---
title: O.C.G.A. § 17-12-52. Recovery of payment or reimbursement by a county or municipality.
collection: code
id: 17-12-52
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 17-12-52 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/17-12-52
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/17-12-52.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/17-12-52/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t17-(v15)-2020-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=8c04ccfe_0#page=1336
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/17-12.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/code/17-12-51.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/code/17-12-80.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: CRIMINAL PROCEDURE / LEGAL DEFENSE FOR INDIGENTS / RECOVERY OF ATTORNEY’S FEES AND COSTS
---

# O.C.G.A. § 17-12-52. Recovery of payment or reimbursement by a county or municipality.

(a) A county or municipality may recover payment or reimbursement from a person who has received legal assistance from a public defender paid in part or in whole by the county or municipality:

(1) If the person was not eligible to receive such legal assistance; or

(2) If the person has been ordered to pay for the legal representation and other expenses of the defense pursuant to Code Section 17-12-51 and has not paid for the legal services.

(b) An action shall be brought within four years after the date on which the legal services were received.

(c) In determining the amount of the payment imposed under this Code section, the court shall consider the factors set forth in Code Section 17-14-10. The public defender may provide the court with an estimate of the cost for providing to the defendant the legal representation and other expenses of the defense.

(d) This Code section shall not apply to proceedings involving a child pursuant to Chapter 11 of Title 15, relating to juvenile proceedings.

## History

Code 1981, § 17-12-52, enacted by Ga. L. 2006, p. 710, § 6/SB 203.