---
title: O.C.G.A. § 15-11-500. Order to take child into immediate custody.
collection: code
id: 15-11-500
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 15-11-500 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/15-11-500
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/15-11-500.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/15-11-500/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=1193
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/15-11-490.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/code/15-11-501.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 / DELINQUENCY / CUSTODY AND RELEASE OF CHILD
---

# O.C.G.A. § 15-11-500. Order to take child into immediate custody.

If it appears from a filed affidavit or from sworn testimony before the court that the conduct, condition, or surroundings of an alleged delinquent child are endangering such child’s health or welfare or those of others or that such child may abscond or be removed from the jurisdiction of the court or will not be brought before the court, notwithstanding the service of the summons, the court may endorse upon the summons an order that a law enforcement officer shall serve the summons and take such child into immediate custody and bring him or her forthwith before the court.

## History

Code 1981, § 15-11-500, 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).