FI FTH DI VI SI ON

PHI PPS, P. J.

, DI LLA RD and PETERSON, 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

M ay 27, 2016



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 6 A0 24 3

. PASS v. FORESTAR GA REAL ESTATE GROUP,

INC.

P H I P P S , Pres i d i n g J u dg e.

Fo res t ar GA Real Es t at e Gro u p

, In c. (“ Fo res t ar”) su ed Li nd a Pas s

, i n d i v i d u al l y

an d as rep res en t at i v e o f h er fat h er’ s es t at e, t o p rev en t h er fro m b l ock i n g a ro ad way

l ead i ng to Fo res t ar’ s p ro p ert y i n J ack s o n Co u n t y (“ t h e Fo res t ar t ract ”). Th e t ri al co u rt

g ran t ed su m

m ary ju d g m en t t o Fo res t ar, p erm an en tl y en j o i n i n g Pas s fro m o bs t ru ct i n g

t h e ro ad

. Pas s ap p eal s, arg u i n g

, am o n g ot h er t h i n g s

, t h at qu es t io n s o f fact rem ai n as

t o wh et h er t h e ro ad way an d Fo res t ar’ s acces s h ad b een ab an d o n e d

. 1 We ag ree an d

rev ers e.

1 Pas s i n i t ial l y fi l ed h er a p p e a l i n th e Su p rem e Co u rt o f G eo rg i a, wh i ch

t ran s ferred t he cas e t o t h i s co u rt

.Su m

m ary j u d gm en t i s ap p ro p ri at e wh en n o g en ui n e i s s u e s o f m at eri al fact

r em ai n an d t h e m ov i n g part y i s en t i tl ed t o ju d g m en t as a m at t er o f l aw. 2 On ap p e a l

fro m t he g ran t o f s u m

m ary j u d g m e n t

, we rev i ew t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s ru l i n g d e n o v o,

co n st ru i n g t h e ev i d en ce in t h e l i g h t m o s t fav orab l e to t h e n o n m o v i ng p art y

. 3 So

v i ewed

, t h e reco rd s h o ws t hat th e Fo res t ar t ract a b u t s pro p ert y o wn ed b y t h e es t at e

o f Pas s’ s fat h er, Hal t o n Ed Dav i s

, wh o d i ed i n 1 9 9 9 (“ t h e Dav i s t ract ”). Pas s i s t h e

ex ecu t ri x o f h er fat h er’ s wi l l an d t he s o l e h ei r t o h is es t at e.

In 1 9 5 3

, Fo res t ar’ s p red eces s o r-i n-i n t eres t

, Ho y t Ho wi n gt o n

, s u ed Dav i s fo r

acces s to t h e Fo res t ar t ract

. Acco rd i ng t o t h e 1 9 5 3 co m p l ai n t

, Dav is h ad im

p ro p erl y

b l o ck ed a p u b li c ro ad t h at r a n t h ro u g h t h e Dav i s t ract an d p ro v i d ed acces s t o t h e

Fo res t ar t ract

. Dav is an swered

, d e n yi n g t h at a p u b l i c ro ad or acces s ex i s t ed o n h i s

p ro p ert y

. A ju ry

, h o w ev er, d ecl a r e d “ t h e ro ad i n d i s p u t e a p u bl i c ro ad ,” an d Dav i s

was en jo in ed fro m

i n t erferi n g wi th p u b l i c u s e o f t h e ro ad t rav ers i n g h i s l an d

.

D es p i t e t h e o u t co m e o f t h e 1 9 5 3 l aws u i t

, Dav is an d h i s fam i ly co n t i n u e d t o

d en y t h at a p u bl ic ro ad ex is t ed o n t h e Dav i s tract

, an d Pas s t es t i fi ed at a p rel i m i n ary

h eari n g i n t h e cas e at i ss ue here t h at t h e cl ai m ed ro u t e, wh i ch cro ss ed d i ffi cu l t t errai n

