---
title: O.C.G.A. § 19-13-1. “Family violence” defined.
collection: code
id: 19-13-1
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 19-13-1 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/19-13-1
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/19-13-1.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/19-13-1/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=1277
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/19-13.md
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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 / FAMILY VIOLENCE / GRANTING OF RELIEF BY SUPERIOR COURTS
---

# O.C.G.A. § 19-13-1. “Family violence” defined.

As used in this article, the term “family violence” means the occurrence of one or more of the following acts between past or present spouses, persons who are parents of the same child, parents and children, stepparents and stepchildren, foster parents and foster children, or other persons living or formerly living in the same household:

(1) Any felony; or

(2) Commission of offenses of battery, simple battery, simple assault, assault, stalking, criminal damage to property, unlawful restraint, or criminal trespass.

The term “family violence” shall not be deemed to include reasonable discipline administered by a parent to a child in the form of corporal punishment, restraint, or detention.

## History

Ga. L. 1981, p. 880, § 1; Ga. L. 1988, p. 1251, § 2; Ga. L. 1992, p. 1266, § 3; Ga. L. 1993, p. 1534, § 3.

## Law Reviews

For article citing developments in Georgia juvenile court practice and procedure from mid-1980 through mid-1981, see 33 Mercer L. Rev. 167 (1981).

For article, “Gender and Justice in the Courts: A Report to the Supreme Court of Georgia by the Commission on Gender Bias in the Judicial System,” see 8 Ga. St. U.L. Rev. 539 (1992).

For note on 1993 amendment of this Code section, see 10 Ga. St. U.L. Rev. 95 (1993).

For review of 1996 family violence legislation, see 13 Ga. St. U.L. Rev. 101 (1996).

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).

For annual survey of domestic relations law, see 58 Mercer L. Rev. 133 (2006).

For comment, “The Abuse of Animals as a Method of Domestic Violence: The Need for Criminalization,” see 63 Emory L.J. 1163 (2014).

For article, “Polygyny and Violence Against Women,” see 64 Emory L.J. 1767 (2015).

For article, “SB 174: Revising Georgia’s List of Bail Restricted Offenses,” see 38 Ga. St. U.L. Rev. 41 (2021).