Georgia § 31-9-6 - Construction of chapter; requirements of valid consent.

§ 31-9-6. Construction of chapter; requirements of valid consent.

This chapter shall be liberally construed, and all relationships set forth in this chapter shall include the adoptive, foster, and step relations as well as blood relations and the relationship by common-law marriage as well as ceremonial marriage. A consent by one person authorized and empowered to consent to surgical or medical treatment shall be sufficient. Any person acting in good faith shall be justified in relying on the representations of any person purporting to give consent, including, but not limited to, his identity, his age, his marital status, his emancipation, and his relationship to any other person for whom the consent is purportedly given. A consent to surgical or medical treatment which discloses in general terms the treatment or course of treatment in connection with which it is given and which is duly evidenced in writing and signed by the patient or other person or persons authorized to consent pursuant to the terms of this chapter shall be conclusively presumed to be a valid consent in the absence of fraudulent misrepresentations of material facts in obtaining the same. (Code 1933, § 88-2906, enacted by Ga. L. 1971, p. 438, § 1; Ga. L. 1991, p. 94, § 31.) Law reviews. - For article, "Informed Consent: New Georgia Guidelines," discussing law of medical consent in Georgia, in light of Young v. Yarn, 136 Ga. App. 737 , 222 S.E.2d 113 (1975), see 12 Ga. St. B. J. 197 (1976). For article, "Georgia's Medical Consent Law," see 21 Ga. St. B. J. 138 (1985). For article, "Doreika v. Blotner: Affirming Ketchup against Judicial Mustard," see 60 Mercer L. Rev. 807 (2009). For note, "Informed Confusion: The Doctrine of Informed Consent in Georgia," see 37 Ga. L. Rev. 1129 (2003). For comment on Young v. Yarn, 136 Ga. App. 737 , 222 S.E.2d 113 (1975), see 28 Mercer L. Rev. 377 (1976).