---
title: O.C.G.A. § 9-13-121. Affidavit of illegality — To show lack of service; not available to go behind judgment.
collection: code
id: 9-13-121
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 9-13-121 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/9-13-121
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/9-13-121.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/9-13-121/text
source_url: https://archive.org/download/gov.ga.ocga.2024/T09%20Ch12-16%20%28V7A%29%202015.pdf#page=254
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/9-13.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/code/9-13-120.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: CIVIL PRACTICE / EXECUTIONS AND JUDICIAL SALES / ILLEGALITY
---

# O.C.G.A. § 9-13-121. Affidavit of illegality — To show lack of service; not available to go behind judgment.

If the defendant was not served and did not appear, he may take advantage of the defect by affidavit of illegality. However, if he has had his day in court, he may not go behind the judgment by an affidavit of illegality.

## History

Orig. Code 1863, § 3597; Code 1868, § 3621; Code 1873, § 3671; Code 1882, § 3671; Civil Code 1895, § 4742; Civil Code 1910, § 5311; Code 1933, § 39-1009.