Sex abuse claims in the Catholic Church in Georgia

Georgia has no active lookback window for childhood sexual abuse claims as of February 2026 and has one of the shortest civil statutes of limitations in the United States. Georgia's civil SoL for childhood sexual abuse is five years after the survivor turns 18, capped at age 23 under O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33.1. Georgia's discovery rule provides limited additional time where the survivor can demonstrate delayed recognition of the injury's connection to the abuse, but Georgia courts have not broadly applied this rule in institutional clergy abuse cases.

Georgia reformed its childhood sexual abuse SoL in 2015 (HB 17), extending it from the prior 2-year rule to the current 5-year post-majority period. However, this reform was prospective only. Georgia has not enacted a retroactive lookback window. The Georgia Legislature has considered survivor legislation modeled on New York's Child Victims Act, but no retroactive window has passed. CHILD USA identifies Georgia as one of the priority states for future reform given the short existing SoL.

The Archdiocese of Atlanta covers northern Georgia including Fulton, DeKalb, Gwinnett, Cobb, and Cherokee counties. The Diocese of Savannah covers southern Georgia. Both have published credible-accusation clergy lists. No Georgia diocese has filed for bankruptcy protection as of February 2026. Georgia cases are filed in superior courts in the county of the abuse. Gwinnett County Superior Court, Fulton County Superior Court, and Chatham County Superior Court handle the majority of metro-area clergy abuse claims in Georgia.

Georgia survivors can contact the Georgia Network to End Sexual Assault (GNESA) at 1-866-GNSAC-00, SNAP's Southeast chapter, and RAINN at 1-800-656-4673. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) and local law enforcement accept clergy abuse reports. Survivors should consider whether criminal statutes of limitations (which differ from civil) may also apply. Georgia survivors whose abuse occurred recently enough to be within the 5-year civil window should consult an attorney.