---
title: O.C.G.A. § 15-11-566. Dismissal order upon transfer to superior court.
collection: code
id: 15-11-566
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 15-11-566 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/15-11-566
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/15-11-566.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/15-11-566/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=1266
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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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 / TRANSFERS
---

# O.C.G.A. § 15-11-566. Dismissal order upon transfer to superior court.

(a) If the court decides to transfer a child for trial in superior court, it shall dismiss the juvenile court petition alleging delinquency for the offense or offenses being transferred, set forth the offense or offenses which are being transferred, and make the following findings of fact in its dismissal order:

(1) That the court had jurisdiction of the cause and the parties;

(2) That the child subject to transfer was represented by an attorney; and

(3) That the hearing was held in the presence of the child subject to transfer and his or her attorney.

(b) The dismissal order shall also recount the reasons underlying the decision to transfer jurisdiction.

(c) A dismissal of the petition alleging delinquency terminates the jurisdiction of the juvenile court over such child as to those offenses which are transferred. If the petition alleging delinquency alleges multiple offenses that constitute a single criminal transaction, the court shall either retain or transfer all offenses relating to a single criminal transaction.

(d) Once juvenile court jurisdiction is terminated, the superior court shall retain jurisdiction even though, thereafter, a child pleads guilty to, or is convicted of, a lesser included offense. The plea to, or conviction of, a lesser included offense shall not revest juvenile jurisdiction over such child.

(e) A copy of the petition alleging delinquency and order of dismissal shall be sent to the district attorney of the judicial circuit in which the proceeding is taking place.

(f) If the court decides not to transfer a child for trial in superior court, it shall set a date for an adjudication hearing in juvenile court on the petition alleging delinquency.

## History

Code 1981, § 15-11-566, enacted by Ga. L. 2013, p. 294, § 1-1/HB 242; Ga. L. 2014, p. 780, § 1-42/SB 364.

## Cross References

Duties of the clerk of the Juvenile Court, Uniform Rules for the Juvenile Courts of Georgia, Rule 2.2(a).

## Law Reviews

For article suggesting upward adjustment to age 15 of the age of criminal responsibility and creation of a rebuttable presumption of adult accountability for youths aged 15 to 18, 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). For article, ‘‘The Prosecuting Attorney in Georgia’s Juvenile Courts,’’ see 13 Ga. St. B. J. 27 (2008).

For comment on J.W.A. v. State, 233 Ga. 683, 212 S.E.2d 849 (1975), see 27 Mercer L. Rev. 335 (1975).