Martinez, Georgia Legal Overview Martinez is a census-designated place located in Columbia County, Georgia. The Columbia County Superior Court acts as the main trial court with general jurisdiction over cases from Martinez. The superior court has exclusive jurisdiction on family law cases such as divorce petitions. It also handles all felony prosecutions and civil claims exceeding $15,000. Martinez is additionally served by probate, juvenile and magistrate courts that have limited jurisdiction. The county seat is Appling and it still has a county courthouse, but all the aforementioned courts function from the Evans Justice Center in Evans, GA.
Top Martinez areas for Legal Issues: Evans lawyers
1. The Columbia County Magistrate Court in Evans has countywide jurisdiction over civil cases not exceeding $15,000. It also receives landlord-tenant disputes, such as evictions. The magistrate court’s criminal jurisdiction is limited to county ordinance violations, traffic and other minor criminal infractions. The magistrate court also has the authority to hold preliminary hearings, set bail and issue search or arrest warrants. The Columbia County Juvenile Court, also located in Evans, receives cases that involve minors. The Probate Court of Columbia County in Evans has jurisdiction on elder commitments, trust funds, estate and inheritance disputes, wills, etc.
Trending Martinez, Georgia Legal Topics: An appeal against a magistrate or probate court verdict must be filed with the Columbia County Superior Court. An appeal against the superior or juvenile courts will be received by the Court of Appeals of Georgia, which is in Atlanta. This intermediate appellate court’s ruling may be taken up for review by the Georgia Supreme Court, which is the court of last resort. Federal cases from Martinez or other parts of Columbia County come under the jurisdiction of the Augusta Division of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia. |