Emergency Judicial Orders – Georgia Judicial Gateway

A judicial emergency is defined as a state of emergency declared by the Governor, a public health emergency under O.C.G.A. 31-12-1.1, a local emergency under O.C.G.A. § 36-69-2, or another serious emergency when the emergency substantially endangers or infringes upon the normal functioning of the judicial system, including the ability of persons or litigants to have access to the court or meet time deadlines imposed by court order or rule, statute, or administrative rule or regulation. O.C.G.A. § 38-3-60(2).

Below is a list of circuits and courts that have filed judicial emergency orders. Each order contains specific details for each county. Click on the links to view an order for a particular circuit or county. Please see our COVID-19 Preparedness site for more resources.

Supreme Court of Georgia Information on COVID-19 Court Operating Guidelines and Court Guidance

Orders regarding the Statewide Judicial Emergency, which expired on June 30, 2021, at 11:59 p.m., remain on this page for informational purposes. Subsequent orders regarding local judicial emergencies and orders granting relief from Statutory Speedy Trial Requirements are found in the column “Orders Granting Relief from Statutory Speedy Trial Requirements and Local Emergency Orders.”

Judicial Circuit	Impacted Counties	Orders Granting Relief from Statutory Speedy Trial Requirements and Local Emergency Orders	Notes/General Information
Alapaha Circuit	Atkinson, Berrien, Clinch, Cook, Lanier		Magistrate Court of Cook (Notice) Probate Court of Cook The Magistrate Court of Berrien County is closed and will reopen December 4, 2020, Probate court of Cook county is closed reopening - 01/18/2021 Alapaha- Notice sites for Berrien, Cook Probate, Lanier County Clerk of Court's office closed through January 13, 2021 (12/30/20)
Alcovy Circuit Updated 07/01/2020	Newton, Walton		Public notices regarding judicial emergency can be found at https://www.alcovycircuit.com/, Walton County Courthouse closure has been extended through July 21, 2020.
Appalachian Judicial Circuit Updated 03/17/21	Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens		Order Establishing Jury Committee (09/21/20), Gilmer County Courthouse has reopened as of July 13, 2020. , Temporary Safety Measures Regarding Operations for All Classes of Court (10/29/21)
Atlanta Circuit	Fulton	Superior Court of Fulton County Order Granting Relief from Statutory Speedy Trial Requirements	Atlanta Circuit – Notice sites for Superior, State, Juvenile, Probate, Magistrate Fulton State Court Standing Orders (3) during the Judicial Emergency Order Magistrate Court of Fulton County Standing Order on Proceedings (7/13/20)
Atlantic Circuit Updated 05/29/20	Bryan, Evans, Liberty, Long, McIntosh (12/15/20), Tattnall	Superior Court of Bryan County Declaration of Judicial Emergency - 4/6/22, Superior Court of Bryan County Order Granting Relief From Statutory Speedy Trial Requirements, Superior Court of Evans County Order Granting Relief From Statutory Speedy Trial Requirements, Superior Court of Liberty County Order Granting Relief From Statutory Speedy Trial Requirements, Superior Court of Long County Order Granting Relief From Statutory Speedy Trial Requirements, Superior Court of McIntosh County Order Granting Relief From Statutory Speedy Trial Requirements, Superior Court of Tattnall County Order Granting Relief From Statutory Speedy Trial Requirements, McIntosh County Local Judicial Emergency Order	Notice sites for Bryan, Liberty, Evans, Long, Tattnall, Alternate Facilities Orders, Evans, McIntosh & Long Counties (May 4, 2021), Alternate Facility Order for Bryan Superior Court Municipal Court of Ludowici, Long
