In all cases where judgment is obtained, the judgment shall be entered for the principal sum due, with interest, provided the claim upon which it was obtained draws interest. No part of the judgment shall bear interest except the principal which is due on the original debt.
§ 9-12-10.Judgment for principal and interest
Chapter 12. Verdict and Judgment · Article 1. General Provisions · Last amended 1933 · Last verified July 17, 2026
In one sentenceO.C.G.A. § 9-12-10 requires a judgment to include interest on the principal sum due when the underlying claim draws interest, while limiting interest to that original principal rather than letting it accrue on other parts of the judgment.
Full Text of § 9-12-10
Plain-English Summary
Winning a judgment on a debt does not automatically mean interest gets tacked on for free — it depends on whether the underlying claim draws interest in the first place. This section tells the court how to enter judgment once that threshold is met: for the principal sum due, with interest, provided the claim on which the judgment was obtained draws interest.
The second sentence limits how far that interest reaches. No part of the judgment bears interest except the principal due on the original debt. That confines interest to the core debt itself, rather than letting it accrue on other components of the judgment — a rule against compounding interest on interest.
For a judgment creditor, the effect is a judgment that separates cleanly into a principal figure that keeps drawing interest and everything else in the judgment that does not. That separation matters most when it comes time to calculate exactly how much the judgment has grown by the time it is finally paid or enforced.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this section create a right to interest on every judgment?
No. Interest applies only if the underlying claim independently draws interest; the section directs how such interest is entered, not whether it exists.
What must the judgment state alongside the principal sum?
The interest due, when the claim on which the judgment was obtained draws interest.
Can interest accrue on the interest already included in a judgment?
No. The statute limits interest-bearing status to the principal due on the original debt, not to other parts of the judgment.
What is the practical effect of limiting interest to the original principal?
It prevents compounding, so interest does not accumulate on interest already found due.
Does this section apply to every civil judgment?
It applies broadly, “in all cases where judgment is obtained,” but only where the underlying claim draws interest.
Amendment History
Laws 1814, Cobb’s 1851 Digest, p. 393.; Code 1863, § 3489; Code 1868, § 3512; Code 1873, § 3570; Code 1882, § 3570; Civil Code 1895, § 5341; Civil Code 1910, § 5936; Code 1933, § 110-304.
Source & verification. Section text and amendment history are
reproduced verbatim from the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, published by the
Official Code of Georgia Annotated, Georgia Code Revision Commission / LexisNexis. Last verified July 17, 2026.
· Official source
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