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

De c id e d: S e p te m b e r 1 4 , 2 0 1 5

S 1 5 F 0 9 64

. HART v

. HART.

THOMP S O N, Ch ie f Ju stic e

.

Th i s c a s e in v o lv e s a n a

p p e a l fro m a tria l c o u rt’s fin a l d iv o rc e d e c re e

wh ic h in c o rp o ra te d t h e p artie s’ se ttle m e n t a gre e m e n t. In 2 0 13

, a p p e lla n t

Vic to ria Ha rt (“ wife ” ), file d a c o m p la in t se e k in g a d i v o rc e fro m h e r h u sb a n d

,

Le e Ha rt (“ hu sb a n d ” ). Th e p a rtie s’ p re -tr i al e f fo rts to se ttle

, in c lu d in g

m e d ia tio n

, we re u nsu c c e ssfu l a n d th e y p ro c e e d e d to tria l. Th e y c o n tin u e d to

n e g o tia te

, b o th with a n d w ith ou t th e a id of c o u n se l, u ntil th e m orn in g o f tria l b u t

b e g a n se le c tin g a

ju ry a fte r th e y we re u n a

b le to re so lv e th e ir d iffe re n c e s.

F o llo win g a m id -d a y re c e ss, th e p a rtie s in fo rm e d th e tria l c o u rt th a t th e y

h a d re a c h e d a

n a gre e m e n t. Th e tria l c o u r t sta te d its u n d e rsta n d in g th a t th e

p a rtie s h a d re a c h e d a n a g re e m e n t, dire c te d c o u n se l to p u t th e p a rtie s’ a g re e m e n t

o n th e re c o rd

, a n d in stru c te d c o u n se l a n d th e p a rtie s to liste n c a re fu lly a n d a sk

q u e stio n s if th e y h a d a n y

. Wife ’s c o u n se l th e n a n no u n c e d th e p a rtie s’se ttle m e n t a g re e m e nt o n th e re c o rd

, th e u n d i s p u te d te rm s of w h ic h in c lu d e d th a t:

(1 ) th e m a rita l sh a re o f h u sb a n d ’s m ilita ry re tire m e n t wo uld be sp lit e q u a lly

b e twe e n th e pa rtie s; (2 ) wife w o u ld re m a in th e n a m e d b e n e fic ia ry on h u sb a n d ’s

su rv iv o r b e n e fit p la n ; (3 ) wife wo u ld re c e iv e $ 5 ,0 0 0 f r o m h u sb a n d ’s Th rift

S a v in g s P la n ; (4 ) wife wo u ld re c e iv e a lim on y o f $ 1,3 7 5 p e r m on th fo r 2 4

m o n th s b e g in n in g o n a d a te c e rta in ; (5 ) p e rso n a l p ro p e rty

, in c lu din g fa m ily p e ts,

wo u ld b e div id e d in a c c o rd a n c e with a list p re p a re d by th e p a rtie s; (6 ) h u sb a n d

wo u ld a ssu m e re sp o n sib ility fo r a ll m a rita l d e bt; a n d (7 ) h usb a n d wo u ld re c e iv e

th e m a rita l h om e

. A lth o ug h th e a n n o u nc e d se ttle me n t m a d e n o m e n tio n o f

h u sb a n d ’s u nv e ste d c iv il se rv ic e re tire m e n t, 1 c o u n se l fo r bo th p a rtie s a ffirm e d

a t th e c o n c lu sio n o f th e h e a rin g th a t th e te rm s a nn ou n c e d o n th e re c o rd c o v e re d

“ e v e ry th in g .”

In th e fo llo win g w e e k s, c o u nse l wo rk e d to m e m o ria liz e th e se ttle m e n t in

a writte n d o c u m e n t to b e p re se n te d to t h e t r i a l c o u rt, re su ltin g in a fin a l d ra ft

c o n ta in in g n u m e ro u s re v isio n s re q u e ste d b y wife

, n o n e o f wh ic h are a t issu e in

th is a p p e a l. Ea c h ve rsio n o f th e a g re e m e n t jo in tly dra fte d b y c o u n se l in c lu d e d

1 Husband asserts a nd wif e does not dispute that his civil s ervice retirem ent has not

y et vested and the receipt of any f unds f rom t his account i n the f

uture is dependant upon his

continued em

p loy m ent f or the required num

ber of y ears.

