THI RD DI VI SI ON DOYLE, P. J.

, REESE and BROWN, JJ.

N O T IC E : M otions for r e c ons i de r a tion m us t be ph y sic a l ly r e ce iv ed i n our c le r k ’s offic e w ithin te n da y s of the da te of de c is ion to be de e m ed tim e ly file d.

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H I S
C O U R T. A LL FILIN G S M U ST B E S U B M I TTE D WITH IN
TH E TIM E S S E T B Y

O U R C O U R T R U LE S

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June 24, 2021



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A2 1 A0 33 1 . PRUITT v

. THIGPEN.

D O Y LE , Pres i d i n g J u d g e.

In t h i s pers o n al i n

j u ry cas e ari s i n g fro m a car cras h

, d efen d an t J am i ch ael Tro y

Pru i t t ap p eal s fro m

a n o r d e r e n t eri n g a ju d g m en t ag ai n s t h im fo r $ 1 2 5 ,0 0 0 aft er h e

m o v e d t o en fo rce a s et t l em en t ag reem en t h e en t ered i nt o fo r th e s am e am o u n t wi t h

p l ai n t i ff Li s a M ari a Th i g p en

. Pru i t t co n ten d s t h at t h e t ri al co u rt erred b y (1 ) en t eri n g

a ju d g m en t i n s tead o f a d i s m i ss al

, an d (2 ) en t eri ng a ju d g m en t t h at d o es n o t t rack t h e

t erm s o f t h e s et t l em en t

. Becau s e t h e ju d gm en t en t er e d b y t h e co u rt v ari ed fro m t h e

t erm s o f t h e s et t l em en t ag reem en t , we v acat e t h e ju dg m en t an d rem an d t h e cas e.

Th e rel ev an t reco rd i s un d i s p u ted an d s h ows t h at i n Ju n e 2 0 19

, Th i gp en s u ed

Pru i t t, al leg i n g t h at h e was d ri v i n g u nd er t h e i n f l u en ce o f al co h o l an d cau s ed a

co l l i s i o n wi t h h er v eh i cl e, i n ju ri n g her. Th e co m

p l ai n t s o u gh t co m

pen s at o ry an dp u n i t i v e dam ag es , an d Pru it t fi l ed an an s wer rai s in g v ari o us d efen ses an d d en y i n g

l i ab i l i t y

.

As t h e cas e d e v e l o p ed

, i n M ay 2 02 0

, Th i gp en s en t an o ffer o f set t lem en t to

Pru i t t p u rs u an t t o OCGA § 9 -1 1 -6 8

. Th e o ffer s t at ed t h at i t was b ei n g m ad e:

t o s et t l e an y an d al l cl ai m s m ad e b y [Th i g pen ]

. . . s t em m i n g fro m th e

i n ci d en t t h at fo rm s t h e b as i s o f t h i s laws u i t

. . . i ncl u d in g [cl ai m s fo r]

.

. . s p eci al d am ag es , g e n eral d am ag es , m ed ical d am ag es , pu n i t iv e

d am ag es , [an d ] at t orn ey s ’ fees

. . . . Th e o ffer i s i n t h e to t a l a n d g l o bal

am o u nt of $ 1 2 5

, 0 0 0 (On e Hu n d red Twen t y -Fi ve Th o u s an d Do l l ars ) i n

fu l l an d fi n al s et t l em en t o f an y an d al l cl ai m s b ro u g h t i n t h i s act i o n

. . .

. Al t h ou g h th e ab ov e am o u n t s p eci fi cal l y in cl u d es an d d i s p o s es o f al l

cl ai m s fo r p u n i t i v e dam ag es , $ 1 0 0 .0 0 a r e b e i ng al l o cat ed t o pu n i t iv e

d am ag es , a s s u ch are w arran t ed i n t h i s cas e[.] If accep t ed u p o n w i t h

p reju d i ce, [Th ig p en ] wi l l ex ecu t e a g en eral rel eas e an d s e t t l em en t

ag reem en t p rep ared b y

[Pru i t t ]

.

