16-8-1.
As used in this article, the term:
(1) 'Deprive' means, without justification:
(A) To withhold property of another permanently or temporarily; or
(B) To dispose of the property so as to make it unlikely that the owner will recover it.
(2) 'Financial institution' means a bank, insurance company, credit union, building and loan association, investment trust, or other organization held out to the public as a place of deposit of funds or medium of savings or collective investment.
(3) 'Property of another' includes property in which any person other than the accused has an interest but does not include property belonging to the spouse of an accused or to them jointly.

16-8-2. [ Index ]
A person commits the offense of theft by taking when he unlawfully takes or, being in lawful possession thereof, unlawfully appropriates any property of another with the intention of depriving him of the property, regardless of the manner in which the property is taken or appropriated.

16-8-3. [ Index ]
(a) A person commits the offense of theft by deception when he obtains property by any deceitful means or artful practice with the intention of depriving the owner of the property.
(b) A person deceives if he intentionally:
(1) Creates or confirms anotherīs impression of an existing fact or past event which is false and which the accused knows or believes to be false;
(2) Fails to correct a false impression of an existing fact or past event which he has previously created or confirmed;
(3) Prevents another from acquiring information pertinent to the disposition of the property involved;
(4) Sells or otherwise transfers or encumbers property intentionally failing to disclose a substantial and valid known lien, adverse claim, or other legal impediment to the enjoyment of the property, whether such impediment is or is not a matter of official record; or
(5) Promises performance of services which he does not intend to perform or knows will not be performed. Evidence of failure to perform standing alone shall not be sufficient to authorize a conviction under this subsection.
(c) 'Deceitful means' and 'artful practice' do not, however, include falsity as to matters having no pecuniary significance, or exaggeration by statements unlikely to deceive ordinary persons in the group addressed.

16-8-4. [ Index ]
(a) A person commits the offense of theft by conversion when, having lawfully obtained funds or other property of another including, but not limited to, leased or rented personal property, under an agreement or other known legal obligation to make a specified application of such funds or a specified disposition of such property, he knowingly converts the funds or property to his own use in violation of the agreement or legal obligation. This Code section applies whether the application or disposition is to be made from the funds or property of another or from the accusedīs own funds or property in equivalent amount when the agreement contemplates that the accused may deal with the funds or property of another as his own.
(b) When, under subsection (a) of this Code section, an officer or employee of a government or of a financial institution fails to pay on an account, upon lawful demand, from the funds or property of another held by him, he is presumed to have intended to convert the funds or property to his own use.
(c)(1) As used in this subsection, the term 'personal property' means personal property having a replacement cost value greater than $100.00, excluding any late fees and penalties, and includes heavy equipment as defined in paragraph (2) of Code Section 10-1-731 and tractors and farm equipment primarily designed for use in agriculture.
(2) Any person having any personal property in such personīs possession or under such personīs control by virtue of a lease or rental agreement who fails to return the personal property within five days, Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays excluded, after a letter demanding return of the personal property has been mailed to such person by certified or registered mail or statutory overnight delivery, return receipt requested, at such personīs last known address by the owner of the personal property or by the ownerīs agent shall be presumed to have knowingly converted such personal property to such personīs own use in violation of such lease or agreement.
(3) In the event that any personal property is not returned as provided for in the lease or rental agreement and the court orders the lessor or renter to pay replacement costs, replacement costs shall include but not be limited to:
(A) The market value of the personal property. The market value shall be established by the owner of the property by providing from a supplier of such or reasonably similar personal property a current quotation of the value of the personal property which is of like quality, make, and model of the personal property being replaced. The value to be awarded shall be the higher of:
(i) The value on the date when the conversion occurred; or
(ii) The value on the date of the trial;
(B) All rental charges from the date the rental agreement was executed until the date of the trial or the date that the property was recovered, if recovered; and
(C) Interest on the unpaid balance each month at the current legal rate from the date the court orders the lessor or renter to pay replacement costs until the date the judgment is satisfied in full.
(4) If as a part of the order of the court the lessor or renter is placed on probation, supervision of said probation shall not be terminated until all replacement costs, fees, charges, penalties, interest, and other charges are paid in full. All payments relative to this Code section shall be made to the appropriate court of jurisdiction and the court shall make distribution to the owner within 30 days of receipt thereof.
(5) In the event that the owner incurs any expenses in the process of locating a lessor or renter who did not return any personal property according to the lease or rental agreement, the court shall provide that the lessor or renter reimburse the owner for those expenses which may include, but not be limited to, credit reports, private detective fees, investigation fees, fees charged by a law enforcement agency for such services as police reports, background checks, fees involved with swearing out a warrant for incarceration, and any other bona fide expenses.

16-8-5. [ Index ]
A person commits the offense of theft of services when by deception and with the intent to avoid payment he knowingly obtains services, accommodations, entertainment, or the use of personal property which is available only for compensation.

16-8-6. [ Index ]
A person commits the offense of theft of lost or mislaid property when he comes into control of property that he knows or learns to have been lost or mislaid and appropriates the property to his own use without first taking reasonable measures to restore the property to the owner.

16-8-7. [ Index ]
(a) A person commits the offense of theft by receiving stolen property when he receives, disposes of, or retains stolen property which he knows or should know was stolen unless the property is received, disposed of, or retained with intent to restore it to the owner. 'Receiving' means acquiring possession or control or lending on the security of the property.
(b) In any prosecution under this Code section it shall not be necessary to show a conviction of the principal thief.

16-8-8. [ Index ]
A person commits the offense of theft by receiving property stolen in another state when he receives, disposes of, or retains stolen property which he knows or should know was stolen in another state, unless the property is received, disposed of, or retained with intent to restore it to the owner.

16-8-9. [ Index ]
A person commits the offense of theft by bringing stolen property into this state when he brings into this state any property which he knows or should know has been stolen in another state.

16-8-10. [ Index ]
It is an affirmative defense to a prosecution for violation of Code Sections 16-8-2 through 16-8-7 that the person:
(1) Was unaware that the property or service was that of another;
(2) Acted under an honest claim of right to the property or service involved or under a right to acquire or dispose of it as he did; or
(3) Took property or service exposed for sale intending to purchase and pay for it promptly or reasonably believing that the owner, if present, would have consented.

