---
title: O.C.G.A. § 17-8-58. Objections to jury charges prior to the jury retiring to deliberate; failure to raise objections.
collection: code
id: 17-8-58
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 17-8-58 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/17-8-58
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/17-8-58.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/17-8-58/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=862
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/17-8-57.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/code/17-8-70.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. § 17-8-58. Objections to jury charges prior to the jury retiring to deliberate; failure to raise objections.

(a) Any party who objects to any portion of the charge to the jury or the failure to charge the jury shall inform the court of the specific objection and the grounds for such objection before the jury retires to deliberate. Such objections shall be done outside of the jury’s hearing and presence.

(b) Failure to object in accordance with subsection (a) of this Code section shall preclude appellate review of such portion of the jury charge, unless such portion of the jury charge constitutes plain error which affects substantial rights of the parties. Such plain error may be considered on appeal even if it was not brought to the court’s attention as provided in subsection (a) of this Code section.

## History

Code 1981, § 17-8-58, enacted by Ga. L. 2007, p. 595, § 1/HB 197.

## Editor's Notes

Ga. L. 2007, p. 595, § 5/HB 197, not codified by the General Assembly, provides that this Code section shall apply to all trials which occur on or after July 1, 2007.

## Law Reviews

For annual survey on criminal law, see 64 Mercer L. Rev. 83 (2012).