---
title: O.C.G.A. § 52-7-12.3. Feticide by vessel.
collection: code
id: 52-7-12.3
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 52-7-12.3 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/52-7-12.3
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/52-7-12.3.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/52-7-12.3/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t52-t53-(v40)-2021-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=d23ba203_0#page=139
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
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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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version: the only printed version
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current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: WATERS OF THE STATE, PORTS, AND WATERCRAFT / REGISTRATION, OPERATION, AND SALE OF WATERCRAFT / GENERAL PROVISIONS
---

# O.C.G.A. § 52-7-12.3. Feticide by vessel.

(a) For the purposes of this Code section, the term ‘‘unborn child’’ means a member of the species homo sapiens at any stage of development who is carried in the womb.

(b)(1) A person commits the offense of feticide by vessel in the first degree if he or she causes the death of an unborn child by any injury to the mother of such child through the violation of subsection (j) of Code Section 52-7-8.2, Code Section 52-7-12 or 52-7-12.1, subsection (b) of Code Section 52-7-13, subsection (a) of Code Section 52-7-14, or subsection (c) of Code Section 52-7-25, which would be homicide by vessel in the first degree as provided in subsection (a) or (b) of Code Section 52-7-12.2 if it resulted in the death of such mother.

(2) A person convicted of the offense of feticide by vessel in the first degree shall be guilty of a felony and shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than three years nor more than 15 years.

(c)(1) A person commits the offense of feticide by vessel in the second degree if he or she causes the death of an unborn child by any injury to the mother of such child by violating any provision of this title other than subsection (j) of Code Section 52-7-8.2, Code Section 52-7-12 or 52-7-12.1, subsection (b) of Code Section 52-7-13, subsection (a) of Code Section 52-7-14, or subsection (c) of Code Section 52-7-25, which would be homicide by vessel in the second degree as provided in subsection (c) of Code Section 52-7-12.2 if it resulted in the death of such mother.

(2) A person convicted of the offense of feticide by vessel in the second degree shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished as provided in Code Section 17-10-3.

## History

Code 1981, § 52-7-12.3, enacted by Ga. L. 1995, p. 236, § 2; Ga. L. 2006, p. 643, § 4/SB 77; Ga. L. 2008, p. 1164, § 5/SB 529.

## Editor's Notes

Ga. L. 2006, p. 643, § 5/SB 77, not codified by the General Assembly, provides that this Act shall apply to all offenses committed on or after July 1, 2006.

Ga. L. 2008, p. 1164, § 6/SB 529, not codified by the General Assembly, provides that the amendment to this Code section shall apply to all offenses committed on or after July 1, 2008.

## Law Reviews

For article on the 2006 amendment of this Code section, see 23 Ga. St. U.L. Rev. 37 (2006).