O.C.G.A.

O.C.G.A. § 50-13-1 (2019)

Short title; purpose

✓ O.C.G.A. — 2019 edition (Public.Resource.Org Release 73)
Code text and O.C.G.A. statutory annotations on this page reflect the 2019 Official Code of Georgia Annotated (Public.Resource.Org Release 73, 2019-08-21; public domain per Georgia v. Public.Resource.Org, 2020). The Syfert case-law annotations in Notes of Decisions, below, are current.
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This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the ‘‘Georgia Administrative Procedure Act.’’ It is not intended that this chapter create or diminish any substantive rights or delegated authority, but this chapter is meant to provide a procedure for administrative determination and regulation where expressly authorized by law or otherwise required by the Constitution or a statute of this state.

History

Ga. L. 1964, p. 338, § 1; Ga. L. 1965, p. 283, § 1.

Annotations

Law reviews. - For article advocating consistency in statutory provisions governing review of administrative conduct in Georgia, prior to the enactment of O.C.G.A. Ch. 13, T. 50, see 15 Ga. B.J. 153 (1952). For article discussing procedural problems with judicial review of administrative conduct in Georgia prior to the enactment of O.C.G.A. Ch. 13, T. 50, see 15 Ga. B.J. 297 (1953). For article, ‘‘The

Georgia Uniform Procedure Act,’’ see 1 Ga. St. B.J. 269 (1964). For article discussing Georgia administrative law during 1975 to 1977, see 29 Mercer L. Rev. 1 (1977). For annual survey of administrative law, see 56 Mercer L. Rev. 31 (2004). For annual survey of administrative law, see 67 Mercer L. Rev. 1 (2015). For note discussing application of procedural due process requirements to hearings by administrative tribunals, see 32 Mercer L. Rev. 359 (1980).

JUDICIAL DECISIONS Brogdon v. State Bd. of Veterinary Medicine, 244 Ga. 780, 262 S.E.2d 56 (1979). Hearings on suspension of driver’s license for refusal to submit to breath test. - See Hardison v. Fayssoux, 168 Ga. App. 398, 309 S.E.2d 397 (1983). Reversing agency decision on ground not raised before agency. - In a proceeding wherein a trial court affirmatively granted a peace officer’s reinstatement, the court held that the trial court erred by reversing the decision of the council based on grounds that were never urged before the trial court and that were not raised in the petition for judicial review or at the hearing on the petition. Ga. Peace Officer Standards and Training Council v. Hodges, 330 Ga. App. 145, 767 S.E.2d 286 (2014). Compliance with appeal procedures of administrative decision required. - In a case involving a white supremacist organization being denied a permit for the Adopt-A-Highway program administered by the Georgia Department of Transportation (Department), the court dismissed the Department’s appeal for lack of jurisdiction because the Department sought review of a decision of a state administrative agency and was required under O.C.G.A. § 5-6-35(a)(1) to bring the Department’s appeal by way of an application for discretionary review, but failed to do so. State of Ga. v. International Keystone Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, Inc., 299 Ga. 392, 788 S.E.2d 455 (2016). Cited in Hood v. Rice, 120 Ga. App. 691, 172 S.E.2d 170 (1969); Department of Pub. Safety v. Byars, 127 Ga. App. 190, 192 S.E.2d 926 (1972); O’Neal v. Georgia Real Estate Comm’n, 129 Ga. App. 211, 199 S.E.2d 362 (1973); Sumter County Bd. of Educ. v. Mosley, 147 Ga. App. 478, 249 S.E.2d 284 (1978); Keramidas v. Department of Human Resources, 147 Ga. App. 820, 250 S.E.2d 560 (1978); Hicks v. Georgia State Bd. of Pharmacy, 553 F. Supp. 314 (N.D. Ga. 1982); Johnsen v. Collins, 875 F. Supp. 1571 (S.D. Ga. 1994); Brown v. Barrow, 512 F.3d 1304 (11th Cir. 2008); Atmos Energy Corp. v. Ga. PSC, 290 Ga. App. 243, 659 S.E.2d 385 (2008); Atmos Energy Corp. v. Ga. PSC, 290 Ga. App.

