State Court

PLEASE READ CAREFULLY-IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR CASE

Change is coming to Houston County. We are excited to announce, effective November 12, 2025 Superior Court and State Court will launch our new efiling system, the companion to our consolidated case management system. As of November 12, 2025 Pioneer Technology's Benchmark system will be live for you to establish your account and begin using Benchmark to efile new cases or efile into existing cases. There will be a twelve business day period for transition. Peachcourt will NO LONGER BE AVAILABLE for efiling in Houston Superior or State Court after November 28, 2025. Please make sure you have set up your new account in Benchmark as outlined below during this time. Failure to do so will mean you WILL NOT receive court notices or copies of pleadings filed in your case.

Superior Court & State Court
Effective November 12, 2025, ALL CRIMINAL (INCLUDING STATE COURT TRAFFIC ) AND CIVIL DOCUMENTS SHALL BE SUBMITTED ELECTRONICALLY through the Benchmark Efiling system. Incarcerated defendants and pro se defendants may file with paper documents if they lack access to a computer. One account will give you access to both courts.

Efile written instructions are on the left side of the homepage. Proceed to this web address to begin: https://court.houstoncountyga.org/BenchmarkWeb/Home.aspx/Search.

Establishing an Account for Pro Se/ Self-Represented Litigants
If you represent yourself in this case you must register for a new account in Benchmark and notify the clerk. YOU MUST DO BOTH IN ORDER TO CONTINUE TO RECEIVE NOTICES OF COURT DATES AND FILINGS IN YOUR CASE.
1. Go to the website - Register for an account by following the prompts on the left side of the screen.
2. Send an email to the appropriate clerk with your name, case number and request to be added as a Pro Se/Self Represented Litigant on your case. By 5pm the following business day you should be able to access your case in Benchmark. Please login and confirm it is working properly 48 hours after submitting your email. Each clerk's office has a public access terminal if needed.
          Superior Court - [email protected]
          State Court - [email protected]

Establishing an Account for Lawyers and their staff
Lawyers with pending cases in Houston Superior or Houston State Court will receive an email with their initial login and password. You should login and change your password, set up your service email and add necessary staff. Once you have done this, the instructions for efiling add available on the left side of the home page. DO NOT REGISTER A NEW ACCOUNT USE THE LOGIN AND PASSWORD PROVIDED. Establishing a new account will mean you are not the attorney of record in your pending cases. Only one account is necessary to file in both courts. If you do not see all your cases after registration, please contact the appropriate clerk.

Houston County Magistrate Court is not participating in efile and cases there will see no change in filing procedures.


 

Click here for Houston State Court.

Click here to search Civil/Traffic/Criminal Records.

 

Houston County State Court conducts criminal and civil jury trials  with jurisdiction within the geographic borders of Houston County.  It also serves as an appellate court for the Magistrate Court of Houston County.  It is our mission to provide efficient, courteous, and cost-effective justice to all citizens.  Judge Jason E. Ashford is your elected State Court judge. Please visit our website at www.houstonstatecourt.org for calendars, answers to frequently asked questions, forms, and for contact information.

 JULY 7, 2023

UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE CONTINUE TO USE PEACHCOURT FOR ALL YOUR EFILINGS

 

 

If you received a citation in the mail for a school zone violation, the State Court of Houston County does NOT handle those citations.

Please contact 1-855-252-0086 or visit www.violationpayment.net to pay or for further information regarding those citations.


 

HOUSTON COUNTY STATE COURT 2023 & 2024 CALENDAR

TERMS OF COURT: 2023 Jan 2, April 3, July 3, October 2       /   2024 Jan 1, April 4, July 1, October 7

Criminal Jury 2023 & 2024

Disc. Dead Motion Dead Cal Call Motion Day Final Plea Day Trial Weeks
11/18/22 12/16/22 12/6/22 1/9/23 1/10/23 2/6/23 & 2/13/23
2/21/23 3/16/23 2/28/23 4/17/23 4/18/23 5/15/23 & 5/22/23
5/22/23 6/27/23 6/13/23 7/24/23 7/25/23 8/14/23 & 8/21/23
8/21/23 9/25/23 9/12/23 10/16/23 10/17/23 11/6/23 & 11/13/23
11/20/23 1/3/24 12/12/23 1/22/24 1/23/24 2/20/24 & 2/26/24
2/26/24 3/27/24 3/12/24 4/22/24 4/23/24 5/13/24 & 5/20/24
5/20/24 7/10/24 6/18/24 7/29/24 7/30/24 8/19/24 & 8/26/24
8/26/24 10/9/24 9/24/24 10/28/24 10/29/24 11/18/24 1 week
11/26/24 1/8/25 12/10/24 1/27/25 1/28/25 2/18/25 & 2/24/25

