In th e S u p re m e Co u rt o f Ge o rg ia

De c id e d : S e p te m

b e r 2 2 , 2 0 14

S 1 4G0 3 60 . S T ATE OF GEORGIA DEP ARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS v

. DEVELOP ERS S URETY AND INDEMNITY COMP ANY.

HINES , P re sid in g Ju stic e

.

Th is Co urt gra n te d c e rtio ra ri to t h e C o u rt o f Ap p e a ls in S ta te De p t. o f

Co rre c tio n s v

. De v e l o

p e r s S u r

. a n d In d

e m. Co

., 3 2 4 Ga

. Ap p

. 3 7 1 (7 5 0 S E2 d

6 9 7 ) (2 0 1 3), to c o n sid e r wh e th e r th e S ta te ’s so v e re ig n im m un ity is wa iv e d fo r

a c la im a sse rte d b y a su re ty o n a c o n tra c t w ith th e S ta te

. S e e 1 9 8 3 Ga

. Co n st.

Art. I, Se c

. II, P a ra

. IX. 1 F o r th e re a so n s wh ic h fo llo w, w e fin d th a t it is, a n d

1 1983 Ga. Const. Art. I , Sec. I I , Para. I X states:

(a) The General Assembly may waive the state' s sovereig n immunity from suit by enacting

a State T ort Claims Act, in which the General Assembly may provide b y law for procedures
for the making

, h andling

, and dispo s i t i o n o f actions or claims ag ainst the state and its departments, ag encies, officers, and employ e es, u pon s u ch t e rm s a

nd subject to such conditions and limitations as the General Assembly may provide.

(b) The General Assembly may also provide by law for the p rocessing and dis p o s ition of claims ag ainst the state which do not ex ceed such max imum amount as provided therein.

(c) The state' s defense of sovereig n immunity is hereby w a ived as to any action e x contractu for the breach of a

n y written contract now ex isting or hereafter entered into by the state or its departments and ag encies.

(d) Ex cept as specifically provided by the General Assembly in a State Tort Claims Act, alla c c o rd in g ly , we a ffirm th e ju d g m e n t o f th e Co u rt o f Ap p e a ls. 2

Th e fa c ts a s fo u n d b y th e Co u rt o f Ap p e a ls a re th e fo llo win g

. T h e G e o r g i a

De p a rtm e n t o f Co rre c tio n s (“ GDOC” ) e n te re d in to a c o n stru c ti o n c o n tra c t

(“ Co n tra c t” ) with Le wis Wa lk e r Ro o fin g (“ Wa lk e r Ro o fin g ” ) to re -ro o f se v e ra l

b u ild in g s a t Va ld o sta Sta te P riso n

. Th e Co n tra c t c o n t a i n e d two “ no a ssig n m e n t”

c la u se s, 3 a n d a s a pre re q u isite to c o n tra c tin g with GDOC, Wa lk e r R o ofin g wa s

officers and employ ees of the state or its departments and ag encies may be subject to suit and

may be liable for injuries and damag es caused by the neg lig ent performance of, or neg lig ent failure to perform, their ministerial functions and may be liable for injuries and damag es if they act with actual malice or with actual intent to cause injury in the performance of their
official functions. Ex cept as provided in this subparag raph, officers and e mploy ees of the

state o r its departments and ag encies shall not b e subject to suit or liability

, a nd n o judg ment shall be entered ag ainst them, for the performance or non p e rf o rmance of their official functions. The provisions of this subparag raph shall not be waived.

(e) Ex cept as specifically provided in this Parag raph, sovereig n immunity ex tends to the state and all of its departments and a g en ci es

. The sovereig n immunity of the state and its departments a

nd ag encies can only b e w aiv ed by an Act of the General Assembly which specifically provides that sovereig n immunity is thereby waived and the ex ten t of such
waiver.

(f) N o waiver of sovereig n immunity under this Parag raph shall be construed a s a waiver of

any immunity provided to the state or its d epartments, a g en c i es , o fficers, or e mploy ees by
the United States Constitution.

2 An appeal r equiring a first impression construction of the sovereig n immunity provision of the Georg ia Constitution is within th is Court’s ex clusive appellate jurisdiction. See Ga. Const. of
1983 Art. VI , Sec. VI , Para. I I

.

