SECOND DI VI SI ON

M I LLER, P. J.

, HODGES and PI PKI 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.

https ://w w w

. ga a ppe a ls .us /r ule s

D E A D LIN E S A R E N O LO N G E R TO LLE D IN T

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

.

Septem b er 1, 2021



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A2 1 A1 15 0

. KAW ANNA BROW N AS THE ADM INISTRATOR

OF THE ESTATE OF J ERONTA BROW N, D ECEASED et

al . v . QUIGGLEY et

al

.

H O D G E S , J u d g e.

In t h i s ap p eal

, we are as k ed t o rev i ew an o rd er fro m th e Su p eri o r C o u r t o f

Fu l t o n Co u n t y di s m i s s i n g an es t at es ’ s ap p eal d ue t o t h e es tat e’ s fai l u re t o fi l e a

t ran s cri p t i t req ues ted t o b e i n cl u d ed i n t h e a p p el l at e reco rd

. W e co n cl ud e t h at t h e

es t at e fai l ed t o reb u t t he pres u m p t i o n t hat a t wo -y ear d el ay i n fi l i n g t h e t ran s cri p t was

b o t h i n ex cu s ab l e an d u n reas o n ab l e o r refu t e ad eq u at el y t h at t h e d el ay was cau s ed by

t h e es t at e. Th erefo re, we affi rm

.

Un d er Geo rg ia l aw,

[w] e rev i ew a t ri al co u rt ’ s ru l i n g o n a m o t i o n t o d i s m i s s an ap peal

p u rs uan t t o [OCGA § 5 -6 -4 8 (c)] u n d er an ab u s e o f d is cret i o n s t an d ard

.

W h en m ak i n g fact u al d et erm i nat i o n s b as ed u p o n ev i d en ce p res en t ed ata h eari n g o n t h e q ues ti o n o f d i s m i s s al

, t h e t ri al co u rt is v es t ed w i t h

b ro ad d i s cret i o n t o d eci d e wh et h er t h e ap p e a l s h o u l d b e d i s m i s sed

.

Ab s en t an ab u s e o f su c h d i s c r e t i o n, t h e co u rt ’ s d eci s i o n wi l l n o t be

d i s t u rb ed o n ap p eal

.

(Ci t at i o n o m i t t ed .) W

eb b ’s E r ect i o n

, In c. v. Co l o n i a l Pa ci f i c Lea si n g Co r

p

. , 3 4 5 Ga.

Ap p

. 2 0 2 (1 ) (8 12 SE2 d 6 02 ) (2 0 1 8 ). So v i ewed

, t h e reco rd rev eal s t h at t h e es t at e o f

J ero n t a Bro wn (t h e “ Es t at e”) s u ed v ari o u s s t at e an d DeKal b Co u n ty offi ci al s

, as wel l

as en t it i es as s o ci at ed wi t h Di sm as In t ern at io n al

, In c. (co ll ect i v el y

, “ Defen d an t s ”), in

2 0 1 6 aft er Bro wn an d h i s g i rl fri en d

, Bri an n a Bro ok s

, were ab d uct ed fro m a res i d en ce

b y t wo m en

, ran s o m ed

, an d l at er fo u n d m urd ered

. 1 T h e t ri al co u rt g ran t e d t h e

Defen d an t s ’ m o t i o n s fo r s u m m ary ju d g m en t o n J u l y 1 0

, 2 0 18

, an d t he Es t at e fi l ed a

t i m el y n o t i ce o f ap peal on Ju l y 1 7

, 2 0 18

. Th e Es t at e’ s n o t i ce of ap p eal i n c l u d ed a

s t at em en t req u es t i n g th at “ [t ] h e cl erk wi l l pl eas e o m i t n o t h i n g fro m th e reco rd

.

