§ 9-2-61. Renewal of Case After Dismissal

1. When any case has been commenced in either a state or federal court within the applicable statute of limitations and the plaintiff discontinues or dismisses the same, it may be recommenced in a court of this state or in a federal court either within the original applicable period of limitations or within six months after the discontinuance or dismissal, whichever is later, subject to the requirement of payment of costs in the original action as required by subsection (d) of Code Section 9-11-41; provided, however, if the dismissal or discontinuance occurs after the expiration of the applicable period of limitation, this privilege of renewal shall be exercised only once.
2. This Code section shall not apply to contracts for the sale of goods covered by Article 2 of Title 11.
3. The provisions of subsection (a) of this Code section granting a privilege of renewal shall apply if an action is discontinued or dismissed without prejudice for lack of subject matter jurisdiction in either a court of this state or a federal court in this state.

History. Laws 1847, Cobb’s 1851 Digest, p. 569.; Ga. L. 1855-56, p. 233, § 33; Code 1863, § 2873; Code 1868, § 2881; Code 1873, § 2932; Code 1882, § 2932; Civil Code 1895, § 3786; Civil Code 1910, § 4381; Code 1933, § 3-808; Ga. L. 1962, p. 156, § 1; Ga. L. 1967, p. 226, § 39; Ga. L. 1985, p. 1446, § 1; Ga. L. 1989, p. 419, § 1; Ga. L. 1990, p. 876, § 1; Ga. L. 1998, p. 862, § 1.

Cross references.

Dismissal of actions and recommencement within six months, § 9-11-41 .

Editor’s notes.

Ga. L. 1998, p. 862, § 4, not codified by the General Assembly, provides that the 1998 amendment was applicable to cases pending on April 10, 1998, or cases dismissed or discontinued after April 10, 1998.

Law reviews.

For article, “The 1967 Amendments to the Georgia Civil Practice Act and the Appellate Procedure Act,” see 3 Ga. St. B.J. 383 (1967).

For article surveying judicial developments in Georgia’s trial practice and procedure laws, see 31 Mercer L. Rev. 249 (1979).

For review of 1998 legislation relating to civil practice, see 15 Ga. St. U.L. Rev. 1 (1998).

For annual survey article discussing trial practice and procedure, see 51 Mercer L. Rev. 487 (1999).

For survey article on trial practice and procedure for the period from June 1, 2002 to May 31, 2003, see 55 Mercer L. Rev. 439 (2003).

For annual survey of appellate practice and procedure, see 57 Mercer L. Rev. 35 (2005).

For annual survey of insurance law, see 58 Mercer L. Rev. 181 (2006).

For article, “What is Reasonable Service?,” see 12 Ga. St. B.J. 22 (2007).

For annual survey on trial practice and procedure, see 61 Mercer L. Rev. 363 (2009).

For annual survey on trial practice and procedure, see 64 Mercer L. Rev. 305 (2012).

For survey article on local government law, see 67 Mercer L. Rev. 147 (2015).

For annual survey on trial practice and procedure, see 67 Mercer L. Rev. 257 (2015).

For annual survey on zoning and land use law, see 69 Mercer L. Rev. 371 (2017).