In th e S u p re m e Co u rt o f Ge o rg ia

De c id e d: Ma y 1 1 , 2 0 15

S1 5 A0 3 6 2 . Mc HUGH F ULLER LAW GROUP , P LLC v

.

P RUITTHEALTH-TOCCOA, LLC.

S1 5 A0 6 4 1 . Mc HUGH F ULLER LAW GROUP , P LLC v

.

P RUITTHEALTH-TOCCOA, LLC.

HUNS T EIN, Ju stic e

.

In th e se a p p e a ls, Ap pe lla n t Mc Hu g h Fu lle r La w Gro u p

, P LLC (“ M c Hu g h

F u lle r” ) c h a lle ng e s b o th th e a wa rd o f a p e rm a n e n t in ju n c tio n to Ap p e l l e e

P ru ittHe a lth -To c c o a, LLC (“ P ru ittHe a lth ” ) a n d a su b se qu e n t tria l c o u rt o rd e r

e x c l u d i n g c e rta in filin gs fro m th e a p p e lla te re c o rd in th e orig in a l a p p e a l. We

c o n c lu d e th a t th e tria l c o u rt d id e rr

, bo th in g ra ntin g a p e rm a n e n t in ju n c tio n

fo llo win g o n ly a n in te rlo c u to ry h e a rin g a nd in its e x c lu sio n o f filin g s fro m th e

a p p e lla te re c o rd

. Ac c o rd in g ly

, w e v a c a te th e a w a rd o f th e pe rm a n e n t in ju n c tio n

,

re v e rse th e o rd e r d e sig n a tin g th e a pp e lla te re c o rd

, a n d re m a n d fo r fu rth e r

p ro c e e d in g s.

On Ap ril 1 7

, 2 0 1 4

, Mc Hu g h F u lle r, a Mississip pi-b a se d la w firm

, ra n a

fu ll-p a g e a d ve rtise m e n t in a N o rth e a st Ge o rg ia lo c a l n e wsp a p e r, Th e T

o c c o a

Re c o rd

, n o tin g th a t He rita g e He a lth c a re o f To c c o a

, a S te p h e ns C o u n ty n u rsin gh o m e o wn e d b y Pru ittHe a lth

, h a d b e e n c ite d b y th e g o ve rn m e n t fo r d e fic ie n c ie s

in th e c a re o f its re sid e n ts a n d in vitin g th o se su sp e c tin g a b u se o r n e g le c t o f a

lo v e d o ne a t th e fa c ility to c a ll th e la w firm

. O n th e fo llo win g d ay

, P ru ittHe a lth

file d a ve rifie d c o m

p la in t fo r te m

p o ra ry a n d p e rm a n e n t in

ju n c tiv e re lie f u n d e r

th e Ge o rg ia Un ifo rm De c e p tiv e Tra d e P ra c tic e s Ac t (UDTP A ), OCGA § 1 0 -1

-

3 7 3 (a ) 1

, a n d p e titio n ed e x p a rte fo r a te m p o ra ry re stra in in g o rd e r. Th a t sa m e

d a y

, th e S te p h e n s Co un ty S u p e rio r Co u rt e n te re d a te m p o ra ry re stra in in g o rd e r

e n jo in in g Mc Hu g h F u l le r fro m p u b lish in g

, in a n y n e wsp a p e r o r o th e r m e d ia

,

a d v e rtise m e nts re g a rd in g P ru ittHe a lth u tiliz in g th e la n g u a g e o f th e Ap ril 1 7 a d

.

Th e o rd e r a lso sc h e du le d a h e a rin g a fe w we e k s th e re a fte r t o “ d e te rm in e

wh e th e r in

ju n c tiv e re lie f sh o u ld c o n tin u e .”

