Court Opinion

ID: 9849697
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-24 04:44:32.860805+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:20:24.835553
License: Public Domain

Hunstein, Justice,
concurring.
While I concur fully with the majority opinion, I write in order to call attention to OCGA § 15-1-4 (c), which authorizes a trial court to sentence those gainfully-employed persons found in contempt of an order to pay court-ordered alimony or child support to a term of confinement in a diversion center and participation in a diversion program. A contemnor so sentenced can travel to and from work and continue his occupation (with his income subject to the provisions of OCGA §§ 19-6-30 through 33) but the contemnor is otherwise confined during the term of the sentence. See OCGA § 42-8-130. Although the record in this case fails to reflect whether such a program has been established in Rockdale County so as to make it an alternative available to the trial court here, OCGA § 15-1-4 (c) provides an innovative sentencing option that can enable trial courts to enforce their judgments while avoiding the situation that arose in this case.