2023 CODE OF GEORGIA › Title 42 - PENAL INSTITUTIONS (§§ 42-1-1 — 42-13-2) › Chapter 8 - PROBATION (§§ 42-8-1 — 42-8-150) › Article 2 - STATE-WIDE PROBATION SYSTEM (§§ 42-8-20 — 42-8-44) › Section 42-8-34 - Sentencing hearings and determinations; presentence investigations; payment of fees, fines, and costs; post-conviction, presentence bond; continuing jurisdiction; transferal of probation supervision

(a)
Any court of this state which has original jurisdiction of criminal actions, except municipal courts and probate courts, in which the defendant in a criminal case has been found guilty upon verdict or plea or has been sentenced upon a plea of nolo contendere, except for an offense punishable by death or life imprisonment, may, at a time to be determined by the court, hear and determine the question of the probation of such defendant.
(b)
Prior to the sentencing hearing, the court may refer the case to an officer of the circuit in which the court is located for investigation and recommendation; provided, however, that the court shall refer such case when a life sentence may be imposed because of a previous conviction of a sexual felony, as such term is defined in Code Section
16-5-21
. The court, upon such reference, shall direct an officer to make an investigation and to report to the court, in writing at a specified time, upon the circumstances of the offense and the criminal record, social history, and present condition of the defendant, together with the officer's recommendation, and when such reference is because of a previous conviction of a sexual felony, the court shall direct the Sexual Offender Risk Review Board to determine the classification level of the defendant in writing and report the board's recommendation to the court. It shall be the duty of such officer to carry out the directive of the court. The officer's and the Sexual Offender Risk Review Board's written findings shall be provided to the prosecuting attorney and defendant no later than ten days prior to the sentencing hearing, or as otherwise ordered by the court.
(c)
Subject to the provisions of subsection (a) of Code Section
17-10-1
and subsection (f) of Code Section
17-10-3
, if it appears to the court upon a hearing of the matter that the defendant is not likely to engage in a criminal course of conduct and that the ends of justice and the welfare of society do not require that the defendant shall presently suffer the penalty imposed by law, the court in its discretion shall impose sentence upon the defendant but may stay and suspend the execution of the sentence or any portion thereof or may place him or her on probation under the supervision and control of the officer for the duration of the sentence. The period of probation or suspension shall not exceed the maximum sentence of confinement which could be imposed on the defendant.
(d)
(1)
In every case that a court of this state or any other state sentences a defendant to probation or any pretrial release or diversion program under the supervision of DCS, in addition to any fine or order of restitution imposed by the court, there shall be imposed a probation fee as a condition of probation, release, or diversion in the amount equivalent to $23.00 per each month under supervision, and in addition, a one-time fee of $50.00 if such defendant was convicted of any felony. The probation fee may be waived or amended after administrative process by DCS and approval of the court, or upon determination by the court, as to the undue hardship, inability to pay, or any other extenuating factors which prohibit collection of the fee; provided, however, that the imposition of sanctions for failure to pay fees shall be within the discretion of the court through judicial process or hearings. Probation fees shall be waived on probationers incarcerated or detained in a Department of Corrections or other confinement facility which prohibits employment for wages. All probation fees collected by DCS shall be paid into the general fund of the state treasury, except as provided in subsection (f) of Code Section
17-15-13
, relating to sums to be paid into the Georgia Crime Victims Emergency Fund. Any fees collected by the court under this paragraph shall be remitted not later than the last day of the month after such fee is collected to the Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority for deposit into the general fund of the state treasury.
(2)
In addition to any other provision of law, any person convicted of a violation of Code Section
40-6-391
or subsection (b) of Code Section
16-13-2
who is sentenced to probation or a suspended sentence by a municipal, magistrate, probate, recorder's, mayor's, state, or superior court shall also be required by the court to pay a one-time fee of $25.00. The clerk of court, or if there is no clerk the person designated to collect fines, fees, and forfeitures for such court, shall collect such fee and remit the same not later than the last day of the month after such fee is collected to the Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority for deposit into the general fund of the state treasury.
(3)
In addition to any fine, fee, restitution, or other amount ordered, the sentencing court may also impose as a condition of probation for felony criminal defendants sentenced to a day reporting center an additional charge, not to exceed $10.00 per day for each day such defendant is required to report to a day reporting center; provided, however, that no fee shall be imposed or collected if the defendant is unemployed or has been found indigent by the sentencing court. The charges required by this paragraph shall be paid by the probationer directly to DCS. Funds collected by DCS pursuant to this subsection shall only be used by DCS in the maintenance and operation of the day reporting center program.
