---
title: O.C.G.A. § 42-8-61. Defendant to be informed of eligibility for sentencing as first offender.
collection: code
id: 42-8-61
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 42-8-61 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/42-8-61
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/42-8-61.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/42-8-61/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=503
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/42-8.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 / PROBATION / FIRST OFFENDERS
---

# O.C.G.A. § 42-8-61. Defendant to be informed of eligibility for sentencing as first offender.

When a defendant is represented by an attorney, his or her attorney shall be responsible for informing the defendant as to his or her eligibility for sentencing as a first offender. When a defendant is pro se, the court shall inquire as to the defendant’s interest in entering a plea pursuant to the terms of this article. If the defendant expresses a desire to be sentenced as a first offender, the court shall ask the prosecuting attorney or probation official if the defendant is eligible for sentencing as a first offender. When imposing a sentence, the court shall ensure that, if a defendant is sentenced as a first offender, he or she is made aware of the consequences of entering a first offender plea pursuant to the terms of this article.

## History

Ga. L. 1968, p. 324, § 3; Ga. L. 1982, p. 1807, § 2; Ga. L. 2015, p. 422, § 5-74/HB 310; Ga. L. 2016, p. 443, § 6A-1/SB 367.

## Editor's Notes

Ga. L. 2015, p. 422, § 6-1/HB 310, not codified by the General Assembly, provides that: “This Act shall become effective July 1, 2015, and shall apply to sentences entered on or after such date.”

## Law Reviews

For article on the 2015 amendment of this Code section, see 32 Ga. St. U.L. Rev. 231 (2015).

For article on the 2016 amendment of this Code section, see 33 Ga. St. U. L. Rev. 139 (2016).