FOURTH D I VI SI ON DOYLE, P. J.

, COOM ER and M A R KLE, 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.

http://w w w .ga a ppe a l s .us /r ule s

June 27, 2019



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 9 A0 51 0 . J E NKINS et al . v . KEOW N et al

. DO-0 1 9

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

Fo l l owi n g an au t om o b i l e co l l i s i on , Sarah J en ki n s an d h er ad u l t d au g h t er,

Reg in a J en k i n s, s u ed t h e ot h er d ri v er, Ky l e Keo wn , wh o al leg ed l y rear-en d ed t h ei r

v eh icl e, i n

ju ri n g t h e m

. A f

ter v o l u n t ari l y d is m i ss i n g t h at act i on , th e J en k i n s es fi l ed t h e

i n s t an t cas e as a ren ewal act i o n

. GEICO In d em n i ty Co m p an y , t h e al leg ed u n i n s u red

m o to r i s t carri er fo r Sarah

, fi l ed an an s wer an d l at er m o v ed fo r s u m m ary ju d g m en t

,

rai s in g t h e i s s ues of pers on al s erv i ce o n Keo wn an d t i m el i n es s u n d er th e s t at u te o f

l i m i tat i on

. Fo l l o wi n g a heari n g , t he t ri al co u rt g ran t ed t h e m o t i on an d d i s m i s s ed t h e

cas e. On ap peal

, t h e J en k i n s es arg u e t h at th e t ri al co u rt erred fo r t h e fo l l o wi n g

reas on s : (1 ) th e reco rd s h o ws t h at Keo w n wa s p r o p e r l y s erv ed ; (2 ) t he st at u t e o f

l i m i tat i on was t ol l ed u n d er OCGA § 9 -3 -9 9 b ecau s e K eo wn al l eg ed l y co m m i t t ed acri m i n al t raff i c v i o l at io n ; an d (3 ) on l y G EICO (n o t Keo wn ) m o v ed fo r s u m m ary

ju d g m en t

, s o d i s m i s s i n g t h e en ti re cas e was i m p ro p er. Fo r t h e reas on s th at fo l l o w, we

affi rm

.

Su m

m ary ju d g m en t i s pro p er wh en t h e r e i s n o g en u i ne i s s u e o f

m at eri al fact an d t h e m o van t i s en t i t l ed to ju dg m en t as a m at t er o f l aw.

A d e n o v o s t an d ard o f rev i ew ap pl i e s t o an ap p eal fro m a g ran t o f

s u m m ary ju d g m en t

, an d we v i ew t h e ev i d en ce , a n d al l reas o n ab l e

co n cl u s i o n s an d i n feren ces d rawn fro m i t

, i n t h e l i g h t m o s t fav o rab l e t o

t h e n o n m ov an t

. 1

W i th res p ect t o serv i ce o f pro ces s , “ [a] t ri al co u rt ’ s fi n d i n g o f i n s u ffi ci en t s erv i ce o f

p ro ces s wi l l b e u p hel d o n ap p eal ab s en t a s h o w i n g of an ab u se of d i s cret i o n

. Fact u al

d i s p u t es reg ard i n g s erv i ce are t o b e res o l v ed b y t h e t r i a l c o u rt

, an d th e t ri al co urt ’ s

fi nd i ng s wi l l b e u p h el d i f t here i s an y ev i d en ce t o s up p ort t h em .” 2

Th i s cas e i s a ren ewal a c t i o n f ro m a p ri o r co m

p l ai nt

. Th e J en ki n s es h av e

a l l eg ed t h at on Ap ri l 1 8

, 2 0 1 3, Reg i n a was d ri v in g wi t h h er m o t h er, Sar a h

, a s a

p as s en g er wh en Keo w n r e ar-en d ed t h em , cau si ng t h em b ot h i n ju ri es

. Al t h o u g h t h e

1 (Ci tat i o n om i tt ed .) Ma tj o u l i s v. In t eg o n Gen

. In s

. Co r p ., 2 2 6 Ga. Ap p

. 4 5 9 (1 ) (4 8 6 SE2 d 6 8 4 ) (1 9 9 7 ).

