Appeals court ruling sets up first civil sex trafficking case in Georgia’s state courts

The Georgia Court of Appeals in downtown Atlanta recelty ruled on a sex trafficking case. (Supreme Court of Georgia)

Suresh & Durga, Inc. is the proprietor of America’s Best Inn & Suites motel in Decatur. They have recently faced a setback as their request for a summary judgment in a negligence case, arising from crimes against a minor who was sexually trafficked on the motel’s premises, was denied.

The law has long been that a business may be liable for foreseeable crime on its property. Still, defendants in this and other cases have argued that because there has never been a case holding a property owner liable for foreseeable sex trafficking on its property, Georgia’s negligence laws do not apply to such a claim.

The Georgia Court of Appeals disagreed and found that Jane Doe’s minor sex trafficking was a crime the hotel could be held liable for.