Th e o ffer was s i len t as t o t h e m an n er o f p ay m en t

.

W i t h i n a m o n t h o f t h e o ffer, Pru i t t rep l i ed b y a c c ep t i n g i t “ wi t h ou t v ari an ce,

t h ereb y fo rm i n g an en fo rceab l e s et tl em en t ag reem en t .” Ab o u t t h ree w eek s aft er t h at

,

Pru i t t m o v ed t o en fo rce th e s et t l em en t a g r e e m en t an d d is m i ss t h e act i o n wi th

p reju d i ce. Th ig p en op p o s ed t h e m o t i o n an d p o in t ed o ut t h at s h e h ad o n ly recei v ed t h e

$ 2 5 ,0 0 0 au t o m o b i l e p o l i cy l i m it fro m Pru i t t ’ s i n s u rer, an d $1 0 0 ,0 00 rem ai n ed t o b e

2p ai d b y Pru i t t. T h i g p en at t ach ed t o h er res p o n se a pro p o s ed co ns en t o rd er, s t at i n g t h at

“ i n t h e ev en t t h at [Pru i t t ] i s u n wi l l i n g t o ag ree t o t he en t ry of a ju d g m en t

, [Th i g p en ]

wi l l ag ree to fi le a d i s m is s al wi t h p reju d ice u po n p ay m en t o f t h e t o t al s et t lem en t o f

$ 1 2 5 ,0 0 0 .”

Up o n a rev i ew o f t h e pl ead i n g s , th e tri al co ur t e n t e r ed an o rd er p rep ared by

Th i g pen . Th e o rd er read as fo l l o ws , i n rel ev an t p art :

It i s h ere b y o rd ered

. . . t h at [j] u d g m en t i s an d s h al l b e en t ered i n fav o r

o f [Th i g p en ] ag ai n s t [Pru i t t ]

, i n t h e am o u nt of o n e h u nd red t wen ty -fi ve

t h o u s an d do l l ars ($ 1 2 5 ,0 0 0 ), p lu s i n t eres t at t h e rat e o f 6

. 2 5 % p er y ear.

Th i s [j] u d gm en t s h al l i n cl u de co m p en s at o ry d am ag es as w el l as pu n i t iv e

d am ag es

. Th e p u ni t i v e dam ag es p o rt i o n o f t h is [j] u d g m en t are b as ed

u p o n [Th i g p en ’ s ] cau s e o f ac t i o n t h at al l eg ed [Pru i tt ’ s ] v i o l at io n o f

OCGA § 4 0 -6 -3 9 1 , d ri v i n g wh i l e i m p ai red b y al co h o l o r d ru g s

.

Fo l l owi n g t h e o rd er, Pru i t t fi l ed an em erg en cy m o t i o n to v acat e an d s et as i d e

t h e ord er, arg u i ng t h at t h e t erm s o f t h e ord er d i d n ot t rack th e s et t l em en t ag reem en t

,

wh i ch co n t em

pl at ed a rel eas e i ns t ead o f a ju d g m en t an d s peci fi ed t h at on l y $ 1 0 0 was

al l o cat ed t o p u n i t i v e d am ag es

. Pru i t t at t ach ed a p ro po s ed o rd er t o s u bs t i t u t e fo r t h e

o rd er al read y en tered

, wh i ch pro p o s ed o rd er s t at ed t h at j u d gm en t s h al l b e en t ered fo r

$ 1 2 5 ,0 0 0

, an d $ 10 0 i s al lo cat ed t o p u n i t i v e d am ag es

. It m ad e n o m en t i o n of t h e DUI

al l eg at i o n

. Th i g pen o p p o s ed t h e m o ti o n, an d b efo re t h e tri al co u rt ru l ed o n t h e m o t i o n

3t o v acat e, t h i s a p p e al fo l lo w ed wh en Pru i t t fi l ed a n o t i ce o f ap p eal o f t h e o ri g i n al

o rd er.