16-8-11. [ Index ]
In a prosecution under Code Sections 16-8-2 through 16-8-9 and 16-8-13 through 16-8-15, the crime shall be considered as having been committed in any county in which the accused exercised control over the property which was the subject of the theft. In addition, in any prosecution under Code Section 16-8-4 in which there is a written rental agreement for personal property, the crime shall also be considered to have been committed in the county in which the accused signed the rental agreement.

16-8-12. [ Index ]
(a) A person convicted of a violation of Code Sections 16-8-2 through 16-8-9 shall be punished as for a misdemeanor except:
(1) If the property which was the subject of the theft exceeded $500.00 in value, by imprisonment for not less than one nor more than ten years or, in the discretion of the trial judge, as for a misdemeanor;
(2) If the property was any amount of anhydrous ammonia, as defined in Code Section 16-11-111, by imprisonment for not less than one nor more than ten years, a fine not to exceed the amount provided by Code Section 17-10-8, or both;
(3) If the property was taken by a fiduciary in breach of a fiduciary obligation or by an officer or employee of a government or a financial institution in breach of his or her duties as such officer or employee, by imprisonment for not less than one nor more than 15 years, a fine not to exceed the amount provided by Code Section 17-10-8, or both;
(4) If the crime committed was a violation of Code Section 16-8-2 and if the property which was the subject of the theft was a memorial to the dead or any ornamentation, flower, tree, or shrub placed on, adjacent to, or within any enclosure of a memorial to the dead, by imprisonment for not less than one nor more than three years. Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed as to cause action taken by a cemetery, cemetery owner, lessee, trustee, church, religious or fraternal organization, corporation, civic organization, or club legitimately attempting to clean, maintain, care for, upgrade, or beautify a grave, gravesite, tomb, monument, gravestone, or other structure or thing placed or designed for a memorial of the dead to be a criminal act;
(5)(A) The provisions of paragraph (1) of this subsection notwithstanding, if the property which was the subject of the theft was a motor vehicle or was a motor vehicle part or component which exceeded $100.00 in value or if the theft or unlawful activity was committed in violation of subsection (b) of Code Section 10-1-393.5 or in violation of subsection (b) of Code Section 10-1-393.6 or while engaged in telemarketing conduct in violation of Chapter 5B of Title 10, by imprisonment for not less than one nor more than ten years or, in the discretion of the trial judge, as for a misdemeanor; provided, however, that any person who is convicted of a second or subsequent offense under this paragraph shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one year nor more than 20 years.
(B) Subsequent offenses committed under this paragraph, including those which may have been committed after prior felony convictions unrelated to this paragraph, shall be punished as provided in Code Section 17-10-7;
(6)(A) As used in this paragraph, the term:
(i) 'Destructive device' means a destructive device as such term is defined by Code Section 16-8-80.
(ii) 'Explosive' means an explosive as such term is defined by Code Section 16-8-80.
(iii) 'Firearm' means any rifle, shotgun, pistol, or similar device which propels a projectile or projectiles through the energy of an explosive.
(B) If the property which was the subject of the theft offense was a destructive device, explosive, or firearm, by imprisonment for not less than one nor more than ten years; or
(7) If the property which was the subject of the theft is a grave marker, monument, or memorial to one or more deceased persons who served in the military service of this state, the United States of America or any of the states thereof, or the Confederate States of America or any of the states thereof, or a monument, plaque, marker, or memorial which is dedicated to, honors, or recounts the military service of any past or present military personnel of this state, the United States of America or any of the states thereof, or the Confederate States of America or any of the states thereof, and if such grave marker, monument, memorial, plaque, or marker is privately owned or located on privately owned land, by imprisonment for not less than one nor more than three years if the value of the property which was the subject of the theft is $300.00 or less, and by imprisonment for not less than three years and not more than five years if the value of the property which was the subject of the theft is more than $300.00.
(b) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (5) of subsection (a) of this Code section, any person who commits the offense of theft by deception when the property which was the subject of the theft exceeded $500.00 in value and the offense was committed against a person who is 65 years of age or older shall, upon conviction thereof, be punished by imprisonment for not less than five nor more than ten years.
(c) Where a violation of Code Sections 16-8-2 through 16-8-9 involves the theft of a growing or otherwise unharvested commercial agricultural product which is being grown or produced as a crop, such offense shall be punished by a fine of not less than $500.00 and not more than the maximum fine otherwise authorized by law. This minimum fine shall not in any such case be subject to suspension, stay, or probation. This minimum fine shall not be required in any case in which a sentence of confinement is imposed and such sentence of confinement is not suspended, stayed, or probated; but this subsection shall not prohibit imposition of any otherwise authorized fine in such a case.

16-8-13. [ Index ]
(a) As used in this Code section, the term:
(1) 'Article' means any object, material, device, substance, or copy thereof, including any writing, record, recording, drawing, sample, specimen, prototype, model, photograph, microorganism, blueprint, or map.
(2) 'Copy' means any facsimile, replica, photograph, or other reproduction of an article and any note, drawing, or sketch made of or from an article.
(3) 'Representing' means describing, depicting, containing, constituting, reflecting, or recording.
(4) 'Trade secret' means information, without regard to form, including, but not limited to, technical or nontechnical data, a formula, a pattern, a compilation, a program, a device, a method, a technique, a drawing, a process, financial data, financial plans, product plans, or a list of actual or potential customers or suppliers which is not commonly known by or available to the public and which information:
(A) Derives economic value, actual or potential, from not being generally known to, and not being readily ascertainable by proper means by, other persons who can obtain economic value from its disclosure or use; and
(B) Is the subject of efforts that are reasonable under the circumstances to maintain its secrecy.
(b) Any person who, with the intent to deprive or withhold from the owner thereof the exclusive use of a trade secret, or with an intent to appropriate a trade secret to his or her own use or to the use of another, does any of the following:
(1) Takes, uses, or discloses such trade secret to an unauthorized person;
(2) Acquires knowledge of such trade secret by deceitful means or artful practice; or
(3) Without authority, makes or causes to be made a copy of an article representing such trade secret
commits the offense of theft of a trade secret and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one nor more than five years and by a fine of not more than $50,000.00, provided that, if the value of such trade secret, and any article representing such trade secret that is taken, is not more than $100.00 such person shall be punished as for a misdemeanor.
(c) In a prosecution for any violation of this Code section, a court shall preserve the secrecy of an alleged trade secret by reasonable means, which may include granting protective orders in connection with discovery proceedings, holding in camera hearings, sealing the records of the action, and ordering any person involved in the litigation not to disclose an alleged trade secret without prior court approval.
(d) For the purposes of this Code section, a continuing theft by any person constitutes a single claim against that person, but this Code section shall be applied separately to the claim against each person who receives a trade secret from another person who committed the theft.
(e) This Code section shall not affect:
(1) Contractual duties or remedies, whether or not based on theft of a trade secret; or
(2) The provisions of Code Sections 10-1-761 through 10-1-767, pertaining to civil offenses and remedies involving the misappropriation of a trade secret, or other civil or criminal laws that presently apply or in the future may apply to any transaction or course of conduct that violates this Code section.

