---
title: O.C.G.A. § 16-5-25. Opprobrious or abusive language as justification for simple assault or simple battery.
collection: code
id: 16-5-25
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 16-5-25 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/16-5-25
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/16-5-25.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/16-5-25/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=848
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/16-5-24.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/code/16-5-26.md
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 / ASSAULT AND BATTERY
---

# O.C.G.A. § 16-5-25. Opprobrious or abusive language as justification for simple assault or simple battery.

A person charged with the offense of simple assault or simple battery may introduce in evidence any opprobrious or abusive language used by the person against whom force was threatened or used; and the trier of facts may, in its discretion, find that the words used were justification for simple assault or simple battery.

## History

Laws 1833, Cobb’s 1851 Digest, p. 786; Code 1863, § 4576; Code 1868, § 4597; Code 1873, § 4694; Code 1882, § 4694; Penal Code 1895, § 103; Penal Code 1910, § 103; Code 1933, § 26-1409; Code 1933, § 26-1306, enacted by Ga. L. 1968, p. 1249, § 1.