§ 19-9-103.Construction
Chapter 9. Child Custody Proceedings · Article 3. Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act · Part 4. Construction · Last amended 2001 · Last verified October 9, 2026
Full Text of § 19-9-103
Plain-English Summary
The UCCJEA asks for a lot of information about where a child lives and has lived. Section 19-9-69, for instance, requires each party’s first pleading or an attached affidavit to give, if reasonably ascertainable, the child’s present address and the places the child has lived during the last five years. For a parent who has fled to a family violence shelter, that kind of disclosure could be dangerous.
This one-sentence section protects shelters. It says the Act shall not be construed to repeal, amend or impair § 19-13-23. That section makes it a misdemeanor for any person to knowingly publish, disseminate or otherwise disclose the location of a family violence shelter. It doesn’t apply to confidential communications between a client and the client’s attorney, or to a disclosure the shelter’s director authorizes.
The two sections work with § 19-9-69(f). A party disclosing that the child is or has been a resident of a family violence shelter gives only the shelter’s name and the state where it is located, and that is enough to satisfy the information requirement. Separately, §§ 19-9-69(e) and 19-9-88(c) let a party ask to seal identifying information when disclosure would jeopardize someone’s health, safety or liberty.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to give the address of a domestic violence shelter in a Georgia custody case?
No. Under § 19-9-69(f), a party disclosing that a child is or has been a resident of a family violence shelter provides only the name of the shelter and the state where it is located, and that is enough. This section makes sure the UCCJEA doesn’t override § 19-13-23, which makes knowingly disclosing a shelter’s location a misdemeanor.
Is it a crime to reveal where a family violence shelter is in Georgia?
Yes. Section 19-13-23 makes it a misdemeanor for any person to knowingly publish, disseminate or otherwise disclose the location of a family violence shelter. It exempts confidential attorney-client communications and disclosures the shelter’s director authorizes. This section confirms the UCCJEA doesn’t weaken that rule.
Does the UCCJEA override shelter confidentiality rules?
Can I tell my lawyer the location of the shelter where my child stayed?
Yes. Section 19-13-23, which makes knowingly disclosing a shelter’s location a misdemeanor, does not apply to confidential communications between a client and his or her attorney. It also doesn’t apply when the shelter’s director authorizes the disclosure. Your lawyer can then help you decide what, if anything, the court needs to know.
Can I keep my own address secret in a custody case if I fear for my safety?
You can ask. Under § 19-9-69(e), if a party alleges in an affidavit or sworn pleading that disclosing identifying information would jeopardize the health, safety or liberty of a party or child, the information must be sealed. It stays sealed unless the court orders disclosure after a hearing and finds it in the interest of justice.
Amendment History
Laws 2001, p. 129, § 1.