FI FTH DI VI SI ON REESE, P. J.

, M A RKLE and COLVI N, 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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October 23, 2020



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A2 0 A1 08 8 . CATES v . BROW N.

R E E S E
, Pres i di n g J u d g e.

Ri ch ard Cat es (“ Ad m i n i s t rat o r”), ad m i n i s trat o r o f th e es t at e o f Ro g er Cat es

(“ Cat es ”), 1 ap peal s fro m a ju ry t ri al ju d g m en t i n fav or o f Cy n t h i a Bro wn

. On ap p eal

,

Ad m i n i s t rat o r arg u es t h at : (1 ) t h e t ri al co u rt ab u s e d it s d i s cret io n in fai l i n g to

s u p p lem en t t h e r eco rd ; (2 ) Bro wn ’ s u n j u s t en ri ch m en t cl ai m s were b arred b ecau s e

t h ey aro s e o u t o f a m eret ri ci ou s r e l a t i o n s h ip wi t h Cat es ; (3 ) t h e tri al co u rt erred in

fai l i n g t o ch arg e t he j u ry o n t h e l eg al effect o f t h e p art ies ’ m eret ri ci o us rel at i o n s h i p;

an d (4 ) t h e t ri al co u rt erred i n fai l i n g to ch arg e t h e ju ry o n t h e es s en t i al el em en t s o f

1 Aft er t he p art i es fi led b ri efs i n t h i s cas e, Ro g er Cat es d i ed

, an d Ri ch ard Cat es

was s ub s t i t u t ed as t h e ap p el l an t

.an u n

j u s t en ri ch m en t cl ai m as ap p li cab l e t o t h e fact s o f t he cas e. Fo r t h e reas o n s s et

fo rt h i nfra, we affi rm

.

Vi ewed i n t h e l i gh t m o s t fav o rab l e t o t he ju ry ’ s v erd i ct

, 2 t h e ev i d en ce at t ri al

s h o wed t h e fo l l o wi n g

. Cat es an d Bro wn l i v ed t og et h er as an un m arri ed co u p l e fro m

1 9 9 9 t o 2 0 1 4

. In 1 9 9 9

, t h e p art i es m o ved i n t o a h o m e o wn ed by Cat es (“ 6 0 6 5

Bran d o n Hi l l Lan e”). A co u p l e o f y ears l at er, t h e p art i es b o u g ht an d co -o wn ed a

s u cces s fu l res t au ran t

. In co m e fro m t h e b u s i nes s p ai d fo r t h e co u p l e’ s l i v in g ex p en s es ,

i n c l u d in g n ew v eh i cl es an d t h e 6 0 6 5 Bran do n Hi l l Lan e h o u s e p ay m en t s

. Bro wn

co n tri b u t ed fu n d s fo r i m p ro v em en ts an d u p g rad es fo r 6 0 6 5 Bran d o n Hi l l Lan e,

i n cl u d i n g a n ew d eck

, n ew p o o l l i n er, a ro ck p at i o , an d in t eri or rem o d el i n g

. In 2 0 1 1,

t h e p art i es b o u g h t th e n ei g h b o ri n g ho u s e (“ 6 0 5 5 B ran d o n Hi l l Lan e”) as an

i n v es t m en t p ro p ert y

. Bro wn co nt ri bu t ed t o t h e d o w n p ay m en t of t h e h o u s e u n d er t h e

b el i ef t h at Cat es wo u l d ad d h er t o t h e h o u se’ s t i t l e, b u t he d i d no t d o so

. Bro wn al s o

m ad e co n t ri b ut i o n s t o i m p ro v e t h e 6 0 5 5 Bran do n Hi l l Lan e p ro p ert y

.

Th e p art i es s ep arat ed i n 2 0 1 4

. Bro wn s ub s eq u en t l y fi l ed s u i t s eek i n g, am o n g

o t h er t h i n g s , h er percen t ag e o f o wn ers h i p i n t he p art i es ’ as s e t s a n d b u s i n es s

. Th e

co u rt al l o wed Bro wn ’ s cl ai m s f o r unj ust en ri ch m en t an d eq u i t ab l e d iv i s i o n t o p ro ceed

2 See Jo n es v. Beb ee , 3 5 3 Ga. Ap p . 6 8 9 , 6 8 9 & n

. 2 (8 3 9 SE2 d 1 8 9 ) (2 0 2 0 ).

