Georgia Legal Overview: Athens The Athens-Clarke County metropolitan area in Georgia is defined by the Census Bureau as covering Clarke, Madison, Oconee and Oglethorpe counties. The main trial courts with general jurisdiction are the superior courts. Each judicial circuit also has state courts with limited jurisdiction over misdemeanors, traffic violations and civil actions that may be of any amount unless the superior court takes jurisdiction. The Athens metro is served by the northern and western circuits of the 10th Judicial District. Listed below are the main cities and towns in the Athens metro area.
Top Georgia cities for Legal Issues: Athens
1. Athens-Clarke County has a unified city/county government and is served by the western circuit of the 10th Judicial District. The western circuit also servers Oconee County. The Superior Court is located in Athens. Both Clarke and Oconee counties additionally have state courts, located in Athens and Watkinsville respectively. The judicial structure for Madison and Oglethorpe counties served by the northern circuit is similar, but it serves five counties so the main superior court judge is based in Elberton which is not part of the Athens metro area. 2. Facebook friend requests made by two jail deputies to an inmate have resulted in one resignation and a firing, and the situation looks ripe for a sexual harassment and inappropriate conduct lawsuit. Oconee County Sheriff's Chief Deputy Lee Weems says the inmate complained that both deputies had engaged in face-to-face conversations that were sexual in nature. 3. Former University of Georgia football coach Jim Donnan, accused of running a ponzi scheme that duped football coaches, has finally got approval from a federal bankruptcy court for a $40 million settlement with his creditors.
10th Judicial District of Georgia – Western Circuit
10th Judicial District of Georgia – Northern Circuit Athens-Clarke County Clerk of Superior & State Courts U.S. District Court - Middle District of Georgia U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit
Trending Athens Legal Topics: Appeals against decisions handed down by the probate, juvenile and superior courts have to be filed with the Georgia Court of Appeals. Only municipal and magistrate court appeals, and some probate matters, may be filed with the superior court for that district. The Georgia Supreme Court is the court of last resort. Federal cases in the Athens metro area may be filed with the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia. Federal appeals in Georgia are handled by the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals. |