§ 19-13-17.Administrative fine

Chapter 13. Family Violence · Article 1A. Family Violence Intervention · Last amended 2010 · Last verified October 9, 2026

In one sentenceO.C.G.A. § 19-13-17 lets Georgia’s commissioner of community supervision, after a hearing, fine a person, firm or corporation up to $1,000 for each violation of the family violence intervention program law or its rules, and sets out appeal and court enforcement.

Full Text of § 19-13-17

Text size

As an alternative to criminal or other civil enforcement, the commissioner or his or her designee, in order to enforce this article or any orders, rules, or regulations promulgated pursuant to this article, may issue an administrative fine not to exceed $1,000.00 for each violation, whenever that commissioner or his or her designee, after a hearing, determines that any person, firm, or corporation has violated any provision of this article or any order, rule, or regulation promulgated pursuant to this article. The hearing and any administrative review thereof shall be conducted in accordance with the procedures for contested cases under Chapter 13 of Title 50, the “Georgia Administrative Procedure Act.” Any person, firm, or corporation that has exhausted all administrative remedies available and that is aggrieved or adversely affected by a final order or action of the commissioner or his or her designee shall have the right of judicial review in accordance with Chapter 13 of Title 50. All fines collected or recovered by the commissioner under this Code section shall be remitted to the Office of the State Treasurer to the credit of the general fund of this state. The commissioner or his or her designee may file in the superior court (1) wherein the person under order resides; (2) if such person is a corporation, in the county wherein the corporation maintains its principal place of business; or (3) in the county wherein the violation occurred, a certified copy of a final order of the commissioner or his or her designee, whether unappealed from or affirmed upon appeal, whereupon the court shall render judgment in accordance with the judgment and notify the parties. The judgment shall have the same effect and proceedings in relation thereto shall thereafter be the same as though the judgment had been rendered in an action duly heard and determined by the court. The penalty prescribed in this Code section shall be concurrent, alternative, and cumulative with any and all other civil, criminal, or alternative rights, remedies, forfeitures, or penalties provided, allowed, or available to the commissioner or his or her designee with respect to any violation of this article or any order, rule, or regulation promulgated pursuant to this article.

End

Plain-English Summary

This section gives the family violence intervention program rules financial force. As an alternative to criminal or other civil enforcement, the commissioner of community supervision, or a designee, may issue an administrative fine of no more than $1,000 for each violation. The fine may follow only a hearing at which the commissioner or designee determines that a person, firm or corporation violated the article or an order, rule or regulation adopted under it.

The hearing, and any administrative review, follow the procedures for contested cases under the Georgia Administrative Procedure Act, Chapter 13 of Title 50. Anyone who has exhausted all available administrative remedies and is aggrieved by a final order has the right to judicial review under that same chapter. Fines collected go to the Office of the State Treasurer for the state’s general fund.

To collect, the commissioner or designee may file a certified copy of a final order — one not appealed or affirmed on appeal — in the superior court where the person resides, or for a corporation in the county of its principal place of business, or in the county where the violation occurred. The court then renders judgment, which has the same effect as a judgment in a case the court heard and decided. The fine is concurrent, alternative and cumulative with every other civil, criminal or alternative remedy or penalty available. The section was last amended in 2010.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much can Georgia fine a family violence intervention program for breaking the rules?

Up to $1,000 for each violation. The commissioner of community supervision, or a designee, may impose the fine after a hearing that finds a person, firm or corporation violated the article or an order, rule or regulation adopted under it. The fine is an alternative to criminal or other civil enforcement.

Is there a hearing before an administrative fine is imposed?

Yes. The commissioner or designee may fine only after a hearing that determines a violation occurred. The hearing and any administrative review follow the contested-case procedures of the Georgia Administrative Procedure Act, Chapter 13 of Title 50. A person who exhausts the administrative remedies may then seek judicial review.

Can a program appeal a fine from the Department of Community Supervision?

Yes, after exhausting administrative remedies. Any person, firm or corporation that has exhausted all available administrative remedies and is aggrieved or adversely affected by a final order of the commissioner or designee has the right to judicial review under Chapter 13 of Title 50, the Georgia Administrative Procedure Act.

How does the state collect an unpaid fine?

The commissioner or designee may file a certified copy of the final order in superior court — where the person resides, where a corporation has its principal place of business, or where the violation occurred. The court then renders judgment, which has the same effect as a judgment in an action the court heard and decided.

Where does the money from these fines go?

All fines the commissioner collects or recovers under this section go to the Office of the State Treasurer, to the credit of the state’s general fund. They don’t stay with the Department of Community Supervision. The fine itself may be up to $1,000 for each violation.

Amendment History

Laws 2002, p. 1435, § 3; Laws 2010, Act 621, § 2, eff. July 1, 2010.

Source & verification. Section text and amendment history are reproduced verbatim from the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, enacted by the Georgia General Assembly, and checked word for word against the Georgia Code Revision Commission’s public-domain edition and the acts that later amended it. Section headings are the Code’s official catchlines. Last verified October 9, 2026. · Official source

Also known as: fvip administrative fine georgiafamily violence program penalty georgiacommissioner of community supervision finefvip enforcement georgia