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View the Revised Model Juvenile Code
In early 2004 the Juvenile Law Committee (JLC) began a project to revise the Georgia Juvenile Code. Initiated by a request from then President of the Council of Juvenile Court Judges, the Honorable Robin Nash, the JLC was in a unique position to undertake this project. Currently, the juvenile code is difficult to use, lacks clarity and does not reflect research-based best practices. More importantly, the code does not meet the needs of the juvenile courts and the legal practitioners who serve the courts.
The goal of the Juvenile Code Revision Project, funded by the Georgia Bar Foundation as well as the Sapelo Foundation, is to create a research-based, comprehensive and well-organized model juvenile code for Georgia that reflects best practices in child welfare and juvenile law. The State Bar Young Lawyers Division Juvenile Law Committee believes a revised and reorganized juvenile code will better fulfill the purpose of the juvenile courts, which in turn will result in better outcomes for Georgia's children. Ultimately, the project's mission is to provide judges and practitioners with the legal tools to better and more effectively meet the overarching goals of the juvenile code: to protect and restore the well-being of at-risk children.
After four years of diligent research, writing and editing, our three code reporters - Georgia Attorney Soledad McGrath, Bartow County Juvenile Court Judge Velma Tilley, and LSU Law Professor Lucy McGough - completed A Model Code for Georgia. The Model Code includes an Executive Summary explaining the complete history of the code revision project as well as the reporters' methodology in developing the project. Further, the Model Code contemplates a structural re-organization of the current Juvenile Code and contains 11 articles covering each aspect of juvenile law as well as Reporter Comments, which explain best practices, methodology and reasoning behind many of the Model Code's provisions. Throughout the coming year the state-wide youth coalition, JUSTGeorgia will seek feedback on the Model Code from the public and various stakeholders and will develop a legislative package that will be submitted for passage at the 2009 Legislative Session.