At th e h e a rin g

, h e ld o n Ma y 1 3

, 2 0 1 4

, P ru ittHe a lth p re se n te d te stim o n y

th a t th e g o v e rn m e n t c ita tio n re fe re n c e d in th e a d a ro se fro m a 2 0 1 2 su rv e y

re p o rt; th a t th e c ite d d e fic ie n c ie s h a d b e e n re so lv e d im m ed i a t e l y ; a n d th a t a

m o re re c e n t su rv e y re p o rt h a d fo u n d n o su c h d e fic ie n c ie s. Th e fa c ility ’s

a d m in istra to r a lso te stifie d th a t th e a d h a d c a use d se v e re d a m a g e to th e fa c ility ’s

1 Un d er t hi s Co de sect i o n

, “ [a] p ers on l i k el y t o b e d am ag ed b y a d ecep t i v e t rad e

p r act i ce o f an o t h er m ay b e g ran t ed an i n j u n ct io n ag ai n st it u n d er th e p ri n ci p l e s o f

eq u it y an d o n t erm s t h at t h e co u rt co n s i d ers reas o n ab l e.”

2re p u ta tio n

, n o tin g th a t th e n u m b e r o f n e w a dm issio n s to th e nu rsin g h o m e h a d

b e en c u t a

p p ro x im a te ly in h a lf sin c e th e a d ra n

. F or its pa rt, M c Hu g h F u l l e r

p re se nte d te stim on y to su b sta n tia te a n d ju stify th e sp e c ific la n g u a g e u se d in th e

a d

. T h e firm a lso p re se n te d e xp e rt te stim o n y fro m a n Em o ry Un iv e rsity S c h o o l

o f La w e th ic s p ro fe sso r, wh o o p in e d th a t th e a d wa s n o t fa lse o r d e c e p tiv e

.

At th e c o nc lu sio n o f th e h e a rin g, th e tria l c o urt sta te d th a t it fo u n d th e a d

to b e d e c e p tiv e a n d th us in v io la tio n o f t h e U D T P A

. Th e c o u rt sta te d : “ I will

g ra n t th e re lie f a n d I d o fin d th a t th e fa c to rs re qu irin g in ju n c tiv e re lie f h a v e b e e n

m e t a n d sa tisfie d .” T h e c o u rt fu rth e r h e ld th a t “ a n y wh e re th is a d is p la c e d

,

wh e th e r it’d b e o n th e In te rn e t o r in th e

. . . lo c a l p a pe r, is i n v i o l a t i o n o f th e

[UDTP A] .” Afte r d ire c tin g P ru ittHe a lth ’s c o u n se l to d ra ft a n o rd e r e ffe c tu a tin g

its ru lin g

, th e c o u rt a sk e d wh e th e r th e p a rtie s h a d a ny o th e r m a tte rs to d isc u ss,

a n d c o u n se l fo r b o th pa rtie s re sp o n d e d in th e n e g a tiv e

, a fte r wh ic h th e h e a rin g

wa s a d jo u rn e d

. Th e re a fte r, th e tria l c o urt sig n e d a n o rd e r e n jo in in g M c Hu g h

F u lle r “ fro m p u b lish in g or c a u sin g th e o ffe n d in g a dv e rtise m e n t to b e p u b lish e d

in th e fu tu re ” a

n d re q u irin g th a t M c H u g h F u lle r with in 2 0 d a y s “ re m o v e o r

c a u se to b e re m o v e d a t its e xp e n se a ll e le c tro nic p ostin g s o f th e a d ve rtise m e n t.”

Mc Hu g h F u lle r th e re a fte r file d a ve rifie d a nswe r a nd a m o tio n to a m e n d

3a n d /o r fo r re c o n sid e ra tio n o f th e c o u rt’s o rd e r. In its m o tio n

, Mc Hu g h F u lle r

c o n te n d e d , in te r a lia , th a t th e o rd e r wa s e rro n e o u s to th e e x te n t it p u rp o rte d to

c o n stitu te a

fin a l o rd e r g ra n tin g p e rm a n e nt in ju n c tiv e re lie f, b e c a

u se Mc Hu g h

F u l l e r wa s n o t o n n o tic e a t th e tim e th a t th e c ou rt wa s c o n sid e rin g a n y t h i n g

o th e r th a n in t er l o c u t o ry re lie f. Th e tria l c o u rt, h o we ve r, ne v e r ru le d o n th e se

m o tio ns, a n d Mc Hu g h F u lle r th u s su b se q ue n tly file d a n o tic e o f a

p p e a l.

