---
title: O.C.G.A. § 38-3-60. Definitions.
collection: code
id: 38-3-60
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 38-3-60 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/38-3-60
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/38-3-60.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/38-3-60/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t37-t39-(v28)-2021-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=c6b9c518_0#page=580
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
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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 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: MILITARY, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, AND VETERANS AFFAIRS / EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT / EMERGENCY POWERS / JUDICIAL EMERGENCY
---

# O.C.G.A. § 38-3-60. Definitions.

As used in this part, the term:

(1) ‘‘Authorized judicial official’’ means any of the following officials when acting with regard to his or her respective jurisdiction:

(A) The Chief Justice of the Georgia Supreme Court;

(B) A chief judge of a Georgia superior court judicial circuit; or

(C) The replacement for or successor to any of the officials set forth in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of this paragraph, as determined by the applicable rules of incapacitation and succession, should such official become incapacitated or otherwise unable to act.

(2) ‘‘Judicial emergency’’ means:

(A) A state of emergency declared by the Governor under Part 1 of this article;

(B) A public health emergency under Code Section 31-12-1.1;

(C) A local emergency under Code Section 36-69-2; or

(D) Such other serious emergency

when, as determined by an authorized judicial official, the emergency substantially endangers or infringes upon the normal functioning of the judicial system, the ability of persons to avail themselves of the judicial system, or the ability of litigants or others to have access to the courts or to meet schedules or time deadlines imposed by court order or rule, statute, or administrative rule or regulation.

## History

Code 1981, § 38-3-60, enacted by Ga. L. 2004, p. 420, § 3; Ga. L. 2011, p. 701, § 2/HB 339.

## Cross References

Provision of legal services following determination of major disaster, Sup. Ct. R. 121.