2t o tri al

. Th e ju ry fo u n d g en eral l y i n fav o r o f Bro wn , award i ng h er $ 22 0

, 0 0 0 an d m o s t

o f th e res t au ran t ’ s as s et s

. Th e co u rt en t ered a ju d g m en t o n t h e j u ry ’ s v erd i ct

, an d t h i s

ap p eal fo l l o w ed

.

We r e v i ew a t ri al co urt ’ s d eci s i o n o n wh et her t o s u p p lem en t t h e reco rd fo r a

m an i fes t ab u s e o f d i s cret i o n

. 3 “ W e rev i ew a t ri al co u rt ’ s ju ry in s t ru ct i o n s as a wh o l e,

d e no v o , fo r l eg al erro r.” 4 W i t h t h es e g ui d in g p ri n ci p l es i n m i n d

, w e n o w t u rn to

Ad m i n i s t rat o r’ s s p eci fi c cl ai m s o f erro r.

1

. Ad m i n i s trat or arg ues t h at t h e t ri al co u rt ab u s ed i t s d is cret i o n i n fai l i n g to

s u p p lem en t t he reco rd wi th Cat es ’ s req u es t ed ju ry ch arg es

.

At t ri al

, bo t h p art i es s u b m i t t ed wri tt en p ro p o sed ju ry i n st ru ct io n s , b u t n ei t h er

p art y fi l ed t h os e p ro po s ed j u ry i n s t ru ct i o n s w it h t he co urt

. Th e p a r t i e s a r g u ed each

d i s p u t ed p ro p o s ed ch arg e b efo re t he t ri al co u rt

, an d t h at d i s c u s s i o n ap p ears o n t h e

t r a n s cri p t

. Aft er fi l in g a no t i ce o f ap p eal

, Cat es fi l ed a m ot io n t o s u p p l em en t t h e

reco rd wi t h h i s pro p o sed ju ry ch arg es

. Th e t ri al co u rt d en i ed t h e m o t i o n , fi n d i n g t h at

“ co u n s el fo r b o t h p art i es han d led t h e s u b m i s s i o n o f t h ei r p ro p o s ed ch arg es

3 See Mi ch el

v. Mi ch el

, 2 8 6 Ga. 8 9 2 , 8 95 (2 ) (6 9 2 SE2 d 3 81 ) (2 0 1 0 ).

4 Tr o u p Co un t y v. Ma ko D ev. , 3 5 2 G a. Ap p. 36 6

, 3 6 9 (2 ) (8 3 5 SE2 d 4 4 ) (2 0 1 9 ) (ci t at i o n an d p u nct u at io n o m i t ted ).

3i n fo rm al l y , an d at n o p o i n t req ues t ed t h at t h ei r p ro p os ed ch arg es b e fi l ed an d m ad e

a p art o f t h e reco rd .” Th e co u rt fo u n d “ t h at t h ere [was ] n o m i s s t at em en t t o cl ear u p

o r i n ad v ert en t ly

o m i tt ed ev i d en ce t o t ran sm i t t o t h e ap p el l at e co u rt [.] ”

OCGA § 5 -6 -4 1 (f) p ro v i d es , i n p ert i n en t p art :

W h ere an y p art y co nt en d s t h at t h e t ran s cri p t o r reco rd d o es n o t tru l y o r

fu l l y d is cl os e wh at t ran s pi red i n t h e t ri al co urt an d t he p art i es are u n ab l e

t o a g r e e t hereo n , t h e t ri al co u rt s h al l s et th e m at t er d o wn fo r a h eari n g

wi t h n o t i ce t o b ot h p art i es an d res o l v e t h e di fferen ce s o as t o m ak e th e

reco rd co n fo rm t o t h e t ru t h

. If an y t h i n g m at er i a l t o ei t her part y i s

o m i t t ed fro m t h e reco rd on ap p eal o r i s m is s t at ed t h erei n , t h e p art i es b y

