Georgia CommonsHB 1311: Survivor Civil Protection Act; enact
Introduced version, the latest LegiScan holds · Last action February 18, 2026 · Introduced
The text as LegiScan holds it, read from the PDF the legislature publishes with its margin line numbers, running heads, and page footers removed. Line breaks are joined into paragraphs here; no word is changed.
Underlined words are what the bill adds to current law and struck-through words are what it removes, as the printed bill shows them.
House Bill 1311
By: Representatives Santos of the 117th and Crawford of the 89th
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Chapter 15 of Title 9 and Chapter 6 of Title 13 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to court and litigation costs and damages and costs generally, respectively, so as to prohibit courts from awarding attorney's fees to defendants who have been found guilty of or pleaded guilty or nolo contendere to a sexual offense when the plaintiff is the victim of such offense; to provide for a short title; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
This Act shall be known and may be cited as the "Survivor Civil Protection Act."
SECTION 2.
Chapter 15 of Title 9 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to court and litigation costs, is amended in Code Section 9-15-14, relating to litigation costs and attorney's fees assessed for frivolous actions and defenses, by adding a new subsection to read as follows:
"(i)(1) In any civil action where a party has been the victim of an offense under Chapter 6 of Title 16 and another party has been found guilty or pleaded guilty or nolo contendere to such offense or a lesser included offense, the victim of such offense and such victim's attorney shall not be assessed attorney's fees or expenses of litigation under this Code section. This subsection shall apply to civil actions related in any manner to such criminal offense.
(2) It is the intent of the General Assembly that no sanctions shall be awarded against such victim in the action."
SECTION 3.
Chapter 6 of Title 13 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to damages and costs generally, is amended by revising Code Section 13-6-11, relating to recovery of expenses of litigation generally, as follows:
"13-6-11.
(a) The expenses of litigation generally shall not be allowed as a part of the damages; but where the plaintiff has specially pleaded and has made prayer therefor and where the defendant has acted in bad faith, has been stubbornly litigious, or has caused the plaintiff unnecessary trouble and expense, the jury may allow them.
(b)(1) In any civil action where a party has been the victim of an offense under Chapter 6 of Title 16 and another party has been found guilty or pleaded guilty or nolo contendere to such offense or a lesser included offense, the victim of such offense and such victim's attorney shall not be assessed attorney's fees or expenses of litigation under this Code section. This subsection shall apply to civil actions related in any manner to such criminal offense.
(2) It is the intent of the General Assembly that no sanctions shall be awarded against such victim in the action."
SECTION 4.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.