A Morgan county judge is deliberating on a legal case brought forward to stop the development of an automobile factory near Social Circle off I-20.
Six local landowners brought the case forward against the project which is being backed by the state of Georgia. The dispute is over 2,000 acres of land allocated as agricultural zoning. This land, which spans multiple counties, was purchased by the state to be leased to the Joint Development Authority which is leasing it to the electric vehicle company Rivian.
Rivian has received state and federal support for this factory under the Biden administration in 2024. Senator Jon Ossoff has also expressed support for the project.
However, the state has claimed sovereign immunity meaning it cannot be sued without its own consent. The lawsuit has not gone well for the landowners. Now the judge, Stephen Bradley, must determine if the landowners will have to pay the state’s legal fees.