Exhaustion of administrative remedies. - Intent of the legislature was to provide by Ga. L. 1964, p. 338, § 1 et seq. (see O.C.G.A. Ch. 13, T. 50) an administrative procedure to resolve conflicts within the authority vested in administrative agencies and boards by statute without resort to courts of record in the first instance. Georgia State Bd. of Dental Exmrs. v. Daniels, 137 Ga. App. 706, 224 S.E.2d 820 (1976). Alternative remedy available. - Trial court properly denied the defendant’s amended motion for a new trial holding that the administration of breath tests pursuant to Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 92-3-.06(12)(b) did not violate the due process clause under both U.S. Const., amend. 5 or Ga. Const. 1983, Art. I, Sec. I, Para. I given that: (1) the claim was raised for the first time in the new trial motion, and was thus untimely; (2) the defendant had an alternative remedy under the Georgia Administrative Procedure Act, O.C.G.A. § 50-13-1 et seq.; (3) the defendant failed to show that the Division of Forensic Sciences (DFS) eliminated meaningful procedures for conducting breath tests when the division promulgated the rule; and (4) the techniques and methods approved by DFS were sufficient to ensure fair and accurate testing. Palmaka v. State, 280 Ga. App. 761, 634 S.E.2d 883 (2006). Civil Practice Act was inapplicable to proceedings under the Georgia Administrative Procedure Act, Ga. L. 1964, p. 338, § 1 et seq. Georgia State Bd. of Dental Exmrs. v. Daniels, 137 Ga. App. 706, 224 S.E.2d 820 (1976). Provisions strictly construed. - Ga. L. 1937, p. 806 (see O.C.G.A. § 34-8-222) and the Georgia Administrative Procedure Act, Ga. L. 1964, p. 338, § 1 et seq., are in derogation of common law and must be strictly construed. Caldwell v. Corbin, 152 Ga. App. 153, 262 S.E.2d 516 (1979). Administrative review precludes equitable relief. - When a statute provides a party with a means of review by an administrative agency, such procedure is generally an adequate remedy at law so as to preclude the grant of equitable relief.

(2013); DeKalb County Sch. Dist. v. Ga. State Bd. of Educ., 294 Ga. 349, 751 S.E.2d 827 (2013); Ga. Dep’t of Human Servs. v. Addison, 304 Ga. 425, 819 S.E.2d 20 (2018); Amusement Leasing, Inc. v. Ga. Lottery Corp., 352 Ga. App. 243, 834 S.E.2d 330 (2019).

243, 659 S.E.2d 385 (2008); Carolina Tobacco Co. v. Baker, 295 Ga. App. 115, 670 S.E.2d 811 (2008); Longleaf Energy Assocs., LLC v. Friends of the Chattahoochee, Inc., 298 Ga. App. 753, 681 S.E.2d 203 (2009); Scarborough v. Hunter, 293 Ga. 431, 746 S.E.2d 119

OPINIONS OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL Purpose and intent of the Georgia Administrative Procedure Act, Ga. L. 1964, p. 338, § 1, is not to create additional substantive requirements in what is cause for revocations of a license by an administrative agency; rather, the purpose and intent of that law is to provide uniform, minimum procedural requirements to be followed by an administrative agency in determining the legal rights, duties, or privileges of a party in a matter in which the particular agency regulates and to which the law applies. 1965-66 Op. Att’y Gen. No. 65-73. Licensee momentarily complying but with history of noncompliance. - Administrative agency may proceed to re-

voke license of licensee in conformity with the Georgia Administrative Procedure Act, Ga. L. 1964, p. 338, § 1 and the fact that the licensee shows at the agency’s proceedings that the licensee is momentarily complying with all lawful requirements for the retention of the license would be immaterial; the real question to be resolved by the agency’s proceedings would be whether the licensee had been in noncompliance with all lawful requirements for the retention of the license at the time that the licensee is alleged to have been in noncompliance with such requirements. 1965-66 Op. Att’y Gen. No. 65-73.

