{"data":{"id":"us-ga/o.c.g.a.-16-3-20","jurisdiction":"us-ga","citation":"O.C.G.A. § 16-3-20","heading":"Justification.","body":"The fact that a person’s conduct is justified is a defense to prosecution for any crime based on that conduct. The defense of justification can be claimed:\n(1) When the person’s conduct is justified under Code Section 16-3-21, 16-3-23, 16-3-24, 16-3-25, or 16-3-26;\n(2) When the person’s conduct is in reasonable fulfillment of his duties as a government officer or employee;\n(3) When the person’s conduct is the reasonable discipline of a minor by his parent or a person in loco parentis;\n(4) When the person’s conduct is reasonable and is performed in the course of making a lawful arrest;\n(5) When the person’s conduct is justified for any other reason under the laws of this state, including as provided in Code Section 51-1-29; or\n(6) In all other instances which stand upon the same footing of reason and justice as those enumerated in this article.","path":["TITLE 16 Crimes and Offenses","CHAPTER 3 Defenses to Criminal Prosecutions","Article 2 Justification and Excuse"],"source_url":"https://archive.org/download/gov.ga.ocga.2018/release86.2022.11/gov.ga.ocga.title.16.odt","current_through":"Release 86 (2022-11)","vintage":"Public.Resource.Org bulk O.C.G.A., Release 86 (2022-11), retrieved 2026-09-17","retrieved_at":"2026-09-17T19:34:57Z","sha256":"3fc7a58278761bb5d7946b274f63b19e1c5006c45408225e781591684a895c6a","source_id":"us-ga","stale":false,"prev":"us-ga/o.c.g.a.-16-3-6","next":"us-ga/o.c.g.a.-16-3-21"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}