In its n o tic e o f a

p p e a l, Mc Hu g h Fu lle r re q u e st e d th a t th e c le rk “ o m it

n o th in g fro m th e re c ord .” P ru ittHe a lth th e n su b m itte d its o wn d e s i g n a t i o n o f

th e re c o rd

, in wh ic h it re q u e ste d th e c o u rt in c lu d e o n ly th o se ite m s su b m itte d to

th e c o u rt th ro u g h a n d i n c lu d in g Ju ne 2

, 2 0 1 4

, th e d a te th e in ju n c tio n wa s

e n te re d

, th e re b y e x c l u d i n g t h e v e rifie d a n swe r, m o tio n s, a n d su p p o rtin g e x h ib its

Mc Hu g h F u lle r h a d file d with th e tria l c o u rt a fte r th a t d a te

. F ollo win g a h e a rin g

p u rsu a n t to OCGA § 5 -6 -4 1 (f) 2

, th e tria l c o u rt h e ld th a t th e a p p e lla te re c o rd

wo u ld no t in c lu d e m a te ria ls su b m itte d a fte r Ju n e 2 b e c a u se su c h ite m s we re n o t

“ b e fo re th e Co u rt fo r c o n sid e ra tio n a t th e tim e o f th e tria l

. . . or su b m itte d p rio r

2 Un d er t h i s Co d e s ect i o n

, “ [w] h e r e a n y p art y co n t en ds th at t h e t ran s cri p t o r

reco rd d o es n o t t ru l y o r fu l l y d i scl o se wh at t ran s p i red i n t h e t ri al co u rt an d t h e p art i es

are u nab l e t o ag ree t h ereo n, t h e t ri al co u rt s h al l s et t h e m at t er do wn fo r a h eari n g wi th

n o t i ce t o b o t h p art i es an d res o l ve t h e d i fferen ce s o as t o m ak e t h e reco rd co n fo rm to

t h e t ru th .”

4to th e e n try o f th e fin a l Ord e r.” M c Hu g h F u lle r file d a se c on d n o tic e of a p p e a l

a s to th is ru lin g. Th is Co urt th e re a fte r c o n so lid a te d b o th a pp e a ls.

CAS E NO. S 1 5

A0 3 6 2

.

1

. Th e tria l c o u rt e rre d b y g ra n tin g p e r ma n e n t i n ju n c tiv e re lie f a t th e

c o n c lu sio n o f th e in te rlo c u to ry he a rin g with o u t g iv i n g Mc Hu g h Fu lle r c le a r

n o tic e a t th e tim e th a t it w a s d o in g so

. Un d e r th e C iv il P ra c tic e Ac t, o nc e a n e x

p a rte te m p o ra ry re stra in in g o rd e r h a s b e e n i s s u e d

, th e tria l c o u rt th e n m u st

sc h e du le a n in te rlo c u to ry h e a rin g “ a t th e e a rlie st p o ssib le tim e ,” OCGA § 9 -1 1

-

6 5 (b ), wh ic h is “ to b e fo llo we d b y a tria l o n th e m e rits.” S m ith v

. G u e st P o n d

,

In c

., 2 7 7 Ga

. 1 43

, 1 4 4 ( 1 ) (5 8 6 S E2 d 6 2 3 ) (2 0 0 3 ) (c itin g OCGA § 9-1 1 -6 5 ).

Ac c o rd in g ly

, “ [t] h e g e n e ra l ru le is th a t e n te rin g p e rm a n e n t r e l i e f a fte r a n

in te rlo c u to ry h e a rin g is im p ro p e r.” Ge o rg ia Kra ft C o

. v

. R h o d e s, 2 5 7 Ga

. 4 6 9

,

4 7 1 (1 ) (3 60 S E2 d 5 9 5 ) (1 9 8 7 ).

