---
title: O.C.G.A. § 51-7-20. False imprisonment defined.
collection: code
id: 51-7-20
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 51-7-20 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/51-7-20
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/51-7-20.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/51-7-20/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t51-(v39)-2017-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=6b891965_0#page=656
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/51-7.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: TORTS / FALSE ARREST, FALSE IMPRISONMENT, MALICIOUS PROSECUTION, AND ABUSIVE LITIGATION / FALSE IMPRISONMENT
---

# O.C.G.A. § 51-7-20. False imprisonment defined.

False imprisonment is the unlawful detention of the person of another, for any length of time, whereby such person is deprived of his personal liberty.

## History

Orig. Code 1863, § 2932; Code 1868, § 2939; Code 1873, § 2990; Code 1882, § 2990; Civil Code 1895, § 3851; Civil Code 1910, § 4447; Code 1933, § 105-901.

## Cross References

Criminal penalties for false imprisonment, §§ 16-5-41, 16-5-42.

## Law Reviews

For article surveying torts law, see 34 Mercer L. Rev. 271 (1982).