[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6623211,"mediaKeyId","2776152-64a03c90bcc283347c807803690fe295","parentId",2776152,"title","Committee approves reform to let uncontested civil motions be deemed granted after set time, with several amendments","audioSeconds",1390,"startMs",1786000,"endMs",3176000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2776152-64a03c90bcc283347c807803690fe295&start=1786&end=3176","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2776152-64a03c90bcc283347c807803690fe295/thumbnail_1786000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6623211/Georgia/Committee-approves-reform-to-let-uncontested-civil-motions-be-deemed-granted-after-set-time-with-several-amendments","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6623211-01e697ddabcad8219f42d0f67c4fd180/orig.mp4?Expires=1771048573&Signature=VvSmRA2dmsVePyj22Vknkc7RDl1Mpzp0Elo5R34OnDNDOG1AwSfz7DllCE1CDABLCchlfF6geyq9ohd6xVowuJ7RL-f-fiJ0X98or-1Ah2BaZN3y0WrP3U06CP~QIYJ-fGQdrrwsYpvUM30vEhvnFL8jCe-B6cl1Mwxmz6J8zjoz2XfqXDMnJFizxzZFVT3cV9Lg-YLwJl5FSlkdGwFUDSrnBdU0iPkygDg5huWPSthZN-WZenRAPbDjS2VYEQR5~PmPkt~H3~Jw-pFhhjnR29B3cIZlT6q6p8Aw3ooSosZsY0MiX3fon63J~GrcpvckglunepZtDsmPbLg2G1xSzw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","State of Georgia ","date","2025-03-26T13:53:40.91Z","article","A substitute to Senate Bill 173 advanced out of the House Judiciary Committee after extended debate and a package of amendments. The bill creates a notice-of-uncontested-motion mechanism intended to prevent motions from languishing unaddressed in state civil courts.

Under the version the committee approved, a party may file a \"notice of uncontested motion\" if no ruling and no objection have been filed within a designated period (the committee amended the proposal from 90 days to 60 days). Once the notice is filed, a one-week clock begins for the judge to act; if the judge does not act and no hearing was scheduled (hearings toll the clock), the motion may be deemed granted and entered by operation of law. The committee adopted amendments that (1) limit the mechanism to pretrial civil motions, (2) shorten the lapse period to 60 days, (3) change optional docket-review language from \"shall\" to \"may,\" (4) require any judge with repeated automatic grants over a two-year window to be subject to a docket-management review, (5) make the deeming effective by specifying the motion is \"deemed granted and entered,\" (6) require notices to be included where the bill references motions, and (7) clarify that the review is by the court \"at issue.\"

The sponsor told the committee courts reported a coordination problem: because clerks in superior courts are separately elected, judges are not always notified when motions are filed. The bill requires judges in affected courts to provide instructions (for example, an email address) by standing order or other means so parties can deliver filed motions directly to the court or to a staff attorney. The bill also includes a tolling procedure when a hearing is scheduled and leaves room for judges to deny motions without prejudice if they need more time.

Committee members debated scope (civil vs. criminal), the appropriate lapse period, whether the docket-management review should be mandatory, and where any review reports should be filed or published. Some members expressed support for accountability (one member called it a \"tickle of accountability\"); others urged making the provision permissive. Several committee amendments were offered as a package, accepted, and the committee voted to pass the bill. The chair announced the bill passes the committee.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Judiciary 03.26.25","oneSentenceSummary","Senate Bill 173, aimed at speeding resolution of uncontested civil motions by creating a notice-of-uncontested-motion procedure and requiring courts to provide a way for parties to email motions to judges, was passed by the Judiciary Committee with a package of amendments that narrowed scope and added procedural limits.","taxTitle","Judiciary, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Committees, Legislative, Georgia","taxId",17225,"location","Georgia","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6623216,"Committee advances narrower bill allowing limited modification of grandparent visitation orders",394,1338000,1732000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2776152-64a03c90bcc283347c807803690fe295&start=1338&end=1732","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2776152-64a03c90bcc283347c807803690fe295/thumbnail_1338000.jpg","/articles/6623216/Georgia/Committee-advances-narrower-bill-allowing-limited-modification-of-grandparent-visitation-orders","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6623216-7b08cb03b5eb687144f9e0c06e487704/orig.mp4?Expires=1771048573&Signature=iNcnSpMvdjD4l~Mg3nnyct1YxT40k6ZPtUJgIbPI2ZIPRvQB7l1f9WGNHth0OhyN8tjRl4X2fsxDXTDT6wX7WgNJmvjw5vkr00oEuyqhA7l67bHgPrlsdjq7cg5dmS6aaoiVuY5eqnSRTrORFBXMv9ydGXvVevreaO7VOzXgKbI98eZgp268GNvF~J4kB~vNZhKuRt9EClHise4oUF9JsXZL9SNjd4CsmZ0o2ebptTWv0CzzD6Zz-1nzPHvOJ5NYt7zBIK~nvRCdtJ54GiktG9o1KoSHiUc4Yuc6OFupnj2RJAeWT3S3P81qxiR8dZyK2vsLEzag0uv2yJSRivnMAA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The House Judiciary Committee advanced a substitute to Senate Bill 245 that limits when grandparents with existing court-ordered visitation may petition to modify those rights.