Tr a ns cr ip t o

f evi d en ce a nd pr o ceed i n g

s fr o m t h e Mo t i on s a n d Ar g u men ts i n t h i s ca s e

1 Acco rd i ng t o t h e Es t at e’ s co m p l ai nt

, b o th o f t h e ab d uct o rs w e r e c o n v i ct ed

fel o n s

— o n e as s ai l an t was on st at e p aro l e at t h e t im e o f t h e cri m es

, wh i l e t h e s eco n d

as s ai lan t was o n fed eral p aro l e an d res i d ed at a “ h al fway h o u se.”

2wi l l b e f

i l ed f o r i n cl u s io n i n th e r eco r d o f a p p ea l .” Th e Es t at e al s o t i m el y p ai d t h e

t ri al co u rt cl erk ’ s co s t s fo r ap p eal o n Au g u st 8

, 2 0 1 8

. 2

M o re t h an t wo y ears lat er, wi t h n o t ran s cri p t h av i ng b een fi l ed

, t h e Defen d an t s

fi led m o t i o n s t o d is m i s s t h e Es t at e’ s ap p eal o n Decem b er 1 an d 2

, 2 0 2 0

. In i ts wri t t en

res p o n s e t o t h e m o t i o n s

, t h e Es t at e d i d n ot req u es t a h eari n g 3 b u t i n st ead rel i ed u p o n

t h e g en eral d u t y o f a co u rt rep o rt er “ t o fi l e t h e t ran s cri p t o f ev i d en ce an d p ro ceed i ng s

wi t h i n t h e t i m e al l o wed b y l aw o r o rd er o f co u rt

. . . . ” 4 OCGA § 5 -6 -4 8 (f). Th e t ri al

co u rt g ran t ed t h e Defen d an t s ’ m o t i o n s

, fi nd i n g t h at “ [t ] h e del ay o f m o re t h an t wo

2 Th e reco rd o n ap p eal d o es n ot i n cl u d e t h e Defen d an t s ’ m o t i o ns fo r s u m m ary

ju d g m e n t ; t h e Es tat e’ s res p o n s es

, i f an y ; t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s o rd er g ran t i n g t h e

Defen d an t s ’ m o ti on s ; o r t h e Es t at e’ s n o t i c e o f ap p eal

. Rat h er, t h es e st at em en t s are

i n cl u d ed i n t h e t ri al co urt ’ s o rd er d i s m i s si n g t h e Es t at e’ s ap p eal

. No n e o f t h e p art i es

h av e co n t es t ed t he accu racy o f t h e tri al co u rt ’ s s tat em en t s co n cern i n g th e p ro ced u ral

h i s t o ry o f t h e cas e an d , t h erefo re, we wi l l accep t t h es e s t at em en t s as accu rat e.

3 See Un i for

m S upe r i o r Co u rt Ru le 6 .3 (“ Un l es s o t h erwi s e o rd ered b y t h e co u rt

, al l m o ti o n s i n ci vi l act i o n s, i n cl u d i n g t ho s e fo r s um m ary ju dg m en t

, s h al l b e d eci d ed

b y t h e co u rt wi t ho u t o ral h eari n g

. . . .”).

4 In a fo o t n o t e i n i ts res p o n s e, t h e Es t at e cl a i m e d t h at i t l earn ed “ fro m t h e

cl erk ’ s o ffi ce t h at o ne o f t h e co u rt rep ort ers w h o tran s cri b e[d ] o n e o f t h e

m o ti o n /arg u m en t h eari n g s was n o w d eceas ed an d t h e cl erk was at tem pt i n g t o s ecu re

t h e d eceas ed rep o rt er’ s w o rk p ro d u ct .” H o wev er, co un s el ’ s s t at em en t s co n t ai n ed in

b ri efs are n o t en t i t l ed t o ev i d en ti ary effect

. See g en eral l y La t i mo r e v. Ci t y o f At l a n t a

, 2 8 9 Ga. Ap p

. 8 5, 8 7 (6 5 6 SE2 d 2 2 2 ) (2 0 0 8 ) (h ol d i n g t h at as s ert i o n s of fact i n t h e

b ri efs o f p art i es d o n o t, s t an d i n g al o n e, co n s t i t ut e co m p et en t ev i d en ce).

