FI FTH DI VI SI ON

M CFA DDEN, P. J.

, GOBEI L and PI NSON, 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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M ay 31, 2022



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A2 2 A0 13 9 . BAREFOOT v . DENSON.

M C F A D D E N , Pres id i n g J u d g e.

Du s t i n Barefo o t s u ed Arm o n d D en s o n s eek i n g dam ag es fo r p ers on al i n ju ri es

h e s u ffered wh en D en s o n s tru ck h i m wi t h h is car. A ju ry ret u rn ed a d efen s e v erd i ct

,

an d t h e t ri al co u rt d en i e d B arefo o t ’ s m o t io n fo r n ew t ri al

. Barefo o t t h en fi l ed t h i s

ap p eal

. Barefo ot arg u es t h at t h e t ri al co u rt erred b y d en y i n g h is m o t i o n fo r d i rect ed

v erd i ct

, b u t we ho l d t h at th e t ri al co u rt p ro p erl y s u b m i t t ed t he cas e t o t h e ju ry fo r

r es o l u t i o n. Barefo o t arg u es t h at t h e t ri al co u rt erred b y ch arg i ng t h e ju ry o n

as s u m pt i o n o f ri s k

, b ut we h ol d t h at s o m e ev id en ce s u p p o rt ed t h e ch arg e s o t h e t ri al

co u rt d i d n o t err. Barefo o t arg ues th at t he t ri al co u rt erred b y d en y i n g h is m o t i o n i n

l i m i ne, b u t h e h as n o t s h o wn t hat t h e t ri al co u rt ab u sed h is d i s cret io n

. Barefo o t arg u est h at t h e t ri al co u rt erred b y al l owi n g a wri t ten co p y o f t h e ju ry i n st ru ct io n s t o g o o ut

wi t h t h e ju ry , b ut OCGA § 9 -1 0-5 (b ) ex p l i ci t l y al l o ws t h at act i o n . So we affi rm

.

1

. Evi d en ce p r es en t ed a t

t r i a l.

Defen d an t D en s o n was d ri v i n g h i s car t o at ten d a b i rt h d ay p art y i n a g at ed

s u b d iv i s i o n

. Den s o n d i d n ot h av e t h e tran s p on d er t hat l i ft ed t h e g at e arm t o en t er t h e

s u b d iv i s i o n

. He wai t ed b y t he g at e fo r an ot h er veh i cl e to en t er s o t hat he co u l d fo l l o w

t h at v eh i cl e t hro ug h t h e g at e.

A t ru ck d ro v e u p t o t h e g at e, an d D en s o n fo l l o wed i t i n

. M i k e Brad l ey was t h e

d ri v er of t h e tru ck ; p l ai n t iff Barefo o t an d A n d rew H a m m o ck were p as s en g ers

.

Brad l ey s t o p p ed t he t ru ck aft er h e p as s ed th ro u gh t he g at e s o t h at t he g at e arm wo u ld

d es cen d o n t o Den s o n ’ s car an d p rev en t D en s o n fro m en t eri n g i n to th e s u b d i v i s i o n.

Den so n reach ed t h ro u g h h i s car wi n do w, l i ft ed t h e g at e arm

, an d dro v e t h ro u g h t h e

g at e.

Th e e v i den ce as t o wh at h ap p en ed n ex t is i n s h arp co n fl i ct

. Den s o n t es t i fi ed

t h at h e w a s d r i v i n g d o wn t h e ro ad i n th e su b d i v i s i o n b eh in d t h e t ru ck

, wh i ch was

g o i n g s l o w, v eeri n g

, an d st o p p i n g i n fro n t o f D en s o n, as i f t o p rev en t h i m fro m

p a s s i n g

. Th e v eh i cl es reach ed a s t o p s i g n, an d Den s on y el l ed p ro fan i t y an d u s ed a

2ru d e h an d ges t u re at t h e t ru ck

. Th e t ru ck t u rn ed ri g ht

, an d D en s o n wen t s t rai g h t

. Th e

t ru ck t urn ed aro un d an d b eg an fo l l o wi ng Den s o n

.

