History. Code 1981, § 19-8-17 , enacted by Ga. L. 1990, p. 1572, § 5; Ga. L. 1992, p. 2505, § 2; Ga. L. 2018, p. 19, § 1-1/HB 159.
The 2018 amendment, effective September 1, 2018, in subsection (a), in the introductory language, substituted “agent appointed by the court pursuant to Code Section 19-8-16” for “agency”; added “for adoption” at the end of paragraph (a)(1); substituted “prospective” for “proposed” near the beginning of paragraph (a)(3); inserted “or her” in paragraph (a)(5); in paragraph (a)(7), substituted “a biological father who is not a” for “the biological father who is not the” and deleted “and” at the end; in paragraph (a)(8), inserted “in the agent’s opinion”, deleted “any” preceding “value”, and added “; and” at the end; added paragraph (a)(9); in subsection (b), in the first sentence, twice deleted “agency or independent” following “investigating”, inserted “for adoption”, substituted “hearing such motion shall be authorized to dismiss such petition” for “hearing is authorized to do so”, and deleted “Georgia” preceding “Court of Appeals” in the second sentence.
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