Juvenile Court

The Fulton County Juvenile Court is governed by the Amended Order Declaring Judicial Emergency, issued by Chief Judge Christopher S. Brasher, Atlanta Judicial Circuit, on August 2, 2021, in accordance with all requirements of the United States Constitution, Georgia Constitution, Georgia Juvenile Code and Georgia Uniform Juvenile Court Rules.

The Fulton County Juvenile Court Judges will continue to operate on a Modified Judicial Hearing Schedule to limit the physical presence of individuals in the court building and courtrooms. This schedule is consistent with the Order of Business with regard to the types of matters heard each week (delinquency and dependency) and the on-call judge schedule. The Modified Judicial Hearing Schedule Order shall be effective beginning July 1, 2021 and shall remain in effect until otherwise modified.

Virtual Dependency Hearings
At this time, all dependency hearings will continue to be conducted virtually via Zoom video conference pursuant to Uniform Juvenile Court Rule 12.2.

Mandatory In-Person Delinquency and CHINS Hearings
Delinquency Adjudication, CHINS Adjudication and DFA hearings shall be conducted in-person unless there is consent to virtual hearing by all parties. Pursuant to the modified Uniform Juvenile Court Rule 12.2 and Supreme Court Amendment to the Juvenile Court Rules regarding remote proceedings, waiver of the above hearings are permissible, with court approval, where the accused youth’s right to an in-person hearing is waived in writing and filed in the record with notice to all parties. The Court requires a courtesy copy of the waiver be provided to the assigned judicial case manager of the court.

Discretionary In-Person Hearings**
Delinquency Disposition hearings, Transfers to Superior Court/Bindover hearings, contested TPR hearings, contested Dependency Adjudication hearings and other complex matters as determined by the Court will be considered for in-person hearings and will be specially set at the discretion of the court.

Mandatory Masks and Social Distancing
All persons entering the court building and courtroom must have on a face mask or face covering before entering AND must maintain distance of six-feet at minimum from all persons who are not members of their current household. As the courtroom social distancing capacity is limited to 8 to 12 individuals (depending on the size and layout of the courtroom), priority will be given to attorneys, parties, and GAL/CASA subpoenaed witnesses may be allowed to remain outside the courtroom until needed.

Mandatory Electronic Filing
All pleadings must be filed electronically and served on all parties with a courtesy copy to the court. All exhibits must be marked and submitted electronically to all parties and the Court’s assigned judicial case manager at least 72 hours prior to the scheduled hearings.

Download Electronic Filing Guidelines for Initial Pleadings to the Intake Unit
Download Electronic Filing Guidelines for Subsequent Pleadings to the Clerk's Office

All Cases Specifically Time Set
In order to continue to limit the physical presence of individuals in the court building and courtrooms and to allow for those attending in-person hearings to adhere to social distancing requirements, all cases will continue to be set for a specific time. Parties must be on time to hearings to avoid delay and minimize any impact this causes on others.

Judges’ Hearing Schedule Effective July 1, 2021
Fulton County Juvenile Court Judges will continue to follow a Judge's Hearing Schedule effective July 1, 2021 until further notice. Each judge will have an additional day to use for necessary in-person hearings.