Barefo o t, o n t h e ot h er h an d

, t es t i fi ed t h at as t h e v eh i cl es reach ed t h e st o p s i g n,

Den so n t hrew an ob

ject at t h e tru ck

, s o Brad l ey rev ers ed

, tu rn ed aro u n d , an d b eg an

p u rs u i n g Den s on . Den s o n d en i ed t h ro wi n g an o b ject at t h e t ru ck

.

In an y ev en t

, t h e p art i es ag ree t hat Brad l ey beg an fo l l owi n g D e n s o n ; t h at

Den so n d ro v e i n t o a cu l-d e-s ac; an d t hat t h e t ru ck p u ll ed i nt o t h e cu l -d e-s ac.

Den s o n tes ti fi ed t h at t h e t ru ck t u rn ed s i d eway s t o b l o ck h i s ex i t

. Barefo o t an d

Ham m o ck

, t h e o t her p as sen ger i n Brad l ey ’ s t ru ck

, d en i ed t h a t t h e t ru ck b l o ck ed

D e n s on ’ s ex i t

. It i s n o t d is p ut ed t h at Barefo o t an d Ham m o ck ex i ted t h e t ru ck a n d

ap p ro ach ed Den s o n ’ s car.

Acco rd i ng t o Den s o n

, h is c a r was s t i l l s l o wl y m o v i ng

— at ab o ut fi v e o r t en

m i l es p er h ou r— as t h e m en ap p ro ach ed i t

. Den s o n tes t i fi ed th at Barefo o t ap p ro ach ed

t h e d ri v er’ s si d e o f Den s o n ’ s car, s l ap p ed Den s o n ’ s wi n d ow, an d as k ed h i m t o s t o p

h i s car. M ean wh i l e, acco rd i ng t o Den s o n

, Ham m o c k j u m p ed o n Den s on ’ s h o o d.

Den so n fi s h -t ai l ed h i s car t o t h ro w o ff Ham m o ck . Acco rd i n g t o Den s o n , h e d i d n ot

real ize i t at t he t i m e, b u t h i s car h i t Barefo o t . Th e i m p act b ro k e Barefo ot ’ s l eg

.

3Barefo o t an d H am m o ck t es t ifi ed i n ste a d tha t B a r e f oot w a lke d beh i n d Den s o n ’ s

car t o g et h i s l i cen s e p l at e n u m ber an d t hat Den s o n rev ers ed h i s car i n t o Barefo o t an d

t h en d ro v e o ff.

2

. Di r ect ed ver d i ct

.

Barefo o t arg u es t hat t h e t ri al co u rt erred b y d en y in g h i s m o t i o n fo r d i rect ed

v erd i ct o n t h e is s u e o f D en s o n’ s fau l t

. He co n t en ds t h at t h e u n co n t rad i ct ed ev i d en ce

s h o wed t h at Den s o n w as n eg l i gen t an d n eg li g en t p er s e. W e h o l d t h at t h e t ri al co u rt

p ro p erl y s u b m i t t ed t h e cas e t o t h e ju ry

.

A t ri al co u rt s h al l g ran t a d i rect ed verd i ct “ [i ] f t h ere i s n o co n fl ict i n t h e

ev i d en ce as to an y m at eri al i s s u e an d t h e ev id en ce i n t ro d u c ed

, w i t h al l reas o n ab l e

d ed uct i o n s t h erefro m

, s hal l d em an d a p art i cu l ar v erd i ct

. . . .” O CGA § 9 -1 1 -5 0 (a).

“ On ap p eal fro m t h e d e n i a l o f a m o t i o n fo r a d i rect ed v erd i ct

, we co n s t ru e t h e

ev i d en ce i n t h e l i g h t m o s t fav o rab l e to t he p art y o p p os i n g th e m o t i on

, an d t h e

s t an d ard o f rev i ew i s wh et h e r t h ere i s an y ev i d en ce to s up p o rt t h e ju ry ’ s v erd i ct .”