Un d e r c e rta in c irc u m sta n c e s, t h e C P A do e s p e rm it a tria l c ou rt, e ith e r

“ [b ] e fo re o r a fte r th e c o m m e n c e m e n t o f” th e in te rlo c u to ry h e a rin g

, to “ o rd e r th e

tria l o f th e a c tio n o n th e m e r its to b e a dv an c e d an d c o n so lid a te d with th e

[in te rlo c u to ry ] h e a

rin g .” OCGA § 9 -1 1 -6 5 (a ) (2 ); se e a lso Ge org ia Kra ft Co

.,

2 5 7 G a

. a t 4 7 1

. Ho we v e r, th e c o u rt’s a uth o rity to so c o n so lid a te is “ ‘te m p e re d

5b y th e d u e p ro c e ss p rin c ip le th a t fa ir no tic e a n d a n op p o rtu n ity to be h e a rd m u st

b e giv e n th e litig a n ts b e fo re th e d isp o sitio n of a c a se on th e m e rits.’” Re g e n c y

Clu b v

. S tu c k e y

, 2 5 3 Ga

. 5 8 3

, 5 8 6 (3 ) (3 2 4 SE2 d 1 66 ) (1 9 8 4 ). S e e

, e .g

., Wa n g

v

. Liu

, 2 9 2 G a

. 5 6 8 (2 ) (7 4 0 S E2 d 1 3 6 ) (2 0 1 3 ) (v a c a tin g a w a r d o f p e rm a n e n t

in ju n c tio n en t e re d a fte r in te rlo c u to ry he a rin g d u e to la c k o f n o tic e th a t

p e rm a n e n t re lie f wo u ld b e c o n sid e re d ); S m ith

, 2 7 7 G a

. a t 1 44 -1 4 5 (v a c a tin g

a wa rd o f p e rm a n e n t in

ju n c tio n e n te re d a fte r in itia l he a rin g d ue to la c k o f n o tic e

su c h re lie f wo u ld b e c o n sid e re d ); Mo sle y v

. HP S C, In c

., 2 67 Ga

. 3 5 1 (2 ) (4 7 7

S E2 d 8 3 7 ) (1 9 9 6 ) (v a c a tin g d e n ia l o f p e rm an e n t in ju n c tio n a t in te rlo c u to ry

h e a rin g wh e re n e ith e r p a rtie s n o r c o u rt m e n tio n e d c on so lid a tio n ).

He re

, wh ile Mc H u g h F u lle r c le a rly h a d n o t i c e o f t h e i n t e r lo c u to ry he a rin g

,

it h a d no n otic e th a t th e tria l c o u rt in te n d e d a t th a t h e a rin g to c o n sid e r th e m e rits

o f p e rm a n e n t in

ju n c tiv e re lie f. Th e c o u rt’s sc he d u lin g ord e r m a d e n o re fe re n c e

to a fin a l h e a

rin g on th e m e r i ts. S e e Sm ith

, 2 7 7 Ga

. a t 14 4-1 4 5 (wh e re

sc h e du lin g ord e r issu e d fo llo win g g ra nt o f T R O f a ile d to sp e c ify th a t h e a rin g

wo u ld a d d re ss m e rits o f pe rm a n e n t in ju n c tio n

, a

p p e lla n t d id n o t re c e iv e fa ir

n o tic e

, a n d e n tr y o f p e r ma n e n t in ju n c tio n wa s e rro n e o u s). In its b rie fin g a n d

a rg u m e n t to th e tria l c o u rt, Mc Hu gh F ulle r c ite d th e sta n d a rd fo r in te rlo c u to ry

6re lie f, in d ic a tin g its b e lie f th a t su c h re lie f wa s th e so le issu e un d e r c o n sid e ra tio n

.