3 T h e n o -assig n ment clauses stated that “[ t] his Ag reement and the proceeds of this Ag reemen t

may not b e assig n ed nor may the performance thereunder by assig ned, ex cept with the prior written

consent of the [ GDOC] ” and “ [ n] e ither party to the contract shall assig n the contract o r sublet it as a whole nor shall the Contractor assig n any money s due or to become due to him hereunder.”

2re q u ire d to o b ta in p a y m e nt a n d p e rfo rm an c e b o n d s. It o b ta in e d s u c h p a y m e n t

a n d p e rfo rm a n c e b o n d s fro m De v e lo pe rs S ure ty a n d In d e mn ity Co m p a n y

(“ De v e lo p e rs S u re ty ” ). Wa lk e r Ro o fin g a n d D e v e lo p e rs S ure ty h a d p re v io u sly

sig ne d a g e n e ra l a g re e m e n t o f in d e mn ity in fa v o r o f D e v e lo p e rs Su re ty th a t

in c lu de d a p ro v isio n in w h ic h Wa lk e r Ro o fin g a ssig n e d t o De v e lo p e rs S u re ty

th e c o m pa n y ' s rig h t to p a y m e n t u n d e r b on de d c o n tra c ts a s se c u rity a g a in st a n y

lo sse s th a t De v e lo pe rs S u re ty m ig h t su ffe r un de r a b on d. GDOC wa s n o t a p a rty

to th e in d e m n i ty a g re e m e n t. Th e b o n d s re q u ire d De v e lo p e rs S ure ty

, u p o n

d e fa u lt o f Wa lk e r Ro o fin g , to “ p ro m ptly re m e d y th e d e fa u lt o r d e fa u lts o r to

p ro m ptly p e rfo rm th e [c ] on tra c t in a c c o rd a n c e with its te rm s a n d c o n d itio n s.”

It a lso sp e c ifie d th a t De v e lo p e rs S ure ty wa s to g iv e GDOC n otic e “ with in

twe n ty -fiv e (2 5 ) d a y s a fte r re c e ip t o f a d e c la ra tio n o f d efa ult of th e su re ty ' s

e le c tio n e ith e r to re m e d y th e d e fa u lt o r d e fa u lts p ro m ptly o r t o p e r f

o rm th e

c o n tra c t p ro m

p tly .”

Wa lk e r Ro o fin g d id no t c o m p le te its wo rk with in th e tim e fra m e re q u ire d

b y th e Co n tra c t, a

n d GDOC d e c la re d Wa lk e r Ro o fin g in d e fa u lt. On S e p te m b e r

2 3

, 2 0 1 0, GDOC issu e d a fo rm a l n o tic e of d e fa u lt with re sp e c t to th e

p e r f o r m a n c e o f W a l k e r R o o f

i n g , th u s trig g e rin g De ve lo p e rs S u re ty ' s o blig a tio n s

3u n d e r th e p e rfo rm a n c e b on d

. De ve lo p e rs S u re ty d id no t n o tify GDOC with in 2 5

d a y s o f re c e ip t of GDOC' s n o tic e o f d e fa u lt re ga rd in g wh e th e r it wo u ld re m e d y

th e d e fa u lt o r pe rfo rm th e c o n tra c t. Ho we v e r, a p p ro x im a te ly th re e m o n th s a fte r

th e d e c la ra tio n o f d e fa u lt, D e ve lo p e rs Su re ty g a v e GDOC th e o p tio n of e n te rin g

in to a c o n tra c t with a n o th e r c o m p a n y fo r th e c o m

ple t i o n o f t h e wo rk

. GDOC

th e n c o n tra c te d with th a t c o m p a n y to fin ish th e pro

je c t. Un d e r th e p ay m e n t a n d

p e rfo rm a n c e b o n d s a n d p rio r to Wa lk e r Ro ofin g ' s d e fa u lt, D e v e lo pe rs S u re ty

h a d p ro v id e d fin a n c ia l a ssista n c e to W a l k e r Ro o fin g in th e a m o u n t o f

$ 5 7 7,1 1 8 .6 0 ; it in c urre d a n a d d itio n a l $ 1 6 0 ,1 61 .3 9 in c o s t s a n d a tto rn e y fe e s

a risin g fro m

its in v e stig a tio n o f its lia b ility

, if a ny , u n d e r th e d e fa u lt.

