Every number comes from a versioned rules table with a citation. Output is for attorney review, not legal advice.
Garnishment rules engine
Prototype for ordinary and continuing judgment garnishments. Every value has a versioned rule, a source tier, and a verification status. Output is for attorney review, not legal advice.
Explore a fictional case with Friday service, interest and the $8 additional-party fee.
Post-judgment interest
Optional simple interest under O.C.G.A. § 7-4-12. Enter the Federal Reserve prime rate on the judgment entry date plus 3%, or the applicable written contract rate. The rate is fixed at entry, not today's prime.
Enter both fields to calculate automatically; otherwise manually entered accrued interest is retained.
Deadlines from the date of service
Enter the county and service details. Deadlines roll forward automatically when they land on a closed day.
Clerk Rejection Shield: Fulton County
E-filing
Odyssey eFileGA
E-filing required
Itemized court & service costs
- Base filing fee
- $60.00
- Marshal service × 1
- $13.00
- Total upfront
- $73.00
Disbursement
Disbursement motion required
Local clerk warnings
- Service of process is by the Fulton County Marshal: $13 for the first garnishee, $6 for each additional, $8 per additional party.
- Fulton Magistrate Court is open Monday through Friday. Confirm local e-filing cutoff times for same-day filings.
- A disbursement motion and proposed order are required before release of funds.
- Confirm the e-filing account is active and the case number format matches the clerk prompt.
Unverified: confirm fees, portal, and closures with the clerk before relying on this entry
Strategic & Default Radar
Garnishee default exposure
Tue, Dec 29, 2026
O.C.G.A. § 18-4-21: default follows failure to answer. A 15-day period to open default precedes default judgment; this date is not permission to obtain judgment immediately.
15-day default-opening window: Enter the actual default date
Answer and payment of costs may open default as of right. Final-day weekends and clerk closures roll forward. This is distinct from modification after judgment.
§ 18-4-24 modification deadline (90 days): Awaiting actual service date
Motion and payment of accrued court costs are required. These are planning dates, not confirmation of eligibility or an automatic reduction in liability.
Statutory deadline table
Calendar-day offsets from service, adjusted for closed days.
| Event | Calculated date | Roll-forward audit note | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mail notice and claim form to defendant (deadline) | Wed, Nov 18, 2026 | Business-day counting (< 7 days under O.C.G.A. § 1-3-1(d)(3)): intermediate weekends and holidays excluded from the count. Falls on an open business day. No roll-forward needed. | O.C.G.A. § 18-4-8(b)(1) |
| Garnishee answer window opens | Sun, Dec 13, 2026 | Calendar-day counting (7 days or more): all days counted; roll-forward applies only if the final day is closed. Milestone, not a filing deadline. No roll-forward applied. | O.C.G.A. § 18-4-10(b) |
| Garnishment period ends (day 29) | Sat, Dec 12, 2026 | Calendar-day counting (7 days or more): all days counted; roll-forward applies only if the final day is closed. Substantive capture cutoff (Day 29). Closes prior to the Day 30 answer window; no roll-forward applied. | O.C.G.A. § 18-4-4(c)(4) |
| Garnishee answer due by | Mon, Dec 28, 2026 | Calendar-day counting (7 days or more): all days counted; roll-forward applies only if the final day is closed. Falls on an open business day. No roll-forward needed. | O.C.G.A. § 18-4-10(b) |
| Earliest disbursement without certificate of compliance (20 days after garnishee answer filed) | Tue, Jan 19, 2027 | Calendar-day counting (7 days or more): all days counted; roll-forward applies only if the final day is closed. Sun, Jan 17, 2027 falls on a Sunday. Mon, Jan 18, 2027 falls on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Rolled forward to Tue, Jan 19, 2027 under O.C.G.A. § 1-3-1(d)(3). | O.C.G.A. § 18-4-8(b)(3)(B) |
| Earliest disbursement after certificate of compliance (10 days) | Pending | Pending. Enter the date the affidavit was filed to calculate this date. | O.C.G.A. § 18-4-8(b)(3)(A) |
- This county requires a disbursement motion before funds are released to the creditor.