s t i p u l a t i o n , o r th e t ri al co u rt

, ei t h er b efo re o r aft er t h e reco rd i s

t ran s m i t t ed t o t h e ap p el l at e co u rt , o n a p ro p er s u g g es t i on o r o f i t s o wn

i n i t i at i v e , m a y d i rect t h at t h e om i s s i o n o r m i ss t at em en t s h al l be

co rrect ed an d

, i f n eces s ary , t h at a s up p l em en t al reco rd s h al l b e cert i fi ed

an d t ran s m i t t ed b y

t h e cl erk o f t h e t ri al co u rt

.

“ [T] h e d i s cret i o n g ran ted t h e t ri al co u rt b y OCGA § 5 -6 -4 1 (f) v es t s i t wi t h a

n eces s ary co nt ro l o ver t h e d es i g n at i o n an d t ran s m i t t al o f b o t h reco rd an d tran s cri p t

. ” 5

In th i s cas e, Cat es fai l ed to fi l e hi s p ro p o s ed ju ry ch arg es , an d t h e d i s cu s s i o n o f t h es e

ju ry ch arg es ap p ears i n th e t ri a l t ran s cri p t

. Gi v en t h es e fact s , t he t ri al co urt d i d n ot

5 Mi ch el

, 2 86 Ga. at 8 9 5 (2 ) (ci t at i o n an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed ).

4m an i fes t l y ab u s e i t s d i s cret i o n i n d en y i n g Cat es ’ s m ot i o n t o s u p p l em en t th e reco rd

. 6

“ [T] h e t ri al t ran s cri p t i s s u ffi ci en t l y c o m p let e t o affo rd a fu l l an d fai r rev i ew o f

[Cat es ’ s] arg um en t s .” 7

2

. Ad m i n i s trat or arg u es t h a t Bro wn ’ s u n ju s t en ri ch m en t cl ai m s were b arred

b ecau s e t h ey

aro s e o u t o f a m eret ri ci ou s rel at i on s hi p wi t h Cat es

.

OCGA § 13 -8 -1 p ro v i d es t h at “ [a] co n t ract t o d o an i m m o r al o r i l l eg al t h i n g

i s v oi d .” In 1 9 77

, t h e Geo rg i a Su p rem e Co u rt h el d in Reh a k v. M a t h i s 8 t h at cl ai m s

p rem i s ed o n t h e p art i es ’ m eret ri ci o u s rel at i o ns h i p

— t h at i s , u n m arri ed co hab i t at i o n

— co n s t i t u t ed an im

m o ral co n s i d erat i o n

. At t he ti m e, i t was a m i s d em ean o r o ffen s e,

co n st i t u t in g t h e cri m e o f fo rn icat i o n , fo r an u nm arri ed p e r s o n t o v o l u n t ari l y h av e

s ex u al i n t erco urs e wi t h an o th er p ers o n

. 9

In 2 00 3

, th e Geo r g i a Su p rem e Co u rt h el d th at t h e fo rn i cat i o n s t at u t e was

u n co ns t it u t i o n al t o t h e ex t en t t h at i t cri m i nal i zed “ t h e p ri v at e, no n -co m m erci al

,

6 See i d

.

7 Ca r r v. S t a t e , 2 6 7 Ga. 5 4 7 , 5 5 1 (2 ) (4 8 0 SE2 d 5 8 3 ) (1 9 9 7 ).

8 2 3 9 Ga. 5 4 1, 5 43 (2 3 8 SE2 d 8 1 ) (1 97 7 ).

9 See OCGA § 16 -6 -1 8 ; s ee al s o Ab r ams v. M a s s el l

, 2 6 2 Ga. Ap p

. 7 6 1

, 7 6 7 (5 ) (5 8 6 SE2 d 4 35 ) (2 0 0 3 ) (n ot i n g t h at fo rn i cat i o n was i l l eg al at t h e t im e o f t he Su p rem e Co u rt ’ s d eci si o n i n Reh a k ).

