2023 CODE OF GEORGIA › Title 37 - MENTAL HEALTH (§§ 37-1-1 — 37-12-14) › Chapter 11 - PSYCHIATRIC ADVANCE DIRECTIVE (§§ 37-11-1 — 37-11-16) › Section 37-11-10 - Revocation; effect of marriage or appointment of guardian

(a)
A directive may be revoked in whole or in part at any time by the declarant, so long as such declarant is capable, by any of the following methods:
(1)
By completing a new directive that has provisions which are inconsistent with the provisions of a previously executed directive; an advance directive for health care executed pursuant to Chapter 32 of Title 31; a durable power of attorney for health care creating a health care agency under the former Chapter 36 of Title 31, as such chapter existed on and before June 30, 2007; a health care proxy; or a living will; provided, however, that such revocation shall extend only so far as the inconsistency exists between the documents and any part of a prior document that is not inconsistent with a subsequent document shall remain unrevoked;
(2)
By being obliterated, burned, torn, or otherwise destroyed by the declarant or by some person in the declarant's presence and at the declarant's direction indicating an intention to revoke;
(3)
By a written revocation clearly expressing the intent of the declarant to revoke the directive signed and dated by the declarant or by a person acting at the declarant's direction. If the declarant is receiving mental health care in a facility, revocation of a directive will become effective only upon communication to the attending provider by the declarant or by a person acting at the declarant's direction. The attending provider shall record in the declarant's medical record the time and date when the attending provider received notification of the written revocation; or
(4)
By an oral or any other clear expression of the intent to revoke the directive in the presence of a witness 18 years of age or older who, within 30 days of the expression of such intent, signs and dates a writing confirming that such expression of intent was made. If the declarant is receiving mental health care in a facility, revocation of a directive will become effective only upon communication to the attending provider by the declarant or by a person acting at the declarant's direction. The attending provider shall record in the declarant's medical record the time, date, and place of the revocation and the time, date, and place, if different, when the attending provider received notification of the revocation. Any person, other than the mental health care agent, to whom an oral or other nonwritten revocation of a directive is communicated or delivered shall make all reasonable efforts to inform the mental health care agent of that fact as promptly as possible.
(b)
Unless a directive expressly provides otherwise, if after executing a directive, the declarant marries, such marriage shall revoke the designation of a person other than the declarant's spouse as the declarant's mental health care agent, and if, after executing a directive, the declarant's marriage is dissolved or annulled, such dissolution or annulment shall revoke the designation of the declarant's former spouse as the declarant's mental health care agent.
(c)
A directive which survives disability, incapacity, or incompetency shall not be revoked solely by the appointment of a guardian or receiver for the declarant. Absent an order of the probate court or superior court having jurisdiction directing a guardian of the person to exercise the powers of the declarant under a directive which survives disability, incapacity, or incompetency, the guardian of the person has no power, duty, or liability with respect to any mental health care matters covered by the directive; provided, however, that no order usurping the authority of a mental health care agent known to the proposed guardian shall be entered unless notice is sent by first-class mail to the mental health care agent's last known address and it is shown by clear and convincing evidence that the mental health care agent is acting in a manner inconsistent with the directive.
Added by 2022 Ga. Laws 836,§ 1-1, eff. 7/1/2022.