1

. Pru i t t co n t en d s t h at t he t ri al co u rt erred b y en t eri n g t h e ju d g m en t ag ai n s t h i m

b ecau s e t h e s et t lem en t ag reem en t co n t em p l at ed a d is m i s s al rat h er t h an a ju d g m en t

.

As t o t h e n at u re o f t h e res o l u t i o n , we fi nd n o b as i s fo r rev ers al

.

A tri al co urt ’ s o rd er on a m o t i o n t o en fo rce a set t l em en t

ag r e e m e n t i s su b

j ect t o d e n o v o rev iew, u n d er t h e s am e st an d ard s

ap p l icab l e t o a m o t i on fo r s u m m ary ju d g m e n t

. W h ere p art i es t o

l i ti g at i o n h av e en t ered i n t o a d efi n i t e, cert ai n , an d u n am bi g uo u s m

u t ual

rel eas e o f t h ei r cl ai m s , wh i ch i s no t den i ed

, t h e t ri al co u rt sh o u l d m ak e

t h at s et tl em e n t t h e ju d g m en t o f t h e co u rt

, t h ereb y t erm i nat i n g th e

l i ti g at i o n

. 1

W h en co ns i d eri n g a m o t i o n t o en fo rce a set t l em en t ag reem en t

, co u rt s m u st b e

m i n d f u l t h at s u ch ag reem en t s are “ g o v ern ed b y s tat e law ap p l icab l e t o co n t ract s in

g en eral

. Th e card in al ru l e of co n s t ru ct i on i s t o det erm i n e th e i nt en t i o n o f t h e p art i es

.

Bu t no co n s t ru ct i o n i s req u ired o r ev en p erm i s si b l e wh en t h e l an g u ag e em p l o y ed by

1 Ca r ey v. Ho u st o n Or a l S u r g eo ns
, LLC

, 2 65 Ga. Ap p

. 8 1 2

, 8 1 7 (2 ) (5 9 5 SE2 d

6 3 3 ) (2 0 0 4 ).

4t h e p art i es i n t h e co nt ract i s p l ai n , u n am b i g u ou s , an d cap ab le o f o nl y on e reas o n ab l e

i n t erp ret at io n .” 2

Bas ed o n th e t erm s o f t h e set t l em en t ag reem en t

, wh i ch o ffered a g en eral rel eas e

i n ret urn fo r $ 1 2 5 ,0 00

, t h e tri a l c o urt en t ered an o rd er creat i n g a ju d g m en t fo r

$ 1 2 5 ,0 0 0

, wi t h an n u al i n t eres t

, ag ai n s t Pru i t t

. Pret erm i t t in g wh et h er th e accep t an ce

o f an o ffer t o ex ecu t e a g en eral rel eas e i nd i cat es t h e p art i es ’ i nt en t t h at a di s m i s s al (as

o p p o s ed t o a ju d g m en t ) wo u ld fo l l o w, 3 i t i s u n d i s p ut ed t h at Pru i tt ’ s m ot i o n t o v acat e

i n t h e t ri al co u rt i ncl u d ed a p ro p o s ed o rd er en t eri n g a j u dg men t fo r th e ag reed u p o n

$ 1 2 5 ,0 0 0 s e t t l e m en t offer. Acco rd i n g ly

, Pru i t t ab an d o ned i n th e t ri al co u rt h i s

ch al l en g e t o t h e n at ure o f t he res o l u t i o n (ju d g m en t or di s m i s s al ), an d t hi s arg u m en t

p res en t s n o b as i s fo r rev ers al o n ap p eal

. 4

2 (Pu n ct u at io n o m it t ed .) Id

. at 8 1 5-8 1 6 (1 ), q u o t i n g Da rb y v. Ma t h i s , 2 1 2 Ga. Ap p . 4 4 4 , 4 4 4 -4 4 5 (1 ) (4 4 1 SE2 d 9 0 5 ) (1 9 94 ).