5co n sen s ual s ex ual act s o f t wo p ers o n s leg al l y cap ab l e of co n s en t [.] ” 1 0 Th e Co u rt

s t at ed t hat t h e s t at u t e v i o l at ed t h e ri g h t t o p ri vacy , “ a val u e s o es s en t i al to i n d i v i d u al

l i bert y i n o u r s o ci et y t h at i t s in fri n g em en t m eri t s carefu l s cru ti n y by t h e co urt s [,] ” an d

wh i ch i n cl u d ed “ t h e ri gh t t o d efi n e o n e’ s ci rcl e o f i n t i m acy .” 1 1

Si n ce 2 0 03

, t h e G eo rg ia Su p rem e Co u rt h as n o t ru l ed o n wh et h er Reh a k

rem ai n s b i n d i n g p reced en t

. Al t h o u gh th e Su prem e Co u rt ’ s s t at em en t s i n h o l di n g t h at

t h e fo rn i cat i o n s t at u t e was u nco n s titutiona l br ing R e hak ’ s c ontinu ed ap p l i cab i l i t y i n to

d o u b t

, t h i s Co u rt h as hel d t h at Reh a k i s s t i l l b i n di n g p reced en t

, ab s en t ad d i t i o n al

g u i d an ce fro m

t h e Geo rg i a Su p rem e Co u rt

. 1 2

Ev en s o , we h av e n o t ap p l i ed OCGA § 13 -8 -1 “ wh ere t h e o b ject o f t h e co n t ract

i s n o t i l l eg al o r ag ai n s t p u b l i c p o l i cy , b u t wh ere t h e i l l eg al i t y o r i m m o ral i t y i s o n l y

co l l at eral o r rem o tel y co n n ect ed t o th e co n t ract. ” 1 3 I n t h i s cas e, Bro wn ’ s co n t ri b u t i on s

t o t h e res t au ran t an d t wo h ou ses were n o t p rem i s e d o n s ex u al i n v ol vem en t wi th

1 0 See In r e J.M.

, 2 7 6 Ga. 8 8 , 9 0 -9 1 (3 ) (5 7 5 SE2 d 4 4 1 ) (2 0 0 3 ).

1 1 Id . at 88 -8 9 (1 ) (p u n ct uat i o n an d fo o t no t e o m i tt ed ).

1 2 See Ab r a ms , 2 62 Ga. Ap p

. at 7 6 7 (5 ) (5 8 6 SE2 d 4 3 5) (2 0 03 ); see al s o Kel l ey v. Co o p er , 3 2 5 Ga. Ap p . 1 45

, 1 4 7 (1 ) (7 5 1 SE2 d 8 8 9 ) (2 0 1 3) (ci t i n g A b r a ms ).

1 3 Kel l ey , 3 2 5 Ga. Ap p . at 1 4 7 (1 ) (ci tat i o n s an d p u nct u at i o n o m i t t ed ).

6Cat es

. “ A t m o s t

, t h e ex i s t en ce o f an y ro m an t ic o r sex u al i n vo l vem en t b et ween t h e

p art i es was , as a m at t er o f l aw, i n ci d en t al t o [Bro wn ’ s co n t ri b u t io n s] rat h er t h a n

req u i red b y i t .” 1 4 Acco rd i n g l y , t h e p art i es ’ u n m arri ed co hab i t at i o n d i d n o t b ar

Bro w n ’ s u n

ju s t en ri ch m en t cl ai m s

. 1 5

3

. Ad m i n is t rat o r arg ues th at t h e t ri al co u rt erred in fai l i n g t o ch arg e t h e ju ry o n

t h e l eg al effect o f t h e p art i es ’ m eret ri ci ou s rel at i o n s hi p

.

