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2018 Georgia Code 9-14-43 | Car Wreck Lawyer

TITLE 9 CIVIL PRACTICE

Section 14. Habeas Corpus, 9-14-1 through 9-14-53.

ARTICLE 2 PROCEDURE FOR PERSONS UNDER SENTENCE OF STATE COURT OF RECORD

9-14-43. Jurisdiction and venue.

A petition brought under this article must be filed in the superior court of the county in which the petitioner is being detained. The superior courts of such counties shall have exclusive jurisdiction of habeas corpus actions arising under this article. If the petitioner is not in custody or is being detained under the authority of the United States, any of the several states other than Georgia, or any foreign state, the petition must be filed in the superior court of the county in which the conviction and sentence which is being challenged was imposed.

(Code 1933, § 50-127, enacted by Ga. L. 1967, p. 835, § 3; Ga. L. 2004, p. 917, § 2.)

Law reviews.

- For note, "Ineffective Assistance of Counsel Blues: Navigating the Muddy Waters of Georgia Law After 2010 State Supreme Court Decisions," see 45 Ga. L. Rev. 1199 (2011).

JUDICIAL DECISIONS

Jurisdiction vested exclusively in superior court of county of detention.

- Under this section, jurisdiction to hear petitions for habeas corpus is vested exclusively in the superior court of the county wherein the petitioner is being detained. Strauss v. Stynchcombe, 224 Ga. 859, 165 S.E.2d 302 (1968).

Motion to vacate or set aside may not be treated as habeas corpus petition except in superior court.

- While a motion to vacate and set aside sentence, made after the original term has passed, may, in appropriate circumstances, be treated as a habeas corpus petition, when the trial court is not a superior court, it has no jurisdiction to adopt such an approach. Thigpen v. State, 165 Ga. App. 837, 303 S.E.2d 81 (1983).

Petition for habeas corpus must be filed in county of petitioner's confinement. Jones v. Luzier, 345 F. Supp. 724 (N.D. Ga. 1972).

Venue in habeas corpus cases involving restraint of the personal liberty of a prisoner within the state lies in the county where the actual physical detention exists. Smith v. Garner, 236 Ga. 81, 222 S.E.2d 351 (1976).

Jurisdiction and venue lie in the superior court of the county in which the petitioner is actually and physically detained, even though the petitioner's custody has been transferred there under authority of the State Board of Corrections (now Board of Offender Rehabilitation). Smith v. Garner, 236 Ga. 81, 222 S.E.2d 351 (1976).

Proper method for challenging the validity of a guilty plea and resulting sentence is through habeas corpus proceedings; however, a petition for habeas corpus must be filed in a superior court of the county where a prisoner is detained. Goodrum v. State, 259 Ga. App. 704, 578 S.E.2d 484 (2003).

Habeas corpus is the exclusive post-appeal procedure available to a criminal defendant who asserts the denial of a constitutional right such as effective assistance of counsel, and a habeas corpus action must be filed in the superior court of the county in which the petitioner is detained, which is the only court that has jurisdiction over such a petition; because, at the time the defendant filed the amended extraordinary motion for new trial raising ineffective assistance of counsel contentions, the defendant was incarcerated in a different county from that in which the defendant was tried and brought the motions, that motion could not have been treated as a petition for a writ of habeas corpus and the trial court was without authority to consider those contentions. Johnson v. State, 272 Ga. App. 294, 612 S.E.2d 29 (2005).

Petition for habeas corpus must be filed in county of petitioner's conviction.

- Order entered by a superior court in Fulton County granting a parolee's petition for a writ of habeas corpus was a nullity; the parolee was "not in custody" for purposes of O.C.G.A. § 9-14-43 and, therefore, only the superior court in Floyd County, the county where the parolee had been convicted, could consider the petition for a writ of habeas corpus. Nix v. Watts, 284 Ga. 100, 664 S.E.2d 194 (2008).

Petition for habeas corpus not filed in convicting court.

- Motion to appeal a conviction, in the nature of a petition for the writ of habeas corpus, should have been filed in the superior court of the county wherein the petitioner was being detained, not in the convicting court. Neal v. State, 232 Ga. 96, 205 S.E.2d 284 (1974).

