In 1912, the provisions of the Constitution recommending the establishment of justice courts in each militia district were amended so as to allow such justice courts, the office of justice of the peace, and of notary public, ex-officio justice of the peace, to be abolished in certain cities in Georgia by the establishment in lieu thereof of such court, or system of courts, as the General Assembly may deem necessary.  Such courts have been established in Atlanta and Macon.  The territory, jurisdiction, and power of these courts are set forth in the act creating them.

A county court is established upon the recommendation of a grand jury in a county.  The judge of the court is appointed by the Governor for a term of four years.  The judge of a county court must be twenty-one years of age, and must have been a resident of the county one year.  The court holds monthly and quarterly sessions at the county seat.  The jurisdiction of the court extends over the county where it is located.  The court has jurisdiction in all civil cases where the amount involved does not exceed $500, save where exclusive jurisdiction is given to the superior courts.  Criminal cases are also tried in county courts when the crime with which the defendant is charged is called a misdemeanor.  In some counties also there are county courts established by special acts of the Legislature.

Many city courts have been established by the Legislature.  The judge of a city court is appointed by the Governor, or elected by the people, according to the provisions of the act establishing the court.  The term and the qualifications of the judge, and the jurisdiction of the city court, are also fixed by the legislative act creating the court.  The term is sometimes four years and sometimes two.

The solicitor of the city court is appointed by the Governor, or elected by the people, for a term of two or four years.  It is his duty to represent the State in all criminal cases tried in that court.

There is in each county of the State a court of ordinary.  The presiding officer of this court is styled the ordinary.  He is elected by the voters of the county for a term of four years.  The jurisdiction of the court of ordinary extends throughout the county over all matters relating to the administration of property of deceased persons, orphans, idiots, lunatics, and insane persons.  In the ordinary is vested the power of appointing guardians of the person of orphans and insane persons.  The ordinary also has charge of county roads and revenues where no board of county commissioners has been established.  The ordinary is clerk of his own court, and the sheriff of the county is his executive officer.

The State is divided into twenty-six judicial circuits, and each circuit has one superior court judge (or mote than one if the Legislature so provides).  This judge is elected by the people for a term of four years.  To be eligible he must be thirty years of age; he must have been a citizen of the State for three years, and must have practiced law seven years.