Current through 2023-2024 Legislative Session Chapter 709
Section 36-32-10 - Jurisdiction in cases of furnishing alcoholic beverages to and purchase and possession of alcoholic beverages by underage persons; retention of fines and bond forfeitures; transfer of cases; penalties(a) The municipal courts are granted jurisdiction to try and dispose of a first offense violation of Code Section 3-3-23, relating to furnishing alcoholic beverages to, and purchase and possession of alcoholic beverages by, a person under 21 years of age, if the offense occurred within the corporate limits of such municipal corporation. The jurisdiction of such municipal court shall be concurrent with the jurisdiction of any other courts within the county having jurisdiction to try and dispose of such cases.(b) Any fines and bond forfeitures arising from the prosecution of such cases shall be retained by the municipal corporation and shall be paid into the treasury of such municipal corporation.(c) Any defendant charged with a first offense violation of Code Section 3-3-23 in a municipal court shall be entitled upon request to have the case against him transferred to the court having general misdemeanor jurisdiction in the county in which the alleged offense occurred.(d) A person convicted in a municipal court of a first offense violation of Code Section 3-3-23 shall be punished as provided in paragraph (1) of subsection (b) of Code Section 3-3-23.1, provided that nothing in this Code section or Code Section 3-3-23.1 shall be construed to give any municipal corporation the right to impose a fine or punishment in excess of the limits set forth in the charter of such municipal corporation.(e) Nothing in this Code section shall affect the original and exclusive jurisdiction of the juvenile court as set forth in Code Section 15-11-10.Amended by 2015 Ga. Laws 98,§ 3-32, eff. 7/1/2015.Amended by 2013 Ga. Laws 127,§ 4-46, eff. 1/1/2014.