Br o wn v. Tu cker

, 3 3 7 Ga. Ap p. 7 0 4

, 7 2 0 (8 ) (7 88 SE2 d 8 1 0 ) (2 0 16 ) ( c i t at i o n an d

p u n ct u at i o n o m it t ed ).

As d et ai l ed ab o ve, m

u ch o f t h e ev i den ce was s t ro n gl y co n t es t ed

, b u t s o m e

ev i d en ce s u p p o rt s t h e ju ry ’ s d efen s e v erd i ct in Den s o n ’ s fav o r. T he ju ry co u l d h av e

4fo u n d t h at Barefo o t was m o re at fau l t th an Den s on wh en h e ap p ro ach ed D e n s o n ’s

m o vi n g car an d g o t cl o se en o u g h t o s l ap t h e w i n d o w, a s Den s o n t es t i fi ed

. An d t h e

t ri al co u rt i n s t ru ct ed t h e ju ry t h a t s h o u l d i t fi n d Barefo o t ’ s n eg l i g en ce eq u al t o o r

g reat er t h an Den s o n’ s

, t h en Barefo ot co u l d n ot reco v er. See OC G A § 5 1 -1 2 -3 3 (g )

(“ t h e p l ai n t i ff s h al l no t b e en t i t led t o recei v e an y d am ag es i f th e pl ai n t i ff i s 5 0 p ercen t

o r m ore res p o n s i b l e fo r t h e i n ju ry o r d am ag es cl ai m ed ”).

W e al s o d i s ag ree w i t h Barefo o t ’s a r g u m en t o n ap p eal t h at h e was en t i t l ed to

a d i r e c t ed v erd i ct o n th e i s su e o f fau lt rel at i n g t o a cl ai m fo r n eg l i gen ce p er s e fo r

Den so n ’ s v i o l at i o n o f OCGA § 4 0 -6 -2 7 0 (a) (“ Th e d ri ver o f an y veh i cl e i n v o l v ed in

an acci den t res u l t i n g i n i n j u ry t o

. . . an y p ers o n

. . . s hal l im m ed i at el y s t o p s u ch

v eh i c l e at t h e s cen e o f t h e acci d en t

. . . .”). Barefo o t d i d n o t as sert a cl ai m fo r

n eg li g en ce p er s e in h i s co m p l ai n t

, an d h e d id n o t s t at e t h i s g ro u n d i n h i s m o t i o n fo r

d i r e c t e d v erd i ct

. “ A m o t i o n fo r a d i rect ed v erd i ct s h al l s t at e t h e s p eci fi c g ro u nd s

t h erefo r[,] ” OCGA § 9 -1 1 -5 0 (a), “ t o as s u re t h at t h e t ri al co u rt h as an ad eq u at e b as i s

fo r i t s d eci s i o n .” So u t h er n La n d Ti t l e v. No r t h Ga

. Ti t l e

, 2 7 0 Ga. Ap p

. 4, 7 (2 ) (6 0 6

SE2 d 4 3 ) (2 00 4) (ci t at io n an d pu n ct u at i on om i t t ed ). Becau s e Barefo o t d i d n o t s t at e

t h i s g ro u nd i n hi s m o t i o n fo r d i rect ed v erd i ct

, h e can n o t rai s e i t o n ap p eal

. S o u t h er n

La n d Ti t l e , 2 7 0 Ga. Ap p . at 7 (2 ).

53

. As s u mp t i o n o f r i s k

.

Barefo o t arg u es t h at t h e t ri al co u rt e r red b y ch arg in g t he ju ry o n as s u m p t i o n

o f ri s k b ecau s e n o ev i d en ce s u pp o rt ed s u ch a ch arg e. W e d i s ag ree.

Th ere n eed b e o nl y s l i g h t ev i d en ce s up p o r t i n g t he t heo ry o f th e

ch arg e t o au t h o ri ze a req u es t ed ju ry i n s t ru ct i o n.

