---
title: O.C.G.A. § 45-4-29. Measure of damages in actions on official bonds.
collection: code
id: 45-4-29
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 45-4-29 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/45-4-29
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/45-4-29.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/45-4-29/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t45-(v33)-2016-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=cde47f8a_0#page=77
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.
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version: the only printed version
in_force: true
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: PUBLIC OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES / OFFICIAL BONDS
---

# O.C.G.A. § 45-4-29. Measure of damages in actions on official bonds.

The measure of damages recoverable in actions upon all official bonds for the misconduct of the officer, unless otherwise specially enacted, shall be the amount of injury actually sustained, including the reasonable expenses of the action to the plaintiff and the costs of court. In all cases when little or no damage is actually sustained and the officer has not acted in good faith, the jury may find for the plaintiff an amount as exemplary damages which, taking all the circumstances together, shall not be excessive or oppressive.

## History

Orig. Code 1863, § 162; Code 1868, § 157; Code 1873, § 168; Code 1882, § 168; Civil Code 1895, § 264; Civil Code 1910, § 299; Code 1933, § 89-421; Ga. L. 1990, p. 8, § 45.

## Cross References

Amount of judgments on bonds generally, § 9-12-13.

## Law Reviews

For article on bond liability and righting the wrongs of Georgia local government officers, see 13 Ga. L. Rev. 747 (1979).

## History of Code Section.

This section is derived partially from the decisions in Taylor v. Johnson, 17 Ga. 521 (1885); Dobbs v. Justices of Murray County, 17 Ga. 624 (1885).