---
title: O.C.G.A. § 17-8-56. Writing out and reading of charge to jury; filing of charge; furnishing of copies of charge.
collection: code
id: 17-8-56
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 17-8-56 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/17-8-56
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/17-8-56.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/17-8-56/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=801
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
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publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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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. § 17-8-56. Writing out and reading of charge to jury; filing of charge; furnishing of copies of charge.

(a) The judges of the superior, state, and city courts shall, when the counsel for either party requests it before argument begins, write out their charges and read them to the jury; and it shall be error to give any other or additional charge than that so written and read.

(b) The charge so written out and read shall be filed with the clerk of the court in which it was given and shall be accessible to all persons interested in it. The clerk shall give certified copies of the charge to any person applying therefor, upon payment of the usual fee.

(c) This Code section shall not apply when there is an official stenographer or reporter of the court in attendance thereon who takes down in shorthand and writes out the full charge of the trial judge in the case upon the direction of court.

## History

Ga. L. 1860, p. 42, §§ 1, 2; Code 1863, §§ 240, 241; Code 1868, §§ 234, 235; Code 1873, §§ 244, 245; Ga. L. 1877, p. 13, § 1; Ga. L. 1878-79, p. 150, § 1; Code 1882, §§ 244, 245; Civil Code 1895, §§ 4318, 4319; Penal Code 1895, §§ 1030, 1031; Ga. L. 1897, p. 41, § 1; Civil Code 1910, §§ 4847, 4848; Penal Code 1910, §§ 1056, 1057; Code 1933, §§ 81-1102, 81-1103; Ga. L. 1943, p. 262, § 1; Ga. L. 1983, p. 884, § 3-21; Code 1981, § 17-8-56, as redesignated by Ga. L. 1985, p. 1190, § 1.

## Cross References

Corresponding provision relating to civil procedure, § 9-10-5.

## Editor's Notes

Former Code Section 17-8-54 was redesignated as this Code section by Ga. L. 1985, p. 1190, § 1.