3y ears i s p res u m p t i v el y u n reas o n ab l e an d in ex cu s ab l e” an d t h at t h e Es t at e “ d i d n ot

s u b m i t ev i d en ce t o reb ut t h is p res u m p t i o n [; ] ” t h e t ri al co urt al s o at t ri b u t ed th e d el ay

t o t h e Es t at e becau s e “ t h e l a w p l aces t h e b u rd en o f fi l i n g th e t ran scri p t u p o n t h e

ap p el l an t an d t h ere i s n o ev i d en ce t h at [t h e Es t at e] m a d e a n y at t em p t s t o fi l e t h e

t ran s cri p t as p ro vi d ed b y law[.] ” Th i s ap p eal fo l lo wed

. 5

In t wo i n terrel a t e d en u m erat i o ns of erro r, t h e Es t at e co n t en d s t h e t ri al co u rt

erred i n fi n d i n g t h at t h e d el ay i n fi l in g t h e s u m m ary ju d g m en t t ran s cri p t was

u n reas o nab l e, in ex cu s ab l e, an d cau s ed b y t he Es t at e. Th i s arg u m en t i s wi t h o u t m eri t

.

Geo rg i a l aw p ro v id es t h at , i f an ap p el l an t d es i g n at es a t ran s cri p t o f ev i d en ce

a n d p r oceed in g s fo r i n cl u si o n i n t h e reco rd o n ap p eal p u rs u an t t o O CGA § 5 -6

- 3 7

,

“ t h e ap p el l an t s hal l cau s e t he t ran s cri p t t o be p rep ared a n d f i l e d as p ro vi d ed by

[OCGA § ] 5 -6 -4 1 ” an d “ sh al l cau s e i t t o b e fi l ed wi t h i n 3 0 d a ys aft er fi l i n g o f t h e

n o t i ce o f ap p eal

. . ., u n l es s t he t i m e i s ex ten d ed as p ro v i d ed i n [OCGA § ] 5 -6 -3 9.”

5 Th e Defen d an t s co n t en d t h at t h e p res en t ap peal i s u n t i m el y b ecau s e t h e Es t at e

d i d n o t fi l e a no t i c e o f a p p e a l fro m t h e t ri al co urt ’ s J an u ary 7

, 2 0 21 o rd er u n t i l

Feb ru ary 9

, 2 0 21

. See OCGA § 5 -6 -3 8 (a). Ho wev er, t h e t ri al co u rt en t ered an o rd er

o n Feb ru ary 1 2

, 2 0 21 cl o s i n g t h e cas e an d d i sm i s s i n g al l rem ai n i n g cl ai m s ag ai n s t

u n s erv ed d efen d an t s

, r e s u l t i n g i n a fi n al o rd er i n w h i ch “ t h e cas e [was ] n o l o n g er

p en di n g i n t he co u rt b el o w [.] ” OCGA § 5 -6 -3 4 (a) (1 ). Th er e f o re, b ecau s e t h e

Es t at e’ s n o t i ce o f ap p eal was fi l ed w i t h i n 3 0 d a y s o f t h i s fi n al o rd er, we h av e

ju ri s d i ct i o n

.

4OCGA § 5 -6

- 4 2

. A c c o r d i n g l y

, i t i s cl ear “ t h e du t y to o rd er t h e t ran s cri p t an d to

mo n i t o r t i mel y t he pr o gr es s o

f t h e c o u r t rep o r ter ’s o

f fi ce i n t r a ns cr i

p t p r ep a r a t i o n

i s ves ted u p o n t h e ap pro pri at e ap p eal i n g p art y ”

— i n t h i s cas e, t h e Es tat e. (Ci t at i o n

an d p un ct u at i o n o m i tt ed ; em p has i s s u p pl i ed .) As hl ey v. JP M o r g a n Ch a se Ba n k, N.

A. , 3 27 Ga. A p p

. 2 3 2

, 2 3 6 (1 ) (7 5 8 SE2 d 1 3 5) (2 0 1 4 ); s ee al s o In t h e In ter es t o f C.