2 (Ci tat i o n s an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed .) W il li a m s v. W

en d l a n d

, 2 83 Ga. Ap p

. 1 0 9 (6 4 0 SE2 d 6 8 4 ) (2 0 0 6 ).

2p ri o r co m

p l ai n t d o es n ot ap pear i n t h e r e co rd

, t h e p art ies d o n ot d i s p u t e t h e t ri al

co u rt ’ s s t at em en t t h at t h e p ri o r act i o n was fi led on Ap ri l 17

, 20 1 5

, t wo d ay s b efo re

t h e ex p i rat i o n of t h e t wo -y ear s t a t u t e o f l i m i t at i o n fo r a t o rt cl ai m

. 3 Th e J en k i n s es

at t em p t ed to s erv e Keo wn i n t h at act i o n b y del i v eri n g t h e su m m o n s an d co m

p l ai n t to

h i s m o t her at 1 5 0 8 V i l lag e W ay i n J es u p , Geo rg i a, i n J u n e 2 01 6

. A ft er GEICO m o v ed

fo r s u m m ary ju dg m en t ch al l en g i n g s erv i ce, t h e J en k i n s es v o l u n tari l y d i s m i s s ed t h e

act i on

. 4

Th e Jen ki ns es fi led t h e ren ewal act i o n (t he i n s t an t cas e) o n M arch 9, 2 0 1 7

. 5 On

M arch 21

, 2 0 1 7

, an en try o f s erv i ce was fi led s h owi n g t h at t h e s h eri ff was

u n s u cces s fu l i n at t em

p t s t o s erv e Keo wn at 1 5 0 8 Vi l l ag e W ay , wi t h a no t at i o n t h at

Keo w n h ad m o v ed an d h ad “ u n k n o wn wh ereab o u t s .” On A p ri l 3

, 2 0 1 7

, t h e J en k i n s es

m o ved t o s erv e Keo w n b y p u b l i cat i o n

.

On Ap ri l 1 0

, 2 0 17

, GEICO fi l ed an an s wer den y i n g co v erag e o r l i ab i l i t y to

Reg in a as an i n s u red

. On Ap ri l 1 7

, 2 0 1 7

, an o rd er of s erv ice b y p u b l i cat i o n was

3 See OCGA § 9 -3 -3 3.

4 GEICO s u cces s fu l l y had m o v ed t o d i s m i s s t h e cas e d ue t o t h e p l ai n t i ffs ’ l ack

o f p art i ci p at i o n i n d i s co v ery , b u t t h at o rd er was l at er v acat ed

.

5 Th i s ap p aren t l y

was wi t h i n s i x m o n th s aft er t h e d i s m is sal

.

3en t ered

. On M ay 2 3

, 2 0 1 7

, an ot h er u n s u cces s fu l en t ry o f s erv i ce was fi l ed

, no t i n g t h at

Keo w n w as “ l i v in g i n St at es b o ro , GA, l as t k n o w n wh ereab o u t s p er s i s t er.”

On Sep t em

b er 2 0

, 2 0 1 7

, GEICO m o v ed fo r su m m ary ju d g m en t i n p art o n t h e

g ro u nd t h at t h e J en k in ses d i d n o t s u cces s fu l ly s erv e Keo wn i n t h e ori g i n al act i o n , s o

t h e ren ewal act i o n was b arred b y t h e s t at u t e o f l i m i t at i on

. Th erefo re, GEICO arg u ed

,

t h e J en k i n s es ’ “ cl ai m s ag ai n st G EICO are b arred b ecau s e th ey wi l l nev er b e ab l e to

g et a ju d g m en t ag ai n s t [Keo w n ] fi rs t

, as t h ey are req u i r ed b y l aw t o d o .” 6 GEICO

at t ach ed affi d av i t s fro m K eo wn , h i s m o t h er, an d h i s g i rl fri en d av erri n g t h at h e d i d n ot

res i de at t h e 1 5 08 V il lag e W ay ad dres s wh en h e p u rp o rt ed l y was serv ed wi t h t h e

o ri g i nal act i o n v i a h i s m o th er o n J un e 2 9 , 2 0 1 6 . Th ey av erred i n s tead t h at h e was a

res i d e n t o f St at es b oro , Geo rg i a, at th at t i m e. On Sep tem ber 2 7

, 2 01 7

, Keo wn was

p ers o n al l y

s erv ed at a St at es b o ro ad d res s

.

