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2018 Georgia Code 9-3-91 | Car Wreck Lawyer

TITLE 9 CIVIL PRACTICE

Section 3. Limitations of Actions, 9-3-1 through 9-3-115.

ARTICLE 5 TOLLING OF LIMITATIONS

9-3-91. Disabilities suffered after accrual of cause.

If any person suffers a disability specified in Code Section 9-3-90 after his right of action has accrued and the disability is not voluntarily caused or undertaken by the person claiming the benefit thereof, the limitation applicable to his cause of action shall cease to operate during the continuance of the disability.

(Laws 1817, Cobb's 1851 Digest, p. 567; Ga. L. 1855-56, p. 233, § 20; Code 1863, § 2868; Code 1868, § 2876; Code 1873, § 2927; Code 1882, § 2927; Civil Code 1895, § 3780; Civil Code 1910, § 4375; Code 1933, § 3-802.)

JUDICIAL DECISIONS

Only mental, not physical, disability tolls time limitations. Chapman v. Burks, 183 Ga. App. 103, 357 S.E.2d 832 (1987).

In an arrestee's suit alleging state tort claims and a federal claim of deliberate indifference to constitutional rights, it was error to dismiss the complaint as untimely because the arrestee's allegation of mental incapacity under the tolling provisions was sufficient to withstand a motion to dismiss on statute- of-limitations grounds since the arrestee's allegation that, when the arrestee was released from jail, the arrestee was of such unsound mind that the arrestee was unable to carry on the arrestee's ordinary life affairs was sufficient. Meyer v. Gwinnett County, F.3d (11th Cir. Jan. 6, 2016)(Unpublished).

Toll due to mental incapacity established.

- Plaintiff may establish a toll due to mental incapacity based on the claim that, as a result of the occurrence giving rise to the cause of action, the plaintiff became mentally and physically incapacitated so as to be incapable of acting personally in carrying on the plaintiff's business and in prosecuting the plaintiff's claim. Lawson v. Glover, 957 F.2d 801 (11th Cir. 1987).

Toll due to mental incapacity not established.

- Tenant failed to show mental incapacity sufficient, under O.C.G.A. §§ 9-3-90(a) and9-3-91, to toll the statute of limitations in O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33 because the tenant's own testimony indicated that, with the exception of a two-week period of hospitalization, the tenant was able to manage the ordinary affairs of life following a tragic sexual assault; accordingly, the landlord was entitled to summary judgment on the tenant's premises-liability action. Martin v. Herrington Mill, LP, 316 Ga. App. 696, 730 S.E.2d 164 (2012).

Imprisonment of potential plaintiff.

- This section provides that running of limitation statute is tolled during imprisonment of potential plaintiff. Jones v. Bales, 58 F.R.D. 453 (N.D Ga. 1972), aff'd, 480 F.2d 805 (5th Cir. 1973).

Neither hospitalization nor subsequent imprisonment effected a tolling of the statute of limitations pursuant to O.C.G.A. §§ 9-3-90 and9-3-91. Lawson v. Glover, 957 F.2d 801 (11th Cir. 1987).

Equitable title acquired by infant.

- Under this section, even though time may be running against an equitable title, if that title comes to an infant, time will cease to run against it during infancy. Executors of Everett v. Administrators of Whitfield, 27 Ga. 133 (1859).

Burden of proving disability.

- Under this section, burden of proving disability rests upon person who alleges it, and in absence of evidence to the contrary, it will be presumed that person was laboring under no disability. Arnold v. Limeburger, 122 Ga. 72, 49 S.E. 812 (1905).

Trial court did not err in refusing to toll the statute of limitations when the plaintiff's contention by affidavit that the plaintiff suffered from an unspecified, debilitating mental condition lasting either 20 or 28 days following the accident was in direct contradiction to the plaintiff's deposition testimony. Walker v. Brannan, 243 Ga. App. 235, 533 S.E.2d 129 (2000).

Fact question as to mental incapacity.

- Genuine issue of material fact existed as to whether a former detainee, who brought claims arising from an arrest and detention for crimes the detainee claimed not to have committed, suffered mental incapacity sufficient to toll the statute of limitations during the three-week period following the detainee's release from jail; a jury could conclude that the detainee was able to work only because of prior familiarity with the tasks and mindless deference to coworkers and managers. Meyer v. Gwinnett Cty., F.3d (11th Cir. Nov. 14, 2017)(Unpublished).

