Ga. Unif. Mun. Ct. R. 27.2
The clerk of the municipal court in possession of documents, electronic documents, audio and video recordings of whatever form, exhibits, and other material objects or any other case file, shall maintain a log or inventory of all such items with the case number, party names, description of the item, the name and official position of the custodian, and the location of the storage of the items. Dangerous or contraband items shall be placed in the custody of the clerk of the municipal court or designee and be maintained in the courthouse or other such location as allowed by law and be available during court proceedings and accessible to the court reporter. Unless retained in the original case file, all such items admitted as evidence shall be identified or tagged by the clerk or court reporter with the case number and the exhibit number and be recorded in the evidence log or inventory. The clerk of the municipal court shall update the log or inventory to show the current custodian and the location of the evidence.
Dangerous or contraband items shall be transferred to the chief of police or sheriff or other appropriate law enforcement agency along with a copy of the log or inventory. The sheriff or other law enforcement agency shall acknowledge the transfer with a signed receipt, and the receipt shall be retained with the log or inventory created and maintained by the clerk of the municipal court. The clerk of the municipal court and the chief of police, sheriff or other law enforcement agency shall each maintain a log or inventory of such items of evidence. In all cases, the clerk shall be granted the right of access to such items of evidence necessary to complete the transcript of the case. In any case in which no court reporter was retained, the clerk of the municipal court shall keep and store the evidence or ensure that it is maintained in an appropriate location.
Evidence in the possession of the clerk of the municipal court or court reporter shall be maintained in accordance with the law. The designated custodian shall be responsible for the recording of the evidence log or inventory, the name of the counselor party, the date, and the purpose for the release of any such items of evidence. Subsequent to admission of any item into evidence by the Court, no substitution for the item admitted into evidence shall be made except by leave of the Court. Any counselor party seeking to make a substitution for admitted evidence after the close of evidence shall file a motion for an order authorizing such substitution. Upon granting of an order for substitution, the order shall be entered into the log or inventory. The log or inventory of any evidence separated from the original case file shall be maintained in the original case file. Upon the expiration of the time for the filing of an appeal during which no motion for new trial or appeal has been filed by any party, the clerk of the municipal court, court reporter, chief of police, sheriff or other law enforcement agency may, and shall upon written request, return any item of admitted evidence to the counselor party who tendered the same; provided, however, that no item which is contraband or illegal to possess in the state of Georgia shall be returned to any counselor party, and all such items shall, upon the expiration of the time for the filing of an appeal during which no motion for new trial or appeal has been filed by any party, be delivered over to the chief of police or sheriff of the county for appropriate disposition.
Upon the expiration of the time for the filing of an appeal during which no motion for new trial or appeal has been filed by any party, the clerk of the municipal court, court reporter, chief or police, sheriff or other law enforcement agency may notify in writing the counsel or party who tendered any item(s) admitted in evidence in the possession of such clerk, court reporter, chief of police, sheriff or law enforcement agency, to retrieve such item(s) within thirty (30) days of the written notice, and, upon the failure of the counselor party to retrieve same within such thirty (30) days, the clerk, court reporter, chief of police, sheriff or law enforcement agency may dispose of the item(s).
Ga. Unif. Mun. Ct. R. 27.2