2la n g ua g e sta tin g th a t th e a g re e m e n t c o n stitu te d a fin a l se ttle m e n t of a ll issu e s

a n d a p ro v isio n sta tin g th a t b y e n te rin g in to th e a g re e m e n t, th e p a rtie s wa iv e d

a n y c la im s o r rig h ts th e y m a y h a v e a g a in st th e o th e r a s to re tire m e n t a c c o u n ts

n o t m e n tio n e d in th e a g re e m e n t. Th e fin a l d ra ft wa s p re se nte d to th e p a rtie s fo r

th e ir sig n a tu re s, b u t wife re fu se d to sig n a n d su b se q ue n tly re ta in e d n e w c o u n se l.

Afte r a h e a

rin g

, th e tria l c o u rt g ra n te d h u sb a n d ’s m o t i o n t o e n fo rc e th e

p a r t i e s ’ se ttle m e n t a g re e m e n t a nd e n te re d a fin a l d e c re e in c o rp o ra tin g th e la st

re v isio n o f th e d ra ft a g r e e me n t. In d oin g so

, th e tria l c o u rt re je c te d wife ’s

a rg u m e n t th a t th e u n sig n e d d ra ft d id n o t a c c u ra te ly re fle c t th e a g re e m e n t

b e twe e n th e p a rtie s b e c a

u se sh e n e v e r c o n se n te d to wa iv e h e r rig h t t o a sse rt a

c l a i m a g a in st h u sb a nd ’s c iv il se rv ic e re tire m e n t. Wife su b se q ue n tly file d a n

a p p lic a tio n fo r disc re tio n a r y a p p e al in wh ic h sh e a lle g e d th a t th e tria l c o urt

im p ro p e rly a d d e d a su b sta n tiv e te rm to th e p a rtie s’ se ttle m e n t wh e n it in c lu d e d

th e c ha lle n g e d wa iv e r la n g u a g e in th e fin a l d e c re e

. 2 S e e De Ga rm o v

. De Ga rm o

,

2 The f inal decree provides in paragraph 6, entitled “Alim ony a nd Retirem ent,” that

“[ w]ith respect to alim o n y b etween the parties a n d r e t irem ent a ccounts, except f or what is

expressly set out herein, each of the parties waives and ren o unces any and all rights, or

claim s that they m ay have a gainst each other as to alim ony and retirem ent accounts, now and

in the f u tu r e

, e x cept in t he term s and conditions of this agreem e nt and f ull settlem ent

thereof .” Paragraph 8 of t he f

inal decree, entitled “Thrif t S avings Plan,” sim ilarly states that

“[ w]ith respect to retirem ent accounts, except f o r what is expressly set out h erein, each of the

32 6 9 G a

. 4 8 0 (4 99 S E2 d 3 1 7 ) (1 9 9 8 ); Re ic h ard v

. Re ic ha rd

, 26 2 Ga

. 5 6 1 (4 2 3

S E2 d 24 1 ) (1 99 2 ). Th is Co u rt g ra n te d wife ’s a p p lic a tio n p u rsu a n t to Ru le 3 4

(4 ) o f th e Ru le s o f th e S u pre m e Co urt o f Ge o rg ia

, a n d fo r t h e r e a so n s th a t

fo llo w, we a ffirm th e ju d g m e n t o f th e tria l c ou rt.

We n o te in itia lly t h at wife d o e s n o t disp u te th e tria l c ou rt’s fin din g th a t

th e p artie s re a c he d a n e nfo rc e a b le se ttle m e n t a g re e me n t

. S e e He rn d o n v

.