Mo re o v e r, a t n o t i me d u r i n g th e Ma y 1 3 h e a rin g d id th e tria l c o u rt e x p re ssly

sta te th a t it in te n d e d to m a ke a fin a l ru lin g o n th e m e r i t s o f a p e rm a n e n t

in ju n c tio n ; ra th e r, it re fe rre d m e re ly t o “ i n j u n c tiv e re lie f” with ou t sp e c ify in g

wh e th e r it wa s in te n d e d a s te m p o ra ry or p e rm a n e n t. S e e Mo sle y

, 26 7 Ga

. a t 3 5 2

(fin a l ru lin g im

p ro p e r wh e re “n e ith e r th e pa rtie s no r th e tria l c o u rt a gre e d u p o n

,

o r e v e n m e n tio n e d

, c o n so lid a tio n ” ). In fu rth e r in d ic a tio n o f th e la c k o f d u e

n o tic e o f c o n so lid a tio n, Mc Hu g h F ulle r’s c o u n se l o b je c te d to P ru ittHe a lth ’s

p ro p o se d ord e r o n th e b a sis th a t it r e fe rre d to fin a l ra th e r th a n in te rlo c u to ry

re lie f, wh ic h

, Mc Hu g h F u l le r c o n te n d e d

, h a d n ot b e e n b e fo re th e c o u rt fo r

c o n sid e ra tio n a t th e Ma y 13 h e a rin g

.

P ru ittHe a lth n o n e th e le ss c o n te n d s th a t Mc Hu g h F u lle r a c qu ie sc e d in th e

e n try o f p e rm a n e n t in

ju n c tiv e re lie f b y fa ilin g to ob je c t wh e n th e tria l c o urt

p ro n o u n c e d its ru lin g a t th e c o n c lu sio n o f th e M a y 1 3 h e a rin g. We h a v e h e ld

th a t “ ‘wh e n th e re is n o tic e o f a n in te rlo c u to ry h e a rin g

, th e c o u rt m a y d e te rm in e

th e issu e s o n th e ir m e rits a f t e r t h e in te rlo c u to ry h e a rin g wh e re th e re is n o

o b je c tio n o r wh e re th e p a rtie s h a ve a c q u ie sc e d .’” Gwin n e tt C o u n ty v

. Va c c aro

,

2 5 9 Ga

. 6 1

, 6 2 (1 ) (3 76 S E2 d 6 8 0 ) (1 9 8 9 ); se e a lso Do rtc h v . Atla n taJo u rn a l,

72 6 1 Ga

. 3 5 0 (1 ) (4 0 5 S E2 d 4 3 ) (1 9 9 1 ) (n o e rro r in re n de rin g fin a l ru lin g o n th e

m e rits fo llo w in g in te rlo c uto ry h e a rin g wh e re tria l c ou rt e x p re ssly c o nfirm e d it

wa s d o in g so a

n d p a rtie s d id no t o b

je c t); Ge o rg ia Kra ft Co

., 2 57 Ga

. a t 4 7 1 (n o

e rro r in re n d e rin g fin a l ru lin g o n th e m e rit s fo llo win g in te rlo c u to ry h e a rin g

wh e re tria l c ou rt i n f

o r me d p a rtie s d u rin g th e h e a rin g th a t it m ig h t d o so );

Wilk e rso n v

. C h a tta ho oc h e e P a rk s, In c

., 2 4 4 Ga

. 4 7 2 (2 ) (2 6 0 S E 2 d 8 6 7 ) (1 9 7 9 )

(n o e rro r in re n de rin g fin a l ru lin g o n th e m e rits fo llo win g in te rlo c u to ry h e a rin g

wh e re a p p e lla n ts d id n o t o b

je c t th e re to ). Ho w e v e r, a p a rty c a n n o t e ffe c tiv e ly

a c q u ie sc e to a c o urse o f a c tio n

, o r b e h e ld a c c o u n ta ble fo r a fa ilu re to o b

je c t, if

it is u n a wa re th a t su c h a c o u rse is b e in g un de rta k e n

. S e e Du n a wa y v. Win d so r,

1 9 7 Ga

. 7 0 5

, 7 0 9 (3 0 S E2 d 6 2 7 ) (1 94 4 ) (“ [a ] c q u ie sc e n c e

. . . i mp l i e s a

k n o w le d g e of th ose th in g s w h ic h a re a c q u ie sc e d in ” ); Ca rte r v

. Wy a tt, 1 1 3 Ga

.