2023 Civil Jury Trial Weeks:

January 23 & January 30 Specially set Med Mal

March 6 & 13    

May 1 & 8

June 12 & 20

September 18 & 25

December 4

2024 Civil Jury Trial Weeks:

January 29 & February 5

March 18 & 25

April 29 & May 6

June 3 & 10

September 16

December 2       

Criminal Non-Jury 2023 & 2024

Disc. Deadline Motion Deadline Cal. Call Motion Day Final Plea Day Trial Date
11/7/22 11/18/22 11/29/22 11/29/22 11/29/22 1/17/23
1/31/23 2/6/23 2/21/23 2/21/23 2/21/23 3/28/23
4/5/23 4/12/23 4/25/23 4/25/23 4/25/23 6/6/23
6/15/23 6/28/23 8/1/23 8/1/23 8/1/23 9/5/23
9/11/2 9/15/23 10/3/23 10/3/23 10/3/23 11/28/23
12/14/23 12/20/23 1/9/24 1/9/24 1/9/24 2/13/24
3/11/24 3/18/24 4/9/24 4/9/24 4/9/24 5/28/24
6/3/24 6/10/24 6/25/24 6/25/24 6/25/24 7/31/24
7/22/24 7/29/24 8/6/24 8/6/24 8/6/24 9/10/24
9/16/24 9/23/24 10/22/24 10/23/24 10/23/24 11/12/24
11/18/24 11/27/24 1/7/25 1/7/25 1/7/25 2/4/25

 

2023 Regular Arraignment Dates 2023 Jail Arraignment Dates 2024 Arraignment Dates 2024 Jail Arraignment Dates
Jan. 5, 12, 19 Jan. 5, 12, 19 Jan. 4, 11, 18, 25 Jan. 4, 11, 25
Feb. 2, 9, 16, 23 Feb. 2, 9, 16 Feb. 1, 8, 15, 29 Feb. 1, 8, 15, 29
March 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 March 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 March 7, 14, 21, 28 March 7, 14, 21, 28
April 13, 20, 27 April 13, 20, 27 April 11, 18, 25 April 11, 18, 25
May 4, 11, 18, 25 May 4, 11, 18, 25 May 2, 9, 16, 23 May 2, 9, 16, 23
June 1, 8, 15, 29 June 8, 15, 29 June 6, 13, 20, 27 June 6, 13, 27/td>
July 13, 27 July 13, 27* July 11, 18, July 11, 18, 25*
Aug.  3, 10, 17, 24, 3 Aug. 3, 10, 17, 24, 31 Aug.  1, 8, 15, 22 Aug. 1, 8, 15, 22
Sep. 7, 14, 21, 28 Sep.  14, 21, 28 Sep. 12, 19, 26 Sep.  12, 19, 26
Oct. 5, 19, 26 Oct. 5, 19, 26 Oct. 3, 10, 24, 31 Oct. 3, 10, 24, 31
Nov. 2, 9, 16, 30 Nov. 2, 9, 16, 30 Nov. 7, 14, 21 Nov. 7, 14, 21, 27*
Dec. 7, 14, 21 Dec. 7, 14, 21 Dec. 5, 12, 19 Dec. 5, 12, 19

*May change due to Holiday and conferences

HOUSTON COUNTY STATE COURT 2025 & 2026 CALENDAR

TERMS OF COURT: 2025 Jan 6, April 7, July 7, October 6       /   2026 Jan 5, April 6, July 6, October 5