He rn d o n

, 2 2 7 Ga

. 7 8 1, 7 8 3 -7 8 4 (1 83 S E 2 d 3 8 6 ) (1 9 71 ) ("p a rtie s to a [d iv orc e

c a se ] m a y b y o ra l a g re e m e nt c o m p ro m ise a n d se ttle th e sa m e , wh ic h will b in d

th e m a lth o u g h no t re d u c e d to writin g

. [ C i t

. ]" ). Ra th e r, w ife ’s so le c o n te n tio n

o n a p p e a l is th a t th e tria l c ou rt e rre d by fin din g th a t sh e a g re e d a s p a rt o f t h e

se ttle m e n t to wa iv e he r r i g h t to c la im an in te re st in h u sb a nd ’s c iv il se rv ic e

re tire m e n t a n d in c o rp o ra tin g th e wa iv e r o f th a t rig h t in to th e fin a l d e c re e

. 3

Th u s, th e issu e b e fo re th e tria l c o u rt a n d n o w b e fo re th is Co u rt is wh a t wa s th e

in te nt o f th e p a rtie s with re g a rd to h u sb an d ’s c iv il se rv ic e re tire m e n t wh e n th e y

p arties waives and renounces any and all rights, or claim s that they m ay have a gainst eac h

other as to their respective retirem e nt accounts, now a nd in t he f u ture, except in the term s and

condition of

this agreem e nt and f

ull settlem ent thereof

. ”

3 Although wif

e suggests in one sentence o f h er brief t hat the trial court also m ay have

im p roperly added to the p arties’ settlem en t a provision w aiving the right to f uture

m odif ications of alim ony and retirem ent, she did not raise t his issue i n the trial c o urt and any

allegations of

error related to this issue are not properly bef ore us in this appeal.

4a n n o u n c e d th a t th e y h a d re a c h e d a se ttle m e n t c o v e rin g a ll issu e s in th e ir d iv orc e

a c tio n

.

We b e g in o u r a n a ly sis b y re c o g n iz in g th e m a x im th a t “ [s] e ttle m e n t

a g re e m e n ts in d iv o rc e c a se s a re c o n stru e d in th e sa m e m a n ne r a s a ll o th e r

c o n tra c tu a l a g re e m e n ts.” Bu c k n e r v

. B u c kn e r, 2 9 4 Ga

. 7 05

, 70 8 (7 5 5 S E2 d

7 2 2 ) (2 0 1 4 ). T h u s, "[w] h e re th e p a rtie s in a d iv o rc e a c tio n e n te r in to a

se ttle m e n t a g re e m e n t, its m e a n in g a n d e ffe c t sh o u ld b e de te rm in e d a c c o rd in g to

th e u su a l ru le s fo r th e c o n stru c tio n o f c o n tra c ts, th e c a rd in a l r u le b e in g to

a sc e rta in th e in te n tio n of th e p a rtie s.” Co usin s v

. Co usin s, 2 5 3 Ga

. 3 0

, 3 1 (1 )

(3 1 5 S E 2 d 4 2 0 ) (1 9 8 4). S e e a lso OCGA § 1 3 -2 -3

.

In d e te rm in in g if pa rtie s h a d th e mu t u a l a sse n t o r m e e tin g o f th e

m in d s ne c e s s a

ry to re a c h a g re e m e n t, c o u rts a p p ly a n o b

je c tiv e

th e o ry o f in te nt wh e re b y o n e p a rty ' s in te n tio n is d e e m e d to be th a t

m e a n in g a r e a s o n a

b le [p e rso n] in th e p o sitio n o f th e o th e r

c o n tra c tin g p a rty wo u ld a sc rib e to th e first p a rty ' s m a n ife sta tio n s o f

a sse n t. In m a kin g th a t d e te r min a tio n

, th e c irc um sta n c e s

su rro un d in g th e m a k in g o f th e c o n tra c t, su c h a s c o rre sp o n d e nc e a n d

d isc ussio n s, a re re le v a

n t in d e c id in g if th e re wa s a m u tu a l a sse n t to

a n a g re e m e n t, a n d c o u rts a re fre e to c o n sid e r su c h e x trin sic

e v id e nc e

.

