---
title: O.C.G.A. § 24-13-96. Exemption of witnesses from arrest and service of process.
collection: code
id: 24-13-96
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 24-13-96 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/24-13-96
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/24-13-96.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/24-13-96/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t24-ch8-14-(v20a)-2023-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=560fbfc0_0#page=535
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/24-13.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/code/24-13-95.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: EVIDENCE / SECURING ATTENDANCE OF WITNESSES AND PRODUCTION AND PRESERVATION OF EVIDENCE / UNIFORM ACT TO SECURE THE ATTENDANCE OF WITNESSES FROM WITHOUT THE STATE
---

# O.C.G.A. § 24-13-96. Exemption of witnesses from arrest and service of process.

(a) If a person comes into this state in obedience to a summons directing him or her to attend and testify in this state, such person shall not, while in this state pursuant to such summons, be subject to arrest or the service of process, civil or criminal, in connection with matters which arose before such person’s entrance into this state under the summons.

(b) If a person passes through this state while going to another state in obedience to a summons to attend and testify in that state or while returning therefrom, he or she shall not while so passing through this state be subject to arrest or the service of process, civil or criminal, in connection with matters which arose before such person’s entrance into this state under the summons.

## History

Code 1981, § 24-13-96, enacted by Ga. L. 2011, p. 99, § 2/HB 24; Ga. L. 2023, p. 730, § 3(1)/HB 475, effective July 1, 2023.

The 2023 amendment, effective July 1, 2023, part of an Act to revise, modernize, and correct the Code, revised punctuation in subsection (a).

## Cross References

Exercise of personal jurisdiction over nonresidents generally, § 9-10-90 et seq.