Rule 1.2 - Authority to Enact Rules Which Deviate From the Uniform Rules(a) The term "local rules" will no longer be used in the context of the Uniform Municipal Court Rules.(b) Each municipal court by action of a majority of its judges (or failing this, by action of its chief judge), from time to time, may propose to make and amend rules which deviate from the Uniform Municipal Court Rules, provided such proposals are not inconsistent with general laws, these Uniform Municipal Court Rules, or any directive of the Supreme Court of Georgia. Any such proposals shall be filed with the clerk of the Supreme Court of Georgia; proposals so submitted shall take effect thirty (30) days after approval by the Supreme Court of Georgia. It is the intendment of these rules that rules which deviate from the Uniform Municipal Court Rules be restricted in scope.(c) The municipal court, by action of a majority of its judges (or failing this, by action of its chief judge), may continue to promulgate rules which relate only to internal procedure and do not affect the rights of any party substantially or materially, either to unreasonably delay or deny such rights, and provided that those rules shall not conflict with these uniform rules. These rules, which will be designated "internal operating procedures," do not require the approval of the Supreme Court. "Internal operating procedures," as used in these Uniform Municipal Court Rules, are defined as rules which relate to case management, administration, and operation of the court or govern programs which relate to filing costs in civil actions, costs in criminal matters, case management, administration, and operation of the court.(d) Notwithstanding these uniform rules, the municipal court, by action of a majority of its judges (or failing this, by action of its chief judge), may promulgate experimental rules applicable to pilot projects, upon approval of the Supreme Court, adequately advertised to the local bar, with copies to the State Bar of Georgia, not to exceed a period of one year, subject to extension for one additional year upon approval of the Supreme Court. At the end of the second year, any such pilot projects will be allowed to sunset unless approved by the Supreme Court to remain in effect for a longer period of time.(e) Rules which are approved as deviations from the Uniform Municipal Court Rules and internal operating procedures of courts shall be published by the court in which the rules are effective. Copies must be made available through the clerk of the municipal court for the city where the rules are effective, and shall be posted on the adopting municipal court's website, if such exists. Any amendments to deviations from the Uniform Municipal Court Rules or to internal operating procedures must be published and made available through each municipal court clerk's office within fifteen (15) days of the effective date of the amendment or change. Summaries of amendments or deviations shall be published once per week for two consecutive weeks in the newspaper in which legal announcements are customarily made by the municipality in which the municipal court is located, and shall be provided to the State Bar of Georgia and all local bar associations serving the municipality.(f) Internal operating procedures effective in any court must be filed with the Supreme Court even though Supreme Court approval is not needed for these rules.Ga. Unif. Mun. Ct. R. 1.2