(Cita tio n s a n d p u n c tu a tio n o mi t t e d ) F ric k e y v

. Jo n e s, 2 8 0 Ga

. 5 7 3

, 5 7 5 (6 3 0

S E2 d 3 7 4 ) (2 0 0 6 ). S e e P a u l v

. P a u l, 23 5 Ga

. 3 8 2, 3 8 4 (2 1 9 S E2 d 7 36 ) (1 9 7 5 )

5(to d isc e rn in te nt o f p a rtie s, c o u rts sh o u ld c o n sid e r th e wh o le of th e a g re e m e n t

a n d th e su rro u n d in g c irc u m sta n c e s); OCGA § 1 3 -2

- 2 ( 1 ) (a tte n da n t a n d

su rro u n d in g c irc u m sta n c e s m a y b e p ro ve d to a rriv e a t tru e i n t e r p r e ta tio n o f a

c o n tra c t). Co u rts, o f c o u rse , a re lim ite d to th ose te rm s u p o n wh ic h th e p a rtie s

h a v e a c tu a lly a g re e d, fo r a b se n t th e p artie s’ mu t u a l a sse nt, th e re is n o

e n fo rc e a b le c on tra c t. S e e Re ic h a rd

, 26 2 Ga

. a t 5 6 4 . We re v ie w a tria l c o u rt’s

o rd e r on a m o tio n to e n fo rc e a se ttle m e n t a g re e m e nt d e n o v o

. S e e Alle n v

. S e a

Ga rd e n s S e a fo o d , In c ., 2 9 0 Ga . 7 1 5 , 7 1 7 (2 ) (7 23 S E2 d 6 6 9) (2 0 1 2 ).

Th e re c o rd in th is c a se de m o n stra te s th a t th e re we re e x te n siv e se ttle m e n t

n e g o t ia tio n s b e twe e n h u sb a n d a n d wife

, in c lu d in g n e g o tia tio n s re la te d to

h u sb a n d ’s p o ssib le fu tu re c iv il se rv ic e re tire m e n t

. Th ro u gh o u t th e se

n e g o tia tio ns, h u sb a n d ste a d fa stly re fu s e d t o a g re e to a n y se ttle m e n t wh ic h

re se rv e d to wife a rig h t to c la im a n in te re st in h is c iv il se rv ic e re tire m e n t. Th e

p a rtie s’ n e g o tia tio n s u ltim a te ly re su lte d in a se ttle m e n t th e te rm s o f wh ic h we re

a n n o u n c e d o n th e re c o rd a nd wh ic h w a s in te n d e d to re so lv e a ll issu e s in th e

d iv o rc e a c tio n. Th is in te n t is e v id e n c e d by th e p a rtie s’ sta te m e n ts a ffirm in g th a t

th e y h a d re a c h e d a fu ll se ttle m e n t, th e d ism issa l o f th e ju ry a lre a d y se le c te d

, a n d

th e a b se n c e of a n y o b

je c tio n to th e in c lu sio n o f la n g u a g e in th e jo in tly d ra fte d

6writte n a g re e m e n t sta tin g th a t “ th e p a rtie s h a d a g re e d to a fin a l se ttle m e n t o f th e

c o m p la in t a n d c o u n te r-c la im fo r d iv o rc e .” S e e S p o n sle r v

. S p o n sle r, 2 8 7 Ga

.

7 2 5

, 7 2 7 (1 ) (6 9 9 S E2 d 2 2 ) (2 0 1 0 ) (re je c tin g h u sb a n d ’s a rg u m e n t th a t

se ttle m e n t te rm s re m a in e d in d isp u te a fte r se ttle m e n t wa s a n n ou nc e d to th e tria l

c o u rt wh e re h u sb a n d k ne w se ttle m e n t wa s in te n d e d to b e fin a l re so lu tio n o f a ll

issu e s a n d he fa ile d to o b je c t to a n n o un c e d te rm s). C o mp a re An d e rso n v

.

La rk in

, 1 9 0 Ga

. Ap p

. 2 8 3

, 2 8 4 -2 8 5 (3 7 8 S E2 d 70 7 ) (1 9 8 9 ) (h o ld in g th a t

a g re e m e n t to d iv isio n o f re a l p ro p e rty d id n o t e v id e nc e p a rtie s’ in te n t to se ttle

a ll c la im s a t issu e ). S e e a lso He rrin g v

. Du nn in g

, 2 1 3 Ga

. Ap p

. 6 9 5

, 6 9 7 (4 4 6

S E2 d 1 9 9 ) (1 9 9 4) (re c o g n i z i n g t h a t “ a n o ffe r to c o m p ro m ise is a n o ffe r to