16-8-14. [ Index ]
(a) A person commits the offense of theft by shoplifting when he alone or in concert with another person, with the intent of appropriating merchandise to his own use without paying for the same or to deprive the owner of possession thereof or of the value thereof, in whole or in part, does any of the following:
(1) Conceals or takes possession of the goods or merchandise of any store or retail establishment;
(2) Alters the price tag or other price marking on goods or merchandise of any store or retail establishment;
(3) Transfers the goods or merchandise of any store or retail establishment from one container to another;
(4) Interchanges the label or price tag from one item of merchandise with a label or price tag for another item of merchandise; or
(5) Wrongfully causes the amount paid to be less than the merchantīs stated price for the merchandise.
(b)(1) A person convicted of the offense of theft by shoplifting, as provided in subsection (a) of this Code section, when the property which was the subject of the theft is $300.00 or less in value shall be punished as for a misdemeanor; provided, however, that:
(A) Upon conviction of a second offense for shoplifting, where the first offense is either a felony or a misdemeanor, as defined by this Code section, in addition to or in lieu of any imprisonment which might be imposed, the defendant shall be fined not less than $250.00 and the fine shall not be suspended or probated;
(B) Upon conviction of a third offense for shoplifting, where the first two offenses are either felonies or misdemeanors, or a combination of a felony and a misdemeanor, as defined by this Code section, in addition to or in lieu of any fine which might be imposed, the defendant shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than 30 days or confinement in a 'special alternative incarceration-probation boot camp,' probation detention center, diversion center, or other community correctional facility of the Department of Corrections for a period of 120 days or shall be sentenced to monitored house arrest for a period of 120 days and, in addition to either such types of confinement, may be required to undergo psychological evaluation and treatment to be paid for by the defendant; and such sentence of imprisonment or confinement shall not be suspended, probated, deferred, or withheld; and
(C) Upon conviction of a fourth or subsequent offense for shoplifting, where the prior convictions are either felonies or misdemeanors, or any combination of felonies and misdemeanors, as defined by this Code section, the defendant commits a felony and shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one nor more than ten years; and the first year of such sentence shall not be suspended, probated, deferred, or withheld.
(2) A person convicted of the offense of theft by shoplifting, as provided in subsection (a) of this Code section, when the property which was the subject of the theft exceeds $300.00 in value commits a felony and shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one nor more than ten years.
(3) A person convicted of the offense of theft by shoplifting, as provided in subsection (a) of this Code section, when the property which was the subject of the theft is taken from three separate stores or retail establishments within one county during a period of seven days or less and when the property which was the subject of each theft exceeds $100.00 in value, commits a felony and shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one nor more than ten years.
(c) In all cases involving theft by shoplifting, the term 'value' means the actual retail price of the property at the time and place of the offense. The unaltered price tag or other marking on property, or duly identified photographs thereof, shall be prima-facie evidence of value and ownership of the property.
(d) Subsection (b) of this Code section shall in no way affect the authority of a sentencing judge to provide for a sentence to be served on weekends or during the nonworking hours of the defendant as provided in Code Section 17-10-3, relative to punishment for misdemeanors.

16-8-15. [ Index ]
(a) Any architect, landscape architect, engineer, contractor, subcontractor, or other person who with intent to defraud shall use the proceeds of any payment made to him on account of improving certain real property for any other purpose than to pay for labor or service performed on or materials furnished by his order for this specific improvement while any amount for which he may be or become liable for such labor, services, or materials remains unpaid commits a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one year nor more than five years or upon the recommendation of the jury or in the discretion of the trial judge, punished for a misdemeanor, provided that, in addition to the above sanctions, where a corporationīs agent acts within the scope of his office or employment and on behalf of the corporation and with intent to defraud uses such proceeds for purposes other than for property improvements or where a corporationīs board of directors or managerial official, the latter acting within the scope of his employment and on behalf of the corporation recklessly tolerates or, with intent to defraud, authorizes, requests, or commands the use of such proceeds for purposes other than for property improvements, the corporation commits a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine of not less than $1,000.00 nor more than $5,000.00.
(b) A failure to pay for material or labor furnished for such property improvements shall be prima-facie evidence of intent to defraud.

16-8-16. [ Index ]
(a) A person commits the offense of theft by extortion when he unlawfully obtains property of or from another person by threatening to:
(1) Inflict bodily injury on anyone or commit any other criminal offense;
(2) Accuse anyone of a criminal offense;
(3) Disseminate any information tending to subject any person to hatred, contempt, or ridicule or to impair his credit or business repute;
(4) Take or withhold action as a public official or cause an official to take or withhold action;
(5) Bring about or continue a strike, boycott, or other collective unofficial action if the property is not demanded or received for the benefit of the group in whose interest the actor purports to act; or
(6) Testify or provide information or withhold testimony or information with respect to anotherīs legal claim or defense.
(b) In a prosecution under this Code section, the crime shall be considered as having been committed in the county in which the threat was made or received or in the county in which the property was unlawfully obtained.
(c) It is an affirmative defense to prosecution based on paragraph (2), (3), (4), or (6) of subsection (a) of this Code section that the property obtained by threat of accusation, exposure, legal action, or other invocation of official action was honestly claimed as restitution or indemnification for harm done in the circumstance to which such accusation, exposure, legal action, or other official action relates or as compensation for property or lawful services.
(d) A person convicted of the offense of theft by extortion shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one nor more than ten years.

