History. Code 1981, § 19-8-16 , enacted by Ga. L. 1990, p. 1572, § 5; Ga. L. 1991, p. 1640, § 7; Ga. L. 1992, p. 6, § 19; Ga. L. 1992, p. 2505, § 1; Ga. L. 2003, p. 503, § 5; Ga. L. 2007, p. 42, § 1/SB 61; Ga. L. 2009, p. 453, § 2-4/HB 228; Ga. L. 2018, p. 19, § 1-1/HB 159; Ga. L. 2021, p. 151, § 10/HB 154.
The 2018 amendment, effective September 1, 2018, rewrote this Code section.
The 2021 amendment, effective July 1, 2021, in subsection (a), added the second sentence and deleted “subsection (a) of” following “filed pursuant to” near the end of the last sentence; in subsection (b), deleted “subsection (a) of” following “filed pursuant to”; and added “except when the petitioner is brought pursuant to either Code Section 19-8-8 or Code Section 19-8-21” at the end of the first sentence of subsection (d).
Law reviews.
For article surveying developments in Georgia domestic relations law from mid-1980 through mid-1981, see 33 Mercer L. Rev. 109 (1981).
Structure Georgia Code
Article 1 - General Provisions
§ 19-8-2. Jurisdiction and Venue of Adoption Proceedings
§ 19-8-3. Who May Adopt a Child; When Petition Must Be Filed in Names of Both Spouses
§ 19-8-4. Adoption Through the Department, Child-Placing Agency, or Out-of-State Licensed Agency
§ 19-8-5. Third Party Adoption by Party Who Is Not Stepparent or Relative of Child
§ 19-8-7. Adoption by Certain Relatives Related to Child by Blood or Marriage
§ 19-8-14. Timing of Adoption Hearing; Record Retention; Clerk’s Duties
§ 19-8-15. Objections to Petition for Adoption
§ 19-8-19. Effect of Decree of Adoption
§ 19-8-21. Adoption of Adult Individuals; Applicability of Code Sections 19-8-19 and 19-8-20