---
title: O.C.G.A. § 42-4-70. Definitions.
collection: code
id: 42-4-70
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 42-4-70 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/42-4-70
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/42-4-70.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/42-4-70/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t41-t42-(v29a)-2023-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=4afea80d_0#page=245
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/42-4.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/code/42-4-51.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 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: PENAL INSTITUTIONS / JAILS / DEDUCTIONS FROM INMATE ACCOUNTS FOR EXPENSES
---

# O.C.G.A. § 42-4-70. Definitions.

As used in this article, the term:

(1) “Detention facility” means a municipal or county jail used for the detention of persons charged with or convicted of either a felony, a misdemeanor, or a municipal offense.

(2) “Inmate” means a person who is detained in a detention facility by reason of being charged with or convicted of a felony, a misdemeanor, or a municipal offense.

(3) “Medical treatment” means each visit initiated by the inmate to an institutional physician; physician’s extender, including a physician assistant or a nurse practitioner; dentist; optometrist; or psychiatrist for examination or treatment.

(4) “Officer in charge” means the sheriff, if the detention facility is under his supervision, or the warden, captain, or superintendent having the supervision of any other detention facility.

## History

Code 1981, § 42-4-70, enacted by Ga. L. 1992, p. 2942, § 1; Ga. L. 1995, p. 1059, § 2; Ga. L. 1996, p. 1081, § 2; Ga. L. 2009, p. 859, § 3/HB 509.

## Editor's Notes

Ga. L. 1995, p. 1059, effective July 1, 1995, purported to amend paragraph (1) of subsection (a); however, this Code section does not contain a subsection (a), and the amendment is deemed to apply to paragraph (1) following the undesignated introductory paragraph.

## Law Reviews

For note on 1992 enactment of this Code section, see 9 Ga. St. U.L. Rev. 310 (1992).

For review of 1996 legislation relating to jails, see 13 Ga. St. U.L. Rev. 269 and 273 (1996).