16-8-17. [ Index ]
(a)(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, a person who, with intent to cheat or defraud a retailer, possesses, uses, utters, transfers, makes, alters, counterfeits, or reproduces a retail sales receipt or a Universal Product Code label which results in a theft of property which exceeds $300.00 in value commits a felony and shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one nor more than three years or by a fine or both.
(2) A person convicted of a violation of paragraph (1) of this subsection, when the property which was the subject of the theft resulting from the unlawful use of retail sales receipts or Universal Product Code labels is taken from three separate stores or retail establishments within one county during a period of seven days or less and when the property which was the subject of each theft exceeds $100.00 in value, commits a felony and shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one nor more than ten years.
(b) A person who, with intent to cheat or defraud a retailer, possesses 15 or more fraudulent retail sales receipts or Universal Product Code labels or possesses a device the purpose of which is to manufacture fraudulent retail sales receipts or Universal Product Code labels will be guilty of a felony and punished by imprisonment for not less than one nor more than ten years.

16-8-18. [ Index ]
If any person shall enter any automobile or other motor vehicle with the intent to commit a theft or a felony, he shall be guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one nor more than five years, or, in the discretion of the trial judge, as for a misdemeanor.

16-8-19. [ Index ]
Reserved.

16-8-20. [ Index ]
(a) A person commits the offense of livestock theft when he unlawfully takes or, being in lawful possession thereof, unlawfully appropriates any livestock of another with the intention of depriving the owner of such livestock.
(b) For the purposes of this Code section, the term 'livestock' means horses, cattle, swine, sheep, ratites, goats, rabbits, and any domestic animal produced as food for human consumption.
(c) Any person committing the offense of livestock theft commits a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one nor more than ten years and by a fine of $1,000.00; provided, however, that, if the fair market value of the livestock taken or appropriated is $100.00 or less, the person shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
(d) For the purposes of this Code section, if any livestock is killed or mutilated and a portion thereof taken, the value of the whole animal while alive or his entire carcass, whichever is greater, shall be considered for the purpose of distinguishing between a misdemeanor offense and a felony offense.

16-8-21. [ Index ]
(a) As used in this Code section, 'shopping cart' means those pushcarts of the type which are commonly provided by grocery stores, drugstores, or other merchant stores or markets for the use of the public in transporting commodities in stores and markets and incidentally from the store to a place outside the store.
(b) It shall be unlawful for any person to remove a shopping cart from the premises, posted as provided in subsection (d) of this Code section, of the owner of such shopping cart without the consent, given at the time of such removal, of the owner or of his agent, servant, or employee. For the purpose of this Code section, the premises shall include all the parking area set aside by the owner or on behalf of the owner for the parking of cars for the convenience of the patrons of the owner.
(c) It shall be unlawful for any person to abandon a shopping cart upon any public street, sidewalk, way, or parking lot other than a parking lot on the premises of the owner.
(d) The owner of the store in which the shopping cart is used shall post in at least three prominent places in his store and at each exit therefrom a printed copy of this Code section, which copy shall be printed in type no smaller than 12 points.
(e) Any person who violates subsection (b) or (c) of this Code section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.

16-8-40. [ Index ]
(a) A person commits the offense of robbery when, with intent to commit theft, he takes property of another from the person or the immediate presence of another:
(1) By use of force;
(2) By intimidation, by the use of threat or coercion, or by placing such person in fear of immediate serious bodily injury to himself or to another; or
(3) By sudden snatching.
(b) A person convicted of the offense of robbery shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one nor more than 20 years.
(c) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Code section, any person who commits the offense of robbery against a person who is 65 years of age or older shall, upon conviction thereof, be punished by imprisonment for not less than five nor more than 20 years.

16-8-41. [ Index ]
(a) A person commits the offense of armed robbery when, with intent to commit theft, he or she takes property of another from the person or the immediate presence of another by use of an offensive weapon, or any replica, article, or device having the appearance of such weapon. The offense of robbery by intimidation shall be a lesser included offense in the offense of armed robbery.
(b) A person convicted of the offense of armed robbery shall be punished by death or imprisonment for life or by imprisonment for not less than ten nor more than 20 years.
(c)(1) The preceding provisions of this Code section notwithstanding, in any case in which the defendant commits armed robbery and in the course of the commission of the offense such person unlawfully takes a controlled substance from a pharmacy or a wholesale druggist and intentionally inflicts bodily injury upon any person, such facts shall be charged in the indictment or accusation and, if found to be true by the court or if admitted by the defendant, the defendant shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than 15 years.
(2) As used in this subsection, the term:
(A) 'Controlled substance' means a drug, substance, or immediate precursor in Schedules I through V of Code Sections 16-13-25 through 16-13-29.
(B) 'Pharmacy' means any place licensed in accordance with Chapter 4 of Title 26 wherein the possessing, displaying, compounding, dispensing, or retailing of drugs may be conducted, including any and all portions of any building or structure leased, used, or controlled by the licensee in the conduct of the business licensed by the State Board of Pharmacy at the address for which the license was issued. The term pharmacy shall also include any building, warehouse, physicianīs office, or hospital used in whole or in part for the sale, storage, or dispensing of any controlled substance.
(C) 'Wholesale druggist' means an individual, partnership, corporation, or association registered with the State Board of Pharmacy under Chapter 4 of Title 26.
(d) Any person convicted under this Code section shall, in addition, be subject to the sentencing and punishment provisions of Code Sections 17-10-6.1 and 17-10-7.