Criminal defendant's motion in arrest of judgment filed three years late could not be construed as a petition for habeas corpus because the petition was filed in the county in which the defendant was convicted, rather than against the warden in the county in which the defendant was incarcerated. Lacey v. State, 253 Ga. 711, 324 S.E.2d 471 (1985).

Defendant's pleading, which sought an out-of-time appeal under circumstances when such an appeal was not permitted, could not be considered a petition for writ of habeas corpus since the defendant, while a prisoner in a state facility, filed the pleading against the state in the superior court of the county of conviction rather than against the warden of the institution in which the defendant was incarcerated and in the superior court of the county of the defendant's incarceration as required by O.C.G.A. § 9-14-43. Richards v. State, 275 Ga. 190, 563 S.E.2d 856 (2002).

Location of filing if future consecutive sentence is being attacked.

- Person who is being restrained under sentence of a state court of record must file a petition in the county where the person is detained; this rule applies even if the sentence being attacked is not the one being served, that is, even if a future consecutive sentence is being attacked. Smith v. State, 234 Ga. 390, 216 S.E.2d 111 (1975).

Transfer of habeas petition proper when petitioner transferred after filing petition.

- Superior court properly permitted the transfer of an inmate's habeas corpus petition from the county in which the petition was filed to the county to which the inmate was transferred after filing the petition as only the superior court of the county where a habeas petitioner is currently detained has jurisdiction to address the merits of the claim; however, such a holding is limited to instances when a petitioner's county of incarceration is changed for legitimate or routine reasons and not to frustrate habeas relief. Preer v. Johnson, 279 Ga. 90, 610 S.E.2d 46 (2005).

Petitioner incarcerated within federal penal system.

- When petitioner is restrained of the petitioner's liberty within the federal penal system in this state, venue of the petitioner's action against the state in the nature of habeas corpus is in the superior court of the county where the petitioner is incarcerated by federal authorities. Smith v. State, 234 Ga. 390, 216 S.E.2d 111 (1975).

When a petitioner is incarcerated by federal authorities within this state, the proper county in which to bring the petition for writ of habeas corpus is the county in which the petitioner is detained. Craig v. State, 234 Ga. 398, 216 S.E.2d 296 (1975).

Construing the defendant's request for an out-of-time appeal from a 1995 resentencing on various convictions as one seeking habeas corpus relief, and in light of the language in O.C.G.A. § 9-14-43, the trial court's order denying the defendant relief on jurisdictional grounds was reversed and the matter was remanded for the trial court to consider the defendant's motion as one for a writ of habeas corpus. Anderson v. State, 284 Ga. App. 776, 645 S.E.2d 362 (2007).

Petitioner restrained by federal authorities outside state.

- When a petitioner who desires to attack an allegedly void conviction is restrained by federal authorities in another state, proper jurisdiction to entertain the petitioner's habeas petition is the one in which the petitioner was sentenced. Craig v. State, 234 Ga. 398, 216 S.E.2d 296 (1975).

Section governs habeas petitions arising out of delinquency proceedings.

- This section is controlling as to jurisdiction and venue for habeas corpus petitions arising out of delinquency proceedings in the juvenile court, even though such proceedings are civil in nature, in order to protect minors from a criminal record. Colton v. Martins, 230 Ga. 482, 197 S.E.2d 729 (1973).

Jurisdiction when petitioner challenges driver's license revocation.

- When a person whose driver's license has been revoked by the commissioner of public safety seeks reinstatement of the license, venue in a resulting habeas corpus proceeding resulting from denial of reinstatement is proper not only in the county in which the agency which is restraining the driver is located, but also in the place of conviction. Hardison v. Martin, 254 Ga. 719, 334 S.E.2d 161 (1985).

Cited in Parks v. Ault, 229 Ga. 228, 190 S.E.2d 540 (1972); Chandler v. Ault, 234 Ga. 346, 216 S.E.2d 101 (1975); Grant v. State, 159 Ga. App. 2, 282 S.E.2d 668 (1981); James v. Hight, 251 Ga. 563, 307 S.E.2d 660 (1983); Stargell v. State, 204 Ga. App. 45, 418 S.E.2d 372 (1992); Worle v. State, 227 Ga. App. 575, 489 S.E.2d 374 (1997); State v. Smith, 276 Ga. 14, 573 S.E.2d 64 (2002).

RESEARCH REFERENCES

Am. Jur. 2d.

