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2018 Georgia Code 39-1-1 | Car Wreck Lawyer

TITLE 39 MINORS

Section 1. General Provisions, 39-1-1.

39-1-1. Age of legal majority; residence of persons in state for purpose of attending school.

  1. The age of legal majority in this state is 18 years; until that age all persons are minors.
  2. Nothing in this Code section shall be construed automatically to render an individual a resident of this state when that individual is in the state for the purpose of attending school. In the case of such individual, his residence will be considered to be the state in which his parents reside if under the laws of that state the individual would still be considered a minor and he is incapable of proving his emancipation.

(Orig. Code 1863, § 1742; Code 1868, § 1782; Code 1873, § 1791; Code 1882, § 1791; Civil Code 1895, § 2500; Civil Code 1910, § 3019; Code 1933, § 74-104; Ga. L. 1972, p. 193, § 1.)

Cross references.

- Rights of minors generally, § 1-2-8.

Age restrictions in regard to purchase of alcoholic beverages, § 3-3-23.

Effect of minority status on tolling of limitations, § 9-3-90.

Service of process on resident minors over 14 temporarily outside state, § 9-10-70.

Appointment of guardian ad litem for minor not otherwise represented in court action, § 9-11-17.

Capacity of minors to enter into contracts, § 13-3-20 et seq.

Termination of juvenile's order of disposition, § 15-11-443.

Referral of juveniles to adult services upon reaching age of majority, § 15-11-451.

Minimum age at which person may be held criminally responsible for his actions, § 16-3-1.

Offenses relating to exhibition of lewd or indecent, etc., materials to minors, § 16-12-101 et seq.

Penalty for knowingly selling or delivering to minor any drug-related object, § 16-13-1.

Domicile of minors generally, § 19-2-4.

Age at which persons may contract marriage without parental consent, § 19-3-2.

Parental control of children under age of majority, § 19-7-1.

Age groups to which compulsory school attendance law applies, § 20-2-690.

Further provisions regarding determination of resident status of university students for tuition or fee purposes, § 20-3-66.

Guardians of minors, T. 29, C. 4.

Minimum age requirements for issuance of driver's license, § 40-5-22.

Applications by minors for instruction permits or drivers' licenses, § 40-5-26.

Making of certain gifts to persons under age 21, § 44-5-110 et seq.

Maximum age for pleading infancy as defense to tort action, § 51-11-6.

Minimum age at which person considered capable of making will, § 53-4-10.

Editor's notes.

- Ga. L. 1972, p. 193, § 10, effective July 1, 1972, not codified by the General Assembly, provided that the purpose of the Act was to reduce the age of legal majority from 21 years of age to 18 years of age so that all persons, upon reaching the age of 18, would have the rights, privileges, powers, duties, responsibilities, and liabilities previously applicable to persons 21 years of age or over. The section further provided that the Act was not to be construed to have the effect of changing the age from 21 to 18 with respect to any legal instrument or court decree in existence prior to July 1, 1972, when the instrument referred only to "the age of majority" or words of similar import, except that any guardianship of the person or property of a minor under the provisions of Title 49 of the 1933 Code, whether such guardianship was created by court order or decree entered before or after July 1, 1972, or under the will of a testator which was executed after July 1, 1972, would terminate when the ward for whom such guardianship was created reached 18 years of age.

Law reviews.

- For comment on Barnwell v. Cordle, 438 F.2d 236 (5th Cir. 1971), refusing to apply doctrine of parental immunity to suit brought by minor against father's estate, see 8 Ga. St. B.J. 544 (1972).

JUDICIAL DECISIONS

Computation.

- One becomes of full age on the day preceding the twenty-first (now eighteenth) anniversary of one's birth, on the first moment of that day. Thomas v. Couch, 171 Ga. 602, 156 S.E. 206 (1930) (decided under prior law).

Ordered support beyond eighteenth birthday a nullity.

- Any portion of a verdict and judgment intending to provide for support for any child beyond his or her eighteenth birthday is a nullity. Wilcox v. Wilcox, 242 Ga. 598, 250 S.E.2d 465 (1978).

Parental consent necessary for imposition of support obligation beyond 18.

- Without the consent of the husband-father in a child support controversy, neither the jury nor the court can require him to support his minor child beyond the child's eighteenth birthday, and an attempt to do so is a nullity. Ritchea v. Ritchea, 244 Ga. 476, 260 S.E.2d 871 (1979).

Support beyond reduced age of majority in accordance with original agreement.

- When the age of majority at the time of divorce was 21, it was proper to continue child support in accordance with the original agreement even though the statute reduced the age of majority to 18. Spivey v. Schneider, 234 Ga. 687, 217 S.E.2d 251 (1975).

Recovery of support by adult child barred.

- Right in an adult child to recover support from his father (now parent) beyond the age of majority was barred by former Code 1933, §§ 74-104 and 74-105 (see O.C.G.A. §§ 39-1-1 and19-7-2, respectively) which provide together that a father's (now parent's) obligation to provide for the maintenance, protection, and education of his child ceases when the child reaches majority. Crane v. Crane, 225 Ga. 605, 170 S.E.2d 392 (1969), (decided under prior law).

