State v. Gulf American Fire & Casualty Co.

*456OPINION

DROWOTA, Justice.

The State of Tennessee, by and through the Attorney General, brought suit to collect a forfeited Surface Mining Bond, pursuant to the provisions of the Tennessee Surface Mining Law of 1972, T.C.A. § 59-8-211. The State contends and the trial court held that the statute authorizes the forfeiture of the entire amount of the bond. The Third Party Defendant contends and the Court of Appeals held that the State’s recovery should not be the full amount of the bond, but should be limited to the amount of money which would actually be required to reclaim a particular tract. We…