Augusta Circuit	Burke, Columbia, Richmond	Richmond County Local Emergency Order (8/24/21 extension) Superior Court of Burke County Local Emergency Order (8/24/21 extension) Superior Court of Columbia County Local Emergency Order	Notice sites for Columbia, Richmond, 401 WAL TON WAY & CRAIG-BOUGHTON elementary school as the Augusta-Richmond County Judicial Center John B. Ruffin, Jr. Courthouse Annexes are designated for the conduct of judicial business, Richmond County Alternate Facility for Jury Selection (11/05/20)
Bell-Forsyth Judicial Circuit update 05/15/20	Forsyth		Notice site for Forsyth, Forsyth County Courthouse Closure, January 5, 2021
Blue Ridge Judicial Circuit (01/15/21)	Cherokee	Superior Court of Cherokee County Local Emergency Order (8/16/21 extension), Superior Court of Cherokee County Order Granting Relief from Statutory Speedy Trial Requirements	Amended Order on Public Access Notice site for Cherokee
Brunswick Judicial Circuit	Appling, Camden, Glynn, Jeff Davis, Wayne	Superior Court of Appling County Local Emergency Order	Wayne County Courthouse Closure - January 26-February 1, 2021, Glynn County Courthouse Closure, June 5 Order, Clerk of Superior Court of Camden closure Order - October 21st - 26th
Chattahoochee Circuit Updated 3/16/20	Chattahoochee, Harris, Marion, Muscogee, Talbot, Taylor	Superior Court of Muscogee County Order Granting Relief from Statutory Speedy Trial Requirements, Taylor County Local Emergency Order	The Chattahoochee County Courthouse is closed, reopening August 5, 2020. Court business will be conducted at Chattahoochee Recreation Center and Old City Hall Notice site for the Chattahoochee Circuit, Talbot County Alternate Court Facility Order (June 15-22)
Cherokee Judicial Circuit	Bartow, Gordon	Superior Court of Bartow County Order Granting Relief From Statutory Speedy Trial Requirements Superior Court of Gordon County Order Granting Relief From Statutory Speedy Trial Requirements
Clayton Judicial Circuit Updated 2/08/21	Clayton		Notice site for Clayton (separated by court class in the left menu).
Cobb Judicial Circuit Updated 2/23/21	Cobb	Superior Court of Cobb County Order Granting Relief from Statutory Speedy Trial Requirements	Notice site for Cobb Municipal Court of Acworth (09/11/20), Municipal Court of Kennesaw (11/10/20), Municipal Court Notice of Clarification, Municipal Court of Marietta (12/09/20) , Magistrate Court of Cobb (Notice) Probate Court of Cobb (Notice)
Columbia Circuit	Columbia	Superior Court of Columbia County Local Emergency Order, Columbia County Speedy Trial
Conasauga Judicial Circuit	Murry (5/4/21), Whitfield (5/4/21)
Cordele Judicial Circuit	Ben Hill, Crisp, Dooly, Wilcox	Superior Court of Ben Hill County Order Granting Relief From Statutory Speedy Trial Requirements Superior Court of Crisp County Order Granting Relief From Statutory Speedy Trial Requirements Superior Court of Dooly County Order Granting Relief From Statutory Speedy Trial Requirements Superior Court of Wilcox County Order Granting Relief From Statutory Speedy Trial Requirements	The Wilcox County Courthouse is closed and will reopen November 20, 2020.
Coweta Judicial Circuit Updated 09/21/20	Carroll, Coweta, Heard, Meriwether, Troup		Municipal Court of Grantville, Coweta Meriwether Superior Court Clerk's office closure, January 5, 2021
Dougherty Judicial Circuit (02/09/21)	Dougherty	Superior Court of Dougherty County Order Granting Relief From Statutory Speedy Trial Requirements	Municipal Court of Albany, Dougherty
Douglas Judicial Circuit	Douglas	Superior Court of Douglas County Local Emergency Order	Douglas County Court Operating Procedures (03/03/22)
Eastern Circuit Updated 3/24/20	Chatham	Superior Court of Chatham County Order Granting Relief From Statutory Speedy Trial Requirements, Eastern Judicial Circuit Local Emergency Order	Order Establishing Guidelines for In-Person Court Proceedings (06/03/20) Juvenile Court of Chatham Municipal Court of Bloomingdale, Chatham Notice site for Chatham Order on Temporary Designation of an Alternative Facility for the Conduct of Judicial Business (Grand Jury)
