Georgia Dispossessory Answer: 7-Day Rule Under O.C.G.A. § 44-7-51

O.C.G.A. § 44-7-51 Dispossessory Proceedings

In Georgia, eviction actions are known as dispossessory warrants and are heard primarily in Magistrate Courts. Under O.C.G.A. § 44-7-51(b), a tenant has strictly 7 calendar days from the date of service to file an Answer.

Statutory Tender Defense (O.C.G.A. § 44-7-52)

Georgia law gives tenants a powerful one-time statutory defense: if the eviction is for non-payment, the tenant has the right to tender (pay) all past-due rent plus the cost of the dispossessory warrant within the 7-day answer window. The landlord must accept this payment, and the dispossessory proceeding must be dismissed.