2020 Georgia Code
Title 46 - Public Utilities and Public Transportation
Chapter 3 - Electrical Service
Article 4 - Electric Membership Corporations and Foreign Electric Cooperatives
Part 4 - Registered Office, Registered Agents, Service of Process, and Venue
§ 46-3-243. Venue in Proceedings Against Electric Membership Corporations and Foreign Electric Cooperatives Generally

1. Notwithstanding Code Section 46-1-2, venue in proceedings against an electric membership corporation or foreign electric cooperative shall be determined in accordance with the Constitution of Georgia and this Code section.
2. Unless otherwise required by the Constitution of Georgia, an electric membership corporation or foreign electric cooperative may be sued only in the county of its residence, as described below:
   1. Each electric membership corporation and each foreign electric cooperative authorized to transact business in this state shall be deemed to reside in the county where its registered office is maintained. If any such electric membership corporation or foreign electric cooperative fails to maintain a registered office, it shall be deemed to reside in the county in this state where its last-named registered office or principal office, as shown by the records of the Secretary of State, was maintained;
   2. Each electric membership corporation and each foreign electric cooperative authorized to transact business in this state shall be deemed to reside and may be sued on contracts in the county in which the contract sought to be enforced was made or is to be performed, if it has an office and transacts business in that county;
   3. Each electric membership corporation and each foreign electric cooperative authorized to transact business in this state shall be deemed to reside, and may be sued for damages because of torts, wrong, or injury done, in the county where the cause of action originated, if it has an office and transacts business in that county.

(Code 1933, § 34C-404, enacted by Ga. L. 1981, p. 1587, § 1.)

RESEARCH REFERENCES

Am. Jur. 2d.

- 19 Am. Jur. 2d, Corporations, §§ 2180-2184, 2186, 2188, 2189, 2191.

- 29 C.J.S., Electricity, § 59.

PART 5 MEMBERS

46-3-260. Qualifications of members; provision by articles of incorporation or bylaws for transfer, classification, and termination of memberships.

All persons who may lawfully receive service from an electric membership corporation and who are receiving or have agreed to receive such service shall be members therein, subject to complying with such additional conditions and requirements for membership as are set forth in the articles of incorporation or bylaws of the electric membership corporation. The articles of incorporation or bylaws may also provide criteria for, procedures for, and limitations upon the transfer, classification, and termination of memberships in an electric membership corporation.

(Ga. L. 1937, p. 644, § 10; Code 1933, § 34C-501, enacted by Ga. L. 1981, p. 1587, § 1.)

It is not required that a transmission line serve more than one member. Hagans v. Excelsior Elec. Membership Corp., 207 Ga. 53, 60 S.E.2d 162 (1950).

- The fact that an applicant's property is used for a fishing camp or pleasure resort, and not as a farm home, permanent dwelling, or place of business, does not prevent the applicant becoming a member of the corporation and receiving electric service, or the corporation from furnishing electric energy to the applicant. Hagans v. Excelsior Elec. Membership Corp., 207 Ga. 53, 60 S.E.2d 162 (1950).

Cited in Georgia Power Co. v. Okefenokee Rural Elec. Membership Corp., 217 Ga. 219, 121 S.E.2d 777 (1961); Savannah Elec. & Power Co. v. Planters Elec. Membership Corp., 217 Ga. 842, 125 S.E.2d 651 (1962); Rosser v. Clyatt, 348 Ga. App. 40, 821 S.E.2d 140 (2018).

RESEARCH REFERENCES

Am. Jur. 2d.

- 18 Am. Jur. 2d, Cooperative Associations, §§ 14, 21. 27A Am. Jur. 2d, Energy and Power Sources, §§ 43, 45.

- 29 C.J.S., Electricity, § 10.

- Duty of mutual association, nonprofit organization or co-operative to furnish utilities services, 56 A.L.R.2d 413.