W

. , 3 4 2 Ga. Ap p . 4 8 4 , 4 8 6 (2 ) (8 0 3 SE2 d 6 1 8 ) (2 0 1 7).

In t h e ev en t o f a d el ay

i n fi l i n g a t ran s cri pt

,

[n ] o ap p eal s h al l be d i s m i s s ed b y t h e ap p el l at e co u rt no r co n s i d erat i o n

o f an y erro r t h erei n refu sed b ecau se o f fai l u re o f an y part y t o cau se th e

t ran s cri p t o f ev id en ce an d p r o c e e d i n g s t o b e fi l ed wi t h in t he t i m e

al l o wed b y l aw o r o rd er of co u rt ; b u t t he tri al co u rt m ay

, aft er n ot i ce an d

o p p o rt un i t y fo r h eari n g ,[ 6 ] ord er t h at t h e ap p eal b e d i s m i s s ed wh ere

t h ere h as been an u nreas o n ab l e d el ay i n t h e fi li n g o f t h e t ran s cri p t an d

i t i s s h o wn t h at t h e d el ay was i n ex cu s ab l e an d was cau s ed b y s u ch p art y

.

OCGA § 5 -6 -4 8 (c). Un d er OCGA § 5 -6 -4 8 (c), a tri al co urt sh al l ex erci s e d i s cret i o n

i n d eci d i ng wh et h er t o d i s m is s an ap p eal o n l y aft er d et erm i n i n g “ t h e l e n g t h o f t h e

6 Th e “ o p p or t u n i t y fo r h eari n g ” req u i rem en t “ i s s at is fi ed i f t h e co m p l ai n i n g

p art y i s gi v e n a n o p po rt u n i t y t o res p o n d on t h e reco rd to t he m o t i o n t o d i s m i s s .”

As h ley

, 3 2 7 G a. A p p. at 2 3 8 (2 ) (affi rm i n g d i s m is s al o f ap p eal i n wh i ch co m p l ai n i n g

p art y fai l ed t o req u es t a h eari ng b u t “ was g i v en an o p po rt u ni t y t o fi l e her v ari ou s

b ri efs i n o p p o s i t i o n t o t h e m o t io n t o d i s m i s s ”).

5d el ay

, t h e reas o n s fo r th e d el ay

, w h e t her t h e ap p eal i n g p art y cau s ed t h e d el ay

, an d

wh et h er t h e d el ay w as i nex cu sab l e[.] ” (Ci t at i o n an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed .) W eb b ’s

Er ect i o n , 3 4 5 G a. Ap p

. at 2 0 3 (1 ).

“ [ T ] he thr e shold que stion w h et h er [a] d el ay was u n reas o n ab l e r e f e r s pr inc ipa lly

t o t h e l en g t h an d effect of t h e d el ay .” (Ci t at i o n

, p u n ct u at i o n

, an d em ph as i s o m i t t ed .)

Pi s t a cch i o v. Fr a s s o

, 3 1 4 Ga. Ap p. 1 1 9

, 1 2 1 (7 2 3 SE2 d 3 2 2) (2 0 1 2 ). “ Gen eral l y

, a

d el ay i s u n reas o n ab l e i f i t affect s an ap p eal

, ei t h er by d i rect ly p reju d i ci n g t h e p o s i t i o n

o f a p art y o r b y cau si n g t he ap p eal to b eco m e s t al e, fo r i n s t an ce b y d el ay i n g

d o ck et i n g an d h eari n g i n t h i s co u rt .” (Ci t at i o n an d p u nct u at i o n om i t t ed .) As h l ey

, 3 2 7

Ga. Ap p

. at 2 3 5 (1 ). “ A del ay of m o re t h an 3 0 d ay s i n fi l i n g a t ran s cri p t i s p ri m a faci e

u n reas o nab l e an d i n ex cu s ab l e, b u t t h i s p res u m pt i o n i s s u b

ject t o reb u t t al i f t h e p art y

co m es fo rward wi t h ev i den ce to s h o w t hat t h e d e l ay w as nei t h er u n reas o nab l e n o r

i n ex cu s ab l e.” Id

. ; s ee al so Pi s t a cch i o , 3 14 Ga. Ap p . at 1 21

.

