Magistrates Retirement Fund: Mary Kathryn Moss

Eastern Judicial Circuit of Georgia: Magistrate Court Judges

Mary and her husband Parks have two children. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Georgia and her Juris Doctor from Tulane University with a certificate in admiralty. She is a graduate of St. Vincent’s Academy in Savannah. 

Before becoming Chief Magistrate, Mary was a partner at Ranitz, Mahoney, Mahoney, and Moss P.C. She also sat as Judge Pro Tem for the Recorder’s Court of Chatham County and the Municipal Courts of Port Wentworth and Garden City.  Judge Moss served as a law clerk.

Mary Moss has served as the Chief Magistrate of Chatham County since 2005. 

Earned her Juris Doctor cum laude from Tulane University.

Serves as a Chief Magistrate in Chatham County since 2005, where she presides over court proceedings, ensuring fairness and adherence to the law.

Specialized in civil litigation, real estate, and admiralty law as a partner at Ranitz, Mahoney, Mahoney & Moss.

Served as Judge Pro Tem for several courts, presiding over court proceedings, ruling on legal motions, and ensuring the fair administration of justice in temporary judicial appointments.

Conducted legal research, drafted memos, and provided support to judges in analyzing and deciding cases as a law clerk.

- Earned her Juris Doctor cum laude from Tulane University.
- Serves as a Chief Magistrate in Chatham County since 2005, where she presides over court proceedings, ensuring fairness and adherence to the law.
- Specialized in civil litigation, real estate, and admiralty law as a partner at Ranitz, Mahoney, Mahoney & Moss.
- Served as Judge Pro Tem for several courts, presiding over court proceedings, ruling on legal motions, and ensuring the fair administration of justice in temporary judicial appointments.
- Conducted legal research, drafted memos, and provided support to judges in analyzing and deciding cases as a law clerk.

Legal Experience

As of March 19, 2024, Mary Kathryn Moss’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Ethics & Conduct

Judicial Administration

Community Involvement

Twitter

Mary Kathryn Moss

Mary and her husband Parks have two children. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Georgia and her Juris Doctor cum laude from Tulane University with a Certificate in Admiralty. She is a graduate of St. Vincent’s Academy in Savannah. 

Before becoming Chief Magistrate, Mary was a partner at Ranitz, Mahoney, Mahoney & Moss. She also sat as Judge Pro Tem for the Recorder’s Court of Chatham County and the Municipal Courts of Port Wentworth and Garden City.  Judge Moss served as a law clerk to the Honorable William T. Moore, Jr., Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Georgia.

Serves as a Chief Magistrate in Chatham County, where she presides over court proceedings, ensuring fairness and adherence to the law.

As a partner at Ranitz, Mahoney, Mahoney & Moss, she specialized in civil litigation, real estate and admiralty law.  In this role, she oversaw legal matters, managed client relationships, and provided strategic guidance to junior attorneys.

As Judge Pro Tem for the Recorder’s Court of Chatham County and the Municipal Courts of Port Wentworth and Garden City,  she presided over court proceedings, ruled on legal motions, and ensured the fair administration of justice in temporary judicial appointments.

As a law clerk, she conducted legal research, drafted memos, and provided support to judges in analyzing and deciding cases.

- Earned her Juris Doctor cum laude from Tulane University.
- Serves as a Chief Magistrate in Chatham County, where she presides over court proceedings, ensuring fairness and adherence to the law.
- As a partner at Ranitz, Mahoney, Mahoney & Moss, she specialized in civil litigation, real estate and admiralty law.  In this role, she oversaw legal matters, managed client relationships, and provided strategic guidance to junior attorneys.
- As Judge Pro Tem for the Recorder’s Court of Chatham County and the Municipal Courts of Port Wentworth and Garden City,  she presided over court proceedings, ruled on legal motions, and ensured the fair administration of justice in temporary judicial appointments.
- As a law clerk, she conducted legal research, drafted memos, and provided support to judges in analyzing and deciding cases.

- Magistrate Courts hear civil cases only in amounts less than $15,000. There are no jury trials in Magistrate Court. 
- Magistrate Courts hear landlord tenant dispossessory cases (i.e. a case where a landlord is seeking an eviction of their tenant) and can order evictions. 
- The Chief Magistrate can determine procedures for managing the cases in front of the Magistrate. For example, in Fulton County the Chief Magistrate informs parties in landlord tenant dispossessory cases on the benefits of mediation and provides on-site mediators to resolve landlord tenant disputes before the parties appear in front of the judge. 
- Magistrate Courts only have jurisdiction over their respective counties. Each county has its own magistrate court. Magistrate Court Judge term lengths vary per county, however most serve four year terms. Local Superior Court Judges set parameters for Magistrate Courts. 