. . . Fo r t h e p urp o s es o f

t h i s ap peal

, we n eed n o t d eci d e as a m at t er of l aw wh et h er [Barefo o t ]

as s u m ed a ri sk t hat l ed t o h i s i n ju ry ; w e m

us t d eci d e o n l y wh et h er t h ere

was s l i g h t ev id en ce t o s u p p o rt t h e ju ry i n st ru ct i o n reg ard i n g as s u m p t i o n

o f t h e ri s k

.

Da l y v. Ber r yh i l l , 3 0 8 Ga. 8 3 1 , 8 3 3 -8 3 4 (8 4 3 SE2 d 8 7 0 ) (2 0 2 0 ).

Barefo o t arg u es t h at an as s u m p t i o n -o f-ri s k i n s tru ct i on was i m p ro p er, g i v en a

co m p l et e ab s en c e o f e v i d en ce t h at h e k n ew o f t h e s p eci fi c ri s k o f bei n g h i t by

Den so n ’ s car s i nce Den s o n d i d n o t b l o w h i s h o rn o r g i v e a n y w a rn i n g

, an d s i nce

Barefo o t was at th e s i d e o f t h e car, n o t i n fro n t o f i t

. W e m u s t “ co n s i d er an o b

ject i v e

co m m o n s en s e s t an d ard i n as s es s i n g wh et h er a p l ai n t i ff had k n o w l ed g e o f a ri s k.

[In d eed ,] s o m e ri s k s are s o cl ear t h at we i m p u te k n o wl ed ge o f t h e ri s k t o t h e p l ai n t iff,

s o l o n g as t h e p lai n t i ff i s co m pet en t .” Da l

y , 3 0 8 Ga. at 8 3 5.

6Acco rd i ng t o Den s o n ’ s t es t i m o n y

, Barefo ot ex i t ed th e t ru ck t h at had b een

ch as i n g Den s o n t h ro u g h t he s u bd i v i s i o n

, wal ked u p t o Den so n ’ s m o v i n g car, an d g ot

cl o s e en o u g h t o s lap t h e wi n d o w.

[A] co m p et en t ad ul t l i k e [Barefo o t ] can no t bl i n d h i m s el f t o t he o b v i o u s

ri sk o f [cl os el y ap p ro ach i n g a m o v i n g car]

. Th ere t h u s was at l eas t s l i g h t

ev i d en ce t h at [Barefo ot ] k n ew t h at [ h i s act i o n ] p o s ed a ri s k o f s eri o u s

p h y s i cal i n

ju ry

, an d t h at h e v o l u n t ari l y ex p o s ed h i m s el f to t h at ri s k

. T he

t ri al co u rt d i d n o t err i n g i v i n g t h e req u es t ed ju ry i n s t ru ct i o n

.

Da l y , 3 08 Ga. at 8 3 6

.

4

. Mo t i o n i n l imi ne

.

Barefo o t arg u es t hat t he t ri al co u rt erred b y d en y in g a m o t i o n i n l i m i n e. “ W e

rev i ew t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s g ran t o r d en i al o f a m o t i o n i n l i m i n e fo r ab u s e of d i s cret i o n.”

S t a t e v. S t ep h en s

, 3 0 7 Ga. 6 1 5, 6 1 6 (8 3 7 SE2 d 8 3 0 ) (2 0 2 0 ). Barefo o t h as n o t s h o wn

an ab us e o f d i s cret i o n

.

In h i s wri tt en m o t i o n i n l i m i n e, B a r e f o o t so u gh t t o ex cl u d e fro m t ri al

“ [a] n y t h i ng t h at wo u l d t en d t o m ak e race an i s s u e i n t he cas e.” In i t i al l y

, t h e co u rt d id

n o t ru l e o n t he m o t i o n

, s t at i ng th at h e wo u l d rev is i t t h e m o t i on i n li m i ne at a h eari n g

p ri o r t o t ri al

. A p paren t l y

, at s o m e p o i n t

, t h e c ou rt h eard arg u m en t s o f co u n s el

7co n cern in g t h e m o ti o n

, al t h o ug h n o t ran s cri p t o f an y h eari n g o n th e m o t i o n i s

i n cl u d ed i n t h e reco rd o n ap p eal . Ul t i m at el y , t h e t ri al co urt d en i ed t he m o t i o n

.

