---
title: O.C.G.A. § 5-3-31. Damages assessed for frivolous appeals.
collection: code
id: 5-3-31
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 5-3-31 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/5-3-31
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/5-3-31.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/5-3-31/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t4-6-(v4)-2013-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=8c0a1199_0#page=208
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/5-3.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/code/5-3-30.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/code/5-4-1.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: APPEAL AND ERROR / APPEALS TO SUPERIOR OR STATE COURT / PROCEDURE
---

# O.C.G.A. § 5-3-31. Damages assessed for frivolous appeals.

If upon the trial of any appeal it shall appear to the jury that the appeal was frivolous and intended for delay only, they shall assess damages against the appellant and his security, if any, in favor of the appellee for such delay, not exceeding 25 percent on the principal sum which they shall find due, which damages shall be specially noted in their verdict.

## History

Laws 1799, Cobb’s 1851 Digest, p. 495; Code 1863, § 3552; Code 1868, § 3575; Ga. L. 1868, p. 132, § 2; Code 1873, § 3631; Code 1882, § 3631; Civil Code 1895, § 4473; Civil Code 1910, § 5018; Code 1933, § 6-602; Ga. L. 1983, p. 884, § 3-2.