MILTON, GA — The Georgia Supreme Court is weighing arguments in an appeal from the City of Milton, which is seeking to overturn a $35 million jury verdict in a wrongful death lawsuit tied to the death of a Yale student in 2016.

The case stems from the death of 21-year-old Joshua Chang, whose car swerved off Batesville Road and struck a concrete planter along the shoulder. His parents filed a lawsuit against the city, accusing Milton of violating its own ordinances by allowing the planter to remain on the roadside.

A jury found the city 93% at fault and awarded Chang’s family $32.5 million in damages, a decision later upheld by the Georgia Court of Appeals.

During oral arguments before the state’s high court, attorney Harold Melton, representing Milton, argued the city should not be held responsible for what he described as an unusual circumstance. “It’s perfectly permissible to place feature items on the shoulder that must be circumnavigated,” Melton told justices.

Naveen Ramachandrappa, representing the Chang family, countered that the city failed to meet its legal duty to maintain safe roads and rights-of-way. “Evidence at trial overwhelmingly established that the planter was a dangerous condition and that Milton did not keep its roads in a reasonably safe condition,” he said.

Ramachandrappa added that the city had a “ministerial duty” to keep the road, including the shoulder free from hazards.

The Georgia Supreme Court’s ruling could have a far-reaching impact on how cities across the state manage roadside safety and liability. A decision is expected in March 2026.