In O c t o b er 2 0 1 7

, t h e J en k i n s es res p o nd ed t o G E ICO’ s s u m m ary ju d g m en t

m o ti o n , g en eral ly reci t i n g th e s u m m ary ju d g m en t st an d ard an d u rg i n g t h at fact i s s u es

rem ai n ed fo r d et erm i nat i o n by a ju ry

. Th e s am e m o n t h

, Keo wn fi l ed an an s wer,

as s ert i n g a s t at u t e o f l im i tat i o n d efen s e

. T h e t ri al co u rt h el d o ral arg u m en t o n

6 See g en eral ly Du r r a h v. S ta t e F a r m Fi re & Ca s

. Co

. , 3 1 2 Ga. Ap p

. 4 9

, 5 0 (1 ) (7 1 7 SE2 d 5 5 4 ) (2 0 11 ) (“ Th e co u rt

. . . p ro p erl y d i s m is s ed t h e ren ewal act i o n ag ai n s t
St at e Farm b ecau s e n o ju d g m en t co u l d b e ob t ai n ed ag ai n s t t he u n i n s u red m o t o ri s t .”).

4GEICO’ s s u m m ary ju d g m en t m o t i o n i n Decem b er 2 0 17

, an d i n M ay 2 0 18

, en t ered

an o rd er g ran ti n g t h e m o t i o n an d d is m i s s i n g t he cas e o n t h e g ro u n d t h at t h e J en k i n s es

d i d no t perfect serv i ce ag ai n s t Keo wn in t h e o ri g in al act i o n , s o t h e ren ewal act i o n was

i n v al i d . Th e J en k i n s es n o w ap p eal

.

1

. Th e J en k i n s es arg u e t h at t h e t ri al co u rt erred b y ru l i n g t h at Keo w n h ad n ot

b een p ro p erl y s erv ed i n th e o ri g i n al act i o n wh en t h ey l eft a co p y o f t h e co m p l ai n t an d

s u m m o n s wi t h Keo w n ’ s m o th er at 1 5 0 8 Vi l l ag e W ay i n J es u p , Geo rg ia, i n J u n e 2 0 1 6.

W e b eg i n o ur an al y s i s wi t h t h e g en eral ru l e wi t h res p ect t o ren ewal act i o n s

.

Pu rs uan t t o OCGA § 9 -2 -6 1 (a), a p l ai n t i ff m ay reco m m en ce an act i o n

af t e r v o l u n t ari l y d i s m i s si n g i t b y fi l i n g a n ew co m p l ai nt “ w i th i n th e

o ri g in al ap p l i cab l e p eri o d o f l i m i t at i o ns o r w i t hi n s i x m o nt h s aft e r t h e

d i s co n ti n u an ce o r d i s m i s s al

, wh i ch ev er i s lat er.” Bu t t h e p ri v i l eg e o f

ren ewal u n d er t h i s s t at u t e ap p l i es o nl y to act i o n s t h at are v al i d p ri o r t o

d i s m i s s al

. To co n s t i t u te a v al i d act i o n, t h e co m p lai n t m us t b e s erv ed

p e r s o nal l y o n t h e d efen d an t

. Th e o ri g i n al s u i t is v o i d i f serv i c e w a s

n ev er p erfect ed

, s in ce t h e fi li n g o f a co m p l ai n t wi t h ou t p e r f

ect i n g

s erv ice d o es n o t co ns t it u t e a p en d i n g s u i t

. [If a d efen d an t ]

. . . was n o t

p ers on al l y serv ed i n t he [p ri o r] act i o n [, t h en ]

. . . t h e act i o n was v o i d an d

n o t s u b ject t o ren ewal [aft er t he s t at u t e o f l i m i t at io n h as ru n]

. 7

7 (Ci t at i on s an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t ted .) W i l li a ms v. Hu n t er , 2 9 1 Ga. Ap p

. 7 3 1,

7 3 2 (6 62 SE2 d 8 1 0 ) (2 0 0 8 ).

