History. Laws 1850, Cobb’s 1851 Digest, p. 476.; Ga. L. 1855-56, p. 154, § 4; Code 1863, § 2913; Code 1868, § 2920; Code 1873, § 2971; Ga. L. 1878-79, p. 59, §§ 1, 2; Code 1882, § 2971; Ga. L. 1887, p. 43, § 1; Civil Code 1895, §§ 3828, 3829; Civil Code 1910, §§ 4424, 4425; Ga. L. 1924, p. 60, §§ 1, 2; Code 1933, §§ 105-1302, 105-1303, 105-1304, 105-1305; Ga. L. 1973, p. 488, § 1; Ga. L. 1985, p. 1253, § 1; Ga. L. 1986, p. 10, § 51; Ga. L. 1988, p. 1720, § 17; Ga. L. 1993, p. 1055, § 1; Ga. L. 1998, p. 605, § 1; Ga. L. 2022, p. 207, § 7/HB 620.
The 2022 amendment, effective May 2, 2022, added paragraph (b)(3); in subsection (c), inserted “conservator, guardian, next friend, or other authorized” near the beginning and “and shall be accountable for same” at the end; in paragraph (d)(1), deleted “, provided that any such recovery to which a minor child is entitled and which equals less than $15,000.00 shall be held by the natural guardian of the child, who shall hold and use such money for the benefit of the child and shall be accountable for same; and any such recovery to which a minor child is entitled and which equals $15,000.00 or more shall be held by a guardian of the property of such child” at the end; in paragraph (d)(2), added the second sentence; and, in subsection (e), added “or of the decedent's estate” at the end.
Editor’s notes.
Ga. L. 1998, p. 605, § 2, not codified by the General Assembly, provided that the Act shall be applicable to all wrongful death actions arising on or after July 1, 1998.
Law reviews.
For annual survey of law of wills, trusts, and administration of estates, see 38 Mercer L. Rev. 417 (1986).
For article, “What’s a Human Life Really Worth? Recovering Damages for Decedents’ Non-Economic Losses in Georgia Wrongful Death Actions,” see 7 Ga. St. U.L. Rev. 439 (1991).
For annual survey article discussing trial practice and procedure, see 52 Mercer L. Rev. 447 (2000).
For annual survey on appellate practice and procedure, see 61 Mercer L. Rev. 31 (2009).
For note advocating consistency of inheritance and wrongful death rights with adopted child’s new legal status, see 23 Mercer L. Rev. 1003 (1972).
For note, “Standing to Sue for Wrongful Death in Georgia When a Spouse and Children Survive the Tortious Death: Mack v. Moore,” see 3 Ga. St. U.L. Rev. 281 (1987).
For note on 1993 amendment of this Code section, see 10 Ga. St. U.L. Rev. 233 (1993).
For comment on Bloodworth v. Jones, 191 Ga. 193 , 11 S.E.2d 658 (1940), see 3 Ga. B. J. 65 (1941).
For comment on Odom v. Atlantic & W.P.R.R., 78 Ga. App. 477 , 51 S.E.2d 466 (1949), see 12 Ga. B. J. 76 (1949).
For comment advocating recognition in Georgia of the rights of illegitimate children to recover for wrongful death of father, in light of Armijo v. Wesselius, 73 Wash. 2d 716, 440 P.2d 471 (1968), see 20 Mercer L. Rev. 469 (1969).