Georgia § 11-7-303 - Diversion; reconsignment; change of instructions.

§ 11-7-303. Diversion; reconsignment; change of instructions.

Unless the bill of lading otherwise provides, a carrier may deliver the goods to a person or destination other than that stated in the bill or may otherwise dispose of the goods, without liability for misdelivery, on instructions from: The holder of a negotiable bill; The consignor on a nonnegotiable bill, even if the consignee has given contrary instructions; The consignee on a nonnegotiable bill in the absence of contrary instructions from the consignor, if the goods have arrived at the billed destination or if the consignee is in possession of the tangible bill or in control of the electronic bill; or The consignee on a nonnegotiable bill, if the consignee is entitled as against the consignor to dispose of the goods. Unless instructions described in subsection (a) of this Code section are included in a negotiable bill of lading, a person to which the bill is duly negotiated may hold the bailee according to the original terms. (Code 1933, § 109A-7 - 303, enacted by Ga. L. 1962, p. 156, § 1; Ga. L. 2010, p. 481, § 1-1/HB 451.) The 2010 amendment, effective May 27, 2010, redesignated former subsections (1) and (2) as present subsections (a) and (b), respectively; rewrote present subsection (a); and, in present subsection (b), substituted "instructions described in subsection (a) of this Code section are included in" for "such instructions are noted on" near the beginning, substituted "which" for "whom", and substituted "may" for "can" near the end. See the Editor's notes for applicability. Editor's notes. - Ga. L. 2010, p. 481, § 3-1, not codified by the General Assembly, provides that: "This Act applies to a document of title that is issued or a bailment that arises on or after the effective date of this Act. This Act does not apply to a document of title that is issued or a bailment that arises before the effective date of this Act even if the document of title or bailment would be subject to this Act if the document of title had been issued or bailment had arisen on or after the effective date of this Act. This Act does not apply to a right of action that has accrued before the effective date of this Act." This Act became effective May 27, 2010. Ga. L. 2010, p. 481, § 3-2, not codified by the General Assembly, provides that: "A document of title issued or a bailment that arises before the effective date of this Act and the rights, documents, and interests flowing from that document or bailment are governed by any statute or other rule amended or repealed by this Act as if such amendment or repeal had not occurred and may be terminated, completed, consummated, or enforced under that statute or other rule." This Act became effective May 27, 2010.