As ex p l ai n ed ab o v e, t h e p art i es ’ u n m arri ed co h ab it at i o n d i d n o t b ar Bro wn ’ s

u n ju s t en ri ch m en t cl ai m

. A cco rd i n g l y , t h e t ri al co u rt d id n o t err b y n o t ch arg i n g t h e

ju ry o n t h e l eg al effect o f t h e p art i es ’ m eret ri ci o us rel at i o n s h i p

. 1 6

4

. Ad m i n is t rat o r arg u es t h at t h e t ri al co urt erred i n fai li n g t o ch arg e t h e ju ry o n

t h e es s en t i al el em en t s of an u nju s t en ri ch m en t cl ai m as ap p l i cab l e t o t h e fact s o f t h e

cas e. Sp eci fi cal l y , h e co n t en d s t h at t h e t ri al co u rt s ho u l d h av e i n cl u d ed t h e fo l l o wi n g

1 4 Ab r a ms , 26 2 Ga. Ap p. at 7 6 7 (5 ) (ci t at i on an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t ted ); s ee al s o Bo o t v. Beel en , 2 2 4 Ga. Ap p . 3 8 4 , 3 8 6 (1 ) (4 8 0 SE2 d 2 6 7 ) (1 9 9 7 ).

1 5 See A b r a m s , 2 6 2 G a. Ap p

. at 7 6 7 (5 ) (h o l di n g t h at t h e t ri al co u rt erred in

d et erm i n i n g a ju ry i s s u e rem ai n ed as t o w het h er t h e co n t ract was u n en fo rceab l e u n d er OCGA § 1 3 -8 -1

, b ecau s e t h e co n t ract at is s u e d i d n o t d e s c r i b e t h e p art i es ’
rel at i o n s h i p as ro m an t i c o r s ex u al

, req u i re t h at th ey s hare a b ed ro o m , o r req u i re t h at

t h ey l iv e t o g et h er as h u s b an d an d wi fe).

1 6 See Ab ra ms , 2 6 2 Ga. Ap p . at 7 67 (5 ).

7t wo ju ry i n s t ru ct i o n s : “ [Y] o u m u s t fi n d fo r [Cat es ] wi t h res pect t o an y p ay m en t s o r

co n tri b u t i o n s m ad e by [Bro wn ] i f y o u f i n d t h a t [ Bro wn ] m ad e t hem as p art of a

g en eral u n d ers t an di n g wi th [Cat es ] t h at su ch p ay m en ts wo u ld b e m ad e to s u p p o rt

t h ei r l i fes t y l e t o g et her.” “ Fo r [Bro wn ’ s ] u n ju s t en ri ch m en t cl ai m t o s t an d

, y o u m u s t

fi nd th at t h e b en efi t s p ro v id ed t o [Cat es ] h ad to h av e b een p ro v i d ed b y th e [Bro wn ]

.

If i n s t ead y o u fi n d th at t h e b en efi t s p ro v id ed t o [Cat es ] res u l t ed fro m th e jo i nt effo rt s

o f [Bro wn ] an d [Cat es ] , t h en [Bro wn ’ s ] u n ju s t en ri ch m en t cl ai m

s h o ul d fal l .”

W i t h res p ect t o Bro wn ’ s u n ju s t en ri ch m en t cl ai m , t h e co u rt i n s t ru ct ed :

A cl ai m o f u nju st en ri ch m en t wi l l li e i f t h ere i s n o l eg al co n tract

an d t h e p art y s o u g ht t o be ch arg ed has been co n ferred a b en efi t b y th e

p art y co n t en d i ng an u n

ju s t en ri ch m en t w h i ch b en efi t ed

— wh i ch th e

b en efi t ed p art y eq u it ab l y o u g h t to ret u rn o r co m p en s at e fo r. Th e co n cep t

o f u n ju s t en ri ch m en t i n l aw i s p rem i s ed u p o n t h e p ri n ci p l e t h at a p art y

c a n n o t i n d u ce, accep t

, o r en co u rag e an ot h er t o fu rn is h o r ren d er

s o m et h i ng o f v al u e t o s u ch p art y an d av o i d pay m en t fo r th e v al ue

recei v ed

. Th u s , a cl ai m fo r u nju s t en ri ch m en t ex i s t s wh ere a pl ai n t i ff as s ert s

t h at t h e d efen d an t in du ced o r en co urag ed t h e p l ai n t i ff t o p ro v id e

s o m et h i ng o f v al u e t o t he d efen d an t, t hat t he p l ai n t i ff p ro vi d ed a b en efi t

t o t h e d efen d an t w i t h t h e ex p ect at i o n t h at t he d efen d an t wo u l d be

res p on s i b l e fo r t h e co s t t hereo f; an d t h at t h e d efen d an t k n ew o f a b en efi t

b ei n g b es t o wed up o n h im b y t h e p l ai n t iff, an d ei t h er affi rm at i v el y ch o s e

t o accep t t h e b en efi t o r fai l ed t o reject i t

.