2 OCGA § 9 -1 1 -5 6 (c).

3 Ho u s t o n v. Fl o ry , 3 2 9 Ga. Ap p . 8 8 2 , 8 8 3 (7 6 6 SE2 d 2 2 7) (2 01 4 ).

2fi ll ed wi t h tree s t u m p s an d fal l en t rees

, was no t p as sab l e. Sh e al s o p res en t ed ev i d en ce

t h at t h e ro ad h ad been b lo ck ed fo r o v er 4 0 y ears

, t h at n o o n e h ad u s ed i t t o reach t h e

Fo res t ar t ract d u ri n g th is p eri o d

, an d t h at Fo res t ar h ad acces s ed i t s p ro p ert y v i a

an o th er ro u t e. At l eas t p a r t o f th e ro ad on t h e D av i s t ract

, h o wev er, was pav ed an d

m ark ed w i th d ou b l e y el l o w l i nes d o wn t h e cen t er. M or e o ve r

, s ev eral pro p ert y s u rv ey s

i d en t i fi ed t h e ro ad as “ Dav is Ro ad ” o r “ Co u n t y Ro ad .”

Fo res t ar o b t ai n ed t i t le to th e Fo res t ar t ract i n 2 0 0 6

. Two y ea r s l at er, Pas s

erect ed a g at e acro s s th e p av ed p o rt i o n of t he ro ad as i t en t ered t h e Dav i s t ract t o s t o p

p eo pl e fro m du m

p i n g t ras h i n t h e area. In 2 0 1 1

, a Fo res t ar em p l o y ee at t em

p t ed to

acces s t h e ro ad th ro u gh th e g at e, b u t i t was l o ck ed

. Th e em p l o y ee cu t t h e lo ck

, t h en

wro te to Pas s

, referen ci n g Fo res t ar’ s acces s ri gh t s

. W h en he ret urn ed t o t h e p ro p ert y

s o m et i m e l at er, h e di sco vered t hat t h e g at e h ad b een s ecu red wi t h a n ew l o ck an d t h at

a “ n o t res p as s i n g ” s i g n h ad b een p os t ed

.

Fo res t ar fi l ed s u i t i n 2 0 1 2 , as s ert i n g t hat Pas s h ad i l leg al l y b l o ck ed acces s to

Dav is Ro ad

. Th e co m

pan y s o u g h t i n

ju n ct i v e rel i ef, as wel l as d am ag es fo r i nt en t i o n al

i n t erfer e nc e w ith t he en

jo y m en t o f pro p ert y

. Fo l lo wi n g d i s co v ery

, Fo res t ar m o v ed fo r

p art i al s u m

m ary j u d gm en t on i t s i n ju n ct iv e rel i ef cl ai m

. Th e tri al co u rt g r a n t ed

Fo res t ar’ s m o t i o n

, fi n d i n g as a m at t er o f l a w t h at a pu b l i c ro ad ex i s t ed acro s s t h e

3Dav is t ract an d t h at Fo res tar h ad t h e ri g h t t o acces s i t s p ro p ert y v i a t h e ro ad

. It t hu s

p erm an en t l y res t rai n ed an d en jo i n ed Pas s fro m

o b s t ru ct i n g Fo res tar’ s acces s

. 4

On ap p eal

, Pas s arg ues t h at t h e tri al co urt erred i n g ran t i n g su m m ary ju d g m en t

t o Fo res tar b ecau s e q u es t i o n s o f fact rem ai n as t o ab an d o n m en t. W e ag ree. A s a res u l t

o f t h e 1 95 3 laws u i t, Dav i s Ro ad w a s d ecl ared t o b e a p ub l ic ro ad way

, an d at l eas t

s o m e ev i den ce s h o ws th at i t was d es ig n at ed as a co u n ty ro ad

. M em b ers o f th e p u b l i c

h av e a ri g h t t o u s e p u b l i c ro ad s

, wh i ch can no t be b lo ck e d o r o b s t ru ct ed b y p ri v at e

p art i es

. 5 Bu t a co u n t y ro ad can b e ab an d o n ed

. 6 A n d o n ce a co u n t y p ro perl y ab an d on s

4 Pas s al s o fi l ed a m o ti o n fo r s u m m ary ju d g m en t

, wh i ch t h e t ri al co u rt d en i ed

. Th at ru l i n g i s n o t en u m erat ed as erro r i n t hi s ap p eal

.

