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2018 Georgia Code 16-6-19 | Car Wreck Lawyer

TITLE 16 CRIMES AND OFFENSES

Section 6. Sexual Offenses, 16-6-1 through 16-6-25.

ARTICLE 9 NOTICE OF CONVICTION AND RELEASE FROM CONFINEMENT OF SEX OFFENDERS

16-6-19. Adultery.

A married person commits the offense of adultery when he voluntarily has sexual intercourse with a person other than his spouse and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished as for a misdemeanor.

(Laws 1833, Cobb's 1851 Digest, pp. 814, 815; Code 1863, § 4419; Ga. L. 1865-66, p. 233, § 2; Code 1868, § 4460; Code 1873, § 4534; Code 1882, § 4534; Penal Code 1895, § 381; Penal Code 1910, § 372; Code 1933, § 26-5801; Code 1933, § 26-2009, enacted by Ga. L. 1968, p. 1249, § 1.)

Cross references.

- Adultery as grounds for divorce, § 19-5-3.

General rule of competency, § 24-6-601.

Abolition of right of action for adultery, alienation of affections, or criminal conversation, § 51-1-17.

Law reviews.

- For article, "Misdemeanor Sentencing in Georgia," see 7 Ga. St. B.J. 8 (2001).

JUDICIAL DECISIONS

Sexual intercourse is element of offense.

- Since "sexual intercourse" is a necessary element of both adultery and prostitution, it is logical to conclude that the definition of sexual intercourse should be uniform in both instances. Allen v. State, 170 Ga. App. 96, 316 S.E.2d 500 (1984).

Sexual intercourse is an element of the offense of adultery. Bridges v. Bridges, 197 Ga. App. 608, 398 S.E.2d 860 (1990).

Both extramarital homosexual and heterosexual relations constitute adultery.

- A person commits adultery when he or she has sexual intercourse with a "person" other than his or her spouse. Therefore, both extramarital homosexual as well as heterosexual relations constitute adultery. Owens v. Owens, 247 Ga. 139, 274 S.E.2d 484 (1981).

Consensual sodomy has been merged into the offenses of fornication and adultery. Allen v. State, 170 Ga. App. 96, 316 S.E.2d 500 (1984).

Consequences in alimony suit.

- Husbands have no vested right to commit adultery without suffering adverse civil consequences in alimony suit. Such right could not possibly exist, because in Georgia adultery is a crime. Bryan v. Bryan, 242 Ga. 826, 251 S.E.2d 566 (1979).

Instruction on adultery as provocation unwarranted.

- Because none of the parties were married, an instruction regarding adultery as a provocation for voluntary manslaughter was not warranted. Tepanca v. State, 297 Ga. 47, 771 S.E.2d 879 (2015).

In a prosecution for malice murder, refusal to give an instruction on provocation caused by the victim's "adulterous conduct" was not error because defendant and the victim were not married and, in order to prove adultery, a marriage must be shown. Somchith v. State, 272 Ga. 261, 527 S.E.2d 546 (2000).

Cited in Pace v. City of Atlanta, 135 Ga. App. 399, 218 S.E.2d 128 (1975); Burger v. State, 238 Ga. 171, 231 S.E.2d 769 (1977); Smith v. Price, 616 F.2d 1371 (5th Cir. 1980).

RESEARCH REFERENCES

Am. Jur. 2d.

- 2 Am. Jur. 2d, Adultery and Fornication, § 3 et seq.

C.J.S.

- 2 C.J.S., Adultery, § 1 et seq.

ALR.

- Right of injured spouse to discontinue prosecution for adultery, 4 A.L.R. 1340; 61 A.L.R. 973.

Conspiracy to commit adultery or other offense which can only be committed by the concerted action of the parties to it, 11 A.L.R. 196; 104 A.L.R. 1430.

Isolated acts of sexual intercourse as constituting criminal offense of adultery or fornication or illicit cohabitation, 74 A.L.R. 1361.

Conviction or acquittal on charge which includes element of illicit sexual intercourse as bar to prosecution for adultery, 94 A.L.R. 405.

Relationship with assailant's wife as provocation depriving defendant of right of self-defense, 9 A.L.R.3d 933.

Validity of statute making adultery and fornication criminal offenses, 41 A.L.R.3d 1338.

Spouse's confession of adultery as affecting degree of homicide involved in killing spouse or his or her paramour, 93 A.L.R.3d 925.

Cases Citing O.C.G.A. § 16-6-19

Total Results: 5  |  Sort by: Relevance  |  Newest First

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Jones v. State, 363 S.E.2d 529 (Ga. 1988).

Cited 169 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Jan 6, 1988 | 257 Ga. 753

...On cross-examination *754 the petitioner admitted he offered the victim marijuana and further admitted that he was married at the time the sexual acts with the victim took place. The State took the position that by admitting the crimes of possession of marijuana, OCGA § 16-13-30 (j), and adultery, OCGA § 16-6-19, the petitioner had admitted less than all of his prior criminal conduct in the attempt to portray his character, albeit bad, as better than it actually was....
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Somchith v. State, 527 S.E.2d 546 (Ga. 2000).

Cited 26 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Mar 6, 2000 | 272 Ga. 261, 2000 Fulton County D. Rep. 967

...d precisely adjusted to some principle involved in the case and be authorized by the evidence." (Emphasis in original; punctuation omitted.) Lane v. State, 268 Ga. 678, 680(2), 492 S.E.2d 230 (1997). Adultery is committed by "a married person." OCGA § 16-6-19....
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Tepanca v. State, 297 Ga. 47 (Ga. 2015).

Cited 21 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Apr 20, 2015 | 771 S.E.2d 879

...According to the facts of this case, there was no adultery at all. “A married person commits the offense of adultery 5 when he voluntarily has sexual intercourse with a person other than his spouse.” OCGA § 16-6-19....
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Duke v. State, 352 S.E.2d 561 (Ga. 1987).

Cited 19 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Jan 16, 1987 | 256 Ga. 671

...After briefs were filed, the case was argued on October 14, 1986. [2] It is unclear whether the defendant was married at the time referred to in her statement. In any case, the party referred to was not her husband. Fornication and adultery are misdemeanors. OCGA §§ 16-6-18 and 16-6-19.

Tepanca v. State (Ga. 2015).

Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Apr 20, 2015 | 256 Ga. 671

...According to the facts of this case, there was no adultery at all. “A married person commits the offense of adultery when he voluntarily has sexual intercourse with a person other than his 5 spouse[.]” OCGA § 16-6-19....