Ap p

. 2 3 5

, 2 4 0 (1 ) (1 4 8 S E2 d 7 4 ) (1 9 6 6 ) (“ ‘(o )n e c a n n o t a c q u ie sc e in so m e th in g

o f wh ic h h e h a s n o kn owle d g e ’” ). A c c ord in g ly

, in th e a b se n c e of a n y e x p re ss

o r o th e rwise un a m

b ig uo u s no tic e 3 th a t th e tria l c o u rt in te n d e d to c on sid e r

– o r

3 Su ch “ o t h erwi s e un am

b i g u o u s n o t i ce” m ig h t b e fo u n d

, fo r ex am p l e, wh ere t h e

t ri al co urt n o t i fi es t he p art i es at t h e o u t s et of t h e i n t erl o cu t o ry h eari n g of it s i n t en t to

res o l ve t he m eri ts o f an i s s u e o f l aw. See Reg en cy Cl u b

, 2 5 3 Ga. at 5 8 6 (affi rm i n g

t ri al co urt ’ s res o l u t i o n

, aft er in t erl o cu t o ry h eari n g

, o f co n st it u t i o n al i t y o f o rd i n an ce,

wh ere t ri al co u rt “ s t at ed s ev eral t i m es ” at t he h eari n g t hat i t i n t e n d e d to d o s o an d

8wa s p u rp o rtin g to g ra n t

– p e rm a n e n t in ju n c tiv e re lie f a t th e M a y 13 he a rin g

,

Mc Hu g h F u lle r’s fa ilu re to o b je c t a t th a t tim e d id n o t c o n stitu te a c q u ie sc e n c e

.

Th e tria l c ou rt th u s e rre d in g ra n tin g p e rm a n e n t in ju n c tiv e re lie f a t th is sta g e o f

th e p ro c e e d in g s. S e e Wa ng

, 2 9 2 G a

. a t 5 7 3 ; S m ith

, 2 7 7 Ga

. a t 1 4 4 -1 4 5 ;

Mo sle y , 2 6 7 Ga

. a t 3 5 2

.

CAS E NO. S 1 5

A0 6 4 1

.

2

. We a lso fin d e rro r in th e tria l c ou rt’s c o nc lu sio n th a t th e a p p e lla te

re c o rd in Mc H u g h F u lle r’s in itia l a p p e a l sh o uld n o t in c lu de a n y filin g s in th e

tria l c o u rt su b m itte d a fte r th e e n try o f th e p e rm a n e n t in ju n c tio n o n Ju n e 2

, 2 0 1 4

.

Ou r Ap p e lla te P ra c tic e Ac t re q u ire s t h e a p p e lla n t to sp e c ify in th e n o tic e o f

a p p e a l “ th o se p o rtio n s o f th e re c o rd to b e o m itte d fro m th e re c o rd on a p p e a l.”

OCGA § 5 -6 -3 7

. Th u s, it is th e a p p e ll a n t t h a t i s c ha rg e d with th e d u ty to

d e sig n a te th e a

p p e lla t e r e c o rd

. S e e Ch risto p h e r J. M c F a d d e n e t a l., Ga

.

Ap p e lla te P ra c tic e

, § 18 :2 (u p d a te d N o v

. 2 0 1 4 ). On c e su c h de sig n a tio n ha s

b e e n m a d e

, th e a

p p e lle e is p e rm itte d to d e sig n a te fo r in c lu sio n a n y m a te ria ls th e

a p p e lla n t ha s re q u e ste d b e o m itte d

. O CGA § 5 -6 -4 3 (a ). Wh e re th e re is a

p art i es were g i v en fu l l op p o rt u n i t y t o p res en t ev i d en ce at h eari n g an d b ri ef i s s u es

t h ereaft er).

9d isp u te o v e r th e c o n te n ts o f th e a p p e lla te re c o rd

, th e tria l c o u rt is re q u ire d to

h o ld a h e a rin g to re so lv e th e d isp u te “ so a s to m a k e th e re c o rd c o n fo rm to th e

tru th .” OCGA § 5 -6 -4 1 (f).

