ga-schedule-hearing · diff
v0.1.0 to v0.1.0
165 added, 28 removed. Audit A to A.
---
name: ga-schedule-hearing
description: >
- Use when the user needs to reserve a motion hearing date in a Georgia court. Drafts the contact email or call log per the court's scheduling protocol.
+ This skill should be used when the user needs to get a motion heard
+ in a Georgia court. Triggers include "set a hearing in Georgia",
+ "rule nisi", "notice of hearing Georgia", "get my motion on the
+ calendar", "schedule a hearing in Georgia", "reserve a hearing date
+ Georgia". In Georgia, a party requests oral argument under USCR 6.3
+ and the court sets the hearing by signing a Rule Nisi (a proposed
+ order setting the date and time) under USCR 6.4. This skill drafts
+ the Rule Nisi and the Notice of Hearing, explains coordinating with
+ the assigned judge's staff attorney or calendar clerk, covers
+ service and e-filing of the rule nisi through PeachCourt or Odyssey
+ eFileGA, and addresses family-case calendaring through the assigned
+ division.
version: 0.1.0
---
- # Reserve a Hearing Date (Georgia)
-
- > **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.
+ # Set a Hearing (Georgia)
> **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.
- ## State context
+ In Georgia civil practice, a hearing on a motion is obtained through
+ the **Rule Nisi** mechanism. A party requests oral argument under
+ **USCR 6.3**, and the court sets the hearing by signing a **Rule
+ Nisi** under **USCR 6.4** — a proposed order, prepared by the movant
+ and presented to chambers, that fixes the date and time the judge
+ will hear the matter. This skill drafts that Rule Nisi and the
+ accompanying **Notice of Hearing**.
- - **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)
+ ## The Rule Nisi — Georgia's hearing-setting device
- ## What to author
+ A **Rule Nisi** ("rule unless") is a short proposed order. The movant
+ drafts it with a blank date/time, sends it to the assigned judge's
+ chambers, and the judge signs it with the date the court is available.
+ The signed Rule Nisi is then served on all parties and tells everyone
+ when and where to appear.
- 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
+ | Step | What happens |
+ |---|---|
+ | 1. File the motion | Stated with particularity under USCR 6.1 |
+ | 2. Request oral argument | Under USCR 6.3 (for summary judgment, a timely request makes oral argument a matter of right) |
+ | 3. Draft the Rule Nisi | Proposed order setting hearing date/time/place; leave date/time blank or propose dates |
+ | 4. Coordinate with chambers | Get an available date from the judge's staff attorney / calendar clerk |
+ | 5. Judge signs the Rule Nisi | Under USCR 6.4 the court sets the hearing |
+ | 6. Serve and file | Serve the signed Rule Nisi + Notice of Hearing on all parties; e-file |
- ## References to author
+ ## Coordinating with chambers
- - Research the Georgia analog from authoritative sources
- before authoring; do NOT search-and-replace from another
- state plugin
+ Hearing dates come from the **assigned judge's** chambers, not from a
+ self-service docket. Contact the judge's **staff attorney** or
+ **calendar clerk** to obtain an available date before finalizing the
+ Rule Nisi. Practice varies by judge and county:
- ## Cross-references
+ - Some chambers want the proposed Rule Nisi emailed in Word so the
+ staff attorney can insert the date and route it for signature.
+ - Some divisions publish a standing motions calendar and assign you a
+ slot.
+ - In Fulton, check the assigned judge's **Civil Standing Case
+ Management Order** for the chambers contact and the preferred
+ method of requesting a setting.
- - `ga-statewide-format` for format baseline
- - `ga-fulton` / `ga-cobb` / `ga-county-courts` for venue
- - `ga-pro-se` for pro se conventions
+ **Agent behavior**: when drafting the request, fetch the assigned
+ judge's current chambers contact (staff attorney / calendar clerk)
+ from the county Superior or State Court website. **Do not cache or
+ guess chambers contacts** — they change at judicial rotation.
+
+ ## Rule Nisi template
+
+ ```
+ [Caption]
+
+ RULE NISI
+
+ The above-styled matter coming before the Court on [Movant]'s
+ [Motion Title], filed [date],
+
+ IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that a hearing on said Motion shall be held
+ before the Honorable [Judge Name] on the ____ day of __________,
+ 20__, at ____ __.m., in Courtroom ____, [Courthouse Name and
+ Address], [City], Georgia.
