1-3-5. Operation of laws generally; retrospective operation.

Active

Current through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly.

Laws prescribe only for the future; they cannot impair the obligation of contracts nor, ordinarily, have a retrospective operation. Laws looking only to the remedy or mode of trial may apply to contracts, rights, and offenses entered into, accrued, or committed prior to their passage; but in every case a reasonable time subsequent to the passage of the law should be allowed for the citizen to enforce his contract or to protect his right.

The notes below are printed with the section but are not enacted law (O.C.G.A. § 1-1-1(c)). They are shown apart from the text.

History

Orig. Code 1863, § 7; Code 1868, § 6; Code 1873, § 6; Code 1882, § 6; Civil Code 1895, § 6; Penal Code 1895, § 3; Civil Code 1910, § 6; Penal Code 1910, § 3; Code 1933, § 102-104.

Cross references

Restrictions upon powers of states, U.S. Const., Art. I, Sec. 10, Cl. 1. Bill of attainer; ex post facto laws; and retroactive laws, Ga. Const. 1983, Art. I, Sec. I, Para. X.

Law reviews

For article, ‘‘Synopses of 1968 Amendments Appellate Procedure Act and Georgia Civil Practice Act,’’ see 4 Ga. St. B. J. 503 (1968). For comment on Griffin v. Air S., Inc., 324 F. Supp. 1284 (N.D. Ga. 1971), see 8 Ga. St. B. J. 414 (1972). For comment on statutes of limitations in medical malpractice actions in Georgia, see 33 Mercer L. Rev. 377 (1981).

Read the official page (the state's PDF, opened at the page this text was read from).

Current through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly.

Text read from t1-t2-t3-(v3)-2019-pdf.pdf, Volume V3, 2019 edition, page 113; merge action: carried; file SHA-256 206dab95f27a.