---
title: O.C.G.A. § 24-5-502. Communications to clergy privileged.
collection: code
id: 24-5-502
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 24-5-502 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/24-5-502
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/24-5-502.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/24-5-502/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t24-ch1-7-(v20)-2023-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=27d520aa_0#page=375
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/24-5.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/code/24-5-501.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 / PRIVILEGES
---

# O.C.G.A. § 24-5-502. Communications to clergy privileged.

Every communication made by any person professing religious faith, seeking spiritual comfort, or seeking counseling to any Protestant minister of the Gospel, any priest of the Roman Catholic faith, any priest of the Greek Orthodox Catholic faith, any Jewish rabbi, or any Christian or Jewish minister or similar functionary, by whatever name called, shall be deemed privileged. No such minister, priest, rabbi, or similar functionary shall disclose any communications made to him or her by any such person professing religious faith, seeking spiritual guidance, or seeking counseling, nor shall such minister, priest, rabbi, or similar functionary be competent or compellable to testify with reference to any such communication in any court.

## History

Code 1981, § 24-5-502, enacted by Ga. L. 2011, p. 99, § 2/HB 24.

## Law Reviews

For note discussing confidential communication privileges in Georgia, see 2 Ga. St. B.J. 356 (1966).

For comment, “The Psychotherapist-Client Testimonial Privilege: Defining the Professional Involved,” see 34 Emory L.J. 777 (1985).

For note, “Mandatory Child Abuse Reporting Laws in Georgia: Strengthening Protection for Georgia’s Children,” see 31 Ga. St. U.L. Rev. 643 (2015).

For comment, “Mandatory Child Abuse Reporting Laws in Georgia: Strengthening Protection for Georgia’s Children,” see 31 Ga. St. U.L. Rev. 643 (2015).

For annual survey on domestic relations, see 69 Mercer L. Rev. 83 (2017).