---
title: O.C.G.A. § 16-5-103. Exceptions to criminal liability.
collection: code
id: 16-5-103
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 16-5-103 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/16-5-103
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/16-5-103.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/16-5-103/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=1042
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/16-5.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/code/16-5-102.1.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 / CRIMES AGAINST THE PERSON / PROTECTION OF ELDER PERSONS
---

# O.C.G.A. § 16-5-103. Exceptions to criminal liability.

(a) An owner, officer, administrator, board member, employee, or agent of a long-term care facility shall not be held criminally liable for the actions of another person who is convicted pursuant to this article unless such owner, officer, administrator, board member, employee, or agent was a knowing and willful party to or conspirator to the abuse or neglect, as defined in Code Section 30-5-3, or exploitation of a disabled adult, elder person, or resident.

(b) A violation of this article shall not give rise to a private cause of action or civil remedies under subsection (b) or (c) of Code Section 16-14-6 against a long-term care facility or any owner, officer, employee, operator, or manager of such facility. Nothing in this subsection shall limit the criminal or civil remedies available to the state pursuant to state law.

## History

Code 1981, § 16-5-103, enacted by Ga. L. 2013, p. 524, § 1-1/HB 78; Ga. L. 2015, p. 598, § 1-2/HB 72.

## Law Reviews

For article on the 2015 amendment of this Code section, see 32 Ga. St. U. L. Rev. 63 (2015).