5 See Ba rh a m v. Gr a n t , 1 8 5 Ga. 6 0 1

, 6 0 4 (5 ) (1 9 6 SE 4 3 ) (1 9 3 8 ) (n ot i n g t h at

m em b ers o f t h e p u b li c h av e a co m m on ri g ht t o u s e an d en

jo y a p u b l ic h i g h way );

Lo vel l v. Rea

, 2 7 8 Ga. Ap p

. 7 4 0

, 7 4 5 (5 ) (6 2 9 SE2 d 4 5 9) (2 0 0 6 ) (t ri al co u rt p ro p erl y

en jo i n ed l an d o wn er fro m b l o ck i n g acces s t o p ub l i c ro ad ); s ee al s o O CGA § 1 6 -1 1 -4 3

(“ A pers o n wh o

, wi th o u t a u t h o ri t y o f law, p urp o s el y o r reck l es s l y o b st ru ct s an y

h i g h way

, s t r e e t

, s i dewal k

, o r o t h er p ub l i c p as s ag e i n s u ch a way as t o ren d er i t

i m p as s ab l e wi t h o u t u n reas o n ab l e i n co n v en i en ce o r h azard an d fai l s o r refu s es to

rem o v e t h e o b s t ru ct i o n aft er recei v i n g a reas o n ab l e o ffi ci al req u es t o r th e o rd er o f a

p eace o ffi cer t hat h e d o s o, i s g u i l t y o f a m i s d em ean o r.”).

6 OCGA § 3 2 -7 -1

.

4a ro ad

, “ t h e ri g h t s o f t h e p ub l i c i n an d t o t h e s ect i o n of ro ad as a p ub l i c ro ad s h al l

ceas e.” 7

Co n st ru ed fav orab l y to Pas s

, t h e reco rd s h o w s t h at t he ro ad way at i s s u e h ad n ot

b een u s ed fo r m an y y ears an d was i m p as s ab l e. As Fo res t ar n o t es

, m ere no n -u s e “ d o es

n o t wo rk a fo rfei t u r e o f t h e ri g h t t o t h e u s e of a p u b l i c ro ad .” 8 Pas s ’ s ab an d o n m en t

cl ai m

, h o wev er, d oes n o t res t s ol el y on n on -u s e. Sh e al s o p res en ted ev i d en ce t h at

, in

2 0 1 2

, Jack s o n Co u n ty o ffi ci al s ab an d o n ed a po rt i o n o f t h e r oad way t rav ers i n g t h e

Dav is t ract p u rs u an t t o t h e ab an d o n m en t req u i rem en t s i n OCGA § 3 2 -7 -2 (b ). W e

reco g n ize t h at Jack s o n Co u n ty i s su ed a Cert i fi cat e of A b an d o n m en t wi t h res p ect to

t h e ro ad a f t er Fo res tar co m

m en ced t hi s l aws u i t

. Bu t t he ev i d en ce rai s es a qu es t i o n o f

fact as to wh et h er, at t h e t i m e o f t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s su m m ary ju dg m en t ru l i n g

, t h e ro ad

h ad b een ab an d o ned , en d i n g t h e p u b li c’ s ri g h t t o acces s an d u s e i t

. 9

7 OCGA § 3 2 -7 -2 (b ) (1 ).

8 D o b y v. Br o wn

, 2 32 Ga. 4 2 (2 05 SE2 d 2 99 ) (1 9 7 4 ) (ci tat i o n o m it ted )

. S e e

al s o Ga r ner v. Y

o un g

, 2 1 4 Ga. 1 0 9

, 1 1 0 (3 ) (1 0 3 SE 2 d 3 0 2 ) ( 1 9 5 8) (“ Th e m ere

n o n -u s e o f a d ed i cat ed st reet i s i n s u f f i ci en t t o s h o w ab an do n m en t .”) (ci t at i on s

o m it t ed ).

9 See OCGA § 3 2 -7 -2 (b ) (1 ).

5In g ran t in g s u m m ary ju d g m en t

, t he t ri al co u rt fo u n d t h at ev en if t h e co u n t y h ad

a b a n d o n e d th e ro ad an d t erm i n at ed t h e p u b l i c’ s ri g h t t o u s e i t

, Fo res t ar s t i l l h a d

“ p ri v at e ri g h t s o f i n g res s an d eg res s ” acro s s th e ro ad t o t h e Fo res tar t ract

