---
title: O.C.G.A. § 19-11-13. Determination of paternity; acknowledgment under oath; legal proceedings.
collection: code
id: 19-11-13
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 19-11-13 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/19-11-13
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/19-11-13.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/19-11-13/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t18-t19-(v16)-2022-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=b0848ebd_0#page=1150
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/19-11.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/code/19-11-12.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/code/19-11-14.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: DOMESTIC RELATIONS / ENFORCEMENT OF DUTY OF SUPPORT / CHILD SUPPORT RECOVERY ACT
---

# O.C.G.A. § 19-11-13. Determination of paternity; acknowledgment under oath; legal proceedings.

Whenever the department receives an application for services under this article on behalf of a child born out of wedlock and the child’s mother identifies in writing the putative father of the child, the department may make an investigation of the surrounding circumstances and may request that the putative father acknowledge paternity under oath. If the department is unable to secure such an acknowledgment, the department may initiate legal proceedings to establish the paternity of the child, unless the department determines, in accordance with standards prescribed pursuant to the federal Social Security Act, that it is against the best interests of the child to do so.

## History

Ga. L. 1976, p. 1537, § 3.

## Cross References

Proceedings to determine paternity, § 19-7-40 et seq.

## Law Reviews

For survey article on domestic relations cases for the period from June 1, 2002 through May 31, 2003, see 55 Mercer L. Rev. 223 (2003).

## U.s. Code.

The federal Social Security Act, referred to in this Code section, is codified at 42 U.S.C. § 301.