Here, i n i t s J u l y 1 7

, 2 0 1 8 n o t i ce o f ap p eal

, t h e Es t at e in d i c a t e d t h at a

“ [t ] ra n s c r i p t o f ev i d en ce an d p ro ceed i n g s fro m t h e M o ti on s an d A rg u m en t s i n t h i s

cas e wi l l b e fi led fo r in cl u s i o n in t h e reco rd o f ap p eal

. ” Pu rs uan t t o OCGA § 5 -6 -4 2,

t h e Es t at e h ad 3 0 d ay s i n wh i ch t o fi l e t he t ran s cri p t o r s eek an ex t en s io n o f t i m e to

fi le t he tran s cri p t

. Yet i n th e m o re t h an t wo y ears t h at fo l l o w e d

, t h e E s t at e n ei t h er

6fi led a t ran s cri p t n o r s o u g h t a n e x t e n si o n

. See Pi s t a cch i o

, 3 1 4 Ga. Ap p

. at 1 2 3

(“ [T] h e fai l u re t o o b tai n t h e req u i red ex t en si o n o f t i m e i s o ne o f t h e fact o rs

co n si d ered i n wh et h er a del ay i n fi l i n g a t ran s cri p t i s u n reas o nab l e an d i n ex cu s ab l e.”)

(ci t at i o n o m i t t ed ). In fact

, t h e reco rd d o es n o t co n t ai n an y co rres p on d en ce o r o t h er

ev i d en ce d em o n s t rat i n g t h at t h e Es t at e ev er ev en co nt act ed t h e co u rt rep o rt er, o r an y

as s o ci at e o r rep res en t at i v e of t h e co u rt rep o rt er, t o l earn t he s t at us o f t h e t ran s cri p t

.

Th erefo re, we co n cl u d e t h at t hi s t wo -y ear u n ex p l ai n ed d el ay i n s ecu ri n g a tran s cri pt

i s p ri m a f a c i e u n r eas on ab l e an d i n ex cu s ab l e. See As h ley

, 3 2 7 Ga. Ap p

. at 2 3 5 -2 3 6

(1 ); s ee al s o Pi s t a cch i o , 3 1 4 Ga. Ap p

. at 1 2 1 , 1 2 2-1 2 3

.

Fu rt herm o re, t h e Es t at e h as n ot p res en t ed an y ev i den ce t o reb u t t h e

p res u m p t i o n t h at t h e del ay i s u n r e a s o n ab le an d i n ex cu s ab l e. Rat h er, th e Es t at e’ s

arg u m en t i s s i n g u l arl y b o t t o m ed o n OCGA § 5 -6 -4 8 (f), wh i ch p ro vi d es i n p art t h at

“ [a] n ap p eal s h al l n o t b e d i s m i s s ed n o r co n s i d erat i o n t h ereo f refu sed b ecau s e o f

fai l u re o f t he co u rt rep o rt er t o fi l e t h e t ran s cri p t o f ev i d en ce an d p ro ceed i n g s wi t h in

t h e t i m e al l o wed b y law o r o rd er of co u rt

. . . . ” H o we v e r

, co n t rary t o t h e Es t at e’ s

arg u m en t

, a part y res p o n si b le fo r fi l i n g a t ran s cri p t m ay no t s i m p l y ab d i cat e t h at

res p o n s i b i l i t y t o t h e co u rt rep o rt er. See Ja cks o n v. Beech Ai r cr a ft Co r p.

, 2 1 7 Ga.

