Georgia § 15-6-17 - Time and place of holding court generally; habeas corpus and other nonjury proceedings; satellite courthouses.

§ 15-6-17. Time and place of holding court generally; habeas corpus and other nonjury proceedings; satellite courthouses.

One or more of the judges of the superior courts must hold the superior court of each circuit at the county site and courthouse, if any, of each county in the respective judicial circuit or at some other place at the county site designated by law not less than twice each year, at such times as are prescribed by the General Assembly; provided, however, that, in any county in which a state correctional institution, county correctional institution, or jail is located, one or more judges of the superior court of such county shall be authorized to conduct habeas corpus and other nonjury proceedings pursuant to Article 2 of Chapter 14 of Title 9 involving inmates of such state correctional institution, county correctional institution, or jail in a suitable room at the institution. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed or interpreted to require any judge to conduct habeas corpus and other nonjury proceedings pursuant to Article 2 of Chapter 14 of Title 9 involving inmates of such state correctional institution, county correctional institution, or jail nor to establish any right of any inmate of any such correctional institution to have any habeas corpus and other nonjury proceedings pursuant to Article 2 of Chapter 14 of Title 9 involving inmates of such correctional institutions. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, in a county where the county site is located in an unincorporated area of the county, the county governing authority may construct one or more permanent satellite courthouses within the county and designate each such structure as a courthouse annex or otherwise establish each such structure as an additional courthouse to the courthouse located at the county site. The judges of the superior court in such county may hold sessions of superior court and conduct all other superior court business at the additional courthouse locations or at the courthouse at the county site. One or more of the judges of the superior court must hold a session of superior court at the county site not less than twice each year. All actions taken by a superior court judge at any additional courthouse in accordance with this subsection shall be fully valid and binding as though taken and performed at the county site. (Laws 1799, Cobb's 1851 Digest, p. 457; Code 1863, §§ 237, 3161; Code 1868, §§ 237, 3173; Code 1873, §§ 241, 3241; Code 1882, §§ 241, 3241, 5146; Civil Code 1895, §§ 4315, 4340; Penal Code 1895, § 793; Civil Code 1910, §§ 4839, 4871; Penal Code 1910, § 793; Code 1933, §§ 24-2609, 24-3001; Ga. L. 1985, p. 440, § 1; Ga. L. 1986, p. 318, § 1; Ga. L. 1998, p. 1159, § 1.) Length of terms of courts, § 15-6-19 . Cross references. - Frequency of holding court, Ga. Const. 1983, Art. VI, Sec. I, Para. VI.