16-8-60. [ Index ]
(a) It is unlawful for any person, firm, partnership, corporation, or association knowingly to:
(1) Transfer or cause to be transferred any sounds or visual images recorded on a phonograph record, disc, wire, tape, videotape, film, or other article on which sounds or visual images are recorded onto any other phonograph record, disc, wire, tape, videotape, film, or article without the consent of the person who owns the master phonograph record, master disc, master tape, master videotape, master film, or other device or article from which the sounds or visual images are derived; or
(2) Sell; distribute; circulate; offer for sale, distribution, or circulation; possess for the purpose of sale, distribution, or circulation; cause to be sold, distributed, or circulated; cause to be offered for sale, distribution, or circulation; or cause to be possessed for sale, distribution, or circulation any article or device on which sounds or visual images have been transferred, knowing it to have been made without the consent of the person who owns the master phonograph record, master disc, master tape, master videotape, master film, or other device or article from which the sounds or visual images are derived.
(b) It is unlawful for any person, firm, partnership, corporation, or association to sell; distribute; circulate; offer for sale, distribution, or circulation; or possess for the purposes of sale, distribution, or circulation any phonograph record, disc, wire, tape, videotape, film, or other article on which sounds or visual images have been transferred unless such phonograph record, disc, wire, tape, videotape, film, or other article bears the actual name and address of the transferor of the sounds or visual images in a prominent place on its outside face or package.
(c) This Code section does not apply to any person who transfers or causes to be transferred any such sounds or visual images:
(1) Intended for or in connection with radio or television broadcast transmission or related uses;
(2) For archival purposes; or
(3) Solely for the personal use of the person transferring or causing the transfer and without any profit being derived by the person from the transfer.
(d) Violation of this Code section is a felony and is punishable upon conviction by a fine of not more than $25,000.00 or by imprisonment for not less than one year nor more than two years, or both fine and imprisonment; second or subsequent violations of this Code section shall be punishable upon conviction by a fine of not more than $100,000.00 or by imprisonment for not less than one year nor more than three years, or both fine and imprisonment.
(e) This Code section shall neither enlarge nor diminish the right of parties to enter into a private contract.

16-8-61. [ Index ]
(a) As used in this Code section, the term:
(1) 'Official rating' means the official rating of a motion picture by the Classification and Rating Administration of the Motion Picture Association of America.
(2) 'Video movie' means a videotape, video cassette, video disc, any prerecorded video display or visual depiction, any prerecorded device that can be converted to a visual depiction, or other reproduction or reconstruction of a motion picture.
(b) No person may sell, rent, loan, or otherwise disseminate or distribute for monetary consideration a video movie unless the official rating of the motion picture from which the video movie is copied is clearly and prominently displayed in boldface type on the outside of the cassette, case, jacket, or other covering containing the video movie. Such video movie shall be clearly and prominently marked as 'not rated' if:
(1) The motion picture from which the video movie is copied has no official rating;
(2) The official rating of the motion picture from which the video movie is copied is not readily available to such person; or
(3) The video movie has been altered so that its content materially differs from the motion picture.
(c) Any person who violates subsection (b) of this Code section shall, upon conviction thereof, be punished by a fine of not more than $100.00.

16-8-80. [ Index ]
This article shall be known and may be cited as the 'Motor Vehicle Chop Shop and Stolen and Altered Property Act.'

16-8-81. [ Index ]
(a) The General Assembly finds and declares the following:
(1) The annual number of reported motor vehicle thefts has exceeded 1 million. Approximately 50 percent of all larcenies reported to law enforcement authorities in the United States are directed against motor vehicles. The recovery rate of stolen motor vehicles has decreased significantly during the most recent decade;
(2) Thefts of motor vehicles and the disposition of stolen motor vehicles and motor vehicle parts are becoming more professional in nature. Such theft and disposition activities have attracted criminal elements which have used intimidation and violence as a means of obtaining increased control of such activities;
(3) The theft of motor vehicles has brought increased and unnecessary burdens to motor vehicle users and taxpayers, as the national financial cost of motor vehicle related theft offenses currently approaches $5 billion annually;
(4) Prosecutors should give increased emphasis to the prosecution of persons committing motor vehicle thefts, with particular emphasis given to professional motor vehicle theft operations and to persons engaged in the dismantling of stolen motor vehicles for the purpose of trafficking in stolen motor vehicle parts; and
(5) Traditional law enforcement strategies and techniques that concentrate on bringing criminal penalties to bear on motor vehicle thieves, but do not focus on chop shops that are heavily involved in the dismantling of stolen motor vehicles or the distribution of motor vehicle parts and that do not enlist the assistance of private enforcement and use civil sanctions, are inadequate to control motor vehicle theft, as well as related offenses. Comprehensive strategies must be formulated; more effective law enforcement techniques must be developed; evidentiary, procedural, and substantive laws must be strengthened; and criminal penalties and civil sanctions must be enhanced.
(b) The General Assembly, therefore, concludes that for the protection of the general public interest, the 'Motor Vehicle Chop Shop and Stolen and Altered Property Act' shall be enacted.

16-8-82. [ Index ]
As used in this article, the term:
(1) 'Chop shop' means any building, lot, or other premise where one or more persons knowingly engage in altering, destroying, disassembling, dismantling, reassembling, or storing any motor vehicle or motor vehicle part known to be illegally obtained by theft, fraud, or conspiracy to defraud in order to either:
(A) Alter, counterfeit, deface, destroy, disguise, falsify, forge, obliterate, or remove the identification, including the vehicle identification number of such motor vehicle or motor vehicle part, in order to misrepresent the identity of such motor vehicle or motor vehicle part or to prevent the identification of such motor vehicle or motor vehicle part; or
(B) Sell or dispose of such motor vehicle or motor vehicle part.
(2) 'Motor vehicle' includes every device in, upon, or by which any person or property is or may be transported or drawn upon a highway which is self-propelled or which may be connected to and towed by a self-propelled device and also includes any and all other land based devices which are self-propelled but which are not designed for use upon a highway, including, but not limited to, farm machinery and construction equipment.
(3) 'Person' includes a natural person, company, corporation, unincorporated association, partnership, professional corporation, and any other legal entity.
(4) 'Unidentifiable' means that the uniqueness of a motor vehicle or motor vehicle part cannot be established by either expert law enforcement investigative personnel specially trained and experienced in motor vehicle theft investigative procedures and motor vehicle identification examination techniques or by expert employees of not for profit motor vehicle theft prevention agencies specially trained and experienced in motor vehicle theft investigation procedures and motor vehicle identification examination techniques.
(5) 'Vehicle identification number' includes, but is not limited to, a number or numbers, a letter or letters, a character or characters, a datum or data, a derivative or derivatives, or a combination or combinations thereof, used by the manufacturer or the Department of Motor Vehicle Safety for the purpose of uniquely identifying a motor vehicle or motor vehicle part.