RESEARCH REFERENCES Am. Jur. Pleading and Practice Forms. - 1A Am. Jur. Pleading and Prac-

tice Forms, Administrative Law, § 1 et seq.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 102 cases (5 in the last 5 years), 1983–2026 · leading case: Ctr. for a Sustainable Coast v. Coastal Marshlands Prot. Comm., 670 S.E.2d 429 (Ga. 2008).
Ctr. for a Sustainable Coast v. Coastal Marshlands Prot. Comm., 670 S.E.2d 429 (Ga. 2008). · cites it 4× “However, CSC cites nothing in the record to support this contention, and this Court will not declare an exception to the normal rules of deference merely because an administrative agency issues a rule or regulation at a time when there is a pending dispute regarding the subject…”
State of Georgia v. Int'l Keystone Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, Inc., 788 S.E.2d 455 (Ga. 2016). · cites it 2× “7 See OCGA § 50-13-1 et seq. 8 The Administrative Procedure Act provides for judicial review in “contested cases.”
Charles H. Wesley Educ. Found., Inc. v. State Election Bd., 654 S.E.2d 127 (Ga. 2007). · cites it 4× “NOTES [1] OCGA §§ 50-13-1 to 50-13-44. [2] Technically speaking, the Board's motion was one for judgment on the pleadings rather than one to dismiss the complaint for failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted because the Board had already filed an answer to the…”
Coastal Marshlands Prot. Comm. v. Ctr. for a Sustainable Coast, 649 S.E.2d 619 (Ga. Ct. App. 2007). · cites it 4× “he Center for a Sustainable Coast, the Georgia River Network, and the Satilla Riverwatch Alliance (the Challengers), [4] as "aggrieved or adversely affected" persons under OCGA § 12-5-283(b) and (c), filed a petition to challenge the Committee's actions in a hearing before an…”
Tibbles v. Teachers Ret. Sys. of Georgia, 775 S.E.2d 527 (Ga. 2015). · cites it 2× “Here, the record reflects that the administrative rules at issue were promulgated under the Georgia Administrative Procedure Act (“APA”), OCGA § 50-13-1 et seq., but the record does not disclose whether they were promulgated under the APA’s notice-and-comment rulemaking…”
Longleaf Energy Assocs., LLC v. Friends of the Chattahoochee, Inc., 681 S.E.2d 203 (Ga. Ct. App. 2009). · cites it 4× “) in accordance with the Georgia Administrative Procedure Act (OCGA § 50-13-1 et seq.). The ALJ conducted a review of the permit and the challenges, culminating in a 21-day evidentiary hearing.”
Norman v. Jones Lang LaSalle Americas, Inc., 627 S.E.2d 382 (Ga. Ct. App. 2006). · cites it 2× “1 ( 619 SE2d 682 ) (2005) (courts are allowed to take judicial notice of regulations promulgated by state agencies pursuant to the Administrative Procedure Act, OCGA§ 50-13-1 et seq.). 8 Notably, although Norman’s expert witness’ affidavit includes his conclusory statement that…”
Georgia Soc'y of Ambulatory Surgery Centers v. Georgia Dep't of Cmty. Health, 710 S.E.2d 183 (Ga. Ct. App. 2011). · cites it 4× “DCH notes that if an ASC is fined, sanctioned, or has its exemption status revoked for failure to fully respond to an annual survey, the ASC is entitled to notice and an administrative hearing under the Georgia Administrative Procedure Act, OCGA § 50-13-1 et seq., before any…”
Ga. Dep't of Human Servs. v. Addison, 819 S.E.2d 20 (Ga. 2018). · cites it 2× “The process for the administrative hearing and for judicial review of the agency's decision, both of which are generally governed by the Georgia Administrative Procedure Act (APA), OCGA §§ 50-13-1 to 50-13-44, is specified in the rest of OCGA § 49-5-183, which says: (d) If the…”
Jud. Council of Ga. v. BROWN & GALLO, 702 S.E.2d 894 (Ga. 2010). · cites it 2× “” There is no expressed legislative intent with regard to the statutory exemptions to the Act’s definition of what entities were covered by the Act. The term “the judiciary,” used in OCGA § 50-13-2 (1), has more than one ordinary, logical, and common meaning: it can refer to…”
Brown v. Barrow, 512 F.3d 1304 (11th Cir. 2008). “§ 50—13—2(1), which sets a procedure for administrative determinations and processes, O.C.G.A. § 50-13-1. Without an administrative appellate procedure for Board decisions, the appropriate method by which a prisoner can attack a Board decision is to file a petition for a writ of…”
DeKalb Cnty. Sch. Dist. v. Gold, 734 S.E.2d 466 (Ga. Ct. App. 2012). · cites it 2× “OCGA § 50-13-1 et seq. Live Oak Consulting, 281 Ga.”
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