Enotah Circuit	Lumpkin, Towns, Union, White		Notice sites for Lumpkin, Towns, Union, White
Flint Judicial Circuit (07/01/20)	Henry	Superior Court of Henry County First Order Granting Relief From Statutory Speedy Trial Requirements Superior Court of Henry County Second Order Granting Relief From Statutory Speedy Trial Requirements	Notice sites for Superior, Juvenile, State, Probate, Magistrate
Griffin Judicial Circuit	Fayette, Spalding, Pike, Upson	Superior Court of Spalding County Local Emergency Order	Upson County Courthouse closure order (01/11/21)
Gwinnett Circuit Updated 3/30/20	Gwinnett		Municipal Court of Duluth (04/08/20) , Municipal Court of Suwanee (02/08/21) Notice site for Gwinnett
Houston Circuit	Houston		Notice site for Houston
Lookout Mountain Circuit (1/29/2021)	Catoosa, Chattooga, Dade, Walker		The Walker County Courthouse is closed and will reopen December 7, 2020 Media Advisory for Catoosa County court operations for 11/20 through 11/27 Order for Closure of Offices at Catoosa County Court House Notice site for the Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit
Macon Circuit	Bibb, Crawford, Peach	Superior Court of Bibb County Local Emergency Order	Macon-Bibb Guidelines for Court Proceedings for Courts in the Macon Judicial Circuit. Notice site for Peach
Middle Judicial Circuit	Candler, Emanuel, Jefferson, Toombs, Washington		Jefferson County Courthouse is CLOSED from June 29, 2020 through until July 9, 2020. Washington County Courthouse is CLOSED and will reopen July 16, 2020
Mountain Circuit Updated 09/18/20	Habersham (09/23/20), Rabun, Stephens		Notice site for Habersham, Stephens. See the Mountain Circuit 04/06 Emergency Order Amendment for information regarding the use of video conferences, Order Establishing Jury Committee (07/30/20)
Northeastern Judicial Circuit	Dawson ( 5/7/21), Hall( 10/16/20)		Notice site for the Northeastern Circuit, Hall County Superior and State Court Clerk's Office alternative location order (07/01/20), Hall County alternate facility - Municipal Courtroom (10/16/20), Flowery Branch Municipal Court - order to appear via video conference (1/12/22), Dawson - order for temporary health measures (5/7/21 - 6/7/21), Hall - order for temporary health measures (12/31/20 - 02/28/21)
Northern Circuit Updated 05/29/20	Elbert, Franklin, Hart, Madison, Oglethorpe	Superior Court of Hart County Order Granting Relief from Statutory Speedy Trial Requirements (2.16.22), Superior Court of Franklin County Order Granting Relief from Statutory Speedy Trial Requirements	Superior Court of Oglethorpe (11/02/20) Superior Court of Hart (02/01/21) Superior Court of Franklin County Emergency Order Authorizing Off-Site Jury Trial Proceedings in Hart County, Georgia (03/23/21), Offsite Grand Jury Proceedings will convene at the Carnesville Elementary Primary School, 825 Hull Drive, Carnesville, GA 30521
Ocmulgee Circuit	Baldwin, Greene, Hancock, Jasper, Jones, Morgan, Putnam , Wilkinson		Notice sites for Baldwin, Jasper, Jones, Putnam. Jones County Courthouse is closed to the public until further notice.
Oconee Judicial Circuit	Bleckley, Dodge, Montgomery, Pulaski, Telfair, Wheeler	Superior Court of Pulaski County Local Emergency Order	Telfair Magistrate court: Closed immediately until 10/22/20 Dodge County Courthouse Annex closed through 6/28/20 ., Telfair Magistrate court: Closed immediately until 10/22
Ogeechee Judicial Circuit	Bulloch, Effingham, Jenkins, Screven	Superior Court of Bulloch County Local Emergency Order, Effingham County Local Emergency Order	Order Abolishing COVID -19 Guidelines and Local Committee - Bulloch Order Abolishing COVID -19 Guidelines and Local Committee - Effingham Order Abolishing COVID -19 Guidelines and Local Committee - Screven