+
+ All parties shall appear and show cause why the relief requested
+ should not be granted.
+
+ SO ORDERED, this ____ day of __________, 20__.
+
+ ___________________________
+ Judge, [Superior / State] Court
+ [Circuit] Judicial Circuit
+ ```
+
+ ## Notice of Hearing template
+
+ After the judge signs the Rule Nisi, serve a **Notice of Hearing**
+ (Georgia terminology) on all parties:
+
+ ```
+ [Caption]
+
+ NOTICE OF HEARING
+
+ TO: [All parties / counsel of record]
+
+ PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that [Movant]'s [Motion Title] is scheduled for
+ hearing before the Honorable [Judge Name] on [date] at [time] in
+ Courtroom [###], [Courthouse Name and Address], pursuant to the
+ Rule Nisi entered by the Court on [date].
+
+ This ____ day of __________, 20__.
+
+ [Signature block]
+ [Name]
+ [Georgia Bar No. or "Pro Se"]
+ [Address / Phone / Email]
+
+ [Certificate of Service]
+ ```
+
+ ## Service of the Rule Nisi and Notice
+
+ The signed Rule Nisi and the Notice of Hearing are subsequent papers
+ served under **O.C.G.A. § 9-11-5** with a **certificate of service**
+ at the foot. Registered e-filers are served through the e-filing
+ system; any party not on the e-filing system must be served by the
+ method the rules allow (mail, hand delivery). Confirm every party
+ receives actual notice of the date.
+
+ ## E-filing the Rule Nisi
+
+ Georgia civil e-filing is mandatory in the flagship counties (SB407
+ mandate). The e-filing system is county-dependent:
+
+ - **Fulton** and **Cobb** — **PeachCourt** (eFileGA).
+ - **Gwinnett** — **Odyssey eFileGA** (Tyler).
+
+ Confirm the county's system on the assigned court's site. Upload the
+ proposed Rule Nisi for chambers' signature per local practice, then
+ file the signed Rule Nisi and the Notice of Hearing under the case.
+
+ ## Family-case calendaring
+
+ In divorce and other domestic matters (heard exclusively in Superior
+ Court), the case is assigned to a division and calendaring runs
+ through that **assigned division**. In Fulton, that is the dedicated
+ Family Division. Before the hearing, confirm the pre-hearing filings
+ required by the domestic standing order are on file — the Domestic
+ Relations Financial Affidavit (USCR 24.2) and the Child Support
+ Worksheet — or the court may decline to reach the merits. Temporary
+ hearings in family cases are commonly set by Rule Nisi the same way.
+
+ ## Hearing-length estimation guidance
+
+ | Motion type | Typical length |
+ |---|---|
+ | Motion to dismiss (O.C.G.A. § 9-11-12(b)(6)) | 30-60 min |
+ | Motion for summary judgment (O.C.G.A. § 9-11-56) | 60-90 min |
+ | Motion to compel (O.C.G.A. § 9-11-37) | 30 min |
+ | Motion to open default (O.C.G.A. § 9-11-55) | 30-60 min |
+ | Temporary hearing (family) | 30-90 min |
+ | Final hearing — uncontested divorce | 5-15 min |
+ | Permanent/final hearing — contested family | Half-day to full day |
+
+ ## Composition
+
+ - For drafting the underlying motion: `ga-draft-motion`
+ - For the Rule Nisi and the Notice of Hearing as orders/notices:
+ `ga-draft-order`, `ga-draft-note`
+ - For hearing-day prep and protocol: `ga-hearings`
+ - For court-specific scheduling channels and e-filing system:
+ `ga-fulton`, `ga-cobb`, `ga-gwinnett`
+ - For deadlines and timing: `ga-deadlines`
+ - For format: `ga-statewide-format`
+ - For assembling and filing the packet: `ga-file-packet`
+
+ ## References
+
+ - `references/rule-nisi-template.md`
+ - `references/notice-of-hearing-template.md`
+ - `references/chambers-coordination.md` — staff-attorney / calendar-
+ clerk contact and per-county e-filing