8Fo r u n ju s t en ri ch m en t t o ap p l y , th e p art y co n ferri n g t h e l ab o r an d

t h i n gs o f v al u e m

u s t act wi t h t h e ex p ect at i o n t h at t he o t h er wi l l be

res p on s i b l e fo r t he co s t

.

“ In o rd er fo r a refu s al t o ch arg e t o b e erro r, t he req u es t m u s t b e en ti rel y co rrect

an d accu rat e; ad

ju s t ed t o t h e p l ead i n g s , l aw, an d ev i d en ce; an d n ot o t h erwi s e co v ered

i n t h e g en eral ch arg e.” 1 7 “ If t h e ch arg e as a w h o le s u b s t an t ial l y co v ered t h e i s s u es to

b e d eci d ed b y t h e ju ry , we wi ll no t d i s t u rb a v erd i ct s up p ort ed by t h e ev id en ce s i m p l y

b ecau s e t h e ch arg e co u ld h a v e b e e n cl earer o r m o re p reci s e.” 1 8 Th u s, “ wh ere a

req u es t ed ch arg e i s a co rrect an d accu rat e s t at em en t o f t h e l aw t ai lo red to t h e fact s ,

i t i s n ot n eces s ari l y erro r t o fai l t o ch arg e i t i f th e co u rt s u ffi ci en t l y o r su b s t an t i al l y

co v ered th e p ri n ci p les em b o di ed i n t h e req ues t ed ch arg e i n t h e g en eral ch arg e.” 1 9

In t h i s cas e, t h e t ri al co u rt ch arg ed t h e ju ry o n u nju st en ri ch m e n t b y q u o t i n g

t wo of t h i s Co u rt ’ s deci s i o n s

. 2 0 Th e t ri al co u rt ’ s ch arg e s u bs t an ti al l y co vered t h e

p ri n ci p l es em

b o di ed i n Cat es ’ s req u es t ed ch arg es

— t h e co urt ’ s ch arg e i n st ru ct ed t h e

1 7 Lee v. S wa i n , 2 9 1 Ga. 7 9 9

, 8 0 0 (2 ) (b ) (7 3 3 SE2 d 7 2 6 ) (2 0 1 2 ) (ci t at i o n an d

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

1 8 Id . at 80 0 (2 ) (a).

1 9 Id . at 80 1 (2 ) (c).

2 0 See S i t ter l i v. Cs a ch i

, 3 4 4 G a. Ap p

. 67 1

, 6 7 3 (2 ) (8 1 1 SE2 d 4 5 4 ) (2 0 1 8 );

Ca mp b el l v. Ai l i o n , 3 3 8 Ga. Ap p . 3 8 2 , 3 8 6-3 8 7 (2 ) (7 9 0 SE2 d 6 8 ) (2 0 1 6 ).

9ju ry t h at Bro wn h ad t o co n fer a b en e f i t, an d t hat Bro w n h ad t o act wi t h t h e

ex p ect at i o n t h at Cat es w o ul d b e res p o n si b l e fo r t he co s t

. In deed

, Ad m i ni s t rat o r ci t es

i n h is ap p el l at e b ri ef t h e t wo cas es t h e t ri al co u rt q u o t ed fro m as s u p p o rt fo r hi s

req u es t ed ch arg es

. Acco rd i n g l y , t h e t ri al co u rt d i d n o t err i n ch arg i n g t he ju ry o n t h e

es s en t i al el em en t s o f Bro wn ’ s u n ju s t en ri ch m en t cl ai m

. 2 1

Ju d g men t a f f i r m ed . Ma r

kl e a n d Co l vi n , JJ., co ncu r

.

2 1 See Lee , 2 9 1 Ga. at 8 0 0 -8 0 1 (2 ) (b ), (c).

10