16-8-83. [ Index ]
(a) Any person who knowingly and with intent:
(1) Owns, operates, or conducts a chop shop;
(2) Transports any motor vehicle or motor vehicle part to or from a location knowing it to be a chop shop; or
(3) Sells, transfers, purchases, or receives any motor vehicle or motor vehicle part either to or from a location knowing it to be a chop shop
shall be guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than three years nor more than ten years, by a fine of not more than $100,000.00, or by both such fine and imprisonment.
(b) Any person who knowingly alters, counterfeits, defaces, destroys, disguises, falsifies, forges, obliterates, or removes a vehicle identification number with the intent to misrepresent the identity or prevent the identification of a motor vehicle or motor vehicle part shall be guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one year nor more than ten years, by a fine of not more than $50,000.00, or by both such fine and imprisonment.
(c)(1) Any person who buys, disposes, sells, transfers, or possesses a motor vehicle or motor vehicle part with knowledge that the vehicle identification number of the motor vehicle or motor vehicle part has been altered, counterfeited, defaced, destroyed, disguised, falsified, forged, obliterated, or removed shall be guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one year nor more than ten years, by a fine of not more than $50,000.00, or by both such fine and imprisonment.
(2) The provisions of paragraph (1) of this subsection shall not apply to a motor vehicle scrap processor who, in the normal legal course of business and in good faith, processes a motor vehicle or motor vehicle part by crushing, compacting, or other similar methods, provided that any vehicle identification number is not removed from the motor vehicle or motor vehicle part prior to or during any such processing.
(3) The provisions of paragraph (1) of this subsection shall not apply to any owner or authorized possessor of a motor vehicle recovered by law enforcement authorities after having been stolen or where the condition of the vehicle identification number of the motor vehicle or motor vehicle part is known to or has been reported to law enforcement authorities. It shall be presumed that law enforcement authorities have knowledge of all vehicle identification numbers on a motor vehicle or motor vehicle part which are altered, counterfeited, defaced, disguised, falsified, forged, obliterated, or removed when law enforcement authorities deliver or return the motor vehicle or motor vehicle part to its owner or authorized possessor after it has been recovered by law enforcement authorities after having been reported stolen.
(d) A person commits the offense of attempted operation of a chop shop when, with the intent to commit a violation proscribed by subsection (a), (b), or (c) of this Code section, the person does any act which constitutes a substantial step toward the commission of a violation proscribed by subsection (a), (b), or (c) of this Code section; and such person shall be guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one year nor more than five years, by a fine of not more than $25,000.00, or by both such fine and imprisonment.
(e) A person commits the offense of conspiracy when, with the intent that a violation proscribed by subsection (a), (b), or (c) of this Code section be committed, the person agrees with another to the commission of a violation proscribed by subsection (a), (b), or (c) of this Code section; and such person shall be guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one year nor more than five years, by a fine of not more than $25,000.00, or by both such fine and imprisonment. No person may be convicted of conspiracy under this subsection unless an act in furtherance of such agreement is alleged and proved to have been committed by that person or a coconspirator.
(f) A person commits the offense of solicitation when, with the intent that a violation proscribed by subsection (a), (b), or (c) of this Code section be committed, the person commands, encourages, or requests another to commit a violation proscribed by subsection (a), (b), or (c) of this Code section; and such person shall be guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one year nor more than five years, by a fine of not more than $25,000.00, or by both such fine and imprisonment.
(g) A person commits the offense of aiding and abetting when, either before or during the commission of a violation proscribed by subsection (a), (b), or (c) of this Code section and with the intent to promote or facilitate such commission, the person aids, abets, agrees, or attempts to aid another in the planning or commission of a violation proscribed by subsection (a), (b), or (c) of this Code section; and such person shall be guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one year nor more than five years, by a fine of not more than $25,000.00, or by both such fine and imprisonment.
(h) A person is an accessory after the fact who maintains, assists, or gives any other aid to an offender while knowing or having reasonable grounds to believe the offender has committed a violation under subsection (a), (b), or (c) of this Code section; and such person shall be guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one year nor more than five years, by a fine of not more than $25,000.00, or by both such fine and imprisonment.
(i) No prosecution shall be brought and no person shall be convicted of any violation under this Code section where the acts of such person otherwise constituting a violation were done in good faith in order to comply with the laws or regulations of any state or territory of the United States or of the United States government.
(j) The sentence imposed upon a person convicted of any violation of this Code section shall not be reduced to less than one year of imprisonment for a second conviction or less than five years for a third or subsequent conviction, and no sentence imposed upon a person for a second or subsequent conviction of any violation of this Code section shall be suspended or reduced until such person shall have served the minimum period of imprisonment provided for in this Code section. A person convicted of a second or subsequent violation of this Code section shall not be eligible for probation, parole, furlough, or work release.
(k)(1) In addition to any other punishment, a person who violates this Code section shall be ordered to make restitution to the lawful owner or owners of the stolen motor vehicle or vehicles or the stolen motor vehicle part or parts, to the ownerīs insurer to the extent that the owner has been compensated by the insurer, and to any other person for any financial loss sustained as a result of a violation of this Code section.
(2) For purposes of this Code section, the term:
(A) 'Financial loss' shall include, but not be limited to, loss of earnings, out-of-pocket and other expenses, repair and replacement costs, and claims payments.
(B) 'Lawful owner' shall include an innocent bona fide purchaser for value of a stolen motor vehicle or motor vehicle part who does not know that the motor vehicle or part is stolen or an insurer to the extent that such insurer has compensated a bona fide purchaser for value.
(3) The court shall determine the extent and method of restitution required under this subsection. In an extraordinary case, the court may determine that the best interests of the victim and justice would not be served by ordering restitution. In any such case, the court shall make and enter specific written findings on the record concerning the extraordinary circumstances presented which mitigated against restitution.

