Section 36-32-8. Jurisdiction in cases of operating motor vehicle without certificate of emission inspection; retention of fines and forfeitures; transfer of cases

   (a) The municipal court of each municipality of each county required to comply with Article 2 of Chapter 9 of Title 12, known as the "Georgia Motor Vehicle Emission Inspection and Maintenance Act," is granted jurisdiction to try and dispose of such cases in which a person is charged with a misdemeanor under Code Section 12-9-55 of operating a responsible motor vehicle without a certificate of emission inspection, if the offense occurred within the corporate limits of such municipality. The jurisdiction of such 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 forfeitures arising from the prosecution of such cases shall be retained by the municipality and shall be paid into the treasury of such municipality.

(c) Any defendant charged with a misdemeanor under Code Section 12-9-55 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) Nothing in this Code section shall be construed to give any municipality the right to impose a fine in excess of the limits set forth in Code Section 12-9-55.

Code 1981, § 36-32-8, enacted by Ga. L. 1985, p. 1390, § 1; Ga. L. 1987, p. 3, § 36; Ga. L. 1992, p. 6, § 36; Ga. L. 1992, p. 918, § 4; Ga. L. 1993, p. 91, § 36.