---
title: O.C.G.A. § 15-11-281. Issuance of summons.
collection: code
id: 15-11-281
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 15-11-281 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/15-11-281
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/15-11-281.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/15-11-281/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=979
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 / TERMINATION OF PARENTAL RIGHTS / PETITION AND SUMMONS
---

# O.C.G.A. § 15-11-281. Issuance of summons.

(a) The court shall direct the issuance of a summons to the mother, legal father or biological father, guardian, legal custodian, attorney, and guardian ad litem, if any, of the child named in the petition to terminate parental rights and any other persons who appear to the court to be proper or necessary parties to the proceeding, requiring them to appear before the court at the time fixed to answer the allegations of the petition. A copy of such petition shall accompany the summons unless the summons is served by publication, in which case the published summons shall indicate the general nature of the allegations and where a copy of such petition can be obtained.

(b) The court shall direct notice and a copy of the petition be provided to the child named in the petition if the child is 14 years of age or older.

(c) The summons shall include the notice of effect of a termination judgment as set forth in Code Section 15-11-284 and shall state that a party is entitled to an attorney in the proceedings and that the court will appoint an attorney if the party is an indigent person.

(d) The court may endorse upon the summons an order directing the parent, guardian, or legal custodian of the child named in the petition to appear personally at the hearing or directing the person having the physical custody or control of such child to bring such child to the hearing.

(e) A party other than the child named in the petition may waive service of summons by written stipulation or by voluntary appearance at the hearing.

## History

Code 1981, § 15-11-281, enacted by Ga. L. 2013, p. 294, § 1-1/HB 242.

## Cross References

Amendment to Juvenile Court petition, Uniform Rules for the Juvenile Courts of Georgia, Rule 6.6. Continuance of adjudicatory hearing in Juvenile Court, Uniform Rules for the Juvenile Courts of Georgia, Rule 11.3.

## Law Reviews

For article discussing due process in juvenile court procedures in California and Georgia, in light of In re Gault, 387 U.S. 1, 87 S. Ct. 1428, 18 L. Ed. 2d 527 (1967), see 8 Ga. St. B. J. 9 (1971).