16-8-84. [ Index ]
(a) Any tool, implement, or instrumentality, including, but not limited to, a motor vehicle or motor vehicle part, used or possessed in connection with any violation of Code Section 16-8-83 may be seized by a member of a state or local law enforcement agency upon process issued by any court of competent jurisdiction.
(b) Seizure of property described in subsection (a) of this Code section may be made by a member of a state or local law enforcement agency without process if:
(1) The seizure is made in accordance with any applicable law or regulation;
(2) The seizure is incident to inspection under an administrative inspection warrant;
(3) The seizure is incident to a search made under a search warrant;
(4) The seizure is incident to a lawful arrest;
(5) The seizure is made pursuant to a valid consent to search;
(6) The property seized has been the subject of a prior judgment in favor of the state in a criminal proceeding or in an injunction or forfeiture proceeding under Code Section 16-8-86; or
(7) There are reasonable grounds to believe that the property is directly or indirectly dangerous to the health or safety of the public.
(c) When property is seized pursuant to this Code section, the seizing agency may:
(1) Place the property under seal; or
(2) Remove the property to a place selected and designated by the seizing agency.

16-8-85. [ Index ]
(a) The following are subject to forfeiture unless obtained by theft, fraud, or conspiracy to defraud and the rightful owner is known or can be identified and located:
(1) Any tool;
(2) Any implement; or
(3) Any instrumentality, including, but not limited to, any motor vehicle or motor vehicle part, whether or not owned by the person from whose possession or control it was seized, which is used or possessed either in violation of Code Section 16-8-83 or to promote or facilitate a violation of Code Section 16-8-83.
(b) Any motor vehicle, other conveyance, or motor vehicle part used by any person as a common carrier is subject to forfeiture under this Code section where the owner or other person in charge of the motor vehicle, other conveyance, or motor vehicle part is a consenting party to a violation of Code Section 16-8-83.
(c)(1) Any motor vehicle, motor vehicle part, other conveyance, tool, implement, or instrumentality is not subject to forfeiture under this Code section by reason of any act or omission which the owner proves to have been committed or omitted without the ownerīs knowledge or consent.
(2) Seizing agencies shall utilize their best efforts to identify any seized motor vehicle or motor vehicle part to determine ownership or the identity of any other person having a right or interest in a seized motor vehicle or motor vehicle part. In its reasonable identification and owner location attempts, the seizing agency shall cause the stolen motor vehicle files of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to be searched for stolen or wanted information on motor vehicles similar to the seized motor vehicle or consistent with the seized motor vehicle part.
(3) Where a motor vehicle part has an apparent value in excess of $1,000.00:
(A) The seizing agency shall consult with an expert of the type specified in paragraph (4) of Code Section 16-8-82; and
(B) The seizing agency shall also request searches of the on-line and off-line files of the National Crime Information Center and the National Automobile Theft Bureau when the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and Georgia Crime Information Center files have been searched with negative results.
(d) A forfeiture of a motor vehicle, motor vehicle part, or other conveyance encumbered by a bona fide security interest is subject to the interest of the secured party where the secured party neither had knowledge of nor consented to the act or omission forming the ground for the forfeiture.
(e) Property, as described in subsection (a) of this Code section, which is seized and held for forfeiture shall not be subject to replevin and is subject only to the order and judgments of a court of competent jurisdiction hearing the forfeiture proceedings.
(f)(1) A prosecutor in the county where the seizure occurs shall bring an action for forfeiture in a court of competent jurisdiction. The forfeiture action shall be brought within 60 days from the date of seizure except where the prosecutor in the sound exercise of discretion determines that no forfeiture action should be brought because of the rights of property owners, lienholders, or secured creditors or because of exculpatory, exonerating, or mitigating facts and circumstances.
(2) The prosecutor shall give notice of the forfeiture proceeding by mailing a copy of the complaint in the forfeiture proceeding to each person whose right, title, or interest is of record in the Department of Motor Vehicle Safety, the Department of Transportation, the Federal Aviation Agency, or any other department or agency of this state, any other state or territory of the United States, or of the federal government if such property is required to be registered with any such department or agency.
(3) Notice of the forfeiture proceeding shall be given to any other such person as may appear, from the facts and circumstances, to have any right, title, or interest in or to the property.
(4) The owner of the property or any person having or claiming right, title, or interest in the property may within 60 days after the mailing of such notice file a verified answer to the complaint and may appear at the hearing on the action for forfeiture.
(5) The prosecutor shall show at a forfeiture hearing, by a preponderance of the evidence, that such property was used in the commission of a violation of Code Section 16-8-83 or was used or possessed to facilitate such violation.
(6) The owner of such property may show by a preponderance of the evidence that the owner did not know, and did not have reason to know, that the property was to be used or possessed in the commission of any violation or that any of the exceptions to forfeiture are applicable.
(7) Unless the prosecutor shall make the showing required of it, the court shall order the property released to the owner. Where the prosecutor has made such a showing, the court may order that:
(A) The property be destroyed by the agency which seized it or some other agency designated by the court;
(B) The property be delivered and retained for use by the agency which seized it or some other agency designated by the court; or
(C) The property be sold at public sale.
(g) A copy of a forfeiture order shall be filed with the sheriff of the county in which the forfeiture occurs and with each federal or state department or agency with which such property is required to be registered. Such order, when filed, constitutes authority for the issuance to the agency to whom the property is delivered and retained for use or to any purchaser of the property of a certificate of title, registration certificate, or other special certificate as may be required by law in consideration of the condition of the property.
(h) Proceeds from sale at public auction, after payment of all reasonable charges and expenses incurred by the agency designated by the court to conduct the sale in storing and selling the property, shall be paid into the general fund of the county of seizure.
(i) No motor vehicle, either seized under Code Section 16-8-84 or forfeited under this Code section, shall be released by the seizing agency or used or sold by an agency designated by the court unless any altered, counterfeited, defaced, destroyed, disguised, falsified, forged, obliterated, or removed vehicle identification number is corrected by the issuance and affixing of either an assigned or replacement vehicle identification number plate as may be appropriate under laws or regulations of this state.
(j) No motor vehicle part having any altered, counterfeited, defaced, destroyed, disguised, falsified, forged, obliterated, or removed vehicle identification number may be disposed of upon forfeiture except by destruction thereof, except that this subsection shall not apply to any such motor vehicle part which is assembled with and constitutes part of a motor vehicle.
(k) No motor vehicle or motor vehicle part shall be forfeited under this Code section solely on the basis that it is unidentifiable. Instead of forfeiture, any seized motor vehicle or motor vehicle part which is unidentifiable shall be the subject of a written report sent by the seizing agency to the Department of Motor Vehicle Safety, which report shall include a description of the motor vehicle or motor vehicle part, including its color, if any; the date, time, and place of its seizure; the name of the person from whose possession or control it was seized; the grounds for its seizure; and the location where the same is held or stored.
(l) When a seized unidentifiable motor vehicle or motor vehicle part has been held for 60 days or more after the notice to the Department of Motor Vehicle Safety specified in subsection (k) of this Code section has been given, the seizing agency, or its agent, shall cause the motor vehicle or motor vehicle part to be sold at a public sale to the highest bidder. Notice of the time and place of sale shall be posted in a conspicuous place for at least 30 days prior to the sale on the premises where the motor vehicle or motor vehicle part has been stored.
(m) When a seized unidentifiable motor vehicle or motor vehicle part has an apparent value of $1,000.00 or less, the seizing agency shall authorize the disposal of the motor vehicle or motor vehicle part, provided that no such disposition shall be made sooner than 60 days after the date of seizure.
(n) The proceeds of the public sale of an unidentifiable motor vehicle or motor vehicle part shall be deposited into the general fund of the state, county, or municipal corporation employing the seizing agency after deduction of any reasonable and necessary towing and storage charges.
(o) Seizing agencies shall utilize their best efforts to arrange for the towing and storing of motor vehicles and motor vehicle parts in the most economical manner possible. In no event shall the owner of a motor vehicle or a motor vehicle part be required to pay more than the minimum reasonable costs of towing and storage.
(p) A seized motor vehicle or motor vehicle part that is neither forfeited nor unidentifiable shall be held subject to the order of the court in which the criminal action is pending or, if a request for its release from such custody is made, until the prosecutor has notified the defendant or the defendantīs attorney of such request and both the prosecution and defense have been afforded a reasonable opportunity for an examination of the property to determine its true value and to produce or reproduce, by photographs or other identifying techniques, legally sufficient evidence for introduction at trial or other criminal proceedings. Upon expiration of a reasonable time for the completion of the examination, which in no event shall exceed 14 days from the date of service upon the defense of the notice of request for return of property as provided in this subsection, the property shall be released to the person making such request after satisfactory proof of such personīs entitlement to the possession thereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, upon application by either party with notice to the other, the court may order retention of the property if it determines that retention is necessary in the furtherance of justice.
(q) When a seized vehicle is forfeited, restored to its owner, or disposed of as unidentifiable, the seizing agency shall retain a report of the transaction for a period of at least one year from the date of the transaction.
(r) When an applicant for a certificate of title or salvage certificate of title presents to the Department of Motor Vehicle Safety proof that the applicant purchased or acquired a motor vehicle at public sale conducted pursuant to this Code section and such fact is attested to by the seizing agency, the Department of Motor Vehicle Safety shall issue a certificate of title or a salvage certificate of title, as determined by the commissioner of motor vehicle safety, for such motor vehicle upon receipt of the statutory fee, a properly executed application for a certificate of title or other certificate of ownership, and the affidavit of the seizing agency that a state assigned number was applied for and affixed to the motor vehicle prior to the time that the motor vehicle was released by the seizing agency to the purchaser.