te rm in a te th e c o n tro v e rsy ” a n d in litig a tio n “ c o m

p ro m ise ” is sy n o ny m o u s with

“ se ttle m e n t” ). Alth o u g h th e pa rtie s’ c o rre sp o n d e n c e sh ows th a t w ife ’s c o u n se l

re q u e ste d re v isio n s to th e l a n g u a g e o f th e d ra fte d a g re e m e n t, n on e o f th e

re q u e ste d re v isio n s re la te d to h u sb a n d ’s c iv il se rv ic e re tire m e n t, to th e la n g u a g e

in d ic a t in g th a t th e se ttle m e nt wa s in te nd e d a s a fu ll a n d fin a l se ttle m e n t o f a ll

issu e s, o r to th e wa iv e r la n g u a g e wife n o w c h a lle ng e s. In fa c t, it wa s no t u n til

wife o b ta in e d n e w c o un se l a n d hu sb a n d file d his m otio n to e nfo rc e th a t th e first

o b je c tio n to th e wa iv e r la n g u a g e wa s ra ise d

.

7Ba se d on th is re c o rd a n d a p p ly in g th e a

b ov e -me n tio n e d p rin c ip le s o f

c o n tra c t c o n stru c tio n

, we c o n c lu d e th a t u n d e r th e c irc u m sta n c e s of th is c a se

, th e

tria l c o u rt c o rre c tly d e te rm in e d th a t a s p a rt o f h e r a gre e m e nt to fin a lly se ttle a ll

issu e s b e twe e n th e p a rtie s, wife a g re e d to wa iv e a n y in te re st sh e m a y h a v e h a d

in h u sb a n d ’s c iv il se rv ic e re t ire m e n t. Th e te rm s of th e a n no un c e d se ttle m e n t

a n d th e c o nd u c t a

n d sta te m e n ts o f th e p a rtie s a n d th e ir c o u n se l, b o th a t th e tim e

th e se ttle m e n t w a s a n no un c e d a n d d u rin g th e d ra ftin g o f th e writte n a gre e m e n t,

a ll su p po rt th e fin d in g th a t a r e a s o n ab l e p e rso n in h usb a n d ’s p o sitio n wo u ld

a sc rib e to wife h e r a sse n t to wa iv e an y c la im s sh e ma y h a ve h a d a g a in st

h u sb a n d ’s c iv il se rv ic e re tire m e n t. 4 S e e S to o ke y v

. S to o k e y

, 2 7 4 Ga

. 47 2

, 4 7 3

4 W e n ote that husband a ttached to his appellate brief an a f f i davit signed by wif

e’s

trial counsel averring: ( 1) that on the f irst day of trial, wif

e a ccepted h usband’s l ast of f er to

settle all claim s in exchange f o r one-half of h usband’s m ilitary retirem e nt and $5,000 f rom

his Thrif t Savings Plan; (2) that husband of f ered wif e no interest in his civ i l s e r v i c e

retirem ent; a nd (3) that counsel f or both parties reached a mu t u a lly approved settlem ent

agreem ent which w as m ailed to w if e f or her signature but she ref used to sign. This af

f idavit,

however, was not adm i tted i n e v i d e n c e and play ed no part i n our d ecision-m aking in this

c a s e

. C om

pare Stookey v. Stookey

, 274 Ga. 472, 472-473 (554 SE2d 472) (2001) (where

counsel on m otion to enf

o rce s ettlem ent agreem e nt introduced in the trial court af f idavits of

opposing counsel claim ing that there was a settlem ent agreem ent, that counsel had authority

to enter i nto the a gree me n t

, a n d that the w ritten docum ent of f ered in court f

airly

encom passed the term s of t he p arties’ agreem ent). See also Brum below v

. N orthern Propane

Gas Co., 251 G a. 674, 6 74-675 (308 S E2d 544) (1983) ( a t t o r n e y of record has apparent

authority to enter into an agreem e nt on behalf of client).

