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2018 Georgia Code 17-7-110 | Car Wreck Lawyer

TITLE 17 CRIMINAL PROCEDURE

Section 7. Pretrial Proceedings, 17-7-1 through 17-7-211.

ARTICLE 6 DEMURRERS, MOTIONS, AND SPECIAL PLEAS AND EXCEPTIONS

17-7-110. Time for filing pretrial motions.

All pretrial motions, including demurrers and special pleas, shall be filed within ten days after the date of arraignment, unless the time for filing is extended by the court.

(Code 1981, §17-7-110, enacted by Ga. L. 2003, p. 154, § 2.)

Editor's notes.

- This Code section formerly pertained to copy of indictment or accusation to be furnished. The former Code section was based on Laws 1833, Cobb's 1851 Digest, p. 834; Code 1863, §§ 4522, 4523; Code 1868, §§ 4541, 4542; Code 1873, §§ 4634, 4635; Code 1882, §§ 4634, 4635; Penal Code 1895, § 945; Penal Code 1910, § 970; Code 1933, § 27-1403; Ga. L. 1966, p. 430, § 3; Ga. L. 1983, p. 503, § 2 and was repealed by Ga. L. 1994, p. 1895, § 1, effective January 1, 1995.

Law reviews.

- For note and comment, "Hope for the Best and Prepare for the Worst: The Capital Defender's Guide to Reciprocal Discovery in the Sentencing Phase of Georgia Death Penalty Trials," see 23 Ga. St. U.L. Rev. 995 (2007).

JUDICIAL DECISIONS

Construction of ten day period.

- While there may be a constitutional or other right to make a certain motion after the time period set forth in O.C.G.A. § 17-7-110, that does not mean ruling that a motion filed within the time period set forth in § 17-7-110 is untimely; under the plain language of the statute, any pretrial motion will be considered timely if made before ten days after the date of the arraignment, and some motions may be cognizable after that time, but determining the timeliness of such must rest upon other authority. State v. Dempsey, 290 Ga. 763, 727 S.E.2d 670 (2012).

Motion untimely and no extension sought.

- Trial court did not err in refusing to consider defendant's motion to suppress because the motion was untimely, the defendant failed to hire private counsel as was indicated and, even after court-appointed counsel was provided, the defendant failed to seek leave to file a motion for an extension after the 10-day filing period. Taylor v. State, 326 Ga. App. 27, 755 S.E.2d 839 (2014).

Trial court did not err in refusing to hear the defendant's motion to suppress on the ground the motion was untimely because the defendant failed to move for and obtain an extension of time; the defendant's proffered amendment of the motion to suppress, which was tendered more than one month after the defendant waived arraignment, was untimely; and, although the defendant had the benefit of testimony from the state's witnesses regarding the issues in the case at the probation revocation hearing in July 2010, the defendant failed to take timely advantage of the opportunity to challenge the traffic stop. Gonzalez v. State, 334 Ga. App. 706, 780 S.E.2d 383 (2015).

Motion to quash indictment properly denied.

- Defendant's motion to quash an indictment and a subsequent motion to quash a failure to register as a sex offender count under former O.C.G.A. § 42-1-12 were properly denied as whether the rule on the timing of a motion to quash had been changed by O.C.G.A. § 17-7-110 was not reached because the trial court also properly denied the motion on the merits; the defendant waived the right to challenge the form of the failure to register count of the indictment because the defendant's motion was not made before entry of a not guilty plea and even if § 17-7-110 applied to the filing of the defendant's motion, it was untimely under that statute. Bryson v. State, 282 Ga. App. 36, 638 S.E.2d 181 (2006).

Motion to quash indictment should have been granted.

- Trial court erred in denying the defendant's motion to quash an indictment because the motion was filed before the statutory deadline contained in O.C.G.A. § 17-7-110; no arraignment occurred when the defendant filed the motion. State v. Dempsey, 290 Ga. 763, 727 S.E.2d 670 (2012).

Oral motion to dismiss indictment properly denied.

- Trial court properly denied the defendant's oral motion in arrest of judgment or motion to dismiss or general demurrer, made after the jury was sworn but before the trial began, as while the nolle pros of the coindictee could have been drawn more explicitly, considering it in context and in light of a subsequent indictment, which only contained one count against the coindictee, there was no intent shown that the charges against defendant required reindictment. Atkins v. State, 291 Ga. App. 863, 663 S.E.2d 286 (2008).