Cited in Royal Indem. Co. v. Agnew, 66 Ga. App. 377, 18 S.E.2d 57 (1941); Lacy v. Ferrence, 222 Ga. 635, 151 S.E.2d 763 (1966); Alexander v. Boston Old Colony Ins. Co., 127 Ga. App. 783, 195 S.E.2d 277 (1972); Anglin v. Harris, 244 Ga. App. 140, 534 S.E.2d 874 (2000); DeKalb Med. Ctr., Inc. v. Hawkins, 288 Ga. App. 840, 655 S.E.2d 823 (2007).

RESEARCH REFERENCES

Am. Jur. 2d.

- 51 Am. Jur. 2d, Limitation of Actions, §§ 56, 220.

C.J.S.

- 54 C.J.S., Limitations of Actions, §§ 137, 138.

ALR.

- Duress or undue influence as tolling or suspending statute of limitations, 121 A.L.R. 1294.

One wrongfully adjudged or committed as insane as within benefit of provision of statute of limitations allowing time to sue after removal of disability, 166 A.L.R. 960.

Proof of unadjudged incompetency which prevents running of statute of limitations, 9 A.L.R.2d 964.

Time of existence of mental incompetency which will prevent or suspend running of statute of limitations, 41 A.L.R.2d 726.

Appointment of guardian for incompetent or for infant as affecting running of statute of limitations against ward, 86 A.L.R.2d 965.

Effect of infant's marriage after cause of action accrues on running of limitations as against him or her, 91 A.L.R.2d 1272.

Imprisonment of party to civil actions as tolling statute of limitations, 77 A.L.R.3d 735.

Tolling of state statute of limitations in favor of one commencing action despite existing disability, 30 A.L.R.4th 1092.

Effect of appointment of legal representative for person under mental disability on running of state statute of limitations against such person, 111 A.L.R.5th 159.

When is person, other than one claiming posttraumatic stress syndrome or memory repression, within coverage of statutory provision tolling running of limitations period on basis of mental disability, 23 A.L.R.6th 697.

Cases Citing O.C.G.A. § 9-3-91

Total Results: 3  |  Sort by: Relevance  |  Newest First

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Stubbs v. Hall, 840 S.E.2d 407 (Ga. 2020).

Cited 25 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Mar 13, 2020 | 308 Ga. 354

...Sentencing Review Panel,” is unavailing for the same reasons. (Emphasis in original.) age when a cause of action accrues shall be entitled to the same time after he or she reaches the age of 18 years to bring an action as is prescribed for other persons”); § 9-3-91 (providing that the limitations period for a “cause of action shall cease to operate during the continuance of” a disability if “any person suffers a disability ....
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Deen v. Stevens, 698 S.E.2d 321 (Ga. 2010).

Cited 24 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Jul 23, 2010 | 287 Ga. 597

...See OCGA §§ 9-3-90(a) ("Minors and persons who are legally incompetent because of mental retardation or mental illness, who are such when the cause of action accrues, shall be entitled to the same time after their disability is removed to bring an action as is prescribed for other persons."), 9-3-91 ("If any person suffers a disability specified in Code Section 9-3-90 after his right of action has accrued and the disability is not voluntarily caused or undertaken by the person claiming the benefit thereof, the limitation applicable to his...
...As mentioned above, the statute of limitation for bringing an action for medical malpractice, which includes dental malpractice, see OCGA § 9-3-70(a)(1), is two years from the injury. OCGA § 9-3-71(a). Georgia law generally tolls statutes of limitation during periods of mental incompetence. See OCGA §§ 9-3-90(a) and 9-3-91....

Williams v. Regency Hosp. Co., LLC (Ga. 2025).

Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Aug 26, 2025 | 287 Ga. 597

...husband’s endodontist more than two years after the husband had received treatment. 287 Ga. at 598–99. The plaintiff argued that the two-year statute of limitation for her medical malpractice claim should be tolled under OCGA §§ 9-3-90(a) and 9-3-91 5 and that applying the anti-tolling provision of OCGA § 9-3-73(b) violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution and Article I, Section I, Paragraph II of the Georgia Constitution of 1983 by arbitrarily discriminating against mentally incompetent adults as a class. 287 Ga. at 599. Applying rational-basis review, this Court held that the General 5 OCGA § 9-3-91 provides, in relevant part: “If any person suffers a disability specified in Code Section 9-3-90 after his right of action has accrued and the disability is not voluntarily caused or undertaken by the person claiming the benefit thereof,...