On Ju ly 1 2

, 2 0 1 1

, D e ve lo p e rs S u re ty file d su it a g a in st GDOC fo r b re a c h o f

c o n tra c t a n d fo r a d e c la ra to ry ju dg m e n t th a t it h a d n o o b lig a tio n un d e r th e

p a y m e n t a n d p e r f

o rm a n c e b o n d it issu e d to Wa lk e r Ro o fin g o n be h a lf o f

GDOC. GDOC file d a c o u n te rc la im f o r b re a c h o f c o n tra c t. Th e p a rtie s file d

c ro ss-m o tio n s fo r su m m a ry ju d g m e n t

, a n d th e tria l c o u rt de te rm in e d th a t

De v e lo p e rs S u re ty ' s c la im s we re n o t b a rre d b y so v e re ig n imm u nity a n d th a t

GDOC h a d b re a c h e d th e c o nstru c tio n c o n tra c t a s a m a tte r o f la w. It c o n c lu d e d

th a t G DOC wa iv e d its so v e r e i g n i mmu n ity by e nte rin g in to th e c o n tra c t with

4Wa lk e r Ro o fin g , a n d th a t th e d o c trin e o f e q uitab le su b ro g a tio n g a ve D e v e lo p e rs

S u re ty th e a

bilit y t o file su it a g a in st GDOC o n c e it in c u rre d liab ility a n d p a id

th e ob lig a tio n s o f its p rin c ip a l un de r th e bo nd

. Co n se q u e n tly

, th e tria l c o urt

g ra n te d su m m a ry ju d gm e n t to De ve lo p e rs S u re ty a n d d e n ie d it to GDOC; in th e

sa m e o rd e r, th e tria l c o u rt e n te re d ju dg m e n t in fa v o r o f De v e lo p e rs Su re ty in th e

a m o u n t o f $ 5 7 7 ,1 1 8 .6 0

.

GDOC a pp e a le d to th e Co u rt o f Ap p e a ls, c o nte n d in g , in te r a lia

, th a t it wa s

e n title d to su m m a ry ju d g m e n t b e c a use De v e lo p e rs S u re ty wa s no t a p a rty to th e

Co n tra c t, a nd th u s, th e S ta te ' s wa iv e r o f s o v e r e i g n im m un ity fo r bre a c h o f

c o n tra c t d id no t a

p ply to De v e lo p e rs S u re ty

. 4 Th e Co u rt o f Ap p e a ls a ffirm e d th e

tria l c o u rt’s fin d in g s th a t GDOC wa iv e d so v e re ig n im m un ity b y e n t e rin g in to

th e C o n tra c t

, a n d th a t th e d o c trin e o f e q uitable su bro g a tio n g a v e D e v e lo p e rs

S u re ty th e a

b ility to “ ste p in to th e sh o e s” o f Wa lk e r R o of i n g an d file su it

a g a in st GDOC.

4 GDOC also c ontende d t hat g ranting summary judg ment to Developers Surety was unwarranted because the a n ti-assig n ment clauses contained in the Contract r e ndered any assig nment by W alker Roofing to Developers Surety ineffectual, and because the trial c ourt erred in finding that
GDOC materially breached the Contract by imposing restrictions on W alker Roofing ' s access to the project site that were contrary to the Contract terms; GDOC further maintained that the trial court
erred in dismissing its c ounterclaim asserting breach of the performance bond by Developers Surety in that Developers Surety did n ot comply with the terms of such bond. However, those portions

o f t h e o p i n i o n of the Court of Appeals rejecting these additional contentions by GDOC are not at issue in this appeal following the g rant of certiorari to the Court of Appeals.

5In Ge o rg ia

, th e d o c trin e o f so v e re ig n im m u n ity h a s c o n stit u t i o n a l sta tu s,

a n d su c h im m

u nity m a y b e wa iv e d o nly b y a n a c t o f th e Ge n e ra l A sse m b ly o r

b y th e Co n stitu tio n itse lf. Ge o rg ia De p t. o f Co rre c tio n s v

. C

o u c h

,

_ _ _ Ga

.

