Lowndes County Magistrate Court


Hello, I am Joni Parker, Chief Magistrate for Lowndes County, Georgia. On behalf of the Lowndes County Magistrate Court and its staff, I welcome you to our web page. I hope you find the page helpful and informative.

The Magistrate Court is located in the Lowndes County Courthouse, first floor, in room 101 and 103. Our hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. We can also be reached by telephone at (229)671-2610 or by fax at (229)671-3440.

The Magistrate Court staff includes the Clerk of Court, six deputy clerks, two constables, and two Judges. Our Clerk of Court is Joanne D. Jones and our Chief Constable is Charles Hart. In addition to the Chief Judge, the Magistrate Court also has another full time Judge which is Beth Cleveland. Any member of our staff can be reached at the above numbers.

The Magistrate Courts of Georgia were established in 1983 when the current Georgia Constitution was ratified. The Constitution required the Magistrate Courts to replace the Justice of the Peace, and a variety of other small claims courts. Each county in the state of Georgia has a Magistrate Court. The Lowndes County Magistrate Court is divided into two divisions.

The civil division handles monetary claims that are $15,000.00 or less. Any amount in excess of $15,000.00 should be filed in either the State or Superior Court of Lowndes County. Actions filed in the Magistrate Court include, but are not limited to, contract disputes, dispossessory actions (evictions), personal injury and suits on account. This Court does not handle divorce, child support actions, or actions involving title to property. You may appear on your own behalf or may be represented by an attorney. In 2003, the Magistrate Court handled 2,688 civil actions, 2580 dispossessory actions, and 999 garnishments. The civil division’s total filing for 2003 was 6,476.

The criminal division handles the issuing of arrest warrants for Lowndes County after probable cause has been determined. The Magistrate Court also conducts first appearances, bond hearings, preliminary hearings, and ordinance hearings for Lowndes County. In 2003, the Magistrate Court issued 2,684 felony warrants, 2,731 misdemeanor warrants, and 1,675 bad check warrants.

This is just a brief introduction to what the Magistrate Court has to offer the citizens of Lowndes County. We will continually update this information. If you have any questions or comments, please contact me. Thank you for your interest in the Lowndes County Magistrate Court.

Sincerely,
Joni B. Parker
Chief Magistrate