5Here, t h e t ri al co u rt ru led th at t h e J en k i n s es d i d no t perfect s erv i ce u p o n

Keo w n i n t h e p ri o r act i o n , an d t h e s t at u t e o f l i m i t at i o n h ad ru n , so t h e J en k i n s es co u ld

n o t ren ew t h e su i t i n t h e p r e s e n t act i o n

. Al t h o u gh t h e t ri al co urt g ran t ed s u m m ary

ju d g m en t t o GEICO, t he t ri al co u rt act s as t he fact fi nd er o n t h e i s s u e o f s u ffi ci en cy

o f s erv i ce, an d we wi l l n o t d i st u rb t he t ri al co u rt ’ s fi n d in g s on ap p eal i f t h ere i s an y

ev i d en ce t o s u p p o rt t h em

. 8 T h e J e n k i n s es p oi n t t o ev i d en ce t h at

, d uri n g t he p eri o d

fro m D ecem

b er 2 00 2 t o 2 0 1 6, Keo wn had reg i s t ered t o v o t e u s in g t h e ad d res s at

wh i c h t h e y h a d at t em

pt ed to s erv e h i m i n t h e o ri gi n al act i on

. Th ey al so p o i n t t o a

s t at em en t i n K e o w n ’ s p res en t an s wer (fi l ed i n Oct o b er 2 0 1 7) t h at h e ad m i t t ed in

p arag rap h on e o f th e ren ewal co m p l ai nt

, i .e., t h at h e “ i s s u b ject t o t h e ju ri s d i ct i o n o f

t h e C o u rt becau s e h e i s a res i den t of W ay n e Co u n t y , Geo rg i a.” 9 W e t ak e ju d i ci al

8 See Ki d d v. Fi r s t Co mmer ce Ba n k, 26 4 Ga. Ap p

. 53 6

, 53 7 (1 )(5 9 1 SE2 d

3 6 9 )(2 0 03 ).

9 Th e reco rd co n t a i n s w h at ap p ears t o b e an an s wer fro m Keo wn i n t h e p ri o r

act i on

. Th e an s wer co n t es t s s erv i ce, b u t i t d o es n o t co n tai n a s t am p i n di cat in g t h at i t

was act u al l y fi led

, n o r do es th e reco rd rev eal t he co n t en t o f t h e o ri gi n al co m p l ai n t h e i s al l eg ed t o h av e ad m i t t ed i n p art

. Bas ed o n o u r an al y s is ab o ve, t h e pres en ce o f t h e

p ri o r an s wer i n t h e reco rd , s u ch as i t i s , d o es n o t req u i re a d i fferen t res u l t

.

6n o t i ce o f t h e fact t h at J es u p i s i n W ay n e Co u n t y an d St at es b o ro (Keo wn ’ s pu rp o rt ed

res i den ce i n h i s affi d av i t ) i s i n Bu l l o ch Co u nt y

. 1 0

Nev ert h el es s , ev en cred i ti n g t h e fact t hat i n O ct o b er 2 0 1 7 Keo wn ad m i t t ed t h at

h e res i d ed i n W ay n e Co un t y , t h i s was n o t a d i rect co n t rad ict i on o f th e fact av erred in

h i s affi d av i t

— t hat h e d id n o t l i v e t h e r e a t th e t i m e o f t h e at t em p t ed J u n e 2 0 1 6

s erv i ce at 1 5 0 8 V il lag e W ay (i n W ay n e Co u n ty )

— ev en i f h i s a d m i s s i o n lo g i cal l y

s u p p ort ed an in feren ce t o t h e co n t rary

. 1 1 Fu rt h er, i n t h e Oct o b er 2 0 17 an swer, Keo wn

as s ert ed a s t at u t e o f l im i tat i o n d efen s e. Th u s , t h e reco rd i s m ix ed o n th e q u es t i o n o f