State waived claim that motion was untimely.

- State waived the state's claim that the defendant's motion to suppress, filed two months after arraignment, was untimely as the state failed to raise the issue or object to the motion on that basis before the trial court; moreover, the state's failure to object was particularly significant in light of the express provision in O.C.G.A. § 17-7-110 allowing the trial court to extend the time for filing. Hicks v. State, 287 Ga. App. 105, 650 S.E.2d 767 (2007).

Untimely pretrial motions properly denied.

- Trial court did not abuse the court's discretion by denying the defendant's motion to file untimely pre-trial motions because it was within the court's discretion to refuse to consider the motion since the defendant failed to use reasonable diligence to obtain counsel prior to the arraignment. Preston v. State, 327 Ga. App. 556, 760 S.E.2d 176 (2014).

Special demurrers to indictment.

- Defendant's special demurrers to an indictment charging the defendant with 24 counts of sexual exploitation of children were improperly dismissed as untimely under O.C.G.A. § 17-7-110 because the plain language of a 2003 amendment allowed special demurrers to be filed within ten days of arraignment as the defendant had done; the court of appeals improperly interpreted case law decided after the statute's effective date as the defendants in those cases had been convicted and arraigned prior to the effective date of the statute. Palmer v. State, 282 Ga. 466, 651 S.E.2d 86 (2007).

Accusation was not fatally defective because the accusation informed the defendants of the charges against the defendants and protected the defendants against another prosecution for the same offense, and the defendants could not admit that the defendants passed in an area defined by markings as a no-passing zone without being guilty of the crime charged. Moreover, to the extent that the defendants' attack on the accusation could be read as a special demurrer, seeking greater specificity, the attack was waived by the defendants' failure to raise the issue within ten days after the defendants pled to the accusation. Haynes-Turner v. State, 289 Ga. App. 652, 658 S.E.2d 203 (2008).

Because the defendant argued that the accusation charging the defendant with two traffic violations failed to charge any offense, the trial court did not err in considering the defendant's demurrer on the merits even though the defendant's motion was filed more than ten days after the defendant waived arraignment. State v. Shabazz, 291 Ga. App. 751, 662 S.E.2d 828 (2008).

Defendants' contention that a felony murder indictment was deficient because the indictment did not contain all the essential elements of the underlying crime of aggravated assault was, in essence, a special demurrer seeking greater specificity with regard to the predicate felony. Pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 17-7-110, the defendant's failure to file a timely special demurrer seeking additional information constituted a waiver of the right to be tried on a perfect indictment. Dasher v. State, 285 Ga. 308, 676 S.E.2d 181 (2009).

With regard to a defendant's conviction for rape of a minor relative, the trial court did not err by denying the defendant's motion for a new trial on the ground that the indictments were fatally flawed because the indictments did not specifically allege the required element of force in charging rape because by alleging "unlawful" carnal knowledge during 1992 to 1995, the indictment asserted a charge of forcible rape under the law in effect prior to the 1996 amendment, therefore, the indictment did establish cognizable charges. Additionally, the defendant filed no special demurrers as to the form of the indictment and, thus, waived any argument in that regard. Flournoy v. State, 299 Ga. App. 377, 682 S.E.2d 632 (2009).

Because the defendant did not file a timely special demurrer to the indictment or a timely motion in arrest of judgment, the defendant waived any claim that could have been raised via special or general demurrer. Kirt v. State, 309 Ga. App. 227, 709 S.E.2d 840 (2011).

Because the defendant did not file a special demurrer, the defendant waived the right to a special indictment. Bryant v. State, 320 Ga. App. 838, 740 S.E.2d 772 (2013).

No ground exists for dismissing an appeal based on a special demurrer, or for that matter any motion, if the motion was not timely filed in the trial court. Kimbrough v. State, 336 Ga. App. 381, 785 S.E.2d 54 (2016).

