Public-domain · open source
OpenJurist

O.C.G.A. § 51-2-3

Liability for malicious acts of minor child

Applied in 1 court decision — leading case 89 Md. App. 762 - In Re William George T. (1992)

Most recently applied in 89 Md. App. 762 - In Re William George T. (January 1992)

of Code section. — Georgia Laws 1976, p. 511, § 2 entirely superseded the former section which was held unconstitutional in Corley v

(a) Every parent or guardian having the custody and control over a

minor child or children under the age of 18 shall be liable in an amount not to exceed $10,000.00 plus court costs for the willful or malicious acts of the minor child or children resulting in reasonable medical expenses to another, damage to the property of another, or both reasonable medical expenses and damage to property.

(b) This Code section shall be cumulative and shall not be restrictive of any remedies now available to any person, firm, or corporation for injuries or damages arising out of the acts, torts, or negligence of a minor child under the “family-purpose car doctrine,” any statute, or common law in force and effect in this state.

(c) The intent of the General Assembly in passing this Code section is to provide for the public welfare and aid in the control of juvenile delinquency, not to provide restorative compensation to victims of injurious or tortious conduct by children. (Ga. L. 1956, p. 699, § 1; Ga. L. 1966, p. 424, § 1; Ga. L. 1976, p. 511, § 2; Ga. L. 1982, p. 849, §§ 1,

2; Ga. L. 1987, p. 3, § 51; Ga. L. 1997, p. 532, § 1.)

Current official text: Official Code of Georgia Annotated (LexisNexis). Digitized from the Internet Archive scan of the OCGA. Reproduced from public-domain Georgia statutes; confirm against the official source for the current text. Not legal advice.