---
title: O.C.G.A. § 16-2-2. Effect of misfortune or accident on guilt.
collection: code
id: 16-2-2
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 16-2-2 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/16-2-2
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/16-2-2.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/16-2-2/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t16-ch1-6-(v14)-2019-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=af47a366_0#page=142
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/16-2.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/code/16-2-1.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: CRIMES AND OFFENSES / CRIMINAL LIABILITY / CULPABILITY
---

# O.C.G.A. § 16-2-2. Effect of misfortune or accident on guilt.

A person shall not be found guilty of any crime committed by misfortune or accident where it satisfactorily appears there was no criminal scheme or undertaking, intention, or criminal negligence.

## History

Laws 1833, Cobb’s 1851 Digest, p. 779; Code 1863, § 4198; Code 1868, § 4237; Code 1873, § 4302; Code 1882, § 4302; Penal Code 1895, § 40; Penal Code 1910, § 40; Code 1933, § 26-404; Code 1933, § 26-602, enacted by Ga. L. 1968, p. 1249, § 1.