Indictment sufficiently alleged possession of a weapon during the commission of certain crimes, O.C.G.A. § 16-11-106, by alleging that the defendant had a handgun during the commission of the crime of aggravated assault; if the defendant sought to know to which of the two aggravated assault counts was referred to, the defendant's motion was a special demurrer and was untimely under O.C.G.A. § 17-7-110. Allen v. State, 300 Ga. 500, 796 S.E.2d 708 (2017).

Failure to file timely special demurrer.

- Defendant's motions for a new trial and in arrest of judgment challenging the wording of the indictment charging the defendant with aggravated assault, O.C.G.A. § 16-5-21(a)(2), (3), were properly denied because the defendant could not have admitted the allegations of the indictment without admitting that the defendant was guilty of a crime and, under O.C.G.A. § 17-7-110, having failed to file a timely special demurrer, the defendant waived the right to a perfect indictment. McDaniel v. State, 298 Ga. App. 558, 680 S.E.2d 593 (2009).

Defendant could admit every allegation of the indictment and still lack the requisite intent for an attempt at burglary. Consequently, the indictment would not have withstood a timely general demurrer, and trial counsel's performance was deficient in counsel's failure to timely challenge the validity of the attempted burglary count. Coleman v. State, Ga. App. , 732 S.E.2d 466 (2012).

Failure to file special demurrer to indictment waived later challenge.

- In a prosecution for felony murder and multiple armed robberies, as the defendant did not file a special demurrer seeking greater specificity with regard to the predicate felony, i.e., the name of the armed robbery victim, to the extent the defendant's merger argument alleged insufficiency of the indictment due to the state's failure to specify which armed robbery count was the underlying offense for the felony murder charge, it was waived. Henderson v. State, 285 Ga. 240, 675 S.E.2d 28 (2009).

Defendant waived the defendant's right to be tried under a perfect indictment because the defendant did not file a special demurrer within ten days after the arraignment as required by O.C.G.A. § 17-7-110. Additionally, to the extent the defendant's motion was one in arrest of judgment, the motion was untimely because the motion was not filed in the same term of court as the judgment as required by O.C.G.A. § 17-9-61. Thompson v. State, 286 Ga. 889, 692 S.E.2d 379 (2010), overruled on other grounds, State v. Kelly, 290 Ga. 29, 718 S.E.2d 232 (2011).

Because the defendant failed to raise a challenge to the indictment in a timely written special demurrer the challenge was waived. State v. Wilson, Ga. App. , S.E.2d (Sept. 25, 2012).

Trial court did not err by finding that the defendant waived the defendant's right to challenge the indictment charging the defendant with reckless driving because the defendant failed to timely file a written special demurrer. Lauderback v. State, 320 Ga. App. 649, 740 S.E.2d 377 (2013).

Seven year delay in challenging indictment based on grand jury composition.

- Appellants waived the appellants' challenge to the indictment based on the composition of the grand jury because an elected official served on the grand jury that returned the indictment since the appellants failed to challenge the indictment on the ground that the grand jury was illegally constituted until the appellants filed amended motions for new trial more than seven years after the statutory deadline for such a claim. Bighams v. State, 296 Ga. 267, 765 S.E.2d 917 (2014).

Demand remained effective when matter transferred to another court.

- Statutory demand for a speedy trial pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 17-7-110 was effective when the demand was first filed in a court that was later abolished as that court was a constitutional court with jury jurisdiction and two terms of court; the defendant's demand remained effective following the transfer of the criminal matter to another court. State v. Reid, 298 Ga. App. 235, 679 S.E.2d 802 (2009).

Counsel's failure to file timely demurrer not ineffective assistance because demurrer was meritless.

- Criminal attempt to possess cocaine was properly used as the underlying felony for a felony murder conviction because the defendant's plan to rob a cocaine dealer was the proximate cause of the victim's death, and the plan to rob an individual dealing in illegal drugs carried with it a foreseeable risk of danger and death; therefore, counsel was not ineffective in failing to file a demurrer to the indictment within the time provided in O.C.G.A. § 17-7-110. Funck v. State, 296 Ga. 371, 768 S.E.2d 468 (2015).

Section did not apply.

- Motion for discharge and acquittal based on the constitutional speedy trial right, and a renewal of that motion, were timely filed by the defendant when both motions were filed prior to the time of trial; the time limitations under O.C.G.A. § 17-7-110 were not applicable. State v. Reid, 298 Ga. App. 235, 679 S.E.2d 802 (2009).