_ _ _
(Ca se No

. S 1 3 G1 5 5 5

, d e c id e d Ju n e 1 6, 2 0 1 4 ); Ge o rg ia De p t

. o f Na tu ra l

Re so u rc e s v

. Ce n te r fo r a S

u sta in a b le C

o a st, In c

. , 29 4 Ga

. 5 9 3

, 5 9 7

– 5 9 8

, (7 5 5

S E2 d 1 8 4 ) (2 0 1 4 ). An d, th e Ge o rg ia Co nstitu tio n p ro v id e s fo r th e wa iv e r o f th e

S ta t e ’ s d e f

e n se o f so v e re ig n im m

u n ity

, “ a s to a ny a c tio n e x c o ntra c tu fo r th e

b re a c h o f a n y writte n c o n tra c t n o w e x istin g o r h e re a fte r e n te re d in to b y th e

[S ] ta te o r its d e p a rtm e n ts a n d a g e n c ie s.” Ga

. Co n st. o f 1 9 8 3

, A rt. I, S e c

. II, P a r.

IX (c ). OCGA § 5 0

– 2 1

– 1 (a ) e c h o e s th is Co n stitu tio n a l p ro v isio n:

Th e d e fe nse o f so v e re ig n i mmu n i t y is wa iv e d a s to a n y a c tio n e x

c o n tra c tu fo r th e b re a c h o f a n y writte n c o n tra c t e xistin g o n A p ril 1 2

, 1 9 8 2

, or th e re a fte r e n te re d in to b y th e sta te

, d e p a rtm e n ts a n d a g e nc ie s

o f th e sta te , a

n d sta te a u th o ritie s.

Th e re is n o d o u b t th a t b y e n t e r i n g in to th e Co n tra c t, GDOC wa iv e d th e

d e fe n se o f so v e re ig n im m u n ity fo r a n y b re a c h o f th e Co n tra c t fo r wh ic h it c o u ld

b e h e ld lia

b le

. S im ila rly

, th e re is l i t t l e qu e stio n th a t Wa lk e r R o o fin g c o u ld

m a in ta in a n a c tio n a g a in st GDOC fo r th e a lle g e d b re a c h o f th e C o n tra c t. Th u s,

t h e n e x t ste p in th e a n a ly sis is th e d e te rm in a tio n o f th e sta tu s o f D e v e lo p e rs

6S u re ty a s su re ty fo r Wa lk e r Ro o fin g. OCGA § 1 0-7 -5 6 p ro vid e s th a t,

A su re ty wh o h a s p a id th e d e b t o f h is p rin c ip a l s h a l l b e su b ro g a te d

, b o th a t la w a nd in e q u it y , t o a l l t he rig h ts o f th e c re d ito r a n d

, in a

c o n tro v e rsy with o th e r c re d ito rs, sh a ll ra nk in d ig n ity th e sa m e a s th e

c re d ito r wh o se c la im

h e p a id

.

An d

, su b ro g a tio n h a s b e e n we ll-d e fin e d a s,

th e su b stitu tio n of a n o th e r p e rso n in th e p la c e o f t h e c re d ito r, so th a t th e p e rso n in wh o se fa v o r it is e x e r c i s ed s u c ce e ds to a ll th e rig h ts o f
th e c re d ito r. It is o f e q u itab le o rig in , b e in g fo u n d e d upo n th e d ic ta te s

o f re fin e d ju stic e , a n d its b a sis is th e d o in g o f c o m ple te

, e sse n tia l, a n d

p e r f e c t ju stic e b e twe e n th e p a rtie s, a n d its o b je c t is th e p re v e n tio n o f
in ju stic e

.

Ba n k e rs T ru st Co

. v . Ha rd

y , 2 8 1 Ga . 5 6 1 , 5 6 2 (6 4 0 S E2 d 1 8 ) (2 0 0 7 ).

Th u s, a s su b ro g e e o f W a lk e r Ro o fin g , De v e lo p e rs S u re ty

, sta n d s in th e p la c e o f

Wa lk e r Ro o fin g a n d m a y “ su c c e e d ” t o i ts rig hts. Id

. In th is c a se , Wa lk e r

R o o f i n g h a d a rig h t o f a c tio n , i.e

., a n a c tio n fo r b re a c h o f c o n tra c t a g a i n s t

GDOC. An d

, th e p la in la n g u a g e o f t h e c o n stitu tio n a l wa iv e r of th e S ta te ’s

so v e re ig n im m

u n ity in th e c a se o f a su it fo r bre a c h o f a writte n c o n tra c t e n te re d

in to b y th e S ta te e x p re ssly a d d re sse s th e “ a c tio n ” itse lf, n o t th e p a rty b rin g in g

th e a c tio n. S e e Ge o rg ia D e pt. o f Na tu ra l Re

so u rc e s v

. Ce n te r fo r a S

u sta in a b le

Co a st , 2 9 4 Ga . 5 9 3, 5 9 8 (2 ) (7 5 5 S E2 d 1 8 4 ) (2 0 1 4 ) ( o rd in a ry sig n ific a tio n is

7to b e g iv e n to wo rd s in c o n stru in g a c o n stitu tio n a l p ro v isio n ).

