What is an Ante Litem Notice?
“Ante litem” means before litigation, essentially. Some entities, including but not limited to state departments, other government entities, counties, police departments, school systems, and municipalities, may require that you send an ante litem notice to them to preserve your rights to sue them. The notice puts the entity on notice of your claim. In Georgia, you generally have one year to give the ante litem notice, even though you might have more time to file suit. In other words, if a one-year ante litem notice is required you must act within that time period, or absolutely lose your right to sue. Some ante litem notices have to be very specific. Others may be more informal. They are creatures of the legislature. As with statutes of limitation, you must consult a lawyer to determine if you have to file an ante litem notice. Reminder: Do not rely specifically on the answers to these FAQs in deciding whether to hire a lawyer or to take or not take any kind of legal action. For those
