Georgia Laws
128 articles · page 2 of 3
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Georgia Marriage and Divorce Records: Where to Get a Copy (2026)
Georgia holds state marriage records only for June 1952 to August 1996, restricted to the two spouses. Divorce copies come from the Superior Court clerk.
Georgia Marriage License Requirements 2026: Fees, No Wait, Rules
How to get a Georgia marriage license in 2026: apply at any county probate court, no waiting period, $56 to $76 fees, the $40 premarital discount and age rules.
Georgia Medical Recording Laws: Patient Rights and HIPAA Rules (2026)
Learn Georgia medical recording laws. Patients can record their own doctor appointments. HIPAA rules, county health facility protections, and telehealth recording explained.
Georgia Medical Records Retention Laws (2026 Guide)
Georgia medical records retention laws: how long hospitals and doctors keep your records, HIPAA rules, and patient rights.
Georgia Minimum Wage 2026: $7.25 Federal, $5.15 State Rate
The Georgia state minimum wage is $5.15, but FLSA-covered employers must pay the federal $7.25. See who the state law covers, tipped pay, local limits and filing.
Georgia Name Change Laws: How to Legally Change Your Name
How to change your name in Georgia: the superior court petition, publication requirements, fraud restrictions, and how divorce name restoration works.
Georgia Noise Laws: Quiet Hours, Car Stereos and Penalties
Georgia noise rules are mostly local. State law makes car audio plainly audible at 100 feet a misdemeanor and bars noisy mufflers and muffler cutouts.
Georgia Non-Compete Laws (2026): Are Non-Competes Enforceable?
Georgia's Restrictive Covenants Act lets non-competes bind only salespeople, managers, key employees and professionals, with a two-year presumption. See the rules.
Georgia Nursing Home Camera Laws: Nuckles v. State and No Statute
Georgia has no nursing home camera statute. Bills died in 2020 and 2021. What Nuckles v. State actually held, the security exception, and the all-party consent risk for video.
Georgia Open Container Law (2026): O.C.G.A. § 40-6-253
Georgia bans open-container possession and drinking for driver and passengers; a solo driver is deemed to possess any open container in reach. Penalties inside.
Georgia Pepper Spray and Stun Gun Laws (2026)
Georgia has no pepper spray statute, and O.C.G.A. 16-11-173 preempts local rules. Stun guns count as 'firearms' for enhanced sentences and school zones.
Georgia Phone Call Recording Laws: One-Party Consent Rules (2026)
Learn Georgia phone call recording laws. One-party consent under O.C.G.A. 16-11-66 lets you record calls you participate in. Interstate call rules explained.
Georgia Police Bodycam Laws: Retention & Open Records Rules
Georgia has no statewide bodycam mandate. See the 180-day/30-month retention rule under O.C.G.A. 50-18-96 and how the Open Records Act governs access.
Georgia Police Reports: How to Get a Crash Report or Incident Report
Order a Georgia crash report through GEARS or BuyCrash, request an incident report under the Open Records Act, and see Georgia's narrow bodycam rule.
Georgia Pornography Laws (2026): Age Verification and the Pole Tax
Georgia allows private possession of pornography but requires adult-site age verification and taxes nude-dancing venues. Penalties and CSAM rules explained.
Georgia Power of Attorney Laws: Durable, Medical, and Financial POA (2026)
Georgia Power of Attorney Act (O.C.G.A. 10-6B-1 et seq.): durable by default, requires principal signature, one witness, and notarization. Health care decisions use a separate Advance Directive under O.C.G.A. 31-32.
Georgia Prenuptial Agreement Laws: Requirements and Enforceability
Georgia prenup rules: O.C.G.A. 19-3-62 requires a signed writing with two witnesses, one a notary, and courts apply the Scherer v. Scherer test before enforcing it.
Georgia Probate and Intestate Succession: What Happens Without a Will (2026)
Georgia probate explained: how the Probate Court process works, who inherits without a will, small estate options, and Georgia's estate tax status.
Georgia Property Records: How to Find Out Who Owns a Property (2026)
Search Georgia property records statewide via GSCCCA's Real Estate Index, or free by county assessor. Learn costs, fraud alerts, and certified deed copies.
Georgia Public Records Laws: The Georgia Open Records Act Explained
Georgia agencies get 3 business days to produce records, and out-of-state requesters are covered. Fees, exemptions, mediation, and 50-18-74 penalties explained.
