Georgia Lawyers & Law Firms

Small claims are heard in county Magistrate Courts under O.C.G.A. § 15-10-2(5); the limit is the same statewide and for individuals and businesses. SCHEDULED INCREASE: HB 999 (2026) raises the limit to $25,000 for actions filed on or after January 1, 2027 (Section 4(b)); $15,000 applies to cases filed through December 31, 2026. Signed bill text: https://gov.georgia.gov/document/2026-signed-legislation/hb-999/download. Counterclaims are also subject to the limit.

Runs from when the right of action accrues, usually the date of injury. Georgia's 2025 tort-reform act (SB 68) did not amend § 9-3-33; the signed bill text was checked. Other subsections of § 9-3-33 set different periods for some claim types (e.g., injury to reputation) but were not checked against official text.

The State Bar of Georgia does not operate an LRS; as a mandatory bar it says it 'cannot refer an attorney'. It points to its list of Local and Voluntary Bars (https://www.gabar.org/bar-communities/local-and-voluntary-bars), many of which run referral services. The Bar also posts a PDF of referral services it has determined meet Bar Rule 7.3(c)(2), such as the Atlanta Bar Association LRIS, but the entries in that PDF show expiration dates of December 31, 2025, so it looks out of date.