---
title: O.C.G.A. § 19-6-9. Voluntary separation, abandonment, or driving off of spouse — Equity may compel support.
collection: code
id: 19-6-9
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 19-6-9 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/19-6-9
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/19-6-9.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/19-6-9/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t18-t19-(v16)-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=d30bd29e_0#page=15
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/19-6.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 / ALIMONY AND CHILD SUPPORT / GENERAL PROVISIONS
---

# O.C.G.A. § 19-6-9. Voluntary separation, abandonment, or driving off of spouse — Equity may compel support.

Absent the making of a voluntary contract or other agreement, as provided in Code Section 19-6-8, and on the application of a party, the court, exercising its equitable powers, may compel the spouse of the party to make provision for the support of the party and such minor children and any dependent adult child as defined in Code Section 19-6-15.1 in the custody of the party.

## History

Orig. Code 1863, § 1695; Code 1868, § 1738; Code 1873, § 1746; Code 1882, § 1746; Civil Code 1895, § 2466; Civil Code 1910, § 2985; Code 1933, § 30-212; Ga. L. 1979, p. 466, § 17; Ga. L. 2024, p. 388, § 1/HB 499, effective July 1, 2024; Ga. L. 2025, p. 1029, § 19(1)/SB 153, effective July 1, 2025.

## Editor's Notes

Ga. L. 2024, p. 388, § 6/HB 499, not codified by the General Assembly, makes this Code section applicable to all causes of action accruing on or after July 1, 2024.

## Amendments

The 2024 amendment, effective July 1, 2024, inserted “and any dependent adult child as defined in Code Section 19-6-15.1 and” near the end of this Code section. See Editor’s notes for applicability.

The 2025 amendment, effective July 1, 2025, part of an Act to revise, modernize, and correct the Code, deleted “and as may be” following “Code Section 19-6-15.1” at the end of this Code section.