Sponsor testimony and committee colloquy described the substitute as a narrowing: under the version the committee approved, a grandparent who has previously obtained visitation rights may seek a modification only if a parent dies, is incapacitated, or is incarcerated. The substitute was introduced after discussions in committee and with other members emphasizing the primacy of parental rights.

Senator Hodges, the bill sponsor, told the committee the substitute preserves the judge's existing criteria for deciding custody and visitation questions; the measure does not change the legal standards a judge must apply but creates an opportunity for grandparents to return to court in the limited circumstances listed. The sponsor and others said the bill also allows a parent to seek revocation of visitation rights under the same judicial process.

Committee members asked how the substitute would affect specific fact patterns discussed earlier in the session. A family-law attorney, Gary Graham, clarified that certain grandparents (identified in committee testimony as acquiring visitation by virtue of their son's death) would not be able to seek modification under the substitute. Committee members discussed hypotheticals such as parental alienation or out-of-state moves and confirmed those scenarios would not be covered by the narrowed language.

A motion to give the substitute favorable consideration was seconded and the committee voted in favor; the chair announced the bill passes the committee.","Senate Bill 245 was amended to narrow the circumstances under which grandparents who already hold visitation rights can seek modification: petitioning would be allowed only after a parent's death, incapacitation or incarceration. The committee voted to pass the substituted measure.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6623220,"Committee advances bill allowing Fulton County to use appointed judicial officers",181,1119000,1300000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2776152-64a03c90bcc283347c807803690fe295&start=1119&end=1300","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2776152-64a03c90bcc283347c807803690fe295/thumbnail_1119000.jpg","/articles/6623220/Georgia/Committee-advances-bill-allowing-Fulton-County-to-use-appointed-judicial-officers","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6623220-462a47f8c0f035fcb31d34842eff7ccc/orig.mp4?Expires=1771048573&Signature=e54Gg70KfV07CoVvrbNlQZJikbxoydojPvO~XRG8TrRlJJ3i~yzcm34d3mDJvIqBC7MR1Cm08jepItJJ-IyYw00-HA1-mNbjkXppZdwBGdHPX2KGCocWPNOcdTyBP4Lwb9w2SldrbAeVkOz7SgUBIikexnx-SSYyI4bxZcOWMRHKkSm6ExqXkQANYTmClWqEGWMEA4vnDHc6kmCVAeUwf98X8ttTpLa-YCViSVRr37KdydZuWrn2M1id-1oVid30PYGGUixxPHhT2RG0c9MKRDWCM~gBvZFaChF-du6gqWqGv2ZV7aa743GHOmvZXz4CbSYe2q1mIP9dCF6ckZ3XzQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senate Bill 10, presented to the House Judiciary Committee, would permit judicial circuits with more than 15 superior court judges to create and fund appointed judicial officers to help handle certain superior-court matters.

Supporters told the committee the measure has two parts: one incorporates previously passed House legislation (House Bill 199) and the other creates the local-option authority for large circuits to appoint and pay judicial officers. The sponsor said the provision is intended to improve judicial efficiency where large dockets create delays.

Proponents pointed to family-court judicial officers in Fulton County as a successful model. Representative Oliver asked whether the provision had appeared in other bills; the sponsor said the language had been assigned to this committee but not previously heard here. Committee members noted that only one circuit in the state—Fulton County—meets the \"more than 15 superior court judges\" threshold described in the proposal.

A motion to give the bill favorable consideration was made and seconded. The committee voted in favor; the chair announced the bill passes the committee.

The bill text as presented includes a reference to prior measure House Bill 199 and a new local-option mechanism for circuits with the stated judge-threshold. The committee did not record a roll-call vote tally in the transcript.","The House Judiciary Committee advanced Senate Bill 10, which would allow judicial circuits with more than 15 superior court judges to appoint and pay judicial officers to improve case processing; the provision was described as limited to Fulton County. The committee voted to recommend passage.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee approves reform to let uncontested civil motions be deemed granted after set time, with several amendments

Committee advances narrower bill allowing limited modification of grandparent visitation orders

Committee advances bill allowing Fulton County to use appointed judicial officers