16-8-86. [ Index ]
(a) The Attorney General, any prosecutor, or any aggrieved person may institute a civil action against any person in a court of competent jurisdiction seeking relief from conduct constituting a violation of any provision of this article. If the plaintiff in such action proves the alleged violation, or its threat, by a preponderance of the evidence, any court of competent jurisdiction after due provision for the rights of innocent persons shall grant relief by entering any appropriate order or judgment, including, but not limited to:
(1) Ordering any defendant to be divested of any interest in any property;
(2) Imposing reasonable restrictions upon the future activities or investments of any defendant, including prohibiting any defendant from engaging in the same type of endeavor as the defendant was engaged in previously;
(3) Ordering the suspension or revocation of a license, permit, or prior approval granted by any public agency or any other public authority; or
(4) Ordering the surrender of the charter of a corporation organized under the laws of this state or the revocation of a certificate authorizing a foreign corporation to conduct business within this state upon a finding that the board of directors or a managerial agent acting on behalf of the corporation, in conducting the affairs of the corporation, has authorized or engaged in conduct made unlawful by this article and that, for the prevention of future criminal conduct, the public interest requires the charter of the corporation be surrendered and the corporation dissolved or the certificate to conduct business in this state revoked.
(b) In a proceeding under this Code section, injunctive relief shall be granted in conformity with the principles that govern the granting of relief from injury or threatened injury in other cases, but no showing of special or irreparable injury shall have to be made. Pending final determination of a proceeding under this Code section, a temporary restraining order or a preliminary injunction may be issued upon a showing of immediate danger of significant injury, including the possibility that any judgment for money damages might be difficult to execute, and, in a proceeding initiated by an aggrieved person, upon the execution of proper bond against injury for an injunction improvidently granted.
(c) Any person injured, directly or indirectly, by conduct constituting a violation by any person of Code Section 16-8-83 shall, in addition to any other relief, have a cause of action for threefold the actual damages sustained by the person.
(d) A final judgment or decree rendered against the defendant in any civil or criminal proceeding shall estop the defendant in any subsequent civil action or proceeding brought by any person as to all matters to which the judgment or decree would be an estoppel as between the parties to the civil or criminal proceeding.
(e) Notwithstanding any other provision of law providing for a shorter period of limitations, a civil action under this Code section may be commenced at any time within five years after the conduct made unlawful under Code Section 16-8-83 terminates or the cause of action accrues or within any longer statutory period that may be applicable. If any action is brought by a prosecutor to punish, prevent, or restrain any activity made unlawful under Code Section 16-8-83, the running of the period of limitations shall be suspended during the pendency of such action and for two years following its termination.
(f) Personal service of any process in an action under this Code section may be made upon any person outside the state if the person has engaged in any conduct constituting a violation of Code Section 16-8-83 in this state. The person shall be deemed to have thereby submitted to the jurisdiction of the courts of this state for the purposes of this subsection.
(g) Obtaining any civil remedy under this Code section shall not preclude obtaining any other civil or criminal remedy under this article or any other provision of law. Civil remedies under this Code section are supplemental and not exclusive.