You will find contact information on the following courts in Long County on this page, as well as information to contact the District Attorney's Office and Public Defenders Office.

Long County Probate Court

Current Presiding Probate Judge:

Honorable Bobby H. Smith III
P.O. Box 426 / 447 S. McDonald St.
Ludowici, Georgia 31316
tel: (912) 545-2131
fax: (912) 545-2029
E-Mail: bobby_harrison_smithiii@yahoo.com

CLICK HERE!  For Downloadable Probate Court Forms

Long County County Probate Courts exercise exclusive, original jurisdiction in the probate of wills, administration of estates, the appointment of guardians and involuntary hospitalization of incapacitated adults and other individuals for Long County.

Long County Probate Court, Judge, Bobby H. Smith's duties also includes administering oaths of office and issuing marriage licenses. Probate Court judges may hold habeas corpus hearings or preside over criminal preliminary hearings.  Unless a jury trial is requested, Probate Court judges may also hear certain misdemeanors, traffic cases and violations of state game and fish laws in counties where there is no state court.  When authorized by local statute, probate judges serve as election supervisors and make appointments to certain local public offices.   In counties with a population greater than 96,000, a party to a civil case may request a jury trial in the Probate Court by a written demand with the first pleading. Appeals from such civil cases may be to the Supreme Court or the Court of Appeals depending on the particular matter.

Most Probate Court judges are elected to four-year terms in countywide, partisan elections. A candidate for judge of the probate court must be at least 25 years of age, a high school graduate, a U.S. citizen and a county resident for at least two years preceding the election. In counties with a population over 96,000, a candidate for Probate judge must have practiced law for seven years and be at least 30 years of age.

Long County Magistrate Court

Current Presiding Chief Magistrate Judge: 

P.O. Box 426 / 447 S. McDonald St.
Ludowici, Georgia 31316
tel: (912) 545-2315
fax: (912) 545-2029
E-Mail: bobby_harrison_smithiii@yahoo.com

CLICK HERE!  For Downloadable Magistrate Court Forms

Long County Magistrate Court jurisdiction includes civil claims of $15,000 or less; certain minor criminal offenses; distress warrants and dispossessory writs; county ordinance violations; deposit account fraud (bad checks); preliminary hearings; and summonses, arrest and search warrants. A Chief Magistrate, who may be assisted by one or more magistrates, presides over each of Georgia’s 159 magistrate courts.  Magistrates may grant bail in cases where the setting of bail is not exclusively reserved to a judge of another court. No jury trials are held in magistrate court. If a defendant submits a written request for a jury trial, cases may be removed to superior or state court.

The Chief Magistrate of each county assigns cases, sets court sessions, appoints other magistrates (with the consent of the superior court judges) and sets policy for the magistrate court. The number of magistrates in addition to the chief is usually set by majority vote of the county’s Superior Court Judges.  Most Chief Magistrates are elected in partisan, countywide elections to four-year terms. The Chief Magistrate may be appointed if so provided by local legislation. Terms for other magistrate judges run concurrently with that of the Chief Magistrate who appointed them.

To qualify as a magistrate, an individual must reside in the county for at least one year preceding his or her term of office, be 25 years of age, and have a high school diploma or its equivalent. A magistrate court judge may also serve as a judge of another limited jurisdiction court in the same county.

Long County State Court

Current Presiding State Court Judge: 

Honorable Jeffery L. Arnold
P.O. Box 458
Ludowici, Georgia 31316
tel: (912) 545-2123
fax: (912) 545-2020

Current State Court Solicitor General:

Billy Joe Nelson

State Court is held every Month on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday at 9:00 A.M., unless other wise notified.  Notification is sent by the Clerks Office on court appearance dates.  It is your responsibility to contact the Clerk of State Court about your court date.

Go to www.longcountytickets.com to pay online!