Barefo o t’ s m o t io n i n l i m i n e “ was s o v ag u e an d o v erl y b ro ad as t o ren d er i t

v i rt u al l y m ean i n g l es s as a v eh i cl e to d eci d e an i s s u e b efo re i t was rai s ed i n co n t ex t

at t ri al .” W

i l l ia ms v. H

a r vey

, 3 1 1 Ga. 4 3 9

, 4 5 2 -4 5 3 (2 ) (8 5 8 SE2 d 4 7 9 ) (2 0 2 1 ). An d

al t h o u g h Barefo o t m ay h av e g i v en co n t ex t t o h is m o t io n wh en t he t r i al co u rt h eard

arg u m en t o f co u n s el

, we d o n o t h av e t h e b en efi t o f a t ran s cri p t

. So Barefo o t h as n ot

s h o wn th at t h e t ri al co u rt ab u s ed h i s d i s cret i o n b y den y i n g t he m ot i o n i n l i m i n e. See

W i t t y v. M cNea l A g en cy

, 2 3 9 Ga. Ap p. 5 5 4

, 5 57 (2 ) (a ) (5 2 1 SE2 d 6 1 9 ) (1 9 9 9 )

(“ Si n ce t he m o t i o n i n l i m i n e was o v erl y b ro a d

. . ., t h e n i t was pro p er to d en y s u ch

m o ti o n

. ”)

5

. Al l o wi n g

t h e j u r y t o h a ve a co

p y o f t h e j u r y ch a r g e

.

Barefo o t arg u es t h at t h e t ri al co u rt ab u s ed h is d i s cret i o n by al l owi n g t h e ju ry

t o hav e a wri t t en co p y o f th e ju ry ch arg e. Bu t OCGA § 9 -1 0 -5 (b ) al lo ws i t : “ In an y

ci v i l act io n

, u p o n m o t i o n b y a p art y

, u p on req u es t b y t h e ju ry

, o r s u a s p o n t e, a ju d g e

o f a s up eri o r, s t at e, o r ci t y co u rt i s au t h ori zed

, b u t sh al l n o t b e req u i red

, to red u ce al l

o f t h e ch arg e to th e ju ry t o wri t i ng an d s en d al l of t h e ch arg e s o red u ced t o wri t i n g o ut

wi t h t he j u ry du ri n g i t s del i b erat i o n .” See al s o Fr a n kl i n v. S t a t e

, 2 9 8 G a. 6 3 6, 6 4 2 (4 )

8(7 8 4 SE2 d 3 5 9 ) (2 01 6 ) (“ t ri al co u r t s cl earl y h av e th e au t h o ri t y ” t o g iv e t he ju ry a

wri t ten co p y o f t h e c o u rt ’ s i n s t ru ct i o n s fo r us e i n d el i b erat i o ns ). Barefo o t d o es n ot

ex p lai n wh y

t he co u rt ’ s d eci s i o n

, p erm i t t ed by t h e s t at u t e, am ou n t ed t o an ab u s e o f

d i s cret i o n

.

6

. Den i a l o f mo t i o n f or n ew t r i a l

.

Barefo o t arg u es t hat , fo r t h e reas o n s d i s cu ss ed ab o v e, t h e t ri al co u rt erred b y

d en y i n g h i s m ot io n fo r n ew t ri al

. As we h ol d t hat t h e t ri al co u rt d i d n o t err fo r t h es e

r e a s o n s

, w e a l s o h o l d t h at th e tri al co u rt d i d no t err b y den y i n g t h e m ot i o n fo r n ew

t ri al b as ed o n t h es e reas o ns

.

Ju d g men t a f f i r m ed . Go b ei l

a n d Pi n s o n , JJ., co n cu r

.

9