Georgia Code
Article 6 - Taxpayer Protection Against False Claims
§ 23-3-125. Civil Investigative Demands

The Attorney General may delegate the authority to issue civil investigative demands under this subsection, including to a district attorney or other local government attorney. Whenever a civil investigative demand is an express demand for any product of discovery, the Attorney General, the deputy attorney general, or an assistant attorney general shall cause to be served, in any manner authorized by this Code section, a copy of such demand upon the person from whom the discovery was obtained and shall notify the person to whom such demand is issued of the date on which such copy was served. Any information obtained by the Attorney General or a designee of the Attorney General under this Code section may be shared with any qui tam relator if the Attorney General or such designee determines it is necessary as part of any false claims law investigation.
The certificate shall state that all of the documentary material required by the demand and in the possession, custody, or control of the person to whom the demand is directed has been produced and made available to the false claims law investigator identified in the demand.
If any interrogatory is objected to, the reasons for the objection shall be stated in the certificate instead of an answer. The certificate shall state that all information required by the demand and in the possession, custody, control, or knowledge of the person to whom the demand is directed has been submitted. To the extent that any information is not furnished, the information shall be identified and reasons set forth with particularity regarding the reasons why the information was not furnished.
the custodian shall, upon written request of the person who produced such documentary material, return to such person any such documentary material, other than copies furnished to the false claims law investigator under paragraph (2) of subsection (g) of this Code section or made for the state under subparagraph (B) of paragraph (2) of this subsection, which has not passed into the control of any court, grand jury, or agency through introduction into the record of such case or proceeding.
Any person who is designated to be a successor under this paragraph shall have, with regard to such documentary material, answers, or transcripts, the same duties and responsibilities as were imposed by this Code section upon that person’s predecessor in office, except that the successor shall not be held responsible for any default or dereliction which occurred before that designation.
(A) Produce such documentary material for inspection and copying;
(B) Answer in writing written interrogatories with respect to such documentary material or information;
(C) Give oral testimony concerning such documentary material or information; or
(A) Standards applicable to subpoenas or subpoenas duces tecum issued by a court of the state or of the United States to aid in a grand jury investigation; or
(B) Standards applicable to discovery requests under Chapter 11 of Title 9, the “Georgia Civil Practice Act,” to the extent that the application of such standards to any such demand is appropriate and consistent with the provisions and purposes of this Code section.
(A) In the case of a natural person, the person to whom the demand is directed; or
(B) In the case of a person other than a natural person, a person having knowledge of the facts and circumstances relating to such production and authorized to act on behalf of such person.
History. Code 1981, § 23-3-125 , enacted by Ga. L. 2012, p. 127, § 1-2/HB 822; Ga. L. 2014, p. 866, § 23/SB 340; Ga. L. 2016, p. 864, § 23/HB 737.