The State Court was established by a 1970 legislative act that designated certain existing countywide courts of limited jurisdiction as state courts. State courts may exercise jurisdiction over all misdemeanor violations, including traffic cases, and all civil actions, regardless of the amount claimed, unless the superior court has exclusive jurisdiction. 

State Courts are authorized to hold hearings on applications for an issuance of search and arrest warrants and to hold preliminary hearings. The Georgia Constitution grants state courts authority to review lower court decisions as provided by statute.

The General Assembly creates state courts by local legislation. The legislation also establishes the number of judges and whether the judges are to be full or part-time. Part-time judges may practice law, except in their own courts.

State Court judges are elected to four-year terms in nonpartisan, countywide elections. Candidates must be at least 25 years old, have been admitted to practice law for at least seven years, and have lived in the state for at least three years.

Long County Juvenile Court

Current Presiding Juvenile Court Judge: 

Judge Linnie L. Darden, III
P.O. Box 458 
Ludowici, Georgia 31316 
tel: (912) 545-2123 
fax: (912) 545-2020 

CLICK HERE!  For Downloadable Juvenile Court Forms

Long County Superior Court

Current Presiding Superior Court Judges:
 
Judge Robert L. Russell III
Judge D. Jay Stewart
Judge Glenn Chaney
Judge Charles Paul Rose
Judge Linnie L. Darden III

CLICK HERE! For Superior Court Rules

The Superior Court Long County is a general jurisdiction trial court. It has exclusive, constitutional authority over felony cases, divorce, equity and cases regarding title to land, and also exclusive jurisdiction over such matters as declaratory judgments, habeas corpus, mandamus, quo warranties, and prohibition. The Superior Court corrects errors made by lower courts by issuing writs of certiorari; for some lower courts, the right to direct review by the Superior Court applies.

The Superior Court Judges of Long County also serve the superior courts of five other counties of Liberty, Bryan, Evans, Tattnall, and McIntosh in the Atlantic Judicial Circuit.  

Judge Contact information listed below:

Judge Robert L. Russell III

Chief Judge

Post Office Box 581

Darien, Georgia 31305

tel: (912) 437-3033

Office: McIntosh County Courthouse

Secretary: Cydnie

Judge D. Jay Stewart
Post Office Box 842 
Claxton, Georgia 30417
tel: (912) 739-4922
Secretary: Anita

Judge Charles Paul Rose 
Post Office Box 1246 
Hinesville, Georgia 31310 
tel: (912) 877-4770 
Office: Liberty County Courthouse 
Secretary: Gay

*Senior superior court judges have retired but who, by law, may serve in the same official capacity as other superior court judges.  

Atlantic District Attorney's Office

Current District Attorney:

Tom Durden

945 E.G. MILES PARKWAY
Hinesville
Georgia 31313
tel: (912) 876-4151
Fax: (912) 876-7991

The District Attorney is the chief prosecuting officer for the State of Georgia within each of the State's 49 judicial circuits, which consist of one to eight counties.
Each District Attorney is an elected constitutional officer, who is part of the judicial branch of Georgia state government. The District Attorney represents the State of Georgia in the trial and appeal of criminal cases in the Superior Court and delinquency cases in the juvenile courts. Each District Attorney has a full-time staff of assistant district attorneys, investigators, victim assistance and administrative personnel who assist the District Attorney in carrying out the duties of the office.
In 61 of the 159 Counties in Georgia, misdemeanor cases are prosecuted by the Solicitor-General. The Solicitor-General who is an elected county officer who represents the state of Georgia in trial and appeal of misdemeanor criminal cases in State Court.

Public Defender's Office

P.O. Box 948
201 South Main Street, Suit 2400
Hinesville, Georgia 31313
tel: (912) 369-6338
fax: (912) 369-8327 

Georgia Law requires every person who applies for legal defense services under Chapter 12 of Tile 17 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated to pay the Public Defender Office a single fee of $50.00 for the application.