Keo w n ’ s re s i d e n ce i n J u n e 2 0 1 6

, an d t h e t ri al co u rt was en t i t l ed t o res o l v e t h e

q u es ti o n as t h e t ri er o f fact

. Becau s e t h e affi d av i ts s u b m i t ted b y Keo w n s u pp o rt t h e

fi nd i ng by t h e tri al co u rt t h at Keo wn d i d n o t l i v e at Vi ll ag e W ay wh en t h e J en k i n s es

1 0 See Gr ah a m v. S t at e , 2 7 5 Ga. 2 9 0, 2 9 2 -2 9 3 (2 ) (5 6 5 SE2 d 4 6 7 ) (2 0 0 2 ) (ex p l ai n i n g t hat a co urt is au t h o r i z e d t o ju d i ci al l y no t i ce t h e l o cal di v i s i o n s o f o u r

o wn s t at e, i n cl u d i ng t h e l o cat i o n o f a ci t y wi t h i n a co u nt y ).

1 1 See g en eral l y S ta te Fa r m Mu t

. A u t o mo bi l e In s

. Co

. v. F a br i z io

, 3 4 4 Ga. Ap p. 2 6 4

, 26 6 (8 09 SE 2 d 4 9 6 ) ( 2 01 8 ) (“ t es t i m o n y i s co n trad i ct o ry if o n e p art o f t h e

t e s t i m o n y as s ert s o r ex p res s es t he o p po s it e o f an o t h er p art o f t he t es t i m o n y” ) (p u n ct u at i o n o m i tt ed ), q uo ti n g Br a d l ey v. W i n n -Di xi e S t o res , 3 1 4 Ga. Ap p

. 5 5 6,

5 5 7 -5 5 8

, n .8 (7 2 4 SE2 d 85 5 ) (2 0 1 2 ), an d ci t i n g Pr o p h ecy Co rp

. v. R o s s i

g n o l

, 2 5 6 Ga.

2 7 (3 43 SE2 d 6 80 ) (1 9 8 6 ).

7s erv ed hi s m o t h er i n J u n e 2 0 1 6

, w e d efer t o t h at fi n di n g

. 1 2 Acco rd i n g l y , t h e reco rd

s u p p o rt s t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s ru l i n g t h at K eo wn was no t s erv ed i n t h e o ri g i n al act i o n

b efo re i t was d i s m i s s ed

, an d ev i d en ce t o t h e co n t rary i n t he reco rd p res en t s n o b as i s

fo r rev ers al

.

2

. Th e J e n k i n s es al s o arg u e t h at t h e s t at u t e o f l i m i t at i o n was t ol l ed u n d er

OCGA § 9 -3 -9 9 , wh i ch p ro v id es :

Th e ru n ni n g o f t h e p eri o d o f l i m i t at i o n s wi t h res p ect t o an y cau se o f

a c t i o n i n t o rt t h at m ay be b ro u g h t by t h e v ict i m o f an al l eg e d c r i m e

wh i ch ari s es o u t o f t h e fact s an d ci rcu m s t an ces rel at i n g t o th e

co m m i s s i o n o f s uch al l eg ed cri m e co m m it t ed i n t h i s s t at e sh al l b e t o l led

f r o m t h e d at e o f t h e co m

m i s s i o n o f t h e al l eg ed cri m e o r t h e act g i v i n g

ri se t o s u ch act i on i n t o rt u n t i l t h e p ro secu t i o n o f s u ch cri m e or act h as

b eco m e fi n al o r o t h erwi s e t erm i n at ed

, p ro v i d ed t hat s uch t i m e d o es n o t

ex ceed s ix y ears , ex cep t as o t h erwi s e p ro v i d ed i n Co d e Sect io n 9 -3 -3 3 .1

[ad d res s i n g ch il d h o o d s ex u al ab u s e]

.

A s t he p l ai n t i ffs

, i t i s t h e J en k i n s es bu rd en t o d em o ns t rat e t h at t h e s t at u t e o f

l i m i tat i on fo r t h ei r cl ai m is t o l l ed

. 1 3 Here, t h ey m ai n t ai n t h at t h e co n d u ct b y Keo wn

t h ey al l eg ed i n t h ei r co m

p l ai n t co u l d b e co n s id ered a v i o l at io n o f OCGA § 4 0 -6 -4 9

1 2 See W i l l i a m s , 2 8 3 Ga. Ap p . at 1 09 -1 1 0.

