v0.1.0 to v0.1.0

146 added, 31 removed. Audit A to A.

---

name: ga-file-packet

description: >

- Use when assembling and filing a complete Georgia court motion packet. Verifies every required component, enforces cross-document consistency, and produces filing instructions.

+ This skill should be used when assembling and filing a complete

+ Georgia court motion or pleading packet. Triggers include "assemble

+ my Georgia filing", "how do I e-file in Georgia", "what do I need to

+ file a complaint", "PeachCourt vs Odyssey", "eFileGA", "Georgia

+ filing checklist", "file a new civil action in Georgia", "Fulton

+ e-filing", "what documents to start a Georgia lawsuit". Identifies

+ the filing court and its e-filing platform (PeachCourt for

+ Fulton/Cobb; Odyssey eFileGA for Gwinnett; the county map at

+ georgiacourts.gov/efile-court-records), the documents a new civil

+ action needs (complaint, summons, civil case initiation/disclosure

+ form, filing fee or O.C.G.A. § 9-15-2 pauper's affidavit, sheriff's

+ entry of service), the USCR 36 e-filing mechanics, service of process

+ under O.C.G.A. § 9-11-4, and for domestic cases the auto-attaching

+ standing orders plus the required DRFA and Child Support Worksheet.

+ Provides a pre-flight checklist.

version: 0.1.0

---

# Assemble a Georgia Court Filing Packet

- > **TODO**: Author substantive content. This is a scaffolded

- > stub. Research the Georgia analog from authoritative sources

- > before writing — do not search-and-replace from another

- > state plugin.

+ > **NOT LEGAL ADVICE.** This skill is a procedural and drafting aid,

+ > not legal advice. Verify current rules, deadlines, and

+ > venue-specific practices before filing. Pair with substantive review

+ > by counsel where stakes warrant.

- > **NOT LEGAL ADVICE.** This skill is a procedural and

- > drafting aid, not legal advice. Verify current rules,

- > deadlines, and venue-specific practices before filing.

- > Pair with substantive review by counsel where stakes

- > warrant.

+ Use this skill when ready to **submit** a Georgia court filing —

+ whether starting a new civil action or filing into an existing case.

- ## State context

+ ## Step 1 — Identify the court and its e-filing platform

- - **State**: Georgia

- - **Format rule**: O.C.G.A. § 9-11-10 + Uniform Superior Court Rules

- - **Civil rules**: Georgia Civil Practice Act (O.C.G.A. Title 9, Ch. 11)

- - **Evidence rules**: Georgia Evidence Code (O.C.G.A. Title 24)

- - **Style manual**: Georgia appellate citation (Bluebook-based)

+ Georgia e-filing is governed by **USCR 36** and was made mandatory for

+ civil filings statewide (SB 407, effective ~January 1, 2019). The

+ platform is **county-dependent**:

- ## What to author

+ | County | Platform | Mandatory civil e-file |

+ |---|---|---|

+ | **Fulton** | eFileGA / PeachCourt (Tyler Odyssey backbone) | Yes — Superior, State, and Magistrate (no paper, including dispossessory/garnishment) |

+ | **Cobb** | PeachCourt (GreenCourt) | Yes — Superior civil since Oct. 1, 2018 |

+ | **Gwinnett** | Odyssey eFileGA (Tyler) | Yes — all State and Superior civil; Magistrate optional |

- 1. Description: replace the placeholder with realistic trigger

- phrases for how a Georgia pro se filer would ask about this

- 2. Body: substantive content matching the role

- 3. Composition notes: which other ga- skills this layers

- with

- 4. References: the supporting `references/*.md` files

+ For every other county, check the official map at

+ **georgiacourts.gov/efile-court-records** before filing — do not assume

+ PeachCourt or Odyssey covers a given county.

- ## References to author

+ Confirm the **court layer** is right before filing: Superior (general

+ jurisdiction; exclusive over divorce, equity, title to land,

+ felonies), State (civil of any amount except the Superior-exclusive

+ subjects), or Magistrate ($15,000 cap, § 15-10-2(5); dispossessory and

+ garnishment within the cap). See `ga-state-court`, `ga-magistrate`,

+ and the venue skills.

- - Research the Georgia analog from authoritative sources

- before authoring; do NOT search-and-replace from another

- state plugin

+ ## Step 2 — Assemble a new civil action

- ## Cross-references

+ A new civil action filed in Superior or State Court typically needs:

- - `ga-statewide-format` for format baseline

- - `ga-fulton` / `ga-cobb` / `ga-county-courts` for venue

- - `ga-pro-se` for pro se conventions

+ | # | Document | Notes |

+ |---|----------|-------|

+ | 1 | **Complaint** | O.C.G.A. § 9-11-10 caption + numbered paragraphs; § 9-11-8 short-and-plain statement |

+ | 2 | **Summons** | Issued by the clerk; PeachCourt/Odyssey can auto-generate it |

+ | 3 | **Civil Case Initiation / Disclosure Form** | Required cover-sheet form; e-filing portals auto-generate or prompt for it |

+ | 4 | **Filing fee** — or **§ 9-15-2 pauper's affidavit** | File the affidavit of indigence **with** the complaint if seeking a fee waiver (see `ga-pro-se`) |

+ | 5 | **Sheriff's Entry of Service** | The service-return form for the sheriff or process server; portals can auto-generate it |

+ On Fulton's PeachCourt and Cobb's PeachCourt, the system

+ **auto-generates** the Case Initiation Form, Disclosure, Summons, and

+ Sheriff's Entry of Service. On Gwinnett's Odyssey eFileGA, confirm

+ which forms are auto-populated versus uploaded.

