---
title: O.C.G.A. § 17-20-1. Definitions.
collection: code
id: 17-20-1
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 17-20-1 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/17-20-1
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/17-20-1.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/17-20-1/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=1565
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/17-20.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: CRIMINAL PROCEDURE / IDENTIFICATION PROCEDURES FOR LIVE LINEUPS, PHOTO LINEUPS, AND SHOWUPS
---

# O.C.G.A. § 17-20-1. Definitions.

As used in this chapter, the term:

(1) ‘‘Fillers’’ means individuals who are not suspects.

(2) ‘‘Law enforcement agency’’ means a governmental unit of one or more individuals employed full time or part time by the state, a state agency or department, or a political subdivision which performs as its principal function activities relating to preventing and detecting crime and enforcing state laws or local ordinances, employees of which unit are authorized to make arrests for crimes while acting within the scope of their authority.

(3) ‘‘Live lineup’’ means an identification procedure in which a suspect and fillers are displayed in person to a witness.

(4) ‘‘Photo lineup’’ means an identification procedure in which a photograph of a suspect and photographs of fillers are displayed to a witness, either in hard copy form or via computer.

(5) ‘‘Showup’’ means an identification procedure in which a witness is presented with a single individual.

(6) ‘‘Suspect’’ means the individual believed by law enforcement to be the possible perpetrator of an alleged crime.

(7) ‘‘Witness’’ means an individual who observes an alleged crime.

## History

Code 1981, § 17-20-1, enacted by Ga. L. 2015, p. 1046, § 4/SB 94.

## Law Reviews

For article on the 2015 enactment of this chapter, see 32 Ga. St. U.L. Rev. 79 (2015). For annual survey on criminal law, see 68 Mercer L. Rev. 93 (2016).