Section 44-14-232. Summons; service on defendant; debtor's duty to notify creditor of address changes; form

   (a) When the petition provided for in Code Section 44-14-231 is made, the judge, the magistrate, or the clerk shall grant and issue a summons as prescribed in this Code section to the sheriff, his deputy or marshal, or any lawful constable of the county where the debtor resides or the secured property is located. Service shall be made by the officer by delivering a copy of the summons attached to a copy of the petition to the defendant personally; or, if the officer is unable to serve the defendant personally, service may be had by delivering the summons and the petition to any person sui juris residing on the premises; or, if no such person is found residing on the premises after reasonable effort, service may be had by tacking a copy of the summons and the petition on the door of the premises and, on the same day of the tacking, by enclosing, directing, stamping, and mailing by first-class mail a copy of the summons and the petition to the defendant at his last known address, if any, and making an entry of this action on the petition filed in the case.

(b) The summons served on the defendant pursuant to subsection (a) of this Code section shall command and require the defendant to answer either orally or in writing within seven days from the date of the actual service unless the seventh day is a Saturday, a Sunday, or a legal holiday, in which case the answer may be made on the next day which is not a Saturday, a Sunday, or a legal holiday.

(c) It shall be the obligation of the debtor to advise the secured creditor of any change of his address subsequent to the date of the granting of the security interest.

(d) The form of the summons shall be uniform in every county of this state and is prescribed as follows:
 
 
                      "IN THE            COURT OF            COUNTY                      
 
 
                               STATE OF GEORGIA                                
 
 
 
 

 
   (Style of case)                               CIVIL ACTION
 
                                                 NO.       
 
 
                                    SUMMONS                                    

 
   TO THE ABOVE-NAMED DEFENDANT:
 
 
 

      The defendant          herein              hereby commanded and required 
   personally or by attorney to file with the Clerk of the                  Court of 
                    County (insert location) within seven days from the date of 
   service of the within affidavit and summons, or on the first business day 
   thereafter if the seventh day falls on a Saturday, a Sunday, or a legal 
   holiday, then and there to answer said affidavit in writing or orally. If 
   the defendant fails to answer on or before the seventh day from the date of 
   service, the defendant may reopen the default as a matter of right by 
   making an answer within seven days after the date of the default 
   notwithstanding the provision of Code Section 9-11-55 of the Official Code 
   of Georgia Annotated. If the seventh day is a Saturday, a Sunday, or a 
   legal holiday, the answer may be made on the next day which is not a 
   Saturday, a Sunday, or a legal holiday. The last possible date on which the 
   defendant may answer is the     day of             ,     . If answer is not 
   so made, a writ of possession shall issue against you as by law provided, 
   pursuant to plaintiff's affidavit.
 
 
 

      Witness the Honorable              , Judge of said Court.
 
 
 

      This     day of             ,     .
 
                                                                               
 
                                                                         Clerk,
 
                                                          Court of       County
   Service perfected on
   defendant, this     
   day of             ,     .
 
                                                                               
 
                                                       Sheriff, deputy, marshal
 
                                                                  or constable"
 

Code 1933, § 67-703, enacted by Ga. L. 1974, p. 398, § 1; Ga. L. 1978, p. 1705, § 2; Ga. L. 1982, p. 3, § 44; Ga. L. 1987, p. 1023, § 3; Ga. L. 1999, p. 81, § 44; Ga. L. 2002, p. 415, § 44.