---
title: O.C.G.A. § 15-11-475. Right to attorney; waiver.
collection: code
id: 15-11-475
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 15-11-475 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/15-11-475
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/15-11-475.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/15-11-475/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=1178
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/15-11-474.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 / DELINQUENCY / GENERAL PROVISIONS
---

# O.C.G.A. § 15-11-475. Right to attorney; waiver.

(a) An alleged delinquent child shall have the right to be represented by an attorney at all proceedings under this article.

(b) A parent, guardian, or legal custodian of an alleged delinquent child shall not waive his or her child’s right to be represented by an attorney.

(c) An alleged delinquent child may waive the right to an attorney under limited circumstances as set forth in subsection (b) of Code Section 15-11-511, but if a child’s liberty is in jeopardy, he or she shall be represented by an attorney.

(d) Upon a motion by an attorney for an alleged delinquent child, together with written permission of such child, a judge shall issue an order providing that such child’s attorney shall have access to all dependency, school, hospital, physician, or other health or mental health care records relating for such child.

## History

Code 1981, § 15-11-475, enacted by Ga. L. 2013, p. 294, § 1-1/HB 242.

## Cross References

Cases in which public defender representation required; timing of representation; juvenile divisions; contract with local governments, O.C.G.A. § 17-12-32.

## Law Reviews

For article, ‘‘Georgia’s Juvenile Code: New Law for the New Year,’’ see 19 Ga. St. B. J. 13 (Dec. 2013).