---
title: O.C.G.A. § 17-9-20. Action by juror on private knowledge as to facts, witnesses, or parties.
collection: code
id: 17-9-20
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 17-9-20 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/17-9-20
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/17-9-20.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/17-9-20/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=984
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
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current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: CRIMINAL PROCEDURE / VERDICT AND JUDGMENT GENERALLY / RENDITION AND RECEIPT OF VERDICT
---

# O.C.G.A. § 17-9-20. Action by juror on private knowledge as to facts, witnesses, or parties.

A juror shall not act on his or her private knowledge respecting the facts, witnesses, or parties.

## History

Civil Code 1895, § 5337; Civil Code 1910, § 5932; Code 1933, § 110-108; Ga. L. 2011, p. 99, § 32/HB 24.

## Cross References

Juror as witness, § 24-6-606.

## Editor's Notes

Ga. L. 2011, p. 99, § 101/HB 24, not codified by the General Assembly, provides that this Act shall apply to any motion made or hearing or trial commenced on or after January 1, 2013.

## Law Reviews

For article discussing swearing a juror as a witness, see 11 Ga. B.J. 321 (1949). For article, ‘‘Evidence,’’ see 27 Ga. St. U.L. Rev. 1 (2011). For article on the 2011 amendment of this Code section, see 28 Ga. St. U.L. Rev. 1 (2011).

For comment on Tumlin v. State, 88 Ga. App. 713, 77 S.E.2d 555 (1953), holding that a juror is competent to testify in a felony case against the accused and defendant is not deprived of right to fair trial, see 16 Ga. B.J. 346 (1954).

## History of Code Section.

This Code section is derived from the decisions in Chattanooga, R. & C. Ry. Co. v. Owen, 90 Ga. 265, 15 S.E. 853 (1892) and Pettyjohn v. Liebscher, 92 Ga. 154, 17 S.E. 1007 (1893).