---
title: O.C.G.A. § 15-11-131.1. Right to obtain an independent medical evaluation or pediatric specialty consultation.
collection: code
id: 15-11-131.1
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 15-11-131.1 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/15-11-131.1
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/15-11-131.1.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/15-11-131.1/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t15-ch1-11a-(v13)-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=9c57686b_0#page=164
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
license: CC0-1.0
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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version: the only printed version
in_force: true
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: COURTS / JUVENILE CODE / DEPENDENCY PROCEEDINGS / TAKING INTO CARE
extraction_warnings:
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---

# O.C.G.A. § 15-11-131.1. Right to obtain an independent medical evaluation or pediatric specialty consultation.

(a) As used in this Code section, the term “pediatric specialty consultation” means a consultation with a physician licensed to practice medicine in this state and board certified in the relevant pediatric field or specialty, including radiology, genetics, orthopedics, endocrinology, neurosurgery, child abuse pediatrics, gastroenterology, surgery, or forensic pathology, and to diagnose and treat certain health conditions, including rickets, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, osteogenesis imperfecta, vitamin D deficiency, or other medical conditions related to the differential diagnosis of child abuse or neglect.

(b) Any parent or legal guardian of a child who is taken into temporary protective custody pursuant to Code Section 15-11-131 shall have the right to obtain an independent medical evaluation or pediatric specialty consultation of such child at his or her own expense unless prohibited by court order. Physicians and medical professionals, law enforcement officers, and DFCS shall cooperate as may reasonably be necessary to facilitate an independent medical evaluation or pediatric specialty consultation for such child.

(c) At any hearing concerning a child before the court in a dependency proceeding pursuant to this article, the court shall consider the results from an independent medical evaluation or pediatric specialty consultation of such child.

(d) No adjudication hearing scheduled in accordance with Part 8 of this article shall be continued solely because the results from an independent medical evaluation or pediatric specialty consultation of the child before the court are unavailable.

## History

Code 1981, § 15-11-131.1, enacted by Ga. L. 2025, p. 453, § 3/SB 259, effective May 12, 2025.

## Editor's Notes

Ga. L. 2025, p. 453, § 1/SB 259, not codified by the General Assembly, provides: “This Act shall be known and may be cited as ‘Ridge’s Law.’”

Ga. L. 2025, p. 453, § 4/SB 259, not codified by the General Assembly, provides that this Code section shall apply to any legal action filed on or after May 12, 2025.

## Effective Date

This Code section became effective May 12, 2025. See Editor’s note for applicability.