---
title: O.C.G.A. § 15-12-142. Separation and confinement.
collection: code
id: 15-12-142
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 15-12-142 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/15-12-142
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/15-12-142.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/15-12-142/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=134
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
---

# O.C.G.A. § 15-12-142. Separation and confinement.

(a) At any time during the trial of a civil or criminal case, except in capital cases, either before or during jury deliberation, the judge may, in his discretion, allow the jury to be separated and the members thereof to be dispersed under appropriate instructions.

(b) Where during the trial of a civil or criminal case it is necessary to hold and confine the jury overnight under supervision of court officers, the court may, in its discretion, require or permit the segregation of the jurors according to age or sex, or both, under such circumstances as the court deems necessary and proper.

## History

Code 1933, § 59-719, enacted by Ga. L. 1955, p. 248, § 1; Code 1933, § 59-718.1, enacted by Ga. L. 1972, p. 622, § 1.

## Law Reviews

For survey of cases dealing with criminal law and criminal procedure from June 1, 1977 through May 1978, see 30 Mercer L. Rev. 27 (1978). For annual survey of death penalty decisions, see 57 Mercer L. Rev. 139 (2005); 58 Mercer L. Rev. 111 (2006).