Th e a c tio n in th is c a se re m a in s o n e fo r b re a c h o f c o n tra c t; it is n o t tra n sfo rm e d

in to a n o t h e r c a

u se o f a c tio n , e ith e r le ga l o r e q u itab le

, a g a in st GDOC m e re ly

b e c a u se De v e lo pe rs S u re ty sta n d s in th e pla c e o f Wa lk e r Ro o fin g a s th e

su b ro g e e

. Co m

p a re Ge o rg ia De

p t. o f Na tu ra l Re

so u rc e s v

. Ce n te r fo r a

S u sta in a b le C

o a st

, su pra

. (so v e re ig n im m un ity b a rs in

ju n c tiv e re lie f a g a in st th e

S ta te a t c o m m o n la w). Su b ro g a tio n is m e re ly a b as i s u p o n w h ic h D e v e lo p e rs

S u re ty

, a fte r h a vin g in c u rre d liab ility a n d p a id its b o n d ob lig a t i o n s f o r its

p rin c ip a l, c a n a sse rt th e c l a i m fo r b re a c h of c o n tra c t in itia lly b e lo n g in g to its

p rin c ip a l, Wa lk e r Ro ofin g

.

In its a n a ly sis, th e Co u rt o f Ap p e a ls fo u n d p e rsu a siv e th e re a so n in g

o f In su ra n c e C

o

. o f th e W e st v

. Un ite d S ta te s , 2 4 3 F.3 d 1 3 6 7 (C.A. Fe d

., 2 0 0 1 ).

As n o te d

, in th a t c a se , t h e s u re ty o f a c on tra c to r th a t h a d fin a n c e d th e

c o m p le tio n o f a g o v e rn m e nt c o n tra c t fo llo win g th e c o n tra c to r’s de fa ult su e d th e

g o v e rn m e n t d ire c tly to re c o ve r th e re m a in in g fu n d s, a n d th a t fe d e ra l c o u rt h e ld

th a t u n d e r th e Tu c k e r Ac t, 28 US C § 1 4 9 1 (a )(1 ), th e fe d e ra l g o v e rn m e n t’s

wa iv e r o f so v e re ig n imm

u n ity fo r a n y c la im fo u n d e d u p on a n e x p re ss o r im p lie d

c o n tra c t with th e Un ite d S ta te s a p p lie d to th e su b ro g e e s a s w e ll a s to th e o rig in a l

8p a rtie s to th e c o n tra c t. A p iv o ta l p o in t in th a t fe d e ra l c o u rt’s a n a ly sis wa s th e

fa c t th a t th e Tu c k e r Ac t wa iv e d im m u nity a s to c la im s, no t p a rtic u la r c la im a n ts.

In su r a n ce Co

. o

f th e W e st v

. Un ite d S ta te s , su p ra

. A s d isc u sse d

, o u r

c o n stitu tio n a l p ro visio n wa iv in g so v e re ig n im m u n ity fo r a c tio n s s o u n d in g in

c o n tra c t a lso do e s so e x p re ssly in te rm s o f “ a c tio n s,” n o t p a rtie s. F u rth e rm ore ,

a s no te d b y t h a t fe d e ra l c ou rt, th e re is n o th in g no ve l a b o u t e m p lo y in g th e

d o c t r i n e o f e q u itab le su b ro g a tio n in re g a rd to c la im s b y su re tie s a g a in st th e

g o v e rn m e n t. In d e e d

, th e re is a tra d itio n in fe d e ra l la w of pe rm ittin g a su re ty to

su c c e e d to th e c o n tra c tu a l rig h ts o f a c on tra c to r a g a in st th e g o v e rn m e n t in t h e

c irc u m sta n c e s in wh ic h th e su re ty ta k e s o ve r c o n tr a c t p e rfo rm a n c e o r wh e n it

fin a nc e s c o m

p le tio n of th e d e fa u lte d c o n tra c t. Id

. a t 13 7 0

, c itin g Pra irie S ta te

Ba n k v

. Un ite d S ta te s , 16 4 U.S

. 2 2 7

, 2 31 (1 7 S Ct 1 4 2

, 4 1 LEd 4 1 2) (1 8 9 6 ). S o

to o , th e re is lo n g re c o g n itio n i n t h i s S ta te o f th e p re c e p t th a t a su re ty wh o ha s

p a id th e d e b t o f its p rin c ip a l m a y su e on th e o rig in a l in d e bte d n e ss in a n a c tio n

to e nfo rc e a le g a l rig h t, su c h a s a n a c tio n fo r bre a c h of c o n tra c t. S e e Fe n d e r v

.