3 Bo t h p art i es ag ree th at s et t l em en t s can t ak e t h e fo rm o f ei t h er d i s m i s s al o r ju d g m en t u n d er OCGA § 9 -1 1 -6 8 (a): “ [E] i t h er p art y m ay s erv e up o n t h e o t h er p art y

. . . a wri t t en o ffer, d en o m i n at ed as an o ffer u n d e r t h i s Co d e s ect io n , t o s et t l e a to rt
cl ai m fo r t h e m o n ey sp eci fi ed i n t he o ffer an d t o en ter i n to an ag reem en t d i s mi s s i n g

t h e cl a i m o r

t o a l l o w j u d

g men t t o b e en t er ed acco rd i n g l y .” (Em p h as i s s u p p l i ed .)

4 See S u n Tr u s t Ba nk v

. B i c k

e r s t a f f

, 34 9 Ga. Ap p

. 7 9 4

, 8 0 4 (8 2 4 SE2 d 7 1 7 ) (2 0 1 9) (o n m o ti o n fo r reco n s i d erat i o n ); Ro b er t s v. Co mmu n i t

y & S o ut h er n Ba n k

, 3 3 1

Ga. Ap p

. 3 6 4

, 3 7 2 n .5 (7 71 SE2 d 6 8 ) (2 01 5 ). As n o t ed ab o v e, as p art of t h e t ri al co u rt

p ro ceed in g s , Th ig p en h as o ffered t o d i s m i s s h er cl ai m up o n pay m en t

, an d Pru i t t h as

52

. Pru i t t al s o ch al len g es t h e t erm s o f t h e ju dg m en t en t ered

, arg u i n g t h at t h ey

v ari ed fro m

t h e t erm s o f t h e s et t l em en t ag reem en t . W e ag ree.

Here, t he term s ag reed t o b y t h e p art i es are cl ear: $1 2 5 ,0 00 t o s et t l e al l cl ai m s

a r i s i n g fro m th e car co l l i s i o n , i n cl u d i n g $ 1 00 fo r p u ni t i v e d am ag es , i n ret u rn f o r a

g en eral rel eas e of l iab i l i t y

. Th e o rd er e n t e r e d b y th e t ri al co u rt cam e cl o s e t o t h es e

t erm s , b u t i t v ari ed i n t wo way s

.

Fi rs t

, th e ju d g m en t d i d n o t cap t u re t h e co n cep t t h at $ 10 0 o f th e ju d g m en t was

al l o cat e d t o w a r d p u n i t iv e d am ag es , i n s t ead s tat i n g t hat “ [t ] h i s [j] ud g m en t s h al l

i n cl u d e co m

p en s at o ry d am ag es a s w e l l as p un i t i v e d am ag es , ” wi t h o u t no t i n g t h e

p ro p ort i o n al i t y

ag reed t o b y

t h e p art i es

.

Seco n d

, t h e ju dg m en t ad d ed a p ro v is i on s t at i n g th at th e u n s p eci fi ed p o rt i o n

al l o cat ed p u n i t i v e d am ag es is “ b a s e d u po n Pl ai n t i ff’ s cau s e o f act i o n t h at al l eg ed

Defen d an t ’ s v i o lat i o n o f OCGA § 4 0 -6 -3 9 1

, d ri v i ng wh i l e i m p ai r e d b y al co h o l o r

d ru g s.” No t h i n g in t h e o ffer o f s et t l em en t referred t o t h e fact u al b ack g ro u n d o f

Th i g pen ’ s cl ai m s , n o r t h e b a s i s fo r p u n i t i v e d am ag es o r t h e n at u re o f an y al l eg ed

t o rt i o u s co n d u ct

. In s t ead

, t h e o ffer s i m p l y referred t o t h e d i s p u t e as “ t h e ab o v eo ffered t o accep t a ju d g m en t ag ai n s t hi m th at i s co n s i s t en t wi t h th e t e rm s o f t h e

s et t l em en t ag reem en t. Th e n at u re o f d i s po s it i on d oes n o t ap p ear t o b e t h e cru x o f t h e d i s p u t e.

