---
title: O.C.G.A. § 15-11-285. Sanctions for failure to obey summons.
collection: code
id: 15-11-285
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 15-11-285 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/15-11-285
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/15-11-285.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/15-11-285/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=993
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
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/code/15-11-284.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/code/15-11-300.md
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 / PETITION AND SUMMONS
---

# O.C.G.A. § 15-11-285. Sanctions for failure to obey summons.

(a) If any person named in and properly served with a summons shall without reasonable cause fail to appear or, when directed in the summons, to bring the child named in the petition pursuant to this article before the court, then the court may issue a rule nisi against the person, directing the person to appear before the court to show cause why he or she should not be held in contempt of court.

(b) If a summons cannot be served or if the person to whom the summons is directed fails to obey it, the court may issue an order to take the child named in the petition pursuant to this article into protective custody.

## History

Code 1981, § 15-11-285, enacted by Ga. L. 2013, p. 294, § 1-1/HB 242.