- 39 Am. Jur. 2d, Habeas Corpus and Postconviction Remedies, § 98.

C.J.S.

- 39A C.J.S., Habeas Corpus, § 272.

Cases Citing O.C.G.A. § 9-14-43

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

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Roberts v. State, 690 S.E.2d 150 (Ga. 2010).

Cited 498 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Jan 25, 2010 | 286 Ga. 532, 2010 Fulton County D. Rep. 197

...or attacking Roberts' convictions as they were neither filed within the time permitted for motions for arrest of judgment, see OCGA § 17-9-61, nor in the county in which Roberts was detained as required for petitions for writ of habeas corpus. OCGA § 9-14-43....
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Cook v. State, 870 S.E.2d 758 (Ga. 2022).

Cited 114 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Mar 15, 2022 | 313 Ga. 471

...constitutional rights, including claims that a right to appeal was frustrated because of a constitutional violation—establishes that the superior court in the county of the defendant’s detention has “exclusive jurisdiction” over the defendant’s habeas petition, OCGA § 9-14-43; contains requirements for what petitions must include, OCGA § 9-14-44, and how they must be served, OCGA § 9-14-45; establishes deadlines for answering a petition, OCGA § 9-14-47; and lays out how hearings must operate, OCGA § 9-14...
...at 186 (recognizing that if “the General Assembly determines that the established framework does not adequately safeguard the interests of litigants in particular classes of cases, it is for that body to change 70 it”). Cf. OCGA § 9-14-43 (amending the Habeas Corpus Act in 2004 to require petitioners not in custody or in federal or foreign custody to file habeas petitions in the superior court of the county in which they were convicted). The dissent similarly argu...
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Smith v. State, 659 S.E.2d 380 (Ga. 2008).

Cited 59 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Mar 31, 2008 | 283 Ga. 376, 2008 Fulton County D. Rep. 1096

..."Because [Smith's] motion to withdraw the plea was brought against the State in the county of conviction, rather than against the warden in the county in which he is incarcerated, it cannot be treated as a habeas corpus petition." Davis v. State, supra at 865-866, 561 S.E.2d 119 (citing OCGA § 9-14-43).
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Wright v. State, 596 S.E.2d 587 (Ga. 2004).

Cited 57 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | May 3, 2004 | 277 Ga. 810, 2004 Fulton County D. Rep. 1544

...123 (1889); Brown v. State, 181 Ga.App. 865, 354 S.E.2d 169 (1987). [6] OCGA § 17-9-61(b); Lacey, 253 Ga. at 711, 324 S.E.2d 471. [7] See Hopper v. Hampton, 244 Ga. 361, 260 S.E.2d 73 (1979); Hicks v. Scott, 273 Ga. 358, 359, 541 S.E.2d 27 (2001). [8] OCGA § 9-14-43....
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Capote v. Ray, 577 S.E.2d 755 (Ga. 2002).

Cited 24 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Nov 15, 2002 | 276 Ga. 1, 573 S.E.2d 25, 2002 Fulton County D. Rep. 3412

...[4] Contrary to the State's argument, the fact that appellant's 1984 sentence has expired does not, standing alone, render his petition attacking the 1984 conviction moot. Parris v. State, 232 Ga. 687, 689-690, 208 S.E.2d 493 (1974); Carafas v. LaVallee, 391 U.S. 234, 237, 88 S.Ct. 1556, 20 L.Ed.2d 554 (1968). [5] OCGA § 9-14-43; Hicks, 273 Ga....
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State v. Smith, 573 S.E.2d 64 (Ga. 2002).

Cited 23 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Nov 25, 2002 | 276 Ga. 14, 2002 Fulton County D. Rep. 3573

...It is unclear where Appellee was detained at the time he filed his pleading. In supporting material, he represented that his "current location" was a state prison facility in Baldwin County. If that is so, then only the superior court of that county would have jurisdiction to address the merits of his claim. OCGA § 9-14-43; Waye v....
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Williams v. State, 656 S.E.2d 144 (Ga. 2008).

Cited 21 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Jan 8, 2008 | 283 Ga. 94, 2008 Fulton County D. Rep. 87

...e motion to set aside as a petition for habeas corpus, because, even assuming no procedural bar, the motion was filed in the county in which Williams was convicted, rather than against the warden in the county in which he is incarcerated. See OCGA §§ 9-14-43; Davis v....
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O'donnell v. Durham, 573 S.E.2d 23 (Ga. 2002).

