CopyCited 14 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Jan 24, 1994 | 263 Ga. 748, 94 Fulton County D. Rep. 238
...Wright & Hyman, G. Russell Wright, for appellant. John C. Pridgen, District Attorney, Denise D. Fachini, Assistant District Attorney, for appellee. FLETCHER, Justice. Sandy Jean Douglas was convicted of inducing a mother to part with her child in violation of OCGA §
19-8-24 (a) (2) by purchasing a used car for the mother of the child in exchange for physical custody or control of the child. Douglas pled guilty to the offense but reserved her right to challenge the constitutionality of §
19-8-24 (a) (2) on vagueness grounds. [1] We find §
19-8-24 (a) (2) is sufficiently clear to advise a person of ordinary intelligence of the conduct proscribed and affirm. *749 1. OCGA §
19-8-24 (a) (2) makes it unlawful for a person or entity other than a licensed child-placing agency to "directly or indirectly, hold out inducements to parents to part with their children." Douglas contends that the statute's description of prohib...
...427 (395 SE2d 816) (1990), and provide explicit standards to those who enforce the law in order to prevent arbitrary enforcement. Grayned v. City of Rockford, 408 U. S. 104, 108 (92 SC 2294, 33 LE2d 222) (1972). On this appeal, the sufficiency of the notice provided by §
19-8-24 (a) (2) must be considered in light of the specific conduct engaged in by Douglas and not abstract or marginal offenses....
...Village of Hoffman Estates v. Flipside, 455 U. S. 489, 495 (102 SC 1186, 71 LE2d 362) (1982); United States v. Mazurie, 419 U. S. 544, 550 (95 SC 710, 42 LE2d 706) (1975); United States v. Nat. Dairy Products Corp., 372 U. S. 29, 34 (83 SC 594, 9 LE2d 561) (1963). 3. OCGA §
19-8-24 (a) defines the term "inducement" to include any direct or indirect financial assistance except "payment or reimbursement of the medical expenses directly related to the mother's pregnancy and hospitalization for the birth of the child and medical care for the child." Thus, §
19-8-24 (a) (2) provides clear warning that if a person provides any financial assistance to a parent other than that specifically excluded from the definition set forth in the statute, that person provides an "inducement" to the parent. In order to violate §
19-8-24 (a) (2), however, the financial assistance must be held out to induce parents to "part" with their child....