Section 15-11-47. (Effective until January 1, 2014) Procedure on taking child into custody; detention; bail; detention of child alleged to be unruly

   (a)  Release to parents; delivery to medical facility, intake officer, or court. A person taking a child into custody, with all reasonable speed and without first taking the child elsewhere, shall:

   (1) Forthwith release without bond the child to the child's parents, guardian, or other custodian upon their promise to bring the child before the court when requested by the court;

   (2) Forthwith deliver the child to a medical facility if the child is believed to suffer from a serious physical condition or illness which requires prompt treatment and, upon delivery, shall promptly contact a juvenile court intake officer. Immediately upon being notified by the person taking a child into custody, the intake officer shall determine if such child should be released, detained, or brought before the court. Prior to an informal detention hearing or committal hearing authorized under Code Sections 17-6-15 and 17-6-16 and Articles 1, 2, and 8 of Chapter 7 of Title 17, the child shall be placed in detention, if necessary, only in such places as are authorized by Code Section 15-11-48;

   (3) Bring the child immediately before the juvenile court or promptly contact a juvenile court intake officer. The intake officer shall determine if the child should be released or detained. Prior to an informal detention hearing, the child shall be placed in detention, if necessary, only in such places as are authorized by Code Section 15-11-48; or

   (4) Bring the child who is suspected of committing a delinquent act before the superior court of the county where the delinquent act occurred if the act is an act over which the superior court has exclusive or concurrent jurisdiction as provided in subsection (b) of Code Section 15-11-28; however, pending a commitment hearing authorized under Code Sections 17-6-15 and 17-6-16 and Articles 1, 2, and 8 of Chapter 7 of Title 17 or an indictment, the child shall be returned and placed in detention, if necessary, only in such places as are authorized by Code Section 15-11-48.

(b)  Failure of parent to bring child before court. If a parent, guardian, or other custodian, when requested, willfully fails to bring the child before the court as provided in subsection (a) of this Code section, the court may issue its order directing that the child be taken into custody and brought before the court and, in addition, may enter any order authorized by and in accordance with the provisions of Code Section 15-11-5. If it is necessary to place the child in detention prior to his or her appearance in court, the child shall be placed in a facility as authorized by Code Section 15-11-48.

(c)  Notice; temporary detention or questioning. The person taking a child into custody shall promptly give notice thereof, together with a statement of the reason for taking the child into custody, to a parent, guardian, or other custodian and to the court. Any temporary detention or questioning of the child necessary to comply with this Code section shall conform to the procedures and conditions prescribed by this article and rules of court.

(d)  Bail. All children subject to the jurisdiction of the juvenile court and alleged to be delinquent or unruly shall have the same right to bail as adults; and the judge shall admit to bail all children under the court's jurisdiction in the same manner and under the same circumstances and procedures as are applicable to adults accused of the commission of crimes. Any person having legal custody or an adult blood relative or stepparent shall be entitled to post bail but shall be required immediately to return the child to the individual or entity having legal custody of the child.

(e)  Treatment of unruly child.

   (1) With respect to a child suspected of being unruly as defined in paragraph (12) of Code Section 15-11-2 or a child who is in violation of a curfew, a person taking such a child into custody shall not exercise custody over the child except for a period of 12 hours. A child taken into custody may be detained in a holding facility for unruly children as provided for in paragraph (2) of this subsection. If a parent or guardian has not assumed custody of the child at the end of such period or if the child has not been brought before the juvenile court or if an intake officer has not made a detention decision, the child shall be released from custody. In no case shall such a child in custody be detained in a jail.

   (2) Counties and municipalities are authorized to establish facilities where a child who is suspected of being unruly or who is in violation of a curfew may be informally detained until the parent or guardian assumes custody of the child. Immediately after a child is brought into such a facility, every effort shall be made to contact the parent or guardian of the child. A child shall not be restrained in a cell or other such place apart from other children unless such child engages in disruptive or unruly behavior while at the holding facility.

Ga. L. 1915, p. 35, § 13; Code 1933, § 24-2413; Ga. L. 1950, p. 367, § 16; Ga. L. 1951, p. 291, § 17; Ga. L. 1955, p. 581, § 2; Ga. L. 1968, p. 1013, § 9; Ga. L. 1969, p. 760, § 1; Code 1933, § 24A-1402, enacted by Ga. L. 1971, p. 709, § 1; Ga. L. 1973, p. 882, § 4; Ga. L. 1977, p. 1237, § 2; Code 1981, § 15-11-19; Ga. L. 1986, p. 1017, § 1; Ga. L. 1987, p. 3, § 15; Ga. L. 1994, p. 1012, § 18; Ga. L. 1995, p. 863, § 3; Ga. L. 1996, p. 868, § 3; Code 1981, § 15-11-47, as redesignated by Ga. L. 2000, p. 20, § 1; Ga. L. 2006, p. 173, § 1/SB 136.