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Upson Chief Magistrate

Local Judges who hear low-value civil cases and eviction cases

Full office description

  • 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.

How this impacts you

  • Housing & Urban DevelopmentMagistrate Courts hear disputes between landlords and tenants where the landlord often seeks eviction. If the Magistrate Judge orders an eviction the tenant has seven days to vacate their home. The Magistrate Judge can order alternative dispute resolution to allow the landlord and tenant to reach an agreement on their own which could provide the tenant more time to vacate their home.

  • Judicial EfficiencyThe Chief Magistrate can determine procedures, meaning they can influence how quickly a resolution is reached for a particular dispute.

This election has moved to a runoff. To see the runoff election, click here.

Election results

Runoff election

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RUNOFF

Hannah Ellington Arnette

41.65%

1,864 votes

RUNOFF

Cecil M Hutchins Jr

24.72%

1,106 votes

William D Hughley

17.92%

802 votes

Mia Collier

15.71%

703 votes

Candidates (4)

A profile picture of Cecil M Hutchins Jr.

Cecil M Hutchins Jr

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Hannah Ellington Arnette

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Mia Collier

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William D Hughley

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