---
title: O.C.G.A. § 36-32-9. Misdemeanor theft by shoplifting or misdemeanor refund fraud; transfer of cases; penalties; disposition of fines and bond forfeitures; reports.
collection: code
id: 36-32-9
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 36-32-9 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/36-32-9
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/36-32-9.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/36-32-9/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=596
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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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 Municipal Corporations Only / MUNICIPAL COURTS / GENERAL PROVISIONS
---

# O.C.G.A. § 36-32-9. Misdemeanor theft by shoplifting or misdemeanor refund fraud; transfer of cases; penalties; disposition of fines and bond forfeitures; reports.

(a) The municipal court is granted jurisdiction to try and dispose of cases in which a person is charged with a misdemeanor theft by shoplifting or misdemeanor refund fraud if the offense occurred within the corporate limits of the municipality. The jurisdiction of such court shall be concurrent with the jurisdiction of any other courts within the county having jurisdiction to try and dispose of such cases.

(b) Any person charged in a municipal court with misdemeanor theft by shoplifting or misdemeanor refund fraud shall be entitled upon request to have the case against him or her transferred to the court having general misdemeanor jurisdiction in the county in which the alleged offense occurred.

(c)(1) A person convicted in a municipal court of misdemeanor theft by shoplifting shall be punished as provided in paragraph (1) of subsection (b) of Code Section 16-8-14, provided that nothing in this Code section or Code Section 16-8-14 shall be construed to give any municipality the right to impose a fine or punishment by imprisonment in excess of the limits as set forth in the municipality’s charter.

(2) A person convicted in a municipal court of misdemeanor refund fraud shall be punished as provided in the misdemeanor penalties set forth in Code Section 16-8-14.1, provided that nothing in this Code section or Code Section 16-8-14.1 shall be construed to give any municipality the right to impose a fine or punishment by imprisonment in excess of the limits as set forth in the municipality’s charter.

(d) Any fines and bond forfeitures arising from the prosecution of such cases in such municipal court shall be retained by the municipality and shall be paid into the treasury of such municipality.

(e) It shall be the duty of the appropriate agencies of the municipality in which an offense under subsection (a) of this Code section is charged to make any reports to the Georgia Crime Information Center required under Article 2 of Chapter 3 of Title 35.

## History

Code 1981, § 36-32-9, enacted by Ga. L. 1987, p. 1153, § 1; Ga. L. 1998, p. 188, § 1; Ga. L. 1999, p. 831, § 1; Ga. L. 2012, p. 899, § 8-14/HB 1176; Ga. L. 2014, p. 404, § 2-3/SB 382; Ga. L. 2015, p. 693, § 3-32/HB 233.

## Code Commission Notes

Pursuant to Code Section 28-9-5, in 1987, Code Section 36-32-9, as enacted by Ga. L. 1987, p. 1462, § 1, was redesignated as Code Section 36-32-10.

## Editor's Notes

Ga. L. 2012, p. 899, § 9-1(a)/HB 1176, not codified by the General Assembly, provides: “This Act shall become effective on July 1, 2012, and shall apply to offenses which occur on or after that date. Any offense occurring before July 1, 2012, shall be governed by the statute in effect at the time of such offense and shall be considered a prior conviction for the purpose of imposing a sentence that provides for a different penalty for a subsequent conviction for the same type of offense, of whatever degree or level, pursuant to this Act.”

Ga. L. 2014, p. 404, § 3-1/SB 382, not codified by the General Assembly, provides: “This Act shall become effective on July 1, 2014, and shall apply to all conduct occurring on or after such date.”

Ga. L. 2015, p. 693, § 4-1/HB 233, not codified by the General Assembly, provides: “This Act shall become effective on July 1, 2015, and shall apply to seizures of property for forfeiture that occur on or after that date. Any such seizure that occurs before July 1, 2015, shall be governed by the statute in effect at the time of such seizure.”

## Law Reviews

For article on the 2012 amendment of this Code section, see 29 Ga. St. U.L. Rev. 290 (2012).

For article on the 2015 amendment of this Code section, see 32 Ga. St. U.L. Rev. 1 (2015).