Cited in Dingler v. State, 281 Ga. App. 721, 637 S.E.2d 120 (2006); Langlands v. State, 282 Ga. 103, 646 S.E.2d 253 (2007); Roberts v. State, 282 Ga. 548, 651 S.E.2d 689 (2007); Boatright v. State, 308 Ga. App. 266, 707 S.E.2d 158 (2011); State v. Mojica, 316 Ga. App. 619, 730 S.E.2d 94 (2012); Brown v. State, 322 Ga. App. 446, 745 S.E.2d 699 (2013); Smith v. State, 338 Ga. App. 635, 791 S.E.2d 418 (2016).

Cases Citing O.C.G.A. § 17-7-110

Total Results: 20  |  Sort by: Relevance  |  Newest First

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Thompson v. State, 816 S.E.2d 646 (Ga. 2018).

Cited 45 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Jun 29, 2018

...See State v. Brown, 293 Ga. 493, 494, 748 S.E.2d 376 (2013). The evidence presented at the motion for new trial hearing, however, belies Appellant's claim (even assuming that he did not forfeit it by failing to raise it in a timely plea in abatement, see OCGA § 17-7-110 ). At the hearing, a supervisor in the Fulton County Superior Court Clerk's Office testified that under the court's procedure, true bills of indictment are presented to the presiding judge in open court and no true bill is given a case number unless that procedure has been followed....
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Thompson v. State, 304 Ga. 146 (Ga. 2018).

Cited 43 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Jun 29, 2018

...Brown, 293 Ga. 493, 494 (748 SE2d 376) (2013). The evidence presented at the motion for new trial hearing, however, belies Appellant’s claim (even assuming that he did not forfeit it by failing to raise it in a timely plea in abatement, see OCGA § 17-7-110). 6 At the hearing, a supervisor in the Fulton County Superior Court Clerk’s Office testified that under the court’s procedure, true bills of indictment are presented to the presiding...
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Bullard v. State, 307 Ga. 482 (Ga. 2019).

Cited 33 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Dec 23, 2019

...just associated with it.”5 Contending that “those technical defects are fatal to those 4 The special demurrer was filed on December 10, 2013, which was 20 days after Bullard waived formal arraignment and pled not guilty on November 20, 2013. Although OCGA § 17-7-110 requires that a special demurrer be filed within 10 days of arraignment or a waiver thereof, Allen v. State, 300 Ga. 500, 503 (796 SE2d 708) (2017), the State did not argue in the trial court that it was untimely, and this Court has held that in those circumstances, the State’s “ability to enforce the strictures of OCGA § 17-7-110 on appeal has been waived.” Harrell v....
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Bighams v. State, 296 Ga. 267 (Ga. 2014).

Cited 24 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Nov 17, 2014 | 765 S.E.2d 917

...763, 764 (727SE2d670) (2012) (citation omitted). However, to be cognizable, most attacks on an indictment, including a challenge to the composition of the grand jury that returned it, must be brought within ten days of arraignment, unless the trial court extends that deadline. See OCGA § 17-7-110 (“All pretrial motions, including demurrers and special pleas, shall be filed within ten days after the date of arraignment, unless the time for filing is extended by the court.”); Dempsey, 290 Ga....
...on the ground that the grand jury was illegally constituted until they filed amended motions for new trial more than seven years after the statutory deadline for such a claim.4 And the trial court did not grant an extension of that deadline. 3 Before § 17-7-110 was enacted in 2003 to establish a ten-day deadline for “[a]ll pretrial motions, including demurrers and special pleas,” our case law required a defendant to file a motion to quash before the indictment was returned or show that he wa...
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Walker v. State, 293 Ga. 709 (Ga. 2013).

Cited 24 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Oct 7, 2013 | 749 S.E.2d 663, 2013 Fulton County D. Rep. 3073

...a timely special demurrer. See Dasher v. State, 285 Ga. 308, 310 (676 SE2d 181) (2009) (“The failure to file a timely special demurrer seeking additional information constitutes a waiver of the right to be tried on a perfect indictment.”); OCGA § 17-7-110 (“All pretrial motions, including demurrers and special pleas, shall be filed within ten days after the date of arraignment, unless the time for filing is extended by the court.”). In 2008, after the Court of Appeals’s 2007 decisi...
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State v. Dempsey, 290 Ga. 763 (Ga. 2012).

