---
title: O.C.G.A. § 29-9-16. Compensation for tasks performed and expenses relating to examination or attendance at hearing.
collection: code
id: 29-9-16
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 29-9-16 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/29-9-16
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/29-9-16.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/29-9-16/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t27-t30-(v22)-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=3d92bb7f_0#page=242
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/29-9.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/code/29-9-15.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/code/29-9-17.md
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: GUARDIAN AND WARD / COURT PROCEEDINGS
---

# O.C.G.A. § 29-9-16. Compensation for tasks performed and expenses relating to examination or attendance at hearing.

(a) For the evaluation or examination required by subsection (d) of Code Section 29-4-11, subsection (c) of Code Section 29-4-15, subsection (b) of Code Section 29-4-42, subsection (d) of Code Section 29-5-11, subsection (c) of Code Section 29-5-15, or subsection (b) of Code Section 29-5-71, the evaluating physician, psychologist, physician assistant, nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist in psychiatric/mental health, professional counselor, or licensed clinical social worker shall receive a reasonable fee commensurate with the task performed, plus actual expenses.

(b) In the event the attendance of the evaluating physician, psychologist, physician assistant, nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist in psychiatric/mental health, professional counselor, or licensed clinical social worker shall be required by the court for a hearing under subsection (d) of Code Section 29-4-12, subsection (a) of Code Section 29-4-16, subsection (b) of Code Section 29-4-42, subsection (d) of Code Section 29-5-12, subsection (a) of Code Section 29-5-16, or subsection (b) of Code Section 29-5-71, other than pursuant to a subpoena requested by a party to the proceeding, the evaluating physician, psychologist, physician assistant, nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist in psychiatric/mental health, professional counselor, or licensed clinical social worker shall receive a reasonable fee commensurate with the task performed, plus actual expenses.

(c) All fees and expenses payable under subsection (a) or (b) of this Code section shall be assessed by the court and paid in accordance with the provisions of Code Section 29-9-3.

## History

Code 1981, § 29-9-16, enacted by Ga. L. 2004, p. 161, § 1; Ga. L. 2019, p. 693, § 30/HB 70; Ga. L. 2025, p. 402, § 23/HB 36, effective July 1, 2025.

## Law Reviews

For annual survey on wills, trusts, guardianships, and fiduciary administration, see 71 Mercer L. Rev. 327 (2019).

## Amendments

The 2019 amendment, effective January 1, 2020, substituted the present provisions of this Code section for the former provisions, which read: “For the evaluation or examination required by subsection (d) of Code Section 29-4-11 or subsection (d) of Code Section 29-5-11, the evaluating physician, psychologist, or licensed clinical social worker shall receive a reasonable fee commensurate with the task performed, plus actual expenses. For the hearing under subsection (d) of Code Section 29-4-12 or subsection (d) of Code Section 29-5-12, the evaluating physician, psychologist, or licensed clinical social worker shall receive an amount not to exceed $75.00 plus actual expenses.”

The 2025 amendment, effective July 1, 2025, substituted “psychologist, physician assistant, nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist in psychiatric/mental health, professional counselor, or” for “psychologist, or” once in subsection (a) and twice in subsection (b).