Georgia Punitive Damages Laws: $250,000 Cap and Exceptions (2026)
Georgia generally caps punitive damages at $250,000 (O.C.G.A. 51-12-5.1), with no cap for product liability, specific intent to harm or impaired defendants.
Georgia Quitclaim Deed: Requirements, Recording and Transfer Tax
How a Georgia quitclaim deed is recorded: clerk of superior court filing, e-filing for self-filers since 2025, PT-61, transfer tax and fraud protections.
Georgia Reckless Driving Laws: Penalties, Points and Speed (2026)
Georgia reckless driving (O.C.G.A. 40-6-390) is a misdemeanor: up to $1,000, 12 months, or both, plus 4 points. Stunt driving, racing and license rules.
Georgia Recording Laws (2026): One-Party Audio, All-Party Video
Georgia is one-party consent for audio (O.C.G.A. § 16-11-66(a)) but all-party for video in private places (§ 16-11-62(2)). Violations are a felony: 1-5 years, up to $10,000.
Georgia Restraining Order Laws (2026): How to Get a Protective Order
Learn how to get a Family Violence Protective Order in Georgia. Covers who qualifies, how to file free, TPO duration, final order length, and firearms rules.
Georgia Ring Doorbell Laws: What You Need to Know in 2026
Learn Georgia Ring doorbell laws including one-party consent rules, video surveillance limits, HOA restrictions, and penalties for illegal recording under O.C.G.A. § 16-11-62.
Georgia Scam and Fraud Laws: Where to Report, Your Right to Sue (2026)
Georgians hurt by deceptive consumer practices can sue under the FBPA after a 30-day demand; 3x damages only if intentional. Where to report and elder protections.
Georgia School Recording Laws: Student and Parent Rights (2026)
Learn Georgia school recording laws. FERPA, student privacy, classroom recording rules, and parent rights to record IEP meetings explained.
Georgia Security Camera Laws: Residential and Business Rules (2026)
Learn Georgia security camera laws under O.C.G.A. 16-11-62. Rules for home cameras, business surveillance, audio recording, and neighbor privacy explained.
Georgia Self-Defense Laws: Stand Your Ground & Castle Doctrine (2026)
Georgia is a stand-your-ground state. Learn how O.C.G.A. 16-3-23.1 removes the duty to retreat and § 16-3-23 protects your home, vehicle, and business.
Georgia Self-Driving Car Laws: Driverless Rules (2026)
Georgia lets driverless cars run with no one aboard under O.C.G.A. 40-8-11, with no permit. Insurance, who is the operator, tickets, crashes and Waymo Atlanta.
Georgia Severance Pay Laws (2026): Is Severance Required?
No Georgia statute we found requires severance. Learn how severance affects Georgia unemployment, the 25-worker mass-separation rule, deadlines and release rules.
Georgia Sexting Laws: Legal Consequences and Penalties
Learn about Georgia sexting laws, including penalties for minors and adults, the teen misdemeanor reduction, revenge porn laws, sextortion, and legal defenses.
Georgia Slip and Fall Laws: Proving Premises Liability Under OCGA Section 51-3-1
Georgia slip and fall law under OCGA Section 51-3-1: proving owner notice, the Robinson two-prong test, open-and-obvious as comparative fault, no natural-accumulation immunity, 2-year SOL, and government notice deadlines.
Georgia Small Claims Court: $15,000 Limit, Fees and How to File
Georgia magistrate court hears small claims up to $15,000, rising to $25,000 for cases filed from January 1, 2027. Fees, filing, answers and collection.
Georgia Small Estate Affidavit: What Georgia Uses Instead
Georgia has no general small estate affidavit. See the alternatives: a bank deposit affidavit, a no-administration order, year's support and car transfers.
Georgia Smart Glasses Recording Laws 2026
Georgia is one-party consent for audio but requires all-party consent for video in private spaces. Learn what O.C.G.A. §§ 16-11-62 and 16-11-66 mean for smart glasses users.
Georgia Social Security Disability: Rates & Wait Times
Social Security disability in Georgia: a tiny state SSI supplement for facility residents, automatic Medicaid on SSI approval, approval odds, and hearing waits.
Georgia Squatters Rights and Adverse Possession Laws (2026)
Georgia requires 20 years of adverse possession without color of title and 7 years with it. The 2024 Squatter Reform Act (HB 1017) lets property owners remove squatters within 3 days via a magistrate-court affidavit.
Georgia Statute of Limitations: Filing Deadlines by Case Type
Georgia statute of limitations for civil and criminal cases. Filing deadlines for personal injury, contracts, fraud, felonies, and misdemeanors with statute citations.
