---
title: O.C.G.A. § 40-13-33. Limitation on habeas corpus challenge of misdemeanor traffic conviction.
collection: code
id: 40-13-33
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 40-13-33 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/40-13-33
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/40-13-33.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/40-13-33/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t40-ch6-16-(v29)-2018-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=97c394d6_0#page=648
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/40-13.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/code/40-13-32.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/code/40-13-50.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: MOTOR VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC / PROSECUTION OF TRAFFIC OFFENSES / ARRESTS, TRIALS, AND APPEALS
---

# O.C.G.A. § 40-13-33. Limitation on habeas corpus challenge of misdemeanor traffic conviction.

(a) Any challenge to a misdemeanor conviction of any of the traffic laws of this state or the traffic laws of any county or municipal government which may be brought pursuant to Chapter 14 of Title 9 must be filed within 180 days of the date the conviction becomes final.

(b) Any challenge to a conviction specified in subsection (a) of this Code section which became final before March 28, 1986, must be filed within 180 days following March 28, 1986.

(c) When the commissioner of driver services is named as the respondent, all such petitions must be brought in the Superior Court of Fulton County.

(d) Failure to file the challenge within the time prescribed in this Code section shall divest the court of jurisdiction.

## History

Code 1981, § 40-13-33, enacted by Ga. L. 1986, p. 444, § 1; Ga. L. 1992, p. 2785, § 29; Ga. L. 2000, p. 951, § 7A-3; Ga. L. 2005, p. 334, § 22-4/HB 501.

## Code Commission Notes

Pursuant to Code Section 28-9-5, in 1987, ‘‘March 28, 1986’’ and ‘‘following March 28, 1986’’ were substituted for ‘‘the effective date of this Code section’’ and ‘‘of the effective date of this Code section’’, respectively, in subsection (b).