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Criminal Penalties

Criminal Penalties in Georgia: Accessible reference material on Georgia's criminal codes, defence rights, victims' rights, records and international cooperation.

English legal guideTbilisi · Georgia-wide
Short answer

Criminal Penalties in Georgia: Accessible reference material on Georgia's criminal codes, defence rights, victims' rights, records and international cooperation.

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Sanction and sentencing framework

The maximum printed beside an offence is not a prediction of the sentence

The Criminal Code identifies types of punishment and provides offence-specific ranges. Sentencing follows conviction and requires the applicable article, part, General Part rules and individual circumstances. Pre-trial detention, bail, probation and a criminal penalty are legally different measures.

Mandate in a criminal case

Analysis should identify the basic and aggravated sanction range, whether an offence is completed or attempted, the person's role, aggregation of offences, prior record, cooperation, restitution, personal circumstances and any statutory rules affecting the available penalty.

Questions and actions that organise the file

01Verify the current sanction for the exact article and part
02Check General Part rules affecting the range
03Separate punishment from preventive and confiscation measures
04Prepare verified mitigating material and address alleged aggravation
05Model direct and collateral consequences before a plea or sentencing position

Documents to request or preserve

  • Accusation and applicable article part
  • Conviction or plea text
  • Pre-sentence and personal records
  • Restitution, cooperation and mitigation evidence
  • Judgment stating reasons and final punishment
How criminal counsel can assist

Sentencing work should begin before the final hearing. Counsel can challenge the legal range, preserve disputed facts, present mitigation, test proportionality and explain the full consequences of a proposed plea or judgment.

Official sources

Primary sources for this guide

Institutional structures, consolidated legislation and procedures can change. Verify the responsible body, current Georgian text and the actual document served before relying on this guide.

Criminal Code of GeorgiaCriminal Procedure Code of Georgia

Frequently asked questions

What does Criminal Penalties regulate—and what falls outside it?+

Criminal Penalties in Georgia: Accessible reference material on Georgia's criminal codes, defence rights, victims' rights, records and international cooperation. The current consolidated text must be read together with the person's status, the procedural stage and any related legislation. A code, certificate or general legal label rarely answers every question in a live case.

Which version of Criminal Penalties should be used?+

For Criminal Penalties, use the consolidated Georgian text in force at the legally relevant time and check later amendments affecting procedure or remedy. The official English translation is valuable for orientation but may lag or use terminology that does not reproduce every nuance of the Georgian text.

Can a lawyer rely on one article of Criminal Penalties in isolation?+

Usually not when applying Criminal Penalties. Definitions, General Part rules, related provisions, article parts, transitional rules and the actual procedural decision may all matter. The article should be mapped to each fact and item of evidence instead of cited only by number.

Why can the legal position under Criminal Penalties change during a case?+

A position under Criminal Penalties can change when the material facts, procedural status, expert findings, legally assessed consequence or controlling article part changes. A defence motion, prosecutorial decision or court ruling can also narrow, reclassify or end an issue without changing the historical event itself.

What should be brought to a consultation about Criminal Penalties?+

For advice about Criminal Penalties, bring the operative decision, every cited article and part, proof of service, the current deadline, the principal evidence and any earlier ruling. Advice should answer the client's actual decision rather than reproduce a general summary of Georgian law.

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