Cited 22 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Mar 23, 2012 | 727 S.E.2d 670, 2012 Fulton County D. Rep. 1101

...to be waived. [Cits.]”); Simmons v. State, 226 Ga. 110, 111 (1) (a) (172 SE2d 680) (1970); Folds v. State, 123 Ga. 167, 168-169 (51 SE 305) (1905). However, that is no longer the case. In 2003, our General Assembly enacted what now appears as OCGA § 17-7-110. See Ga. L. 2003, p. 154, § 2. OCGA § 17-7-110 reads in toto: “All pretrial motions, including demurrers and special pleas, shall be filed within ten days after the date of arraignment, unless the time for filing is extended by the court.” It is uncontroverted that no arraignment had occurred when Dempsey filed his motion, and thus it was filed before the statutory deadline. Despite the clear language of OCGA § 17-7-110, the State asserts that “all” does not mean “all” in this context, and there remain some motions which must be filed at a time earlier than that set forth in the statute. As authority for this proposition, the State cites cases decided after 2003 in which motions have been allowed after the time period set forth in OCGA § 17-7-110. See State v. Reid, 298 Ga. App. 235, 237-241 (2) (679 SE2d 802) (2009) (violation of a constitutional right to speedy trial asserted after the time set forth in OCGA § 17-7-110); Atkins v....
...more than ten days after waiver of arraignment); State v. Barker, 277 Ga. App. 84, 87 (3) (625 SE2d 500) (2005) (motion for directed verdict on the ground that the statute of limitation barred the prosecution was not bound by the time limit of OCGA § 17-7-110). While there may be a constitutional or other right to make a certain motion after the time period set forth in OCGA § 17-7-110, that does not mean ruling that a motion filed within the time period set forth in OCGA § 17-7-110 is untimely....
...indictment was returned,” Langlands did not turn upon that point: it was specifically noted that the challenge to the composition of the grand jury was “untimely because it was not filed within ten days after the arraignment, as required by OCGA § 17-7-110, and the trial court did not extend the time for filing.” Id. at 107. As noted in Palmer v. State, 282 Ga. 466, 468 (651 SE2d 86) (2007), in enacting OCGA § 17-7-110, the General Assembly rejected the former judicially-created rule that required special demurrers to be filed prior to arraignment, and created a new rule that seeks a more uniform deadline for the filing of pretrial motions in criminal cases. Id. Because, under OCGA § 17-7-110, pretrial motions are timely if filed before ten days after the arraignment, and Dempsey filed his motion before the statutory deadline, the trial court therefore erred in denying the motion to quash indictment number 09-CR-325-MM, and the order of January 4, 2010, must be reversed. 2....
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Allen v. State, 300 Ga. 500 (Ga. 2017).

Cited 19 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Feb 6, 2017 | 796 S.E.2d 708

...eferring, or the name of the victim of the predicate aggravated assault, then his motion was a special demurrer, and Appellant forfeited his claim by failing to file it within ten days after May 6, 2010, the date that he waived arraignment. See OCGA § 17-7-110 (“All pretrial motions, including demurrers and special pleas, shall be filed within ten days after the date of arraignment, unless the time for filing is extended by the court.”); Palmer v. State, 282 Ga. 466, 468 (651 SE2d 86) (2007) (holding that OCGA § 17-7-110’s deadline applies to special demurrers); Bighams v. State, 296 Ga. 267, 270 (2) n.4 (765 SE2d 917) (2014) (holding that if a defendant waives arraignment, OCGA § 17-7-110’s deadline runs from the date that the waiver of arraignment is filed)....
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Harrell v. State, 297 Ga. 884 (Ga. 2015).

Cited 15 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Oct 5, 2015 | 778 S.E.2d 196

...422, § 5-25. 2 The State contends that the question of the constitutionality of OCGA § 16-10-97 (a) (1) is not properly before this Court because Harrell did not file his pleading raising the issue within 10 days of arraignment, as required by OCGA § 17-7-110. See also USCR 31.1. However, the State did not raise any such issue below, before or after the trial court’s ruling on the subject, and its ability to enforce the strictures of OCGA § 17-7-110 on appeal has been waived....
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Thomas v. State, 859 S.E.2d 14 (Ga. 2021).

