---
title: O.C.G.A. § 12-4-50. Obedience to subpoena required; self-incrimination not a defense; use of evidence in criminal prosecutions.
collection: code
id: 12-4-50
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 12-4-50 (2025)
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source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t12-(v10)-2021-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=67595359_0#page=324
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
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publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES / MINERAL RESOURCES AND CAVES / MINING AND DRILLING / DEEP DRILLING FOR OIL, GAS, AND OTHER MINERALS
---

# O.C.G.A. § 12-4-50. Obedience to subpoena required; self-incrimination not a defense; use of evidence in criminal prosecutions.

In any contested administrative hearing under this part, no person shall be excused from attending and testifying, or from producing books, papers, and records before the administrative law judge, or from obedience to the subpoena of the administrative law judge, on the ground or for the reason that the testimony or evidence, documentary or otherwise, required by him or her may tend to incriminate him or her or subject him or her to a penalty or forfeiture, provided that nothing contained in this Code section shall be construed as requiring any person to produce any books, papers, or records, or to testify in response to any inquiry, not pertinent to a question lawfully before the administrative law judge for determination. No evidence given by or required of any natural person shall be used or admitted against such a person in any criminal prosecution for any transaction, matter, or thing concerning which he or she may be required to testify or produce evidence, documentary or otherwise, before the administrative law judge in obedience to the subpoena; provided, however, that no person testifying shall be exempt from prosecution and punishment for perjury committed in so testifying.

## History

Ga. L. 1945, p. 366, § 13; Ga. L. 1975, p. 966, § 12; Ga. L. 1976, p. 544, § 9; Ga. L. 1984, p. 398, § 8; Ga. L. 2018, p. 953, § 1/HB 205; Ga. L. 2019, p. 1056, § 12/SB 52.

The 2019 amendment, effective May 12, 2019, part of an Act to revise, modernize, and correct the Code, substituted ‘‘obedience to the subpoena’’ for ‘‘obedience to its subpoena’’ in the last sentence.