---
title: O.C.G.A. § 51-1-57. Damages for false solicitation in media and false advertising of media services.
collection: code
id: 51-1-57
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 51-1-57 (2025)
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source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t51-(v39)-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=90608a4d_0#page=25
date: 2025
status: active
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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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---

# O.C.G.A. § 51-1-57. Damages for false solicitation in media and false advertising of media services.

Any person who solicits in any media in violation of Code Section 10-1-424.1 or 10-1-427 shall, in addition to any other remedies provided by law, be liable for damages caused by each media that is in violation of such Code sections. A claim of a violation of such Code sections may be brought in a representative capacity and may be the subject of a class action under Code Section 9-11-23. Damages for such violation shall be the actual damages or $500.00 per each media that is in violation, whichever is greater.

## History

Code 1981, § 51-1-57, enacted by Ga. L. 2023, p. 248, § 2-6/SB 74, effective May 1, 2023.

## Cross References

Advertising by attorneys, Ga. R. & Regs. St. Bar 7.2.

## Editor's Notes

Ga. L. 2023, p. 248, § 2-1/SB 74, not codified by the General Assembly, provides: “The General Assembly finds that:

“(1) The First Amendment protects commercial speech unless it involves illegal conduct or is misleading or fraudulent;

“(2) Commercial speech that does no more than propose a commercial transaction through advertising or solicitation is entitled to First Amendment free speech protection, but only if it concerns lawful activity and is not misleading;

“(3) The state should take necessary actions to ensure that all Georgians have their constitutional rights protected and appropriately vindicated when violated;

“(4) The government has a substantial interest in protecting Georgians from false or misleading commercial practices relating to the handling of legal matters before the courts of this state and the courts of the United States;

“(5) These practices have been particularly damaging to Georgia’s older residents who may have become confused or misled by such treatment; and

“(6) A ban on commercial speech falsely claiming to handle legal matters before the courts of this state and the courts of the United States is necessary to directly advance the government’s interest in protecting Georgians from false or misleading business advertising and solicitations that offer to protect or vindicate constitutional rights of Georgians.”

Ga. L. 2023, p. 248, § 4-1(1)/SB 74, not codified by the General Assembly, provides, in part, that this Code Section applies to contracts entered into on and after May 1, 2023, and does not apply to contracts entered into before May 1, 2023; provided, however, that any contract in violation of the provisions of Part II of this Act entered into before May 1, 2023, shall be void after the initial period set forth in such contract and shall not be renewed or otherwise extended on terms in violation of Part II of this Act.

## Effective Date

This Code section became effective May 1, 2023. See Editor’s notes for applicability.