Cited 12 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Jun 1, 2021 | 311 Ga. 706

...related to an issue between Blocc and DTB and that the 2014 shooting did not involve the same gang rivalry but instead involved 4 Thomas’s counsel filed a motion to sever on the morning the trial began, nearly two years after the date of arraignment. See OCGA § 17-7-110 (All pretrial motions “shall be filed within ten days after the date of arraignment, unless the time for filing is extended by the court.”). 21 Blocc and Fenesco City. Where offenses are jo...
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Jackson v. State, 850 S.E.2d 131 (Ga. 2020).

Cited 11 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Oct 19, 2020 | 310 Ga. 224

...But because Appellant “did not object to the prosecutor’s argument at trial, he has waived review of these arguments on appeal, as the alleged errors here based on improper remarks during closing argument are not subject to review on appeal for plain error.” 3 See also OCGA §§ 17-7-110 (“All pretrial motions, including demurrers and special pleas, shall be filed within ten days after the date of arraignment, unless the time for filing is extended by the court.”), 17-7-113 (“All exceptions which go merely to the f...
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Miller v. State, 305 Ga. 276 (Ga. 2019).

Cited 6 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Feb 18, 2019

...he arguments relying upon it, is waived as it must have been raised as a special demurrer at least before trial. See OCGA § 17-7-113 (“All exceptions which go merely to the form of an indictment or accusation shall be made before trial.”); OCGA § 17-7-110 (“All pretrial motions, including demurrers and special pleas, shall be filed within ten days after the date of arraignment, unless the time for filing is extended by the court.”); Palmer v....
...a specific date on which the crime was committed is not perfect in form and is subject to a timely special demurrer.” (citations and punctuation omitted)). Such an argument must be brought before trial, or it is waived. See OCGA § 17-7- 113; OCGA § 17-7-110; Palmer v....
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Miller v. State, 824 S.E.2d 342 (Ga. 2019).

Cited 6 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Feb 18, 2019

...340, 340-341, 613 S.E.2d 639 (2005) ("Generally, an indictment which fails to allege a specific date on which the crime was committed is not perfect in form and is subject to a timely special demurrer."). Such an argument must be brought before trial, or it is waived. See OCGA § 17-7-113 ; OCGA § 17-7-110 ; Palmer, 282 Ga....
...of the arguments relying upon it, is waived as it must have been raised as a special demurrer at least before trial. See OCGA § 17-7-113 ("All exceptions which go merely to the form of an indictment or accusation shall be made before trial."); OCGA § 17-7-110 ("All pretrial motions, including demurrers and special pleas, shall be filed within ten days after the date of arraignment, unless the time for filing is extended by the court."); Palmer v....
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Funck v. State, 296 Ga. 371 (Ga. 2015).

Cited 6 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Jan 20, 2015 | 768 S.E.2d 468

...a more favorable outcome at trial. Allen v. State, 293 Ga. 626, 627(2) (748 SE2d 881) (2013). To satisfy the first prong of Strickland, Funck has to overcome the strong presumption that his trial counsel's performance was within the broad 2 Funck cites OCGA§ 17-7-110, which provides: All pretrial motions, including demurrers and special pleas, shall be filed within ten days after the date of arraignment, unless the time for filing is extended by the court....
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Brown v. State, 295 Ga. 240 (Ga. 2014).

Cited 5 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Jun 2, 2014 | 759 S.E.2d 489, 2014 Fulton County D. Rep. 1418