Criminal Jury 2025 & 2026

Disc. Dead Motion Dead Cal Call Motion Day Final Plea Day Trial Weeks
11/26/24 1/8/25 12/10/24 1/27/25 1/28/25 2/18/2025 & 2/24/2025
3/3/25 4/11/25 4/1/25 4/28/25 4/29/25 5/12/2025 &5/19/2025
6/16/25 7/11/25 6/24/25 7/28/25 7/29/25 8/18/2025 & 8/25/2025
9/12/25 10/3/25 9/23/25 10/20/25 10/21/25 11/10/2025 & 11/17/2025
12/4/25 12/22/25 12/16/25 1/26/26 1/27/26 2/17/2026 & 2/23/2026
3/13/26 4/3/26 3/24/26 4/27/26 4/28/26 5/18/2026 & 5/26/2026
6/18/26 7/6/26 6/23/26 7/27/26 7/28/26 8/24/2026 & 8/31/2026
9/18/26 10/1/26 9/29/26 10/26/26 10/27/26 11/16/2026
12/11/26 12/28/26 12/15/26 1/25/26 1/26/27 2/16/2027 & 2/22/2027

2025 Civil Jury Trial Weeks:

February 10

March 3 & 17 

June 2 & 9

September 15

December 8

2026 Civil Jury Trial Weeks:

February 29

March 2 & 9

June 1 & 8

September 14

December 7

February 8, 2027

County Observed Holiday

2025 - 1/1 & 20        2026 - 1/1 & 19
  2/17 & 5/26     2/16, 5/25
  6/19, 7/4     6/19, 7/4
  9/1, 10/13     9/7, 10/12
  11/11, 27, 28     11/11, 26, 27
  12/24, 25     12/24, 25

 

Criminal Non-Jury 2025 & 2026

Disc. Deadline Motion Deadline Cal. Call Motion Day Final Plea Day Trial Date
11/18/24 12/1/24 1/7/25 Day of Trial 1/7/25 2/4/2025
2/18/25 3/6/25 3/11/25 Day of Trial 3/11/25 4/15/2025
4/29/25 5/6/25 5/6/25 Day of Trial 5/6/25 6/17/2025
7/1/25 7/8/25 7/8/25 Day of Trial 7/8/25 8/5/2025
8/25/25 9/9/25 9/9/25 Day of Trial 9/9/25 10/7/2025
10/22/25 11/4/25 11/4/25 Day of Trial 11/4/25 12/2/2025
12/23/25 1/13/26 1/13/26 Day of Trial 1/13/26 2/3/2026
2/23/26 3/17/26 3/17/26 Day of Trial 3/17/26 4/14/2026
4/30/26 5/5/26 5/5/26 Day of Trial 5/5/26 6/16/2026
6/30/26 7/7/26 7/7/26 Day of Trial 7/7/26 8/4/2026
8/31/26 9/22/26 9/22/26 Day of Trial 9/22/26 10/13/2026
10/26/26 11/3/26 11/3/26 Day of Trial 11/3/26 12/1/2026
12/21/2026 1/12/27 1/12/27 Day of Trial 1/12/27 2/2/2027

 

2025 Regular Arraignment Dates 2025 Jail Arraignment Dates 2026 Arraignment Dates 2026 Jail Arraignment Dates
Jan. 9, 16, 30 Jan. 9, 16, 30 Jan. 8, 15, 29 Jan. 8, 15, 29
Feb. 6, 13, 27 Feb. 6, 13, 27 Feb. 5, 12, 26 Feb. 5, 12, 26
March 6, 13, 20 March 6, 13, 20 March 5, 12, 19, 26 March 5, 12, 19, 26
April 3, 10, 17 April 3, 10, 17 April 9, 16, 23 April 9, 16, 23
May 1, 8, 15, 22 May 1, 8, 15, 22 May 7, 14, 21 May 7, 14, 21
June 5, 12, 26 June 5, 12, 26 June 4, 11, 18, 25 June 4, 11, 18, 25
July 10, 17, 31 July 10, 17, 31 July 9, 16, 30 July 9, 16, 30
Aug.  7, 14, 28 Aug. 7, 14, 28 Aug. 6, 13, 20 Aug. 6, 13, 20
Sep. 11, 18, 25 Sep.  11, 18, 25 Sep. 3, 17, 24 Sep.  3, 17, 24
Oct. 2, 9, 23, 30 Oct. 2, 9, 23, 30 Oct. 1, 8, 22, 29 Oct. 1, 8, 22, 29
Nov. 6, 20 Nov. 6, 13*, 20 Nov. 5, 12 Nov. 5, 12
Dec. 4, 11, 18 Dec. 4, 11, 18 Dec. 3, 10, 17 Dec. 3, 10, 17

*May change due to Holiday and conferences                       2027: Jan 7, 14, 28         Jan 7, 14, 28