Fe n d e r , 3 0 Ga

. A p p

. 3 1 9 (1 17 S E 6 7 6 ) (1 9 2 3 ); Lu mp k in v

. Mills

, 4 Ga

. 3 4 3

(1 8 4 8 ). Th is is c o n siste n t with th e fa c t th a t th e rig h t o f s u b ro ga tio n is a n

in c h oa te o n e , wh ic h b e c o m e s c h o a te wh e n th e su re ty is c a lle d up on to p e rfo rm

9its o b lig a tio n un d e r a p a y m e n t o r p e rfo rm an c e bo nd

. Co tto n S ta te s Mu t. In s. Co

.

v

. Citize ns a n d S

o u t h e rn Na t. Ba n k

, 1 6 8 G a

. A p p

. 8 3

, 86 (1 ) (3 0 8 S E2 d 1 9 9 )

(1 9 8 3 ).

It is n o te wo rth y th a t th e Ge n e r a l Asse m bly h a s p ro v id e d th a t a p a y m e n t

b o n d is m a n d a t e d f

o r a ll S ta te p ub lic wo rk s c o nstru c tio n c o n tra c ts with a n

e stim a te d c o n t r a c t a m o u n t g re a te r th a n $ 1 0 0 ,0 0 0 .0 0

, an d th a t th e S ta te m a y

re q u ire su c h a b o n d fo r p u b lic wo rk s c o n stru c tio n c on tra c ts th a t a re e stim a te d

to be le ss th a n th a t a m o u n t. OCGA § 1 3 -1 0 -6 0

. Th us, a t b es t

, it wo u ld b e

in c o nsiste nt, a nd a t wo rst, u n ju st an d im

p ra c tic a l, to re q u ire a su re ty ’s b o n d to

e n su re p a y m e nt o r pe rfo rm a n c e in fa v o r o f th e S ta te in th e c a se o f a d e fa u lte d

c o n stru c tio n c o n tra c t with th e S ta te , b u t th e n to b a r th e su re ty fro m e x e rc isin g

its rig ht o f su b ro g a tio n in a n a c tio n fo r th e b re a c h o f th e c o n t r a c t in th e e v e n t

th a t th e S ta te is th e d e fa u ltin g p a rty

. As th e Co u rt o f Ap p e a ls qu ite a p tly n o te d

,

to ra ise th e c o m

p le te d e fe n se o f so v e re ig n imm u n ity in su c h a c a se wo u ld b e to

d isc o u ra g e b u sin e sse s fro m issu in g p a y m e n t o r pe rfo rm an c e b o n d s fo r th e

b e n e fit o f th e S ta te

. S ta te De p t. o f Co rre c tio n s v

. De v e lo

pe rs S u r. a n d In d

e m.

Co

. , su p ra a t n.4

. In a sm

u c h a s a fu n d a m e n ta l p urp ose o f so ve re ig n im m u n ity

is th e p ro te c tio n o f S ta te fu n d s, th i s C o u r t w ill n o t sa n c tio n a re su lt th a t is

10c o n tra ry to th e c o n stitu tio n a l a n d sta tu to ry te x t a n d wo u ld h a m p e r th e issu a n c e

o f su c h p a y m e n t a n d pe rfo rm a n c e b o n d s, a n d th u s, p o te n tia lly c a u se g re a te r

e x p o su re o f th e S ta t e ’ s t r e a su ry a n d re so u rc e s. Ge o rg ia De p t. o f Co rre c tio n s

v . Co uc h , su p ra

.

S im p ly

, th e re is wa iv e r o f th e S ta te ’s so v e re ig n im m u nity in th is c a se of a

c la im a sse rte d b y a su re ty o n a c on tra c t with th e S ta te

.

Ju dg m e n t a ffirm e d . All th e Ju stic e s c o n c ur.

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