Georgia Surveillance Camera Laws (2026 Guide)
Georgia surveillance camera laws: home security, workplace cameras, neighbor disputes, audio recording rules.
Georgia Theft Laws: Felony Threshold, Shoplifting and Penalties (2026)
Georgia theft carries 1-5 years from $1,500.01 under O.C.G.A. 16-8-12, and shoplifting is a felony over $500. See every tier, repeat rules and civil demands.
Georgia Trade Secret Laws: UTSA, Remedies & Deadlines
Georgia Trade Secrets Act (O.C.G.A. §§ 10-1-760 to 10-1-767): definition, misappropriation, the 5-year statute of limitations, remedies, and the federal DTSA overlay.
Georgia Unclaimed Property: How to Search & Claim Your Money (2026)
Georgia's Dept. of Revenue holds unclaimed money for residents. Search gaclaims.unclaimedproperty.com free and learn how to claim it, no deadline.
Georgia Unemployment Benefits 2026: $365 Max, Eligibility, Filing
Georgia unemployment pays $55 to $365 a week for 14 to 26 weeks, set by the state jobless rate. Eligibility, how much you get, work search, filing and appeals.
Georgia Video Recording Laws: All-Party Consent in Private Places (2026)
Learn Georgia video recording laws under O.C.G.A. 16-11-62. Video in private places requires all-party consent. Public recording is generally permitted.
Georgia Voyeurism and Hidden Camera Laws: Criminal Penalties (2026)
Learn Georgia voyeurism and hidden camera laws. Peeping Tom, upskirting, and hidden surveillance are felonies under O.C.G.A. 16-11-61 and 16-11-91.
Georgia Warrant Search: How to Check If You Have a Warrant (2026)
Georgia has no statewide warrant database. Learn the county-by-county process to check if you have a warrant in Georgia, straight from official guidance.
Georgia Whistleblower Laws: Protections and How to Report
Georgia whistleblower laws protect public employees who report fraud, waste, or abuse. Learn filing deadlines, remedies, and qui tam provisions.
Georgia Will and Trust Laws: Witnesses, Self-Proving, Trusts (2026)
A Georgia will needs two witnesses age 14 or older who sign in the testator's presence. A Georgia trust is revocable only if the settlor expressly reserves it.
Georgia Window Tint Laws (2026): Legal VLT Limits
Georgia requires 28% VLT on front windows and 15% VLT on sedan rear windows. SUVs and trucks may have any darkness in back. Learn exemptions, penalties, and the O.C.G.A. 40-8-73.1 rules.
Georgia Windshield Mounting Laws (2026 Guide)
Georgia windshield mounting laws: restrictions, penalties, and exemptions. Complete guide.
Georgia Workers' Compensation Laws: Benefits, Deadlines, and Your Rights
Georgia workers' comp: mandatory for 3+ employees, 66 2/3% AWW, 30-day report rule, panel of physicians choice, and 1-year claim deadline.
Georgia Workplace Harassment Laws: No Private-Sector State Statute
Georgia's Fair Employment Practices Act covers only state government jobs. Private-sector harassment claims use federal law, which covers employers of 15 or more.
Georgia Workplace Recording Laws: Employee and Employer Rules (2026)
Learn Georgia workplace recording laws. Employees can record audio conversations they participate in. Employer video surveillance rules and NLRA protections explained.
Georgia Wrongful Death Laws (2026): Deadlines & Who Can Sue
Georgia wrongful death claims: the 2-year deadline, who can sue and in what order, the full value of the life measure, the separate estate claim, and caps.
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How Long Is a Life Sentence in Georgia? (2026 Guide)
Complete guide to life sentences in Georgia: parole eligibility, LWOP rules, notable cases, recent legislative changes, and sentencing statutes. Updated March 2026.
How to Find a Cause of Death in Georgia (2026)
How to find someone's cause of death in Georgia: it is on the death certificate and autopsy report, but restricted to next of kin under O.C.G.A. 31-10-26.
How to Get a Georgia Death Certificate (2026)
Order a Georgia death certificate online through ROVER, by mail, or in person at a county office. Certified copies cost $25 plus an $8 processing fee, with $5 per extra copy.
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Is Jaywalking Illegal in Georgia? Crossing Rules and Penalties (2026)
Georgia pedestrians crossing outside a crosswalk must yield to all vehicles (O.C.G.A. 40-6-92). A violation is a misdemeanor, with a fine of up to $1,000.