---
title: O.C.G.A. § 10-7-22. Discharge of surety by increase of risk.
collection: code
id: 10-7-22
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 10-7-22 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/10-7-22
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/10-7-22.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/10-7-22/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t10-(v8)-2024-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=1992b47e_0#page=1174
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
license: CC0-1.0
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
up: https://georgiacommons.org/code/10-7.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/code/10-7-21.md
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index: https://georgiacommons.org/code/index.md
version: the only printed version
in_force: true
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: COMMERCE AND TRADE / SURETYSHIP / RELATIVE RIGHTS OF CREDITOR AND SURETY
---

# O.C.G.A. § 10-7-22. Discharge of surety by increase of risk.

Any act of the creditor, either before or after judgment against the principal, which injures the surety or increases his risk or exposes him to greater liability shall discharge him; a mere failure by the creditor to sue as soon as the law allows or neglect to prosecute with vigor his legal remedies, unless for a consideration, shall not release the surety.

## History

Orig. Code 1863, § 2131; Code 1868, § 2126; Code 1873, § 2154; Code 1882, § 2154; Civil Code 1895, § 2972; Civil Code 1910, § 3544; Code 1933, § 103-203.

## Cross References

Refusal to sue principal after notice by surety as discharge, § 10-7-24.

## Law Reviews

For article, “Georgia Law Needs Clarification: Does it Take Willful or Wanton Misconduct to Defeat a Contractual ‘Exculpatory’ Clause, or Will Gross Negligence Suffice,” see 19 Ga. St. B. J. 10 (Feb. 2014).