---
title: O.C.G.A. § 17-14-5. Restitution by juvenile delinquent; retention of jurisdiction to enforce order against juvenile after attainment of age 21; transfer of enforcement jurisdiction; parent’s obligation for restitution.
collection: code
id: 17-14-5
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 17-14-5 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/17-14-5
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/17-14-5.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/17-14-5/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=1385
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.
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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 / RESTITUTION AND DISTRIBUTION OF PROFITS TO VICTIMS OF CRIMES / RESTITUTION
---

# O.C.G.A. § 17-14-5. Restitution by juvenile delinquent; retention of jurisdiction to enforce order against juvenile after attainment of age 21; transfer of enforcement jurisdiction; parent’s obligation for restitution.

(a) It is declared to be the policy of this state to recognize that restitution is consistent with the goal of rehabilitation of delinquent juveniles and to provide restitution in such cases.

(b) Notwithstanding any provision of Chapter 11 of Title 15, the juvenile courts shall order restitution in any case involving delinquent juveniles in the same manner as is authorized by this article for adult offenders.

(c) For purposes of ensuring compliance with the restitution order, the juvenile courts are authorized to retain jurisdiction over a juvenile subject to such restitution order until the juvenile reaches 21 years of age. If the juvenile court retains jurisdiction of such offender as provided in this Code section and the terms of the restitution order are not completed before the offender’s twenty-first birthday, the juvenile court shall transfer the restitution order to the superior court.

(d) As an alternative to subsection (c) of this Code section, the juvenile courts are authorized to transfer to the superior courts, and the superior courts are authorized to accept, jurisdiction over enforcement of restitution orders against juveniles who, since entry of the order, have attained 18 years of age.

(e) If the court determines that a juvenile is or will be unable to pay all of the restitution ordered, after notice to the juvenile’s parent or parents and an opportunity for the parent or parents to be heard, the court may order the parent or parents to pay any portion of the restitution ordered that is outstanding where the court or a jury finds by clear and convincing evidence that the parent or parents knew or should have known of the juvenile’s propensity to commit such acts and the acts are due to the parent’s or parents’ negligence or reckless disregard for the juvenile’s propensity to commit such acts. Upon the eighteenth birthday of the juvenile, the parental obligation to pay restitution shall be terminated.

(f) If the court orders a parent to pay restitution under subsection (e) of this Code section, the court shall take into account the considerations identified in Code Section 17-14-10. If the parent or parents are required to pay restitution under subsection (e) of this Code section, the court shall provide for payment to be made in specified installments and within a specified period of time.

## History

Code 1933, § 27-3005, enacted by Ga. L. 1980, p. 1382, § 1; Ga. L. 2005, p. 88, § 5/HB 172.

## Cross References

Disposition of delinquent or unruly child by order of juvenile court, §§ 15-11-35, 15-11-36.

## Editor's Notes

Ga. L. 2005, p. 88, § 1/HB 172, not codified by the General Assembly, provides that: ‘‘This Act shall be known and may be cited as the ‘Crime Victims Restitution Act of 2005.’’’