1 3 See Ha r r i s on v. McAf

ee , 3 3 8 Ga. A p p

. 3 93

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

8(a): “ Th e d ri v er o f a m o t o r v eh icl e s h al l n o t fo l l ow an o t h er v eh i cl e m o re cl o s el y t h an

i s reas on ab l e an d p ru d en t , h av i n g d u e reg ard fo r t h e s p eed o f s u ch v eh i cl es an d t h e

t raffi c u p o n an d t h e co n d i t i on o f t h e h i g h w ay .” Th e J e n k i n s e s ci t e Ha r r i s o n v.

McAf ee , 1 4 wh i ch ad d res s ed wh et h er t h e s t at u te o f l im i t at i o n fo r a to rt cl ai m ag a i n s t

a b ar an d res t au ran t w o ul d be to l l ed b as ed o n t h e cri m i n al co nd u ct of an u n k n o wn

g u n m an wh o s ho t t h e p l ai n t i ff wh i l e at t em p t i n g t o ro b t h e d efen d an t b ar. Th e

p l ai n t i ffs fi l ed t h e to rt cl ai m ap p ro x im at el y t wo m o nt h s aft er th e t wo -y ear s t at u t e o f

l i m i tat i on , b u t wi t h in t he st at ut e o f l i m it at i o n t ol l i n g p eri o d ap pl i cab l e to a p o t en t i al

cri m i n al p ro secu t io n bas ed o n t h e arm ed ro b b ery an d s h o o t i n g , wh i ch p o t en t i al l y was

t o l l ed as l o n g as t h e g un m an rem ai n ed u n k n own

. 1 5 Ov erru l i n g p ri or p reced en t

, t h e

Ha r ri s o n co u rt h el d t h at OCGA § 9

- 3- 99 “ ap pl i es reg ard l es s o f w het h er t h e d efen d an t

i n t h e cas e h as b een accu s ed of co m m i t t i ng t h e cri m e fro m wh i ch t h e cau s e o f act i o n

1 4 Id

.

1 5 See, e.g ., OCGA § § 1 7 -3 -2 (2 ) (t o l l i n g t h e st at ut e o f l i m i t at i o n fo r cri m i n al

p ro s ecu ti o n d u ri ng th e t i m e “ [t ] h e p ers o n co m m it t i n g t h e cri m e i s un k n own ”); 1 7 -3 -1 (b ) (s ev en y ear s t at u te o f l i m it at i o n fo r cert ai n cri m es p u n i sh ab l e b y d e at h o r l i fe

i m p ri s o n m en t ), (c) (fo u r-y ear s t at u t e o f l i m i t at i o n fo r cert ai n fel o n i es ).

9ari s es .” 1 6 Th erefo re, t h e J en k i ns es arg u e, t h e s t at u t e s h ou l d t o l l t h e t wo -y ear s t at u t e

o f l i m i t at i o n fo r t h e t o rt ev en t h o u gh Keo wn h as n o t b een accu s ed o f a cri m e.

Th e J en k i n s es ’ arg u m en t m i s ap p reh en d s t he rel ev an ce o f th e fact u al s cen ari o

h ere an d d o es n ot req u i re r e v e r s al

. T h e co l l i s i o n al l eg ed l y t o ok p l ace o n Ap ri l 1 8,

2 0 1 3

, s o t h e t w o -ye ar s t at u t e of l im i t at io n fo r t h e t o rt cl ai m ex t en ded to Ap ri l 1 8,

2 0 1 5

, 1 7 as d i d t h e t wo -y ear st at u t e o f l i m i t at i o n fo r t h e m i sd em ean o r t raffi c o ffen s e

i d en t i fi ed b y t h e J en k i n s e s

. 1 8 T h i s ex p i rat i o n dat e was two d ay s aft er t h ey fi l ed t h e

o ri g i nal act i o n, an d ap p ro x i m at el y t wo y ears b efo re t h e ren ewal act i o n

