---
title: O.C.G.A. § 16-5-4. Time elapsed between injury and death.
collection: code
id: 16-5-4
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 16-5-4 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/16-5-4
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/16-5-4.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/16-5-4/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=603
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/16-5-3.1.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/code/16-5-5.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 / HOMICIDE
---

# O.C.G.A. § 16-5-4. Time elapsed between injury and death.

In order to be a homicide punishable under this article, death need not have occurred within a year and a day from the date of the injury alleged to have caused such death.

## History

Code 1981, § 16-5-4, enacted by Ga. L. 1991, p. 719, § 1.

## Editor's Notes

Ga. L. 1991, p. 719, § 2, not codified by General Assembly, provides: ‘‘It is the intent of this Act to make statutory the ruling of the Supreme Court of Georgia that the year and a day rule referred to herein is not the law of Georgia.’’