Court Information
Newton County Superior Court
The superior court exercises broad civil and criminal jurisdiction. Superior court judges preside over all felony trials, have exclusive jurisdiction over divorces and may correct errors made by limited jurisdiction courts. Superior Courts are organized into 10 Judicial Districts, comprised of 49 judicial circuits. Each county has its own Superior Court, though a judge may serve more than one county. A chief judge handles the administrative tasks for each circuit. Superior court judges are constitutional officers who are elected to four-year terms in circuit-wide nonpartisan elections. Certain vacancies that occur in superior court are filled by appointment of the Governor. A candidate for superior court judge must be at least 30 years of age, a lawyer who has practiced for seven years, and a resident of the state for three years.
The Alcovy Judicial Circuit is part of the Tenth Judicial District and serves Newton and Walton Counties.
The Newton County Juvenile Court, Probate Court, Magistrate Court and Superior Court offices and courtrooms, as well as the District Attorney’s Office and the Clerk of Courts offices are in the Newton County Judicial Center located at 1132 Usher Street, Covington, Georgia.
Courtroom and Office Locations:
Newton County Judicial Center
1132 Usher Street
Covington, Georgia 30014
- Juvenile Court – 1st Floor
- Probate Court – 1st Floor
- Magistrate Court – 1st Floor
- Superior Courts and Judges’ Chambers – 2nd Floor
- Law Library – 2nd Floor
- District Attorney’s Office – 3rd Floor
- Clerk of Superior Courts – 3rd Floor
Hours:
8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Monday through Friday
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EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY
NOTICE TO ATTORNEYS RE PREPARATION
FOR ALL SUPERIOR COURT CRIMINAL CALENDARS
The Court expects you to speak to your clients BEFORE you are called in front of a Judge. It takes time out of the Court’s schedule to have attorneys called before the Judge and then ask for time to go and speak with their clients. All Judges want this done PRIOR to the Judge taking the bench. At least 30 minutes or more is wasted per person when the Court has to wait on attorneys to contact their clients during the actual calendar call, and it disrupts the flow of criminal court proceedings and the Court’s time and resources.”
GDC Court Services/Legal Conference Request
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Effective October 6, 2023 – Order Regarding Electronic Recording and Use of Cell Phones in the Judge Horace J. Johnson, Jr., Judicial Center
Effective October 6, 2023 – Pursuant to Uniform Superior Court Rule 22, electronic recording shall not take place in any courtroom of the Judge Horace J. Johnson, Jr., Judicial Center unless permission is granted by the judge in that courtroom. See the link below for Rule 22 and Request to Record Proceedings.
Cellphones are allowed in the judicial center but must be turned off prior to entering any courtroom and remain off while in the courtroom in order to avoid disruption of court proceedings. Anyone who needs to turn on his or her phone while in the courtroom must ask permission of the judge presiding in that courtroom at that time.
Any person violating any term of this order may be held in contempt and punished by confinement in the county jail for up to 20 days, imposition of a fine up to $1,000.00, or both.
Click the link shown below for a copy of the order entered.
Regarding Use of Electronic Devices
Rule 22 – Regarding the use of electronic devices in courtrooms and recording of judicial proceedings has been amended effective May 1, 2018. Rule 22 and Request to Record Proceedings
Courtroom Conduct
- Proper dress required
- Shoes required
- Children must behave
- Absolutely NO cellular phones or pagers
- No hats, shorts, skorts, mini skirts, tanktops, tubetops or undershirts allowed in courtroom
- No loud talking
- No profanity
No pocketknives, sharp objects or weapons (including chemical/defense sprays) of any kind are allowed in the courthouse.