The article below is for filers without lawyers. The article contains available resources for assistance with legal help and forms. If you are unable to find the correct forms or help, it is recommended to find your court's local website or contact the court for assistance.
If you don't have a lawyer and need to represent yourself in court, you are called a self-represented litigant or a pro se or pro per party.
Do you need help finding what documents to file?
Option 1: Visit the Georgia Guide & File site to see if there is a guided interview for the type of case you need to file. You can e-file directly at the end of some of the interviews. (If you can't e-file at the end, save your documents and follow the instructions in the next section to e-file.) Below are links to some of the most popular case types.
- Dispossessory Affidavit (Eviction Complaint) and Dispossessory Answer (Eviction Answer)
- General Statement of Claim (Small Claim) and Defendant's Answer and Counterclaim (Small Claim Answer)
- Garnishment Affidavit (Collecting a Money Judgment)
- Divorce Without Minor Children
- Adult Name Change
- Temporary Protective Order
- Affidavit of Indigency (Request to Waive Court Fees)
Option 2: If you don't find what you need on the Georgia Guide & File site, visit GeorgiaLegalAid.org (in English and Spanish) to find the right forms. Below are links to some of the most popular case types. After you prepare your documents, follow the instructions in the next section.
- Divorce and Other Family Issues
- Debt Collection and Bankruptcy
- Benefits and Unemployment
- Wills and Estates
Do you have your documents ready but need to e-file them?
- Make sure your documents are in PDF format for e-filing. Click here to learn how to turn them into PDFs.
- Visit the eFileGA site to file your documents electronically. If you created an account on the Georgia Guide & File site, you can use the same login on the eFileGA site.
- To learn how to file a new case, watch a video or click here to read how.
- To learn how to file into an existing case, watch a video or click here to read how.
Do you need more legal help?
Click the links below for more information.
- Information (in English and Spanish) about how courts work and representing yourself
- Find legal research through the county law libraries for Fulton, Gwinnett, Cobb, and DeKalb
- Free legal answers (if you qualify)
- Legal aid providers (you must qualify for help based on your income)
- Find a lawyer through the State Bar of Georgia
- For more information on the DeKalb Tenant-Landlord Assistance Coalition program, please call 404-371-3201.