Banks Co. looks to switch judicial circuits

Banks County is looking to switch judicial circuits.

According to a report in The Northeast Georgian, the County has asked to be moved from the Piedmont Judicial Circuit to the Mountain Judicial Circuit, which includes Stephens, Habersham and Rabun counties.

The Habersham County Commission took up a request from Banks County to approve the change at a called meeting earlier this month.

Habersham County handles the bookkeeping for the Mountain Judicial Circuit and officials there say they are still running the numbers to determine how much extra it will cost to add Banks County.

Final approval for the move, however, must come from the Georgia General Assembly after all local leadership has signed off on the request.

In addition to Banks County, the Piedmont Circuit includes Jackson and Barrow counties.

However, State Representative Dan Gasaway said Jackson and Barrow counties are growing faster than Banks and have become more like suburbs of metro Atlanta.

Gasaway, who lives in Banks County, will have to submit the legislation to the General Assembly, but he said he has no plans to do so this year until he talks to all stakeholders.