Watkinsville, Georgia Legal Overview The City of Watkinsville is the county seat of Oconee County, Georgia. The main trial court with general jurisdiction over cases from Watkinsville and other parts of the county is the Oconee County Superior Court. This court has sole jurisdiction on all felonies, civil lawsuits exceeding $15,000 and family law cases such as divorce petitions. The Oconee County Magistrate Court has limited jurisdiction over civil lawsuits below $15,000. Watkinsville also has limited jurisdiction municipal, juvenile and probate courts.
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1. Apart from civil lawsuits below $15,000, the Oconee County Magistrate Court also handles garnishments and landlord-tenant or real estate matters such as evictions and foreclosures. The court has criminal jurisdiction over misdemeanors, arraignment hearings and preliminary hearings. Magistrates can also set bail and issue search or arrest warrants. Delinquency and other cases where minors are involved come under the jurisdiction of the Oconee County Juvenile Court. The Municipal Court of Watkinsville handles city code and traffic violations within municipal limits, in addition to petty theft and other minor criminal cases.
Trending Watkinsville, Georgia Legal Topics: The appeals process begins with the Oconee County Superior Court, which can act as appellate court for lower courts including the magistrate, municipal and probate courts. Superior and juvenile court verdict appeals are taken up by the Court of Appeals of Georgia in Atlanta. The court of last resort in the state judicial system is the Georgia Supreme Court. The federal court for Watkinsville and the rest of Oconee County is the Athens Division of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia. |