---
title: O.C.G.A. § 15-11-270. Venue.
collection: code
id: 15-11-270
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 15-11-270 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/15-11-270
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/15-11-270.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/15-11-270/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t15-ch1-11a-(v13)-2020-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=d8a8826c_0#page=973
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.
up: https://georgiacommons.org/code/15-11.md
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index: https://georgiacommons.org/code/index.md
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 / TERMINATION OF PARENTAL RIGHTS / VENUE FOR PETITION TO TERMINATE PARENTAL RIGHTS
---

# O.C.G.A. § 15-11-270. Venue.

(a) A proceeding under this article shall be commenced:

(1) In the county that has jurisdiction over related dependency proceedings;

(2) In the county in which a child legally resides;

(3) In the county in which a child is present when the termination proceeding is commenced if such child is present without his or her parent, guardian, or legal custodian; or

(4) In the county where the acts underlying the petition to terminate parental rights are alleged to have occurred.

(b) For the convenience of the parties, the court may transfer proceedings to the county in which the parent of a child adjudicated as a dependent child legally resides. If a proceeding is transferred, certified copies of all legal and social documents and records pertaining to the proceeding on file with the clerk of court shall accompany the transfer.

## History

Code 1981, § 15-11-270, enacted by Ga. L. 2013, p. 294, § 1-1/HB 242; Ga. L. 2014, p. 780, § 1-18/SB 364.

## Law Reviews

For article discussing venue problems in juvenile court practice and suggesting solutions, see 23 Mercer L. Rev. 341 (1972). For article, ‘‘An Outline of Juvenile Court Jurisdiction with Focus on Child Custody,’’ see 10 Ga. St. B. J. 275 (1973).