No modification of Juvenile Court Code.

- Reduction of the age of majority from 21 to 18 did not modify the provisions of the Juvenile Court Code, which still applies to those under the age of 21 years who have committed an act of delinquency before reaching the age of 17. W.F. v. State, 144 Ga. App. 523, 241 S.E.2d 631 (1978).

Minors may not refuse unwanted care.

- Georgia provides no "mature minor" exception to the state's general rule that only adults may refuse unwanted medical care. Novak v. Cobb County-Kennestone Hosp. Auth., 849 F. Supp. 1559 (N.D. Ga. 1994), aff'd, 74 F.3d 1173 (11th Cir. 1996).

Workers' compensation.

- Provisions of the Workers' Compensation Act, O.C.G.A. § 34-9-1 et seq., are manifestly general and not special laws and operate uniformly upon all minors who are employed under such circumstances as to come under the Workers' Compensation Act, who are 18 years of age or over, and who are not mentally incompetent or physically incapable of earning a livelihood. The legislature has ample power to regulate the age of minority or majority, and may divide minors into two classes, those above and those below a certain age, and endow all those above such age with all the rights of adults in reference to certain kinds of contracts without violating the provision of the Constitution. The effect of such an Act is merely to provide that in reference to certain kinds of contracts the age of majority shall be 18 instead of 21 years. Rourke v. U.S. Fid. & Guar. Co., 187 Ga. 636, 1 S.E.2d 728 (1939) (decided under prior law).

Confessions and statements of juveniles.

- West v. United States, 399 F.2d 467 (5th Cir. 1968), cert. denied, 393 U.S. 1102, 89 S. Ct. 903, 21 L. Ed. 2d 795 (1969), which enumerates factors applying to confessions or statements of juveniles is inapposite if the defendant is 18 years or older. White v. State, 251 Ga. 482, 306 S.E.2d 636 (1983).

Cited in McDowell v. Georgia R.R., 60 Ga. 320 (1878); Dent v. Cock, 65 Ga. 400 (1880); Bulloch v. Bulloch, 45 Ga. App. 1, 163 S.E. 708 (1932); Newton v. Newton, 222 Ga. 175, 149 S.E.2d 128 (1966); Ehrhart v. Brooks, 231 Ga. 272, 201 S.E.2d 464 (1973); Gould v. State, 131 Ga. App. 811, 207 S.E.2d 519 (1974); Choquette v. Choquette, 232 Ga. 759, 208 S.E.2d 848 (1974); Marchman v. State, 132 Ga. App. 677, 209 S.E.2d 88 (1974); State v. Gould, 232 Ga. 844, 209 S.E.2d 312 (1974); Whitworth v. Whitworth, 233 Ga. 53, 210 S.E.2d 9 (1974); Herring v. Herring, 233 Ga. 484, 211 S.E.2d 893 (1975); Welch v. State, 237 Ga. 665, 229 S.E.2d 390 (1976); Jones v. Jones, 244 Ga. 32, 257 S.E.2d 537 (1979); Nash v. Nash, 244 Ga. 749, 262 S.E.2d 64 (1979); Woodes v. Morris, 247 Ga. 771, 279 S.E.2d 704 (1981); State v. Hasty, 158 Ga. App. 464, 280 S.E.2d 873 (1981); Blalock v. Anneewakee, Inc., 206 Ga. App. 676, 426 S.E.2d 165 (1992); Penny v. McBride, 282 Ga. App. 590, 639 S.E.2d 561 (2006); Johnson v. Thompson, 286 Ga. App. 810, 650 S.E.2d 322 (2007).

OPINIONS OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL

Intent of age of majority law.

- Ga. L. 1972, p. 193, § 1 was intended to reduce the age at which an individual attained full legal capacity and thereby shed one's civil disabilities; it was not intended to necessarily affect all existing laws setting an age qualification of 21, unless such laws were tied directly to the age of majority. 1972 Op. Att'y Gen. No. 72-118.

Collection of court-ordered support payments existing prior to July 1, 1972.

- Department of Probation (now Department of Offender Rehabilitation) should collect child support payments for individuals between 18 and 21 when such payments arise out of court orders in existence prior to July 1, 1972. 1972 Op. Att'y Gen. No. U72-40.

Consent to abortion.

- Since the age of majority, and consequently the age of emancipation from legal custody and control of the parent, is 18 years of age, a person 18 years of age or older may consent to an abortion. 1972 Op. Att'y Gen. No. 72-118.

RESEARCH REFERENCES

Am. Jur. 2d.

- 42 Am. Jur. 2d, Infants, §§ 1, 3 et seq., 28, 31.

C.J.S.

- 43 C.J.S., Infants, § 2.

ALR.

- Liability of parent for necessaries furnished to adult child, 42 A.L.R. 150.