Pataula Judicial Circuit (04/09/20)	Clay, Early, Miller, Quitman, Randolph, Seminole, Terrell		Municipal Court of Dawson, Terrell Pataula Circuit notice site with Guidelines for Conducting In-Person Court Proceedings.
Paulding Circuit	Paulding
Piedmont Circuit	Banks, Barrow, Jackson		Magistrate Court of Barrow (Notice: 3/17/20), Municipal Court of Jefferson Updated 4/08/20 Banks, Barrow, and Jackson Order Regarding COVID Protocols(1/28/22)
Rockdale Circuit Updated 5/11/21	Rockdale	Rockdale County State Court Order Granting Relief From Statutory Speedy Trial Requirements	A mask is required when enter the Rockdale County Courthouse., Order Regarding Grand Jury - October 2020 Term of the Rockdale County
Rome Judicial Circuit Updated 6/5/20	Floyd		The Floyd County Courthouse is CLOSED to the public until June 22, 2020 (June 8 order).
Southern Circuit	Brooks, Colquitt, Echols, Lowndes, Thomas	Superior Court of Brooks County Local Emergency Order Superior Court of Brooks County Order Granting Relief From Statutory Speedy Trial Requirements Superior Court of Colquitt Local Emergency Order Superior Court of Colquitt County Order Granting Relief From Statutory Speedy Trial Requirements Superior Court of Echols County Local Emergency Order Superior Court of Lowndes County Order Granting Relief From Statutory Speedy Trial Requirements State Court of Lowndes County Order Granting Relief From Statutory Speedy Trial Requirements Superior Court of Thomas County Local Emergency Order Superior Court of Thomas County Order Granting Relief From Statutory Speedy Trial Requirements	Brooks County Magistrate Court Closure ( 01/05/22)
South Georgia Circuit	Baker, Calhoun, Decatur, Grady, Mitchell		The Baker County Courthouse is closed to the general public. The Calhoun County Courthouse is closed to the general public. See the Calhoun Judicial Emergency Order for more info.
Southwestern Circuit	Lee, Macon, Schley, Stewart, Sumter, Webster		Magistrate Court, Lee Municipal Court of Leslie, Sumter
Stone Mountain Circuit Updated 08/11/20	Dekalb	Superior Court of DeKalb County Order Granting Relief From Statutory Speedy Trial Requirements, Superior Court of DeKalb County Local Emergency Order	Notice sites for Superior, State, Juvenile, Probate, Magistrate
Tallapoosa Circuit	Haralson (11/09/20), Polk
Tifton Circuit	Irwin, Tift, Turner, Worth		Magistrate Court of Irwin (Notice) Municipal Court of Sylvester, Worth
Toombs Judicial Circuit	Glascock, Lincoln, McDuffie, Taliaferro, Warren, Wilkes		Wilkes County Temporary Location for Empaneling Grand Juries (11/4/20), Glascock County Courthouse closure order (Closed through 01/03/20, reopening 01/04/20)
Towaliga Circuit	Butts, Lamar, Monroe		Magistrate Court of Butts (12/21/20) Magistrate Court of Lamar
Waycross Judicial Circuit (01/08/21)	Bacon, Brantley (09/17/20), Charlton, Coffee, Pierce, Ware		Municipal Court of Waycross Guidelines, Magistrate Court of Ware (12/19/21) Pierce County Probate is closed and will reopen January 4, 2021.
Western Circuit (06/03)	Clarke, Oconee		Oconee Juvenile (03/31) Standing Order for Court Procedures (Juvenile, Magistrate, Municipal, Probate, State, Superior) Athens-Clarke County Courthouse is closed through July 17, 2020 for cleaning. Athens Municipal Court Notice (04/06/20), Notice site for Clarke County

Additional Information

Provisional Admission to the Practice of Law in Georgia

The Supreme Court of Georgia Reschedules Bar Exam

Memo to Courts from DDS

Memo from the Board of Court Reporting re the Emergency Order and 120 day rule

Statewide Judicial Emergency and Accountability Court Operations (03/17/20)

Memorandum regarding the impact on the Council of Accountability Court Judges