§ 50-4-1 — Commencement of civil actions

There shall be one form of civil action in magistrate court. Civil actions shall be commenced by the payment of the fees required by article three of this chapter and by providing any magistrate court clerk, magistrate court deputy clerk, or magistrate assistant with a concise statement, either oral or written, of the nature of the cause of action. Where such statement is filed by a commercial creditor, the statement shall include, but not be limited to, a setting forth of the amount of the original obligation, the portion thereof which constitutes principal, the portion thereof which represents interest, the date and amount of payments thereon, the amount, if any, credited for the sale of repossessed collateral, and the amount alleged to be due. The magistrate court clerk, the magistrate court deputy clerk, or magistrate assistant shall immediately prepare a summons in such form and containing such information as may be required by the rules of the Supreme Court of Appeals. The summons shall be dated the same day the request therefor is received and the appropriate fees received, and the action shall be deemed commenced as of that date. The magistrate assistant shall thereupon forward the matter to the magistrate court clerk together with any service of process fees which may have been collected.

Upon receipt of the matter by the magistrate court clerk, such clerk shall docket the same in a central docket, and shall sign the summons and forward it, together with any service of process fees, to the sheriff for service. Such clerk shall assign the action for trial in the manner as shall be prescribed by the judge of the circuit court, or the chief judge thereof if there is more than one judge of the circuit court, to promote and secure the convenient and expeditious transaction of the business of the court.

Legislative History

1992 Reg. Sess., HB4077; 1978 Reg. Sess., HB934; 1976 Reg. Sess., HB1087