6cap t i on ed l aws u i t ” an d t h e car cras h as “ t h e i n ci d en t .” Th e o ffer d i d s t at e t h at $ 1 0 0

i n p u n i ti v e d am ag es w as “ warran t ed i n t h i s cas e,” an d Pru i t t u n eq u i v ocal l y accep t ed

t h i s c h a ract eri zat i o n fo r p u rp o s es o f s et t l em en t

. Bu t hi s accep tan ce d o es n o t g o

fart h er t h an t h e t erm s o f t h e o ffer. 5

Bas ed o n t h es e di s cr e p an ci es , t h e t ri al co urt ’ s o rd er p u t s Pru i t t i n a p o s i t i o n

t h at h e d i d n o t ag ree t o

. Al t h o u g h t h e p a r t i es d eb at e t h e p ract i cal effect s o f t h es e

d i s crep an ci es , fo r ex am

p l e in an y fu t u re b an k ru pt cy p ro ceed i n g , w e n eed n o t res o l v e

ev ery p o t en t i al effect of th es e arg um en ts

. R a t h e r, o u r h ol d i n g is co nt ro l l ed b y t h e

ax i o m t hat

, wh en co n s t ru i n g a co n t ract

, “ [t ] h e card i n al ru l e o f co n s tru ct i o n i s to

as cert ai n t h e i nt en t i o n o f t h e p art i es

. If th at i n ten t i o n i s cl ear an d i t co n t rav en es n o

ru l e o f l aw an d s u ffi ci en t wo rd s are u s ed t o arri v e at t h e i n t en t i o n , i t sh al l b e en fo rced

i rres p ect i v e o f al l tech n i cal o r arb i t rary ru l es o f co n st ru ct i o n

. ” 6 Th e p art i es ’ in t en t i o n

was m ad e cl ear b y t h e t erm s of t h e o ffer accep ted b y Pru i t t, wh i ch t erm s co n t ro l t h e

en t ry o f an y ju d g m en t en t ered o n t h e ag reem en t

.

5 Cf. Gr an g e Mu t

. C

a s

. Co

. v. W

oo d a r d

, 3 0 0 Ga. 8 4 8, 8 53 (7 9 7 SE2 d 8 1 4 ) (2 0 1 7) (“ [I] t i s

. . . a fu n d am en t al p ri n ci p l e o f co n t ract l aw th at an o ffero r i s t h e

m as t er of h i s o r her o ffer[] an d free t o s et t h e t erm s t h ereo f.”) (p u n ct uat i on o m i t t ed ),

q u o t i n g At

ki n s o n v. Co o k

, 2 7 1 Ga. 5 7 , 5 8 (5 18 SE2 d 4 1 3 ) (1 9 9 9 ).

6 OCGA § 1 3 -2 -3

.

7Becau s e t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s o rd er v ari ed fro m t ho s e t erm s, we vacat e t h e en t ry o f

t h at o rd er. On rem an d t h e t ri al co u rt i s d irect ed t o en t er a ju d g m en t i n fav o r o f

Th i g pen co n s i s t en t wi th t h is o pi n i o n

. 7

Ju d g men t va ca t ed a n d ca s e r ema n d ed wi t h d i r ect i o n. Rees e a n d Br o wn
, JJ.,

co n cu r

.

7 W e n ot e t h at t h e p ro po s ed o rd er Pru i tt p rep ared i n s u p po rt o f hi s m o t i o n to

v acat e d o es cap tu re th e ag reed -u p o n t erm s o f s e t t l em en t

. Th ere i s n o t h i n g “ m ag i c”
ab o ut t h at l an g u ag e, b ut i t o ffers a g u i d e.

8