Age at which female attains majority, 95 A.L.R. 355.

Calculation of newborn child's age for purposes of life insurance policy requiring that specified age be reached before coverage begins, 37 A.L.R.3d 1448.

Burden of proof of defendant's age, in prosecution where attainment of particular age is statutory requisite of guilt, 49 A.L.R.3d 526.

Statutory change of age of majority as affecting preexisting status or rights, 75 A.L.R.3d 228.

Responsibility of noncustodial divorced parent to pay for, or contribute to, costs of child's college education, 99 A.L.R.3d 322.

Cases Citing O.C.G.A. § 39-1-1

Total Results: 8  |  Sort by: Relevance  |  Newest First

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Fulton-DeKalb Hosp. Auth. v. Graves, 314 S.E.2d 653 (Ga. 1984).

Cited 59 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Apr 17, 1984 | 252 Ga. 441

..." Collins v. McPherson, 91 Ga. App. 347, 349 (85 SE2d 552) (1954). Further, the duty to support does not extend beyond the child's eighteenth birthday, thus limiting the damages which may be recovered as the *446 costs of rearing the child. See OCGA § 39-1-1 (Code Ann....
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McAlister v. Clifton, 313 Ga. 737 (Ga. 2022).

Cited 14 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Apr 19, 2022

...granted custody to Harvey and turned 18 years of age shortly after the appeal was docketed. Because at 18 years the child has reached the age of legal majority and is no longer subject to the custody order, this issue is moot. OCGA § 39-1-1 (a) (age of legal majority is 18 years); OCGA § 19-7-1 (a) (at age 18 child no longer in the custody or control of either parent)....
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State v. Cafe Erotica, Inc., 500 S.E.2d 574 (Ga. 1998).

Cited 8 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | May 26, 1998 | 269 Ga. 486, 98 Fulton County D. Rep. 1769

...content of expressive activity protected by First Amendment, that legislation constitutes a restriction on the right of free speech and must meet the strict scrutiny that is required of content-based restrictions and regulations on speech. [6] OCGA § 39-1-1.
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Wood v. Wood, 361 S.E.2d 819 (Ga. 1987).

Cited 5 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Nov 19, 1987 | 257 Ga. 598

...ond his 23rd birthday." Prior to 1972 most minors could complete or come very close to completing any vocational or college education before their 21st birthday, but in 1972, the age of majority was changed from 21 to 18, Ga. Laws 1972, p. 193; OCGA § 39-1-1, making it impossible for some children to complete their high school education much less any vocational or college education before their 18th birthday....
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White v. State, 306 S.E.2d 636 (Ga. 1983).

Cited 4 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Sep 7, 1983 | 251 Ga. 482

...United States, 399 F2d 467 (5th Cir. 1968), cert. denied, 393 U. S. 1102 (1969). We decline to do so, however, because West is inapposite here. It enumerates factors applying to confessions or statements of juveniles, and White, who was 18 years old, was not a juvenile. See OCGA § 39-1-1 (Code Ann....
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Wade v. Corinthian, 283 Ga. 514 (Ga. 2008).

Cited 1 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | May 19, 2008 | 661 S.E.2d 532, 2008 Fulton County D. Rep. 1694

...een residing with his mother for several years and that he wished to remain in her custody and control during the remainder of his minority. The trial court conducted a hearing on July 24,2007, by which time the son had become 18 years old. See OCGA § 39-1-1 (a).1 Although no longer a minor, the son had not yet completed high school....
...the case is remanded to the trial court for consideration consistent with this opinion. Judgment reversed and case remanded. All the Justices concur. *517Decided May 19, 2008. Gloria Smith-Grimes, for appellant. Alonzo Nelson, for appellee. OCGA§ 39-1-1 (a) provides: The age of legal majority in this state is 18 years; until that age all persons are minors. OCGA § 19-6-19 (a) in effect at the time Wade’s petition was filed provided in pertinent part: The judgment of a court providin...

McAlister v. Clifton (Ga. 2022).

Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Apr 19, 2022 | 661 S.E.2d 532, 2008 Fulton County D. Rep. 1694

...d custody to Harvey and turned 18 years of age shortly after the appeal was docketed. Because at 18 years the child has reached the age of legal majority and is no longer subject to the custody order, this issue is moot. OCGA § 39-1-1 (a) (age of legal majority is 18 years); OCGA § 19- 7-1 (a) (at age 18 child no longer in the custody or control of either parent)....

McAlister v. Clifton (Ga. 2021).

Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Dec 14, 2021 | 661 S.E.2d 532, 2008 Fulton County D. Rep. 1694

...anted custody to Harvey and turned 18 years of age shortly after the appeal was docketed. Because at 18 years the child has reached the age of legal majority and is no longer subject to the custody order, this issue is moot. OCGA § 39-1-1 (a) (age of legal majority is 18 years); OCGA § 19- 7-1 (a) (at age 18 child no longer in the custody or control of either parent)....