. It i s t ru e

t h at part i es own i n g lan d co n t i g u o u s t o a p u b l i c ro ad way en jo y s p eci al ri g h t s n ot

s h ared b y a l l m em

b ers o f t h e p u bl i c. 1 0 In p art i cu l ar, s u ch l an d o wn ers h av e an

eas em en t o f acces s t o t h ei r p r o p e rt y v i a t h e ro ad w ay

, wh i ch “ i n cl u d es th e ri g h t o f

i n g res s

, eg res s

, an d reg res s .” 1 1 A n eas em en t

, h o wev er, “ m ay be l o st b y ab an d o n m en t

o r fo rfei t ed b y

n on u s e i f t h e ab an d o nm en t o r n o n u s e co n t in u es fo r a t erm su ffi ci en t

t o rai s e t h e p res u m

p t i o n of rel eas e or ab an do n m en t .” 1 2 T h e “ term o f n o n u s e”

n eces s ary t o rai s e t h i s p res u m p t i on “ ge neral ly fo l l o ws th e pres cri p t iv e p eri o d,” wh i ch

i s “ s ev en y ears ’ u n in terru p t ed u s e t hro u g h i m p ro v ed l an ds an d 2 0 y ears ’ u s e t h ro u g h

wi l d l an d s .” 1 3

1 0 Ba r h a m , s u pra at 6 0 4 (5 ).

1 1 Id . at 60 5 (5 ).

1 2 OCGA § 4 4 -9 -6

.

1 3 Al b en b er

g v. S z a la y

, 3 32 Ga. Ap p

. 6 65

, 6 6 9 -6 7 0 (5 ) (7 7 4 SE2 d 7 30 ) (2 0 1 5 )

(ci t at i o n s an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed ).

6Pas s o ffered ev i d en ce t h at t he ro ad way cro ss in g t h e Dav i s t ract h ad n o t b een

u s ed as a p u bl i c ro ad i n o ver 4 0 y ears

, d u ri n g wh i ch t i m e it h ad b een co n t in u o u s l y

b l o ck ed an d Fo res t ar h ad acces s ed i t s p ro p ert y t h ro u gh an o t h er ro u t e. Reg ard l es s o f

wh et h er t h e ap p ro p ri at e “ t erm o f n o n u s e” i s s ev en o r t wen t y y ears

, t hi s ev i d en ce

creat ed a ju ry q u es t i on as t o ab an d o n m en t of an y p ri v at e acces s ea s e m e n t f l o wi n g

fro m t h e ro ad way

. 1 4 Th e t ri a l c o u rt

, t h erefo re, erred i n g ran t i n g s um m ary ju d g m en t

t o Fo res t ar. 1 5

Ju d g men t r ever sed . Di l l a r d

a n d Pet er

s o n , JJ., co n cu r

.

1 4 See D u ff y S t r eet S

.R.O. v. Mo b l ey

, 2 66 G a

. 8 4 9

- 8 5 0 (1 ) (4 7 1 SE2 d 5 0 7 )

( 1 9 9 6 ) (ju ry au t h o ri zed t o fi n d t h at acces s eas em en t h ad b een ab an d o n ed wh e r e

ev i d en ce s h o wed t h at no o n e o t h er t h a n t res p as s ers had u s ed t h e eas em en t fo r o v er

2 0 y ears an d t h e pred eces so r-i n -t i t l e t o t he p art y cl ai m i n g t h e eas em en t had erect ed

a fen ce acro s s t h e acces s p o i n t ); Al b en b er g

, s up ra at 6 7 0 (5 ) (p res u m p t i o n o f

ab an do n m en t rai s ed wh ere ev i d en ce s h owed t h at al l eg ed h o l d er o f acces s eas em en t

o v er i m p ro v ed l an d h ad n o t u s ed t h e eas em en t i n o v er s ev en y ears ).

1 5 See Mo xl ey v. Ad

ams

, 1 9 0 Ga. 16 4

, 1 65 (2 ) (8 SE2 d 5 2 5 ) (1 9 4 0 ) (“ [W ] h ere

t h e t es t i m o n y i s i n d i s p u t e as t o t h e fact s

, t h e q u es t i o n as t o an y ab an d o n m en t i s fo r

t h e ju ry

, i n ap p l y i n g to t h e ev i d en ce t h e l a w ch arg ed b y th e ju d g e.”) (ci t at i on s

o m it t ed ).

7