---
title: O.C.G.A. § 51-12-50. Measure of damages for converted timber; presumption.
collection: code
id: 51-12-50
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 51-12-50 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/51-12-50
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/51-12-50.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/51-12-50/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t51-(v39)-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=90608a4d_0#page=102
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/51-12.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/code/51-12-33.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/code/51-12-51.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: TORTS / DAMAGES / DAMAGES FOR CONVERSION OF TIMBER
extraction_warnings:
  - dehyphenation_unverified:inciden-tally
---

# O.C.G.A. § 51-12-50. Measure of damages for converted timber; presumption.

(a) When a plaintiff, other than a plaintiff under Code Section 51-12-51, recovers for timber cut or cut and carried away, the measure of damages shall be:

(1) Treble the fair market value of the trees cut as they stood;

(2) Treble the diminished fair market value of any trees incidentally harmed;

(3) Costs of reasonable reforestation activities related to the plaintiff’s injury; and

(4) Attorney fees and expenses of litigation.

(b) When the defendant is a willful trespasser, the plaintiff may also recover punitive damages.

(c) When the boundary lines of the property have been clearly and accurately marked, it shall be presumed that the defendant was a willful trespasser.

## History

Civil Code 1895, § 3918; Civil Code 1910, § 4515; Code 1933, § 105-2013; Ga. L. 2014, p. 695, § 7/HB 790; Ga. L. 2021, p. 584, § 1/HB 90.

## Amendments

The 2021 amendment, effective July 1, 2021, substituted “When a plaintiff, other than a plaintiff under Code Section 51-12-51,” for “Except as provided in Code Section 51-12-51, when” at the beginning of subsection (a).