Third Read (Senado)

• Rob Leverett (R, HD-123)Patrocinador principal
• 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. AprobadaVotación: Cámara de Representantes3 de febrero de 2026

   158 a favor, 4 en contra (1 sin votar, 12 ausentes)

   Passage: House Vote #474

2. AprobadaVotación: Senado18 de marzo de 2026

   44 a favor, 6 en contra (0 sin votar, 4 ausentes)

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

3. AprobadaVotación: Senado18 de marzo de 2026

   46 a favor, 4 en contra (0 sin votar, 4 ausentes)

   Passage As Amended: Senate Vote #739

4. AprobadaVotación: Cámara de Representantes23 de marzo de 2026

   167 a favor, 0 en contra (1 sin votar, 8 ausentes)

   Agree To Senate Am As Am: House Vote #748

5. AprobadaVotación: Senado2 de abril de 2026

   48 a favor, 1 en contra (4 sin votar, 1 ausentes)

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

• magistrate courts
• civil claims limits
• court fees
• probate judge elections
• small claims