8(1 ) (5 5 4 S E2 d 4 7 2 ) (2 00 1) (fa c tu a l fin d in g s m a d e b y tria l c o u rt o n m o tio n to

e n fo rc e se ttle m e n t a g re e m e n t will n o t b e se t a sid e u n le ss c le a rly e rro n e o u s);

Kre im e r v

. Kre im e r, 27 4 Ga

. 3 5 9, 3 62 (1 ) (5 5 2 S E2 d 8 2 6 ) (2 0 0 1 ) (fin d in g

p a rtie s d id n o t in te nd to tra n sfe r a sse ts in re tire m e n t a c c o u n ts to wife wh e re

p a rtie s’ in te n t w a s to e q u a lly d iv id e v a lu e o f m a rita l a sse ts a n d se t t l e me n t

m e m o ra nd u m m a d e n o p ro v isio n fo r im p a c t o f e a rly with dra w a l p e n a ltie s o n

d iv i s i o n o f a sse ts); Tillm a n v

. Vin in gs Ba n k

, 32 4 Ga

. Ap p

. 4 69

, 4 73 (1 ) (7 5 1

S E2 d 11 7 ) (2 0 1 3 ) (fin d in g th a t wh e re se p a ra te se ttle m e n t a g re e m e n ts d ra fte d b y

o p p osin g c o u n se l b o th c on ta in e d th e d isp u te d te rm

, a re a so n a b le p e rso n wo u ld

a sc r i b e t o t h e o p p o sin g pa rty h e r a sse nt to th a t te rm ). Th e a b se nc e o f a n

a ffirm a tiv e sta te m e n t re g a rd in g h u sb a n d’s c iv il se rv ic e re t i r e me n t in th e

a n n o u n c e d se ttle m e nt d o e s n o t, c o n tra ry t o wife ’s a rg u m e n t, m a n d a te th e

c o n c lu sio n th a t th is issu e wa s le ft u n re so lv e d b y th e se ttle m e n t re a c he d b y th e

p a rtie s. I n f

a c t

, h a d th e p a rtie s n o t in te n d e d to re so lv e th e ir d iffe re n c e s

re g a rd in g th is re tire m e nt a c c o u n t, c le a rly th a t issu e wo u ld h a v e b e e n su b m itte d

to th e ju ry a lre a d y se le c te d b y th e p a rtie s.

We c o n c lu d e

, th e re fo re

, th a t th e fa c ts of th is c a se a re d istin gu ish a b le fro m

th e fa c ts in Re ic h a rd

, 2 6 2 Ga

. 5 6 1

, wh e re i t w as u n d isp u te d th a t th e p ro p o se d

9writte n se ttle m e n t a gre e m e n t c o n ta in e d a d d itio n a l su b sta n tiv e te rm s n o t a g re e d

to b y th e p a rtie s, a n d De Ga rm o

, 2 6 9 Ga

. 4 8 0, wh e re th e e v id e n c e su p p o rte d th e

fin d in g th a t th e fin a l d e c re e in c lu d e d se ve ra l su b sta n tiv e p ro v i s i o n s n o t in c lu d e d

in th e p a rtie s’ se ttle m e n t a g re e m e n t. In c o ntra st, th e re c o rd in th is c a se su p p o rts

th e fin d in g th a t th e p a rtie s m utu a lly a g re e d to wa iv e an y c la im s th e y m a y h a v e

h a d to re tire m e n t a c c o u n ts n o t m e n tio n e d in th e a n n o u n c e d se ttle m e nt, a n d th e

tria l c o u rt sim

p ly in c lu d e d in its fin a l d e c re e la n g ua g e re fle c tin g th e p a rtie s’

m u tu a l a sse n t. It fo llo ws t h a t t h e tria l c o u rt wa s a u th o riz e d to in c lu d e th e

wa iv e r la n g u a g e in its fin a l div o r c e d e c re e

. S e e Little v

. Little

, 2 3 6 Ga

. 1 0 2

,

1 0 3 (1 ) (2 2 2 S E 2 d 3 8 4 ) (1 97 6 ) (A "tria l c o u rt [is] a u t h oriz e d to a p p ro v e th e

te rm s of [a n ] ora l se ttle m e n t a g re e d to b y th e p a rtie s a nd to

. . . in c o rp ora te it in

th e fin a l d e c re e ") (c ita tio n o m itte d ).

Ju d g m e n t a ffirm e d . All th e Ju stic e s c o nc u r.

10