+ ## Step 3 — E-filing mechanics (USCR 36)

+ 1. Log in to the county's platform (register a free account if needed;

+ pro se filers can register).

+ 2. Start a new case (initial filing) or search the existing case by

+ number or party name (subsequent filing).

+ 3. Select the **filing/document type** for each component from the

+ portal menu.

+ 4. Upload each component as a separate PDF (or let the portal generate

+ the auto-forms).

+ 5. Pay the filing fee by card, or attach the **§ 9-15-2 pauper's

+ affidavit** for a fee waiver.

+ 6. Submit; the portal returns a file-stamped, time-stamped

+ confirmation.

+ USCR 36 also governs the format and signature conventions for

+ e-filed documents; an electronic signature ("/s/ Name") is accepted.

+ ## Step 4 — Service of process (O.C.G.A. § 9-11-4)

+ Filing is **not** service. After the clerk issues the summons:

+ - **Service of process** of the summons + complaint follows **O.C.G.A.

+ § 9-11-4** — personal service, service on a registered/statutory

+ agent, the methods in § 9-11-4(f) (including publication), or

+ acknowledgment/waiver under **§ 9-11-4.1**. Use the **sheriff** of

+ the county where the defendant is found or a court-appointed process

+ server; a party cannot serve their own case.

+ - The process server completes and files the **Sheriff's Entry of

+ Service** to make the return of service part of the record.

+ - **Service of subsequent papers** follows **O.C.G.A. § 9-11-5**;

+ e-filing through the portal generally e-serves other registered

+ parties, and every paper carries a **certificate of service**.

+ ## Step 5 — Domestic cases: standing orders + required forms

+ In divorce, custody, and related domestic actions (Superior Court

+ exclusively):

+ - **Standing orders auto-attach.** In Fulton, Cobb, and Gwinnett the

+ domestic-relations standing order (and, where applicable, a

+ co-parenting/seminar standing order) **attaches automatically** at

+ filing through the e-filing portal. These typically restrain asset

+ disposal outside the ordinary course, harassment, insurance changes,

+ and child removal, and may require a parenting seminar. Read the

+ attached order — violation is contempt. See `ga-family-law` and

+ `ga-family-court`.

+ - **DRFA** — the **Domestic Relations Financial Affidavit** under

+ **USCR 24.2** is required in cases involving financial issues.

+ - **Child Support Worksheet** — required where child support is at

+ issue, computed with the Georgia Child Support Commission

+ calculator (see `ga-family-law`). Local practice (e.g., Cobb) may

+ require it filed and updated by set days before a hearing.

+ ## Pre-flight checklist

+ | Check | Done |

+ |-------|------|

+ | Correct court layer confirmed (Superior / State / Magistrate) | ☐ |

+ | Correct county e-filing platform identified (map checked) | ☐ |

+ | All packet documents drafted and reviewed | ☐ |

+ | `scripts/format-check.py` passes on each `.docx` | ☐ |

+ | `ga-quality-check` pre-filing review complete | ☐ |

+ | `ga-fact-check` citation audit complete (high-stakes) | ☐ |

+ | Complaint + Summons + Case Initiation/Disclosure form ready | ☐ |

+ | Filing fee available **or** § 9-15-2 pauper's affidavit attached | ☐ |

+ | Sheriff's Entry of Service prepared for § 9-11-4 service | ☐ |

+ | Caption matches across all documents (court, county, file number) | ☐ |

+ | Certificate of service shows method, date, recipients (§ 9-11-5) | ☐ |

+ | Domestic only: DRFA (USCR 24.2) + Child Support Worksheet ready | ☐ |

+ | Domestic only: standing order(s) reviewed | ☐ |

+ ## Composition

+ - For statewide format: `ga-statewide-format`

+ - For drafting each component: `ga-draft-motion`,

+ `ga-draft-declaration`, `ga-draft-order`, `ga-draft-note`

+ - For pre-filing review: `ga-quality-check`, `ga-fact-check`

+ - For deadline computation: `ga-deadlines`

+ - For court-specific filing channels: `ga-fulton`, `ga-cobb`,

+ `ga-gwinnett`, `ga-state-court`, `ga-magistrate`, `ga-county-courts`

+ - For pro se filers and fee waivers: `ga-pro-se`

+ - For post-filing scheduling: `ga-schedule-hearing`

+ ## References

+ - `references/efiling-platforms.md` — PeachCourt vs. Odyssey eFileGA

+ by county, USCR 36 mechanics

+ - `references/new-action-components.md` — complaint, summons, case

+ initiation/disclosure, fee/pauper's affidavit, entry of service

+ - `references/service-of-process.md` — O.C.G.A. § 9-11-4 / § 9-11-4.1

+ methods and the return of service