What Is a Good Behavior Bond in Georgia? Hearing, Amount, Conditions

A good behavior bond in Georgia is a court order that requires a person to keep the peace and avoid threatening or harmful conduct for up to six months, backed by a sum of money the court can collect if they break the conditions. It is not a criminal charge and not the same as bail. A judge issues it when someone’s behavior gives reasonable cause to believe another person’s safety, peace, or property is at risk, and it functions as a preventive tool rather than a punishment for a past crime.

Two Statutory Paths, With Very Different Entry Points

Georgia law offers two routes to a good behavior bond, and the difference matters from the first day.

The more common path runs through Georgia Code 17-6-90. A person files a sworn application with a judicial officer, usually a magistrate, or the judge acts on their own motion. The court then issues a notice requiring the other person to appear at a show cause hearing within seven days.¹ No arrest is made at this stage.

The second path, under Georgia Code 17-6-110, applies when the applicant swears under oath that they fear bodily harm to themselves or their family, or violent injury to their property. Here the judge issues an arrest warrant, and the accused is brought before the court. If the judge finds probable cause for the fear and orders a bond, a person who cannot post it is committed to jail.² The 17-6-90 path begins with a court date in the mail. The 17-6-110 path can begin with handcuffs.

The Show Cause Hearing

At the hearing, both sides present evidence. The respondent can contest the allegations and offer their own witnesses or documents. The judge decides whether there is “sufficient cause” to believe the respondent’s conduct puts someone’s safety, peace, or property at risk.¹ That standard is lower than what a prosecutor must meet in a criminal case. The judge is weighing risk, not proving a crime.

Because the proceeding is civil in nature rather than a criminal prosecution, the Sixth Amendment right to appointed counsel does not apply.³ You can hire an attorney, but the court will not appoint one for you if you cannot afford representation. With only seven days between application and hearing, waiting to look for help is a mistake.

One cost built into the statute: if the court decides there was not sufficient cause for the hearing to have been held in the first place, the person who filed the application pays all court costs.¹

The Bond Amount

Georgia law does not fix a dollar figure. The judge sets the amount based on the circumstances, including the severity of the alleged conduct and the respondent’s history. The bond must be posted with sureties, meaning another person or a bonding company guarantees payment if the respondent breaks the conditions. Under the 17-6-110 path, a respondent who cannot arrange a surety can be held in jail until the bond is posted.²

Conditions a Judge Can Attach

The statute lets judges impose “reasonable conditions” tailored to the situation. Common ones include:

No contact with the petitioner by phone, text, social media, or through third parties.
Staying away from the petitioner’s home, workplace, school, or specific areas.
A ban on any conduct that could be read as intimidation or harassment.
Counseling or programs such as anger management, especially where the dispute involves domestic conflict.
Curfews or travel restrictions in cases with repeated confrontations.

Two people under good behavior bonds in the same courthouse can walk out with very different sets of rules.

Firearms: A Collateral Consequence Worth Knowing

A good behavior bond can trigger federal firearms restrictions even though no one has been convicted of anything. Under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(8), it is a federal crime to possess a firearm or ammunition if you are subject to a court order, issued after notice and a hearing, that restrains you from harassing, stalking, or threatening an intimate partner or their child. The order must also include either a finding that you represent a credible threat to that partner’s physical safety or an explicit prohibition on the use or threatened use of physical force against them.⁴

Not every bond triggers this. It depends on the relationship between the parties and the exact language in the order. If the bond involves a domestic partner and the judge includes a credible-threat finding or an explicit force prohibition, keeping a firearm in the house while the bond is active is a federal felony. If you are unsure, ask an attorney before the hearing concludes rather than afterward.

What Happens If the Bond Is Violated

Breaking the conditions is treated as contempt of court. At any point during the bond period, on proof of a violation, the court can:

Impose a fine of up to $200.
Order up to 10 days in the county jail.
Enter a monetary judgment against the respondent for up to the full amount of the bond.

These penalties can be combined.⁵ A single unwanted text and a physical confrontation are both violations, but judges respond to them differently. Repeat or escalating violations tend to end in jail time rather than a fine, and the judge can also tighten the conditions going forward. The respondent must appear in court to answer the alleged violation; failing to appear can bring an arrest warrant.

How Long the Bond Lasts

A good behavior bond under 17-6-90 lasts no longer than six months.¹ The court that imposed it can extend the bond for another six months under Code 17-6-91, which makes one year the maximum combined duration.⁶

When the term expires without an extension, every condition lifts automatically. No-contact orders, stay-away requirements, and any other terms end that day. A petitioner who still feels unsafe needs to request an extension before the bond lapses, or look at a separate protective order under Georgia’s family violence or stalking statutes.

How It Differs From a Protective Order

A good behavior bond is not the same thing as a family violence protective order, and the two cover different situations. The bond under 17-6-90 is a general tool. It does not require any particular relationship between the parties and can be used between neighbors, coworkers, or strangers whose conduct raises a credible concern.

Protective orders under Georgia’s Family Violence Act are built for domestic relationships: current or former spouses, parents of the same child, current or former household members, and similar connections. They typically offer broader relief, including temporary custody and exclusive use of a shared home. The good behavior bond is narrower but faster to obtain and available where no qualifying domestic relationship exists.

Enforcement in Other States

A good behavior bond can be enforceable outside Georgia if it meets the federal definition of a protection order. Under 18 U.S.C. § 2265, any protection order issued by a court with jurisdiction, after notice and an opportunity to be heard, must be given full faith and credit in every other state.⁷ A bond that only requires generic “good behavior” may not qualify. A bond that specifically bars contact with a named person and prohibits threatening conduct is more likely to be enforced across state lines. Petitioners who expect the respondent to travel should ask the judge to put the protective language directly into the order.

1
Justia. Georgia Code 17-6-90 – Issuance of Notice to Appear for Show Cause Hearing; Requirement of Bond; Hearing; Payment of Court Costs by Affiant; Issuance of Order of Arrest
2
Justia. Georgia Code 17-6-110 – Issuance of Warrant; Requirement of Bond; Hearing; Payment of Costs by Affiant
3
Constitution Annotated. Overview of When the Right to Counsel Applies
4
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 922 – Unlawful Acts
5
Carroll County, GA. Good Behavior Bonds
6
Justia. Georgia Code 17-6-91 – Extension of Bond by Court
7
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 2265 – Full Faith and Credit Given to Protection Orders