Cited 21 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Nov 12, 2002 | 275 Ga. 860

...it.]" Mann v. State, 273 Ga. 366, 368(1), 541 S.E.2d 645 (2001). Under that analysis, a superior court anywhere in this state could grant habeas relief to a convicted criminal, notwithstanding the jurisdictional and venue limitations imposed by OCGA § 9-14-43, simply because OCGA § 15-6-9(1) generally authorizes the judges of those courts to hear habeas petitions....
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Nix v. Watts, 664 S.E.2d 194 (Ga. 2008).

Cited 12 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Jun 2, 2008 | 284 Ga. 100, 2008 Fulton County D. Rep. 1842

...Watts's habeas petition is governed by Article 2 of Chapter 14 of Title 9 of the Official Code of Georgia, OCGA § 9-14-40 et seq., because he is a person "whose liberty is being restrained by virtue of a sentence imposed against [him] by a state court of record." OCGA § 9-14-41. Under OCGA § 9-14-43, [a] petition brought under this article must be filed in the superior court of the county in which the petitioner is being detained....
...several states other than Georgia, or any foreign state, the petition must be filed in the superior court of the county in which the conviction and sentence which is being challenged was imposed. (Emphasis supplied.) Only the court specified in OCGA § 9-14-43 has jurisdiction to address the merits of Watts's claim....
...Watts's petition was properly pled as one for a writ of habeas corpus as he is serving a state sentence and "there are significant restraints *195 on [his] liberty other than physical custody." Hardison v. Martin, 254 Ga. 719, 721(1), 334 S.E.2d 161 (1985). But he is not "detained" in any county within the meaning of OCGA § 9-14-43. Rather, the term "not in custody" as used in OCGA § 9-14-43 means not in physical custody, and thus the only court in which Watts could properly file his petition for a writ of habeas corpus was his sentencing court....
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Smith v. State, 298 Ga. 487 (Ga. 2016).

Cited 9 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Jan 19, 2016 | 782 S.E.2d 17

...Smith’s motion, however, cannot be construed as a habeas corpus petition; not only was the motion filed outside the four-year limitations period imposed by OCGA § 9-14-42 (c), but it was also filed in the county in which Smith was convicted rather than the county in which she is incarcerated. See OCGA § 9-14-43....
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Barnes v. State, 293 Ga. 365 (Ga. 2013).

Cited 9 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Jun 17, 2013 | 744 S.E.2d 795, 2013 Fulton County D. Rep. 1845

...Appellant’s motion cannot be construed as a motion seeking appointment of counsel to assist with the filing of a petition for habeas corpus as it was filed in the county in which he was convicted rather than the county in which he is incarcerated. OCGA § 9-14-43....
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Hollmon v. State, 823 S.E.2d 771 (Ga. 2019).

Cited 8 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Feb 4, 2019 | 305 Ga. 90

...54, 55-56, 717 S.E.2d 644 (2011). And Hollmon's pleading cannot be considered a habeas corpus petition because, as a prisoner in a state facility, he was required to file such a petition in the superior court of the county of his incarceration, which he did not do. See OCGA § 9-14-43....
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Wilkes v. Terry, 717 S.E.2d 644 (Ga. 2011).

Cited 8 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Nov 7, 2011 | 290 Ga. 54, 2011 Fulton County D. Rep. 3426

...HD Supply v. Garger, 299 Ga.App. 751, 751, 683 S.E.2d 671 (2009); Rader v. Levenson, 290 Ga.App. 227, 230, 659 S.E.2d 655 (2008). It is not disputed here that venue was proper in Gwinnett County at the time Wilkes' petition was originally filed. See OCGA § 9-14-43; Preer, supra (habeas petitioner must file petition in county where he is presently detained)....
...14, 573 S.E.2d 64 (2002) can be interpreted to suggest that only the superior court of the county of a petitioner's detention has subject-matter jurisdiction to address the merits of a habeas petition, it is disapproved. See Preer, supra at 91, 610 S.E.2d 46 ("`exclusive jurisdiction' language in [OCGA § 9-14-43] only means that superior courts, as opposed to other courts, have subject matter jurisdiction over habeas petitions"); Hopkins v....
...er's county of detention changes is directly contrary to longstanding precedent, including the sole case which it cites for its novel proposition. See Preer v. Johnson, 279 Ga. 90, 610 S.E.2d 46 (2005). Accordingly, I must respectfully dissent. OCGA § 9-14-43 provides, in relevant part: "A petition brought under this article must be filed in the superior court of the *647 county in which the petitioner is being detained....
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Preer v. Johnson, 279 Ga. 90 (Ga. 2005).

