---
title: O.C.G.A. § 31-5-5. Classification of confidential and privileged materials.
collection: code
id: 31-5-5
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 31-5-5 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/31-5-5
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/31-5-5.md
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source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t31-(v23)-2025-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=da7ded69_0#page=170
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.
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current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Session of the General Assembly of Georgia
heading_path: HEALTH / ADMINISTRATION AND ENFORCEMENT / GENERAL PROVISIONS
---

# O.C.G.A. § 31-5-5. Classification of confidential and privileged materials.

The department and county boards of health are authorized by regulation to classify as confidential and privileged documents, reports and other information and data obtained by them from persons, firms, corporations, municipalities, counties, and other public authorities and political subdivisions, where such matters relate to secret processes, formulas, and methods or where such matters were obtained or furnished on a confidential basis. All matters so classified shall not be subject to public inspection or discovery and shall not be subject to production or disclosure in any court of law or elsewhere until and unless the judge of the court of competent jurisdiction, after in camera inspection, determines that the public interest requires such production and disclosure or that such production and disclosure may be necessary in the interests of justice.

## History

Code 1933, § 88-306, enacted by Ga. L. 1964, p. 499, § 1; Ga. L. 2011, p. 99, § 42/HB 24.

## Editor's Notes

Ga. L. 2011, p. 99, § 101/HB 24, not codified by the General Assembly, provides that this Act shall apply to any motion made or hearing or trial commenced on or after January 1, 2013.

## Law Reviews

For article, “Evidence,” see 27 Ga. St. U.L. Rev. 1 (2011).

For article on the 2011 amendment of this Code section, see 28 Ga. St. U.L. Rev. 1 (2011).