---
title: O.C.G.A. § 15-12-140. Oath of bailiffs.
collection: code
id: 15-12-140
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 15-12-140 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/15-12-140
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/15-12-140.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/15-12-140/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t15-ch12-24-(v13a)-2015-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=cbb30143_0#page=131
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 / JURIES / TRIAL JURIES / IN GENERAL
extraction_warnings:
  - indent_level_unclear:p131
---

# O.C.G.A. § 15-12-140. Oath of bailiffs.

The following oath shall be administered to all bailiffs on duty in any court in this state conducting a jury trial:

‘‘You shall take all juries committed to your charge to the jury room or some other private and convenient place designated by the court and you shall not allow the jurors to receive any books, papers, nourishment, or hydration other than water, or to use any electronic communication device except as directed and approved by the court. You shall make no communication with the jurors nor permit anyone to communicate with the jurors except as specifically authorized by the court. You shall discharge all other duties which may devolve upon you as bailiff to the best of your skill and power. So help you God.’’

## History

Laws 1831, Cobb’s 1851 Digest, pp. 553, 554; Code 1863, § 5106; Code 1868, § 3857; Code 1873, § 3929; Code 1882, § 3929; Ga. L. 1887, p. 33, § 1; Civil Code 1895, § 4449; Penal Code 1895, § 878; Civil Code 1910, § 4990; Penal Code 1910, § 883; Code 1933, §§ 24-3201, 59-717; Ga. L. 2013, p. 775, § 1/HB 161.

## Cross References

Selection of bailiffs by sheriff, § 15-6-35.

## Other Notes

The 2013 amendment, effective July 1, 2013, rewrote this Code section.