Rule 20. PEREMPTORY CALENDAR · Not amended since adoption on record · Last verified July 17, 2026
In one sentenceA peremptory calendar lets the assigned judge publish a list of civil cases with discovery closed, or criminal cases, and demand that parties announce whether they are ready for trial, and an unexcused failure to appear can mean dismissal of a civil claim or answer, or acquittal or dead-docketing of a criminal case.
Full Text of Rule 20
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Periodically the assigned judge may cause to be delivered to the clerk of the court and published a list of pending civil actions in which the discovery period has expired or criminal cases upon reasonable notice requiring the parties (including the state) or their attorneys to announce whether the actions or cases appearing thereon are ready for trial and when trial should be
scheduled. Failure to appear at the calendar sounding or otherwise to advise the judge or appropriate calendar clerk may result in the following disposition:
(A) In civil actions, the dismissal without prejudice of plaintiff’s action or defendant's answer, counterclaim, or cross claim; and,
(B) In criminal cases, the acquitting of the accused defendant or the dead docketing of the case.
Plain-English Summary
Cases can drift once discovery closes, sitting untried with no one pushing them forward. Rule 20 gives judges a tool for shaking loose the ones that have stalled: periodically, the judge can have the clerk publish a list of pending civil actions where discovery has ended, or criminal cases, and order the parties or their attorneys to show up and announce whether the case is ready for trial and when it should be scheduled.
The consequences for ignoring that call are real. If a party or attorney fails to appear at the calendar sounding, or otherwise fails to let the judge or calendar clerk know where things stand, the case can suffer for it. In a civil action, that can mean the plaintiff’s claim gets dismissed without prejudice, or the defendant’s answer, counterclaim, or cross-claim gets dismissed the same way. In a criminal case, the consequences run the other direction — the accused can be acquitted, or the case can be dead-docketed.
The rule is a housekeeping mechanism at heart, but it carries stakes for anyone who skips the calendar call without a good reason. Attorneys juggling a busy docket need to track peremptory calendar notices as closely as any hearing date, since missing one can end a case outright.
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of cases can appear on a peremptory calendar?
Pending civil actions in which the discovery period has expired, or criminal cases, upon reasonable notice.
What are parties required to do when their case is called on the peremptory calendar?
Announce whether the action or case is ready for trial and when trial should be scheduled.
What happens to a plaintiff’s civil case if the plaintiff fails to appear at the calendar sounding?
The plaintiff’s action can be dismissed without prejudice.
What happens to a defendant’s civil answer if the defendant fails to appear at the calendar sounding?
The defendant’s answer, counterclaim, or cross claim can be dismissed without prejudice.
What are the possible consequences in a criminal case for failing to appear at the peremptory calendar?
The accused defendant may be acquitted, or the case may be dead docketed.
Source & verification. Rule text and amendment history are
reproduced verbatim from the Uniform Superior Court Rules, published by the
Council of Superior Court Judges of Georgia. Last verified July 17, 2026.
· Official source
Also known as:Georgia peremptory calendar ruleUSCR 20failure to appear calendar call Georgia superior courtdead docketing Georgia criminal casedismissal for failure to announce ready for trialRule 20 Georgia Uniform Superior Court Rules