. Th ere i s

n o t h i n g i n t h e reco rd s ho wi n g t h at Keo wn was ev er i ss u ed a un i fo rm t raffi c ci t at i o n,

n o r h av e t h e J en k i n ses ad d u ced an y ev i d en ce t h at Keo wn o r an y o n e el s e was o r co u ld

b e p r o s e c u t ed b as ed o n t h e co l li s i o n

. A cco rd i n g l y , becau s e th e t i m e fo r an y

p ro s e c u t i o n h as co m e an d g o n e, an d b ecau s e th ere n ev er was an y p en d i n g

p ro s ecu ti o n n o r co u l d t h ere be i n t he fu t u re, t h e h o l d i n g i n Ha r ri s o n , wh i ch was

1 6 Harri s o n, 3 3 8 Ga. Ap p . at 4 0 2 (3 ).

1 7 See OCGA § 9-3 -3 3

.

1 8 See OCGA § 1 7 -3 -1 (e). See al so Bi s h o p v. S t a te

, 2 6 1 Ga. A p p

. 4 4 5, 4 4 5 (1 ) (5 8 2 SE2 d 5 71 ) (2 0 0 3 ) (n o t i n g t h e t wo -y ear s t at u t e o f l i m i t at i o n s fo r i ss u i n g a t raffi c ci t at i o n ).

10d eci d ed u n der a d i fferen t s cen ari o , d o es n o t req u i re t h at t h e to rt cl ai m i n t h i s cas e b e

t o l l ed u n d er OCGA § 9 -3 -9 9

.

3

. Las t

, t he J en k i n s es arg u e t h at t h e t ri al co u rt erred b y g ran t i ng GEICO’ s

m o ti o n fo r s u m

m ary j u d gm en t an d d i sm i s s i n g t he cas e d es p i t e t h e f a c t t h at Keo wn

d i d n o t m o v e fo r d i s m i s s al o r s u m m ary ju d g m en t

. 1 9 W e n ot e t h at GEICO arg u ed t h e

g ro u nd s s u p p o rt i ng t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s o rd er in it s m o t i on fo r s u m m a r y ju dg m en t

, s o

t h ere was n o s urp r i s e t o t h e J en k i n ses , an d t h ey t o o k t h e o p p o rt u n i t y t o o p p o s e t h e

m o ti o n i n b ri efi n g an d at o ral arg u m en t i n t h e t ri al co u rt

. G EICO’ s l i ab i l i t y i s

p red i cat ed i n p art on K e o w n ’s l i ab i l i t y , an d t h e t ri al co u rt co rrect l y h el d t h at t h e

J en k in s es co u l d n ot ren ew t h e s u i t ag ai ns t Keo w n in t h is act i o n

. 2 0 Th erefo re, i n l i g ht

o f o u r ru l i n g s ab o v e, t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s ru l i n g d i s m i s s i ng t h e cas e is s u p p o rt ed b y t h e

l aw o f t h e cas e, 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

. 2 1

Ju d g men t a f f i r m ed . Co o mer

a n d Ma r kl e, JJ., co ncu r

.

1 9 Co m p are D u rr a h

, 3 1 2 Ga. Ap p

. at 5 0 (n o t i n g t h at b ot h t h e defen d an t an d t h e

u n i n s u red m o t o ri s t carri er m o v ed t o d i s m i s s t h e ren ewal act i o n ).

2 0 Cf. Br o wn v. S t at e Fa rm Mu t

. Au t o m o b i le In s

. Co

. , 2 42 Ga. A p p

. 3 1 3

, 3 1 4

- 3 1 5 (2 ) (5 2 9 SE2 d 4 39 ) (2 0 0 0 ) (affi rm in g t h e tri al co u rt ’ s d i s m is s al o f a t o rt s u i t i n wh i ch t h e u n i n s u red m o t o ri s t carri er m o v ed t o d i s m i s s an d t he p l ai n t i ff d id n o t s erv e

t h e d efen d an t d ri v er).

2 1 See i d

.

11