Ap p . 4 9 8

, 5 0 1 (2 ) (4 5 8 SE2 d 37 7 ) (1 9 9 5 ) (“ t h e b u rd en t o k eep accu rat el y i n fo rm ed

7o f t h e s t at u s o f tran s cri p t p rep arat i o n rem ai n s wi th th e p art y h av i n g t he res p on s i b i l i t y

t o fi l e t h e t ra n s cri p t an d i t can no t b e s h i ft ed to th e co u rt rep o rt er”). In ad d it i o n

, t h e

Es t at e’ s arg u m en t n eces sa r i l y i g n o res t h e rem ai n d er o f OCGA § 5 -6 -4 8 (f), wh i ch

au t h o ri zes t h e di s m is s al o f an ap p eal i f “ i t affi rm at i v el y ap pears fro m t h e reco rd t h at

t h e fai lu re [t o fi l e a t ran scri p t ] was cau s ed b y t h e ap p el l an t .”

Fi n al l y

, “ [t ] h e d el ay h ere d i s cern ib ly d el ay ed do ck et i n g o f t h e reco rd i n t h e

ap p el l at e co u r t a n d p rev en t ed an ap p el l at e d eci s i o n on t h e m eri t s at t he earl ies t

p o s s i b l e dat e.” Pi s t a cch io

, 3 1 4 Ga. Ap p

. at 1 2 2. T h i s Co urt ’ s t erm s co m m en ce o n t h e

fi rs t M o n d ay s o f Decem b er, Ap ri l

, an d A u g u s t

. See Co u r t o f A p p eal s Ru l e 1 2.

Cu rren tl y as s i g n ed t o t h e Ap ri l 2 02 1 t erm o f co u rt

, t h e Es t at e’ s i ni t i al ap p eal co u ld

h av e co n cei vab l y

b een d o ck et ed d uri n g t h e Au gu s t 2 0 1 8 t erm o f co urt

. Th i s d el ay

,

fo r wh i ch t h e Es t at e b ears s o l e res p o n s ib i li t y

, b u t t res s es t h e tri al co urt ’ s co n cl u s i on s

t h at t h e d el ay

was u n reas o n ab l e, i n ex cu s ab l e, an d cau s ed b y t h e Es t at e.

In s u m

, i t i s cl ear th at t h e Es tat e req ues t ed t h at a t ran scri p t o f a s u m m ary

ju d g m en t h eari n g b e i n cl u d ed i n t h e reco rd o n ap p eal

. Th e Es t at e n ev er fi l ed s u ch a

t ran s cri p t

. M oreo v er, d u ri ng t h e m o re t h an two -y ear d el ay t h at fo l l o wed t h e Es t at e’ s

n o t i ce of ap p eal

, t h e reco rd co n cl u s i v el y d em o n s t rat es

— t h ro u g h t h e a b s e n ce o f

co rres p o n d en ce, p l ead in g s , o r ev i d en ce i n an y fo rm — t hat t h e Es t at e n ev er m o v ed

8fo r an ex t en s i o n o f t i m e o r u n d ert o o k an y effo rt t o co n tact t h e co urt rep o rt er o r

o t h erwi s e m o ni to r t h e p ro g res s i n p rep ari ng a t r a n s c ri p t. No t o n ly i s t h i s d el ay

p res u m ed un reas o n ab l e an d i n ex c u s a b l e, bu t t h e reco rd co n fi rm s t h at t h e s o l e

res p o n s i b i l i t y

fo r t h e d el ay

res ts wi t h t h e Es tat e. Acco rd i n g l y

, we co n cl ud e t h at t h e

t ri al co u rt d i d n o t ab u s e i t s d i s cret i o n i n fi n d i n g t h e fai l u re t o f i l e a t r a n s cri p t was

u n reas o nab l e, i n ex cu s ab l e, an d cau s ed b y th e Es tat e. See As h l ey

, 3 2 7 Ga. A p p

. at 2 3 7

(1 ); s ee al s o Pi s t a cch i o

, 3 1 4 G a. Ap p

. at 1 2 3. Th erefo re, we affi rm th e t ri al co urt ’ s

o rd er g ran t i n g t he Defen d an t s ’ m o t io n s t o d i s m i s s t he Es t at e’ s ap peal

.

Ju d g men t a f f i r m ed . Mi l l er

, P. J., a n d

Pi p ki n, J., co n cu r

.

9