Cited 5 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Mar 7, 2005 | 610 S.E.2d 46, 2005 Fulton County D. Rep. 673

...y Superior Court over his obj ection. The Gwinnett County court approved the transfer, but granted Preer’s request for a certificate of immediate review. On June 30, 2004, this Court granted Preer’s application for interlocutory appeal. 1. OCGA § 9-14-43 provides that a “petition brought under this article must be filed in the superior court of the county in which the petitioner is being detained....
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Thomas v. State, 727 S.E.2d 123 (Ga. 2012).

Cited 4 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Apr 24, 2012 | 291 Ga. 18, 2012 Fulton County D. Rep. 1544

...Nor can this Court construe Thomas' claim as a petition for writ of habeas corpus. Although a petition for habeas corpus would not be untimely, such a petition is required to have been filed in Hancock County, the county in which Thomas is incarcerated, not Mitchell County, the county of the convicting court. OCGA § 9-14-43....
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Leslie v. State, 299 Ga. 636 (Ga. 2016).

Cited 1 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Sep 12, 2016 | 791 S.E.2d 49

...a plea is through habeas corpus proceedings.” (Citations omitted.) Harris v. State, 278 Ga. 805, 806 (2) (606 SE2d 248) (2004). Leslie’s motion cannot, however, be construed as a habeas corpus petition because it was filed in the wrong county, see OCGA § 9-14-43, and outside the four-year limitations period imposed for such petitions, see OCGA § 9-14-42 (c)....
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Hughes v. State, 727 S.E.2d 459 (Ga. 2012).

Cited 1 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | May 7, 2012 | 291 Ga. 65, 2012 Fulton County D. Rep. 1597

...was the proper venue, because Hughes was incarcerated in a federal prison located in Fulton County. This Court granted Hughes' petition for a certificate of probable cause to challenge this ruling, and, for the reasons that follow, we reverse. OCGA § 9-14-43 controls the issue of venue in habeas corpus proceedings....
...for his habeas action was proper in Cobb County and not Fulton County. The trial court therefore erred by concluding that Fulton County was the proper venue for Hughes' habeas action. Id. The cases that were decided before the 2004 amendment to OCGA § 9-14-43 that reach results that are contrary to the current version of the statute will no longer be followed, as they have been superseded by the statute....
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Moore v. State, 276 Ga. 711 (Ga. 2003).

Cited 1 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Jun 30, 2003 | 583 S.E.2d 25, 2003 Fulton County D. Rep. 2026

...OCGA § 9-14-41; Saleem v. Forrester, 262 Ga. 693, 694 (424 SE2d 623) (1993). A habeas corpus action must be filed in the superior court of the county *712in which the petitioner is detained, and only that court has jurisdiction over such a petition. OCGA § 9-14-43. Decided June 30, 2003. Bruce S....

Hollman v. State (Ga. 2019).

Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Feb 4, 2019 | 583 S.E.2d 25, 2003 Fulton County D. Rep. 2026

...54, 55-56 (717 SE2d 644) (2011). And Hollmon’s pleading cannot be considered a habeas corpus petition because, as a prisoner in a state facility, he was required to file such a petition in the superior court of the county of his incarceration, which he did not do. See OCGA § 9-14-43....
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Capote v. Ray, 573 S.E.2d 25 (Ga. 2002).

Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Nov 15, 2002

...[4] Contrary to the State's argument, the fact that appellant's 1984 sentence has expired does not, standing alone, render his petition attacking the 1984 conviction moot. Parris v. State, 232 Ga. 687, 689-690, 208 S.E.2d 493 (1974); Carafas v. LaVallee, 391 U.S. 234, 237, 88 S.Ct. 1556, 20 L.Ed.2d 554 (1968). [5] OCGA § 9-14-43; Hicks, 273 Ga....