F ro m th e se p ro v isio n s, we d isc e rn n o su p p o rt fo r th e n o tio n o f o m ittin g

fro m th e a p p e lla te re c o rd a n y p o rtio n o f th e tria l c o u rt c le rk ’s re c o rd

, d e sig n a te d

f o r i n c l u sio n b y e ith e r th e a p p e lla n t o r th e a

p p e lle e

, th a t wa s file d in th e tria l

c o u rt a s o f th e tim e th e n o tic e o f a p p e a l w a s fi l e d

. T h e sta tu to ry sc h e m e

p re su m e s th a t a c o m

p le te re c o rd will be tra n sm itte d to th e a p p e lla te c o u rt u n le ss

th e a p p e lla n t sp e c ific a lly re q u e sts o th e rwise

. W h ile th is sc h e m e c o n te m p la te s

re q u e sts b y th e a

pp e lle e to in c lu d e p o rtio n s o f th e re c o rd th a t th e a p p e lla n t ha s

d e sig n a te d fo r e x c lu sio n

, it d o e s n o t a u th o riz e th e a

p p e lle e to re q u e st e x c lu sio n

o f ite m s th e a

pp e lla n t d e sire s to in c lu d e

.

Th is c o n c lu sio n c o m

p orts with th e tria l c o u rt’s d u ty to e n su re th a t th e

re c o rd “ c o n fo rm [s] to th e tru th .” Th e fu ll “ tru th ” o f wh a t tra n sp ire d in th e tria l

c o urt n e c e ssa rily will in c lu d e a ll th e filin g s th e re in p rio r to th e a p pe a l

. T h e

sta tu te re c o g n iz e s th is fa c t b y e x p re ssly a u th o r iz in g th e tria l c o u rt to c o rre c t

“ o m issio n [s] or m i s s t a

t e m e n t[s] ,” w h ile m a k in g n o p ro visio n fo r th e e lim in a tio n

o f a lle g e d ly e x tra n e o u s ite m s. OCGA § 5 -6 -4 1 (f). Co ntra ry to P ru ittHe a lth ’s

10c o n te n tio n

, th e fa c t th a t c e rta in filin g s m a y n o t be re le v an t to th e i s s u e s o n

a p p e a l

– fo r e x a m

p le

, a s h e re

, filin g s with n e w e v id e n c e n ot b e fo re th e t r i a l

c o u rt wh e n it m a d e th e ru lin g b e in g a p p e a le d

– d o e s n o t m e a n th a t su c h filin g s

d o n ot c o n stitu te p a rt of th e tria l re c o rd e lig ib le fo r in c lu sio n in t h e r e c o rd o n

a p p e a l. 4 I n d e e d

, u n d e r OCGA § 5 -6 -4 1 (h ), e ve n p a p e rs th a t h a ve b e e n

d isa llo we d b y t h e tria l c o u rt m a y b e file d in th e re c o rd with a n o ta tio n o f

d isa llo wa n c e a n d “sh a ll b e c o m e p a rt o f th e re c o rd fo r p u rp o se s o f c o n sid e ra tio n

o n a p p e a l” ; th e sta tu te th u s re c o g n iz e s th a t e ve n m a te ria ls n o t c o n sid e re d b y th e

tria l c o u rt m a y p ro p e rly c o m p rise p a rt o f th e a

p p e lla te re c o rd

.

F o r th e se re a so n s, we c o n c l u d e th a t th e tria l c o u rt e rre d in o rd e rin g th e

tria l c o u rt c le rk to o m it fro m th e a p p e lla te re c o rd a ll su b m issio n s file d a fte r Ju n e

2 , 2 01 4

.

Ju d g m e n t in Ca se No

. S 1 5 A0 3 6 2 v a c a te d

, a n d c a se re m a n de d

. Ju d g m e n t

in Ca se No . S 1 5 A0 6 4 1 re ve rse d . All th e Ju stic e s c o nc u r.

4 Th e d et erm i n at io n o f rel ev an cy fo r ap p eal p urp o s es i s

, i n an y ev en t

, b et t er l eft

t o t he ap p el l at e co u rt

.

11