---
title: O.C.G.A. § 17-8-54. Persons in courtroom when person under age of 16 testifies concerning sexual offense.
collection: code
id: 17-8-54
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 17-8-54 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/17-8-54
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/17-8-54.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/17-8-54/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=795
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/17-8.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/code/17-8-53.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/code/17-8-55.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 / TRIAL / CONDUCT OF PROCEEDINGS
---

# O.C.G.A. § 17-8-54. Persons in courtroom when person under age of 16 testifies concerning sexual offense.

In the trial of any criminal case, when any person under the age of 16 is testifying concerning any sexual offense, the court shall clear the courtroom of all persons except parties to the cause and their immediate families or guardians, attorneys and their secretaries, officers of the court, victim assistance coordinators, victims’ advocates, and such other victim assistance personnel as provided for by Code Section 15-18-14.2, jurors, newspaper reporters or broadcasters, and court reporters.

## History

Code 1981, § 17-8-54, enacted by Ga. L. 1985, p. 1190, § 1; Ga. L. 2013, p. 891, § 1/HB 480.

## Editor's Notes

Former Code Section 17-8-54, which related to writing out and reading of the charge to the jury, was redesignated as Code Section 17-8-56 by Ga. L. 1985, p. 1190, § 1.