Governmental Liability
Overview
As all three branches of Georgia’s government and even the U.S. Supreme Court have considered the issue of sovereign immunity in recent years, the future of this protection for governments throughout the state is uncertain. Our governmental liability attorneys monitor this and are prepared to vigorously defend state, county and local governments and agencies throughout Georgia, as well as their employees, when they face litigation. With a thorough understanding of the statutes, regulations and special procedures that apply to lawsuits against governments, we know when and how to assert a defense on their behalf based on immunity.
Our attorneys bring extensive experience to defending government bodies and agents in state and federal courts against a broad array of matters, including those involving premises liability, negligence, car accidents, environmental issues, zoning and land use disputes, claims of excessive force, accusations of discrimination and other civil rights violations, employment issues and workers’ compensation, among others. We develop efficient and cost-effective litigation strategies to advocate for our governmental clients from initial investigation all the way through trial and appeal.
Because it’s much easier to prevent problems than to fix them — especially since sunshine laws ensure a high level of government transparency — we strongly encourage our government clients to take a proactive approach to these issues. For example, government agencies, particularly police departments, currently face a great deal of pressure due to racial tensions, and the ease of sharing via social media has increased the likelihood that a misstep will land an individual or government entity on the “front page.” To that end, we work with them to provide sensitivity training and counseling for their employees to prevent situations that potentially could be explosive and damaging to all involved.
