---
title: O.C.G.A. § 19-9-23. Actions to obtain change of legal or physical custody; use of certain complaints prohibited.
collection: code
id: 19-9-23
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 19-9-23 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/19-9-23
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/19-9-23.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/19-9-23/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=1009
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/19-9.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 / CHILD CUSTODY PROCEEDINGS / CHILD CUSTODY INTRASTATE JURISDICTION ACT
---

# O.C.G.A. § 19-9-23. Actions to obtain change of legal or physical custody; use of certain complaints prohibited.

(a) A complaint seeking a change of legal custody or physical custody shall be initiated in compliance with Article VI, Section II, Paragraph VI of the Constitution of this state.

(b) No complaint specified in subsection (a) of this Code section shall be made in response to:

(1) A petition for a writ of habeas corpus seeking to enforce a child custody order; or

(2) Any other action or motion seeking to enforce a child custody order, including, but not limited to, a motion for contempt.

(c) The use of a complaint in the nature of habeas corpus seeking a change of child custody is prohibited.

(d) A party may bring a counterclaim for modification of legal custody or physical custody in response to a complaint brought under subsection (a) of this Code section.

## History

Ga. L. 1978, p. 1957, § 4; Ga. L. 1983, p. 3, § 52; Ga. L. 2019, p. 904, § 2/SB 190.

## Cross References

Power of court in proceeding on writ of habeas corpus sought on account of detention of spouse or child, § 9-14-2.

## Law Reviews

For article surveying developments in Georgia domestic relations law from mid-1980 through mid-1981, see 33 Mercer L. Rev. 109 (1981).

For annual survey of domestic relations cases, see 57 Mercer L. Rev. 173 (2005).

For annual survey on domestic relations, see 65 Mercer L. Rev. 107 (2013).

For article, “2019 Legislative Review,” see 24 Ga. St. B.J. 28 (June 2019).