§ 15-11-2 - Definitions
O.C.G.A. 15-11-2 (2010)
15-11-2. Definitions
As used in this chapter, the term:
(1) "Adult" means any individual who is not a child under the definition in paragraph (2) of this Code section.
(1.1) "Biological father" means the male who impregnated the biological mother resulting in the birth of the child.
(2) "Child" means any individual who is:
(A) Under the age of 17 years;
(B) Under the age of 21 years, who committed an act of delinquency before reaching the age of 17 years, and who has been placed under the supervision of the court or on probation to the court; or
(C) Under the age of 18 years, if alleged to be a "deprived child" or a "status offender" as defined by this Code section.
(3) "Community rehabilitation center" means a rehabilitation and custodial center established within a county for the purpose of assisting in the rehabilitation of delinquent and unruly children in a neighborhood and family environment in cooperation with community educational, medical, and social agencies, which center meets the following requirements:
(A) Is located within any county having a juvenile court presided over by at least one full-time judge exercising jurisdiction exclusively over juvenile matters; and
(B) Is operated by a nonprofit corporation organized under Chapter 3 of Title 14, the "Georgia Nonprofit Corporation Code," and has a full-time chief executive officer. The charter, bylaws, and method of selecting the board of directors and chief executive officer of such nonprofit corporation shall be subject to the unanimous approval of the chief judge of the judicial circuit in which the county is located, the judge or judges of the juvenile court, the superintendent of the county school district, and the commissioner of corrections, which approval shall be in writing and shall be appended to the charter and bylaws of the nonprofit organization. Any amendment of the charter or bylaws of the nonprofit corporation shall be subject to the same written approval as the original charter and bylaws.
(4) "Court" or "juvenile court" means the court exercising jurisdiction over juvenile matters.
(4.1) "Criminal justice purposes" means the performance of any activity directly involving the investigation, detection, apprehension, detention, pretrial release, post-trial release, prosecution, adjudication, correctional supervision, or rehabilitation of children or adults who are accused of, convicted of, or charged with crimes or the collection, storage, and dissemination of criminal history record information.
(5) "Custodian" means:
(A) A person, other than a parent or legal guardian, who stands in loco parentis to the child or a person to whom legal custody of the child has been given by order of a court; or
(B) A public or private agency or other private organization licensed or otherwise authorized by law to receive and provide care for a child to which legal custody of the child has been given by order of a court.
(6) "Delinquent act" means:
(A) An act designated a crime by the laws of this state, or by the laws of another state if the act occurred in that state, under federal laws, or by local ordinance, and the crime does not fall under subparagraph (C) of paragraph (12) of this Code section and is not a juvenile traffic offense as defined in Code Section 15-11-73;
(B) The act of disobeying the terms of supervision contained in a court order which has been directed to a child who has been adjudged to have committed a delinquent act; or
(C) Failing to appear as required by a citation issued with regard to a violation of Code Section 3-3-23.
(7) "Delinquent child" means a child who has committed a delinquent act and is in need of treatment or rehabilitation.
(8) "Deprived child" means a child who:
(A) Is without proper parental care or control, subsistence, education as required by law, or other care or control necessary for the child's physical, mental, or emotional health or morals;
(B) Has been placed for care or adoption in violation of law;
(C) Has been abandoned by his or her parents or other legal custodian; or
(D) Is without a parent, guardian, or custodian.
No child who in good faith is being treated solely by spiritual means through prayer in accordance with the tenets and practices of a recognized church or religious denomination by a duly accredited practitioner thereof shall, for that reason alone, be considered to be a "deprived child."
(8.1) "Identification data" means the fingerprints, name, race, sex, date of birth, and any other unique identifiers of the child.
(9) "Judge" means judge or judges of the court exercising jurisdiction over juvenile matters. Such term shall not mean or include an associate juvenile court judge or associate juvenile court traffic judge unless specifically so stated.
(10) "Juvenile court intake officer" means the juvenile court judge, associate juvenile court judge, court service worker, or person employed as a juvenile probation or intake officer designated by the juvenile court judge or, where there is none, the superior court judge, which person is on duty for the purpose of determining whether any child taken into custody should be released or detained and, if detained, the appropriate place of detention. Each superior or juvenile court judge shall provide for one of the above persons to be on duty or on call as an intake officer during each 24 hour period.
(10.1) "Legal father" means a male who:
(A) Has legally adopted a child;
(B) Was married to the biological mother of that child at the time the child was conceived or was born, unless such paternity was disproved by a final order pursuant to Article 3 of Chapter 7 of Title 19;
(C) Married the legal mother of the child after the child was born and recognized the child as his own, unless such paternity was disproved by a final order pursuant to Article 3 of Chapter 7 of Title 19;
(D) Has legitimated the child by a final order pursuant to Code Section 19-7-22; or
(E) Has legitimated the child pursuant to Code Section 19-7-21.1
and who has not surrendered or had terminated his rights to the child.
(10.2) "Legal mother" means the female who is the biological or adoptive mother of the child and who has not surrendered or had terminated her rights to the child.
(10.3) "Parent" means either the legal father or the legal mother of the child.
(10.4) "Putative father registry" means the registry established and maintained pursuant to subsections (d) and (e) of Code Section 19-11-9.
(10.5) "Shelter care" means:
(A) A licensed foster home or home approved by the court which may be a public or private home or the home of the noncustodial parent or a relative; or
(B) A facility operated by a licensed child welfare agency.
(11) "Status offender" means a child who is charged with or adjudicated of an offense which would not be a crime if it were committed by an adult, in other words, an act which is only an offense because of the perpetrator's status as a child. Such offenses shall include, but are not limited to, truancy, running away from home, incorrigibility, and unruly behavior.
(12) "Unruly child" means a child who:
(A) While subject to compulsory school attendance is habitually and without justification truant from school;
(B) Is habitually disobedient of the reasonable and lawful commands of his or her parent, guardian, or other custodian and is ungovernable;
(C) Has committed an offense applicable only to a child;
(D) Without just cause and without the consent of his or her parent or legal custodian deserts his or her home or place of abode;
(E) Wanders or loiters about the streets of any city, or in or about any highway or any public place, between the hours of 12:00 Midnight and 5:00 A.M.;
(F) Disobeys the terms of supervision contained in a court order which has been directed to such child, who has been adjudicated unruly; or
(G) Patronizes any bar where alcoholic beverages are being sold, unaccompanied by such child's parents, guardian, or custodian, or possesses alcoholic beverages; and
(H) In any of the foregoing, is in need of supervision, treatment, or rehabilitation; or
(I) Has committed a delinquent act and is in need of supervision, but not of treatment or rehabilitation.