---
title: O.C.G.A. § 36-12-2. Eligibility for benefits.
collection: code
id: 36-12-2
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 36-12-2 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/36-12-2
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/36-12-2.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/36-12-2/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t35-t36-ch1-59-(v27)-2025-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=66569db4_0#page=488
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/36-12.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/code/36-12-1.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 Session of the General Assembly of Georgia
heading_path: LOCAL GOVERNMENT / Provisions Applicable to Counties Only / SUPERVISION AND SUPPORT OF PAUPERS
---

# O.C.G.A. § 36-12-2. Eligibility for benefits.

No person who is able to maintain himself by labor or who has sufficient means shall be entitled to the benefits of the provision for the poor. In cases where women are unable to maintain themselves and the helpless children they may have, they may be aided to the extent required in the furnishing of food, clothing, or shelter.

## History

Orig. Code 1863, § 715; Code 1868, § 785; Code 1873, § 763; Code 1882, § 763; Civil Code 1895, § 438; Civil Code 1910, § 553; Code 1933, § 23-2301.

## Editor's Notes

In light of the similarity of the statutory provisions, decisions decided under former Civil Code 1910, §§ 550 and 553 are included in the annotations for this Code section.