...themselves,” including in cases where a grand juror is prohibited from serving under OCGA § 15-12-70. Id. (grand jurors disqualified from acting or serving when such 7 3. Challenging Grand Juror Bias Pursuant to OCGA § 17-7-110, “[a]ll pretrial motions, including demurrers and special pleas, shall be filed within ten days after the date of arraignment, unless the time for filing is extended by the court.” This statute, which post-dates all the cases cited...
...based on the type of motion, or whether the challenge is propter defectum or affectum. See State v. Dempsey, 290 Ga. 763, 765 (1) (727 SE2d 670) (2012) (holding that any prior requirement that a propter defectum challenge be made pre-indictment is no longer valid under § 17-7-110). Thus, a pretrial motion challenging grand jury bias is proper. Furthermore, to the extent that pre-indictment motions do not qualify as “pretrial motions” under OCGA § 17-7-110, they would still be proper because they were filed before the indictment was issued....
...After the grand jury handed down the indictment, Brown filed a motion for abatement and/or dismiss for improper use of disqualified grand jurors, reasserting his arguments from his previous motions to challenge and listing by name the grand jurors to be disqualified because they were EMC members. Pursuant to OCGA § 17-7-110, his pre-indictment challenges to disqualify and his motion for abatement and were timely....
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Middleton v. State, 850 S.E.2d 126 (Ga. 2020).

Cited 4 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Oct 19, 2020 | 310 Ga. 365

...special demurrer seeking greater specificity with regard to the predicate felony” (citation and punctuation omitted)). Appellant waived this claim by failing to raise it before trial in a timely filed special demurrer. See id. See also OCGA §§ 17-7-110 (“All pretrial motions, including demurrers and special pleas, shall be filed within ten days after the date of arraignment, unless the time for filing is extended by the court.”), 17-7-113 (“All exceptions which go merely to the form of an indictment or accusation shall be made before trial.”). 3....
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Davis v. State, 838 S.E.2d 233 (Ga. 2020).

Cited 3 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Jan 27, 2020 | 307 Ga. 784

...See OCGA § 17-1-2. 6 27-31, 262 (1879) (collecting and describing common law sources). It stands to reason that a prosecutor must initiate an action, through an indictment or formal accusation, before a person can file a pleading challenging such action. See OCGA § 17-7-110 (“All pretrial motions, including demurrers and special pleas, shall be filed within ten days after the date of arraignment, unless the time for filing is extended by the court.”); OCGA § 17-7-111 (“If the defendant, upon being...
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Jordan v. State, 854 S.E.2d 548 (Ga. 2021).

Cited 2 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Feb 1, 2021 | 310 Ga. 703

...claim below precludes our review. See Thompson v. State, 286 Ga. 889, 890 (2) (692 SE2d 379) (2010) (defendant waived claim that felony murder count did not contain essential elements of predicate felony because he did not file timely special demurrer under OCGA § 17-7-110), overruled on other grounds by State v....
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Moore v. White, Warden, 907 S.E.2d 902 (Ga. 2024).

Cited 1 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Oct 22, 2024 | 320 Ga. 120

...iction or acquittal. See, e.g., Sanders, 313 Ga. at 195; Smith v. State, 303 Ga. 643, 647 (814 SE2d 411) (2018). A special demurrer must be filed within ten days of arraignment, unless the time for filing is extended by the trial court. See OCGA § 17-7-110. Trial counsel’s failure to raise the issue of the defective first- degree burglary count by special demurrer was not a reasonable trial tactic or strategy....
...Instead, it is found in the plain language of the statute”). And absent trial counsel’s failure to file a special demurrer, it is reasonably probable that the result of the trial would have been more favorable to Moore. As discussed above, had counsel filed a timely special demurrer before trial, see OCGA § 17-7-110, the trial court should have granted it....
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Cooper v. State, 914 S.E.2d 800 (Ga. 2025).

Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Apr 8, 2025 | 321 Ga. 349

...Appellant also argues on appeal that trial counsel was 5 ineffective for failing to file the plea in bar challenging the court’s jurisdiction under OCGA § 17-7-50.1 within ten days of his arraignment or to seek an extension to file the plea in bar, in accordance with OCGA § 17-7-110 (“All pretrial motions, including demurrers and special pleas, shall be filed within ten days after the date of arraignment, unless the time for filing is extended by the court.”)....

Funck v. State (Ga. 2015).

Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Jan 20, 2015 | 321 Ga. 349

...the broad range of reasonable professional conduct; the reasonableness of such conduct is assessed from counsel's perspective at the time of trial and under the particular circumstances then existing in the case. Id. The second prong of 2 Funck cites OCGA§ 17-7-110, which provides: “All pretrial motions, including demurrers and special pleas, shall be filed within ten days after the date of arraignment, unless the time for filing is extended by the court.”...