(e)
(1)
The court may, in its discretion, require the payment of a fine, fees, or restitution as a condition of probation. Chapter 14 of Title 17 shall control when determining the amount of restitution. When probation supervision is required, the court may require the payment of a probation supervision fee as a condition of probation. In determining the financial obligations, other than restitution, to impose on the defendant, the court may consider:
(A)
The defendant's financial resources and other assets, including whether any such asset is jointly controlled;
(B)
The defendant's earnings and other income;
(C)
The defendant's financial obligations, including obligations to dependents;
(D)
The period of time during which the probation order will be in effect;
(E)
The goal of the punishment being imposed; and
(F)
Any other factor the court deems appropriate.
(2)
The court may convert fines, statutory surcharges, and probation supervision fees to community service or educational advancement on the same basis as it allows a defendant to pay a fine through community service or educational advancement as set forth in subsection (d) of Code Section
17-10-1
.
(3)
(A)
As used in this subsection, the term:
(i)
"Developmental disability" shall have the same meaning as set forth in Code Section
37-1-1
.
(ii)
"Indigent" means an individual who earns less than 100 percent of the federal poverty guidelines unless there is evidence that the individual has other resources that might reasonably be used without undue hardship for such individual or his or her dependents.
(iii)
"Significant financial hardship" means a reasonable probability that an individual will be unable to satisfy his or her financial obligations for two or more consecutive months.
(iv)
"Totally and permanently disabled" shall have the same meaning as set forth in Code Section
49-4-80
.
(B)
The court shall waive, modify, or convert fines, statutory surcharges, probation supervision fees, and any other moneys assessed by the court or a provider of probation services upon a determination by the court prior to or subsequent to sentencing that a defendant has a significant financial hardship or inability to pay or that there are any other extenuating factors which prohibit payment or collection; provided, however, that the imposition of sanctions for failure to pay such sums shall be within the discretion of the court through judicial process or hearings.
(C)
Unless rebutted by a preponderance of the evidence that a defendant will be able to satisfy his or her financial obligations without undue hardship to the defendant or his or her dependents, a defendant shall be presumed to have a significant financial hardship if he or she:
(i)
Has a developmental disability;
(ii)
Is totally and permanently disabled;
(iii)
Is indigent; or
(iv)
Has been released from confinement within the preceding 12 months and was incarcerated for more than 30 days before his or her release.
(f)
During the interval between the conviction or plea and the hearing to determine the question of probation, the court may, in its discretion, either order the confinement of the defendant without bond or may permit his or her release on bond, which bond shall be conditioned on his appearance at the hearing and shall be subject to the same rules as govern appearance bonds. Any time served in confinement shall be considered a part of the sentence of the defendant.
(g)
The sentencing judge shall not lose jurisdiction over any person placed on probation during the term of the person's probated sentence. The judge is empowered to revoke any or all of the probated sentence, rescind any or all of the sentence, or, in any manner deemed advisable by the judge, modify or change the probated sentence, including ordering the probationer into the sentencing options system, as provided in Article 6 of Chapter 3 of this title, at any time during the period of time prescribed for the probated sentence to run. In addition, when the judge is considering revoking a probated sentence in order to require the defendant to enter a drug court division, mental health court division, family treatment court division, or veterans court division and the length of the original sentence is insufficient to authorize such revocation, the defendant may voluntarily agree to an extension of his or her original sentence within the maximum sentence allowed by law, notwithstanding subsection (f) of Code Section
17-10-1
. Such extension shall be for a period not to exceed three years, and upon completion of such specific court division program, the court may modify the terms of probation in accordance with subparagraph (a)(5)(A) of Code Section
17-10-1
.
(h)
If a defendant is placed on probation in a county of a judicial circuit other than the one in which such defendant resides for committing any misdemeanor offense, such defendant may, when specifically ordered by the court, have probation supervision transferred to the judicial circuit of the county in which the defendant resides.
Amended by 2023 Ga. Laws 347,§ 6-4, eff. 5/4/2023.
Amended by 2018 Ga. Laws 416,§ 2-12, eff. 7/1/2018.
Amended by 2017 Ga. Laws 226,§ 2-7, eff. 7/1/2017.
Amended by 2016 Ga. Laws 460,§ 8-4, eff. 7/1/2016.
Amended by 2015 Ga. Laws 73,§ 4-1, eff. 7/1/2015.
Amended by 2009 Ga. Laws 42,§ 1, eff. 7/1/2009.
Amended by 2005 Ga. Laws 19,§ 42, eff. 4/7/2005.
Amended by 2004 Ga. Laws 595, § 3, eff. 7/1/2004.
Amended by 2001 Ga. Laws 20, § 6eff. 7/1/2001.
Amended by 2001 Ga. Laws 2, § 42, eff. 2/12/2001.