---
title: O.C.G.A. § 51-7-40. Right of action for malicious prosecution.
collection: code
id: 51-7-40
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 51-7-40 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/51-7-40
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/51-7-40.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/51-7-40/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=670
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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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 / MALICIOUS PROSECUTION
---

# O.C.G.A. § 51-7-40. Right of action for malicious prosecution.

A criminal prosecution which is carried on maliciously and without any probable cause and which causes damage to the person prosecuted shall give him a cause of action.

## History

Orig. Code 1863, § 2924; Code 1868, § 2931; Code 1873, § 2982; Code 1882, § 2982; Civil Code 1895, § 3843; Civil Code 1910, § 4439; Code 1933, § 105-801.

## Editor's Notes

Georgia law makes a distinction between an action for malicious prosecution and one for malicious use of civil process. The former is strictly a remedy for a malicious criminal prosecution and is governed by the Code sections in this article. The latter action has its basis in the common law. The essential elements of both actions, however, are substantially similar.

## Law Reviews

For annual survey on law of torts, see 42 Mercer L. Rev. 431 (1990).

For comment on Dixie Broadcasting Corp. v. Rivers, 209 Ga. 98, 70 S.E.2d 734 (1952), see 15 Ga. B. J. 81 (1952). For case comment, ‘‘Yost v. Torok and Abusive Litigation: A New Tort to Solve an Old Problem,’’ see 21 Ga. L. Rev. 429 (1986).