FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — Fulton County’s Magistrate Court says that it needs more money to hire more employees, or it risks falling behind on cases.
The court hears about 80,000 cases per year.
Channel 2′s Michael Doudna spoke to the head of the court, who is asking Fulton County for help before they vote on their budget this week.
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There are three in-courtroom staff members currently working for the court, who have had to cut their ability to hear cases roughly in half.
Court officials told Doudna that they need about $700,000 so they can hire six more employees, or else they may fall tens of thousands of cases behind.
The Magistrate Court is where people handle small claims, such as evictions and some basic criminal cases, but it all adds up.
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“The Magistrate Court closed 61,000 cases,” Cassandra Kirk, Chief Magistrate Judge, told Channel 2 Action News. “We did 35,000 arrest warrants, 5,500 search warrants and closed 13,399 writs.”
But after a budget cut in 2024, Kirk said they are now handling that caseload with just three courtroom support staff. If more funding isn’t approved, they’ll fall behind.
“It’s not sustainable for the staff that we have,” Kirk said. “It affects everyone. It affects your ability to enforce cases, and it affects families’ ability to file small claims.”
For landlord Marjy Stagmeier, the court is what she relies on for evictions processes. And she knows from experience that when the court slows down, it can put businesses at risk.
“It’s frustrating when you have to tell your investors that you are not going to have court hearings for a year, year and a half,” Stagmeier said.
Right now the court has about 40,000 open cases and only hear about half of the number of cases they used to.
Kirk said she hopes the county approves the funding so they can hire six more staff to keep things moving.
Channel 2 Action News reached out to the Fulton County Commission through multiple methods but has not heard back. The county is expected to vote on their new budget Wednesday.
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