STAGE 00
What to organize
Source starting points:
Check lease-specific and federal requirements, court notices and orders. This map does not decide legal eligibility, recommend court filings, or prepare notices, pleadings or motions.
THE RENTAL CASEBOOK / GEORGIA EDITION
Know what comes
after the next turn.
An interactive orientation map of a Georgia residential dispossessory case: a qualifying notice, filing, service, an answer or default, hearing, judgment, writ and appeal. Educational only, and never a universal case deadline calculator.
EXPLORE THE NINE STAGES
Select any moment in the journey.
Free preview of the Georgia Edition. The full $29 Casebook adds a professional records workflow, sources, templates and an offline organizer.
THE BIGGEST FORK
After service, the route changes.
NO ANSWER
A potential default-possession track, but service method matters for money relief. Court orders and officer procedures still apply.
ANSWER FILED
Hearings, counterclaims, registry questions, motions, and potential appeals can materially change timing and costs.
BEFORE USING ANY CALENDAR
A critical notice distinction.
Georgia's Safe at Home Act three-business-day nonpayment notice applies to residential lease agreements entered into or renewed on or after July 1, 2024. Other grounds and federal protections may introduce different requirements. The court summons should supply the response date.
Do not shortcut this
This website does not calculate your filing deadline, tell you whether to accept a payment, suggest a legal motion, or determine whether a court will issue a writ. For case-specific choices, consult a Georgia attorney.
THE COMPLETE FIELD SYSTEM
A map is useful.
A complete file is better.
The Rental Casebook includes the nine-page Georgia roadmap, 17-page record guide, payment-and-evidence workbook, attorney handoff brief and offline file organizer.
Explore the $29 Georgia CasebookPrincipal statutory sources: O.C.G.A. § 44-7-50 · O.C.G.A. § 44-7-51 · O.C.G.A. § 44-7-53 · O.C.G.A. § 44-7-54 · O.C.G.A. § 44-7-55 · O.C.G.A. § 44-7-56. See also Georgia Department of Community Affairs. Material is not individualized legal advice and must be reviewed for legal changes and local practice. Note: an additional public-record provision in § 44-7-50 becomes effective in 2027.