Civil & Magistrate Court - Citations and Summons

Augusta
Civil and Magistrate Court

Ordinance Violations, Bad Check Citations and Arrest Warrants

Ordinance Violations

Magistrate Court is also the forum in which violations of County ordinances are addressed. In general, the maximum sentence that can be imposed for violation of any one county ordinance is a $1,000.00 fine and confinement for 60 days. Ordinance Court is held Thursday mornings beginning at 8:30 a.m. with special bench trial sessions scheduled for other days and times as needed to keep the docket current.

Bad Check Citations (Deposit Account Fraud)

Pursuant to O.C.G.A. 16-9-20, “A person commits the offense of deposit account fraud (bad check) when such person makes, draws, utters, executes, or delivers an instrument for the payment of money on any bank or other depository in exchange for a present consideration or wages, knowing that it will not be honored by the drawee.”

The maximum sentence that may be imposed for issuance of one bad check is 12 months in jail, a $1,000.00 fine, and restitution to the victim.

In order to initiate a bad check prosecution, an individual must comply with 16-9-20, and should bring to the Clerk’s Office:

3 copies of the check front and back.
3 copies of the certified letter required by 16-9-20.
3 copies of the green mail return receipt showing delivery or the unclaimed envelope and three copies of the envelope.
An application will then need to be completed and the filing fee is $10.00.

Arrest warrants

The Civil Court of Richmond County oversees the issuance of arrest warrants for violations of the criminal laws of the State of Georgia. All applications for warrants are made to the Warrant Office, located on the second floor of the Joint Law Enforcement Center, 401 Walton Way.