The Western Judicial Circuit is one of the first two judicial districts created by the Georgia legislature in 1789. Throughout its long history, twenty-nine counties have been part of the circuit at one time or another. Today, the Western Judicial Circuit is composed of Clarke County, which joined in 1801, and Oconee County, which joined in 1875.

The Superior Courts of the Western Judicial Circuit are trial courts of general jurisdiction handling both civil and criminal cases. The Superior Court has exclusive constitutional jurisdiction to preside in felony cases and cases regarding title to land, divorce, adoption, matters of equity and declaratory judgment, and writs of habeas corpus, mandamus, quo warranto and prohibition. The Superior Court also presides in cases involving writs of certiorari to correct errors made by lower courts, and provides a right of direct appellate review for the decisions of certain lower courts and agencies.

The Western Judicial Circuit has two specialized programs to assist the counties? citizens. The first is the Divorcing Parents Program, which is designed to educate parents as to the effects of divorce on children. The second is the Alternative Dispute Resolution Program, which provides a mediation program to enable litigants in certain matters to avoid the cost of trial and speed the disposition of their cases.