FI RST DI VI SI ON

DOYLE, C. J.

, PHI PPS, P. J.

, and BOGGS, J.

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

Nov em ber 4, 2015



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 5 A1 10 0

, A1 5 A1 1 0 1

. ROBERTS et a l

. v

. FIRST GEORGIA

COM M UNITY BANK et al . (t wo cas es )

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

Fi rs t Geo rg i a Co m

m u n it y Ban k (“ Fi rs t Geo rg i a”) fi l ed i n t h e Su p eri o r Co u rt

o f Bu t ts Co u nt y a co m p l ai nt o n co n t ract fo r d efi ci en cy j u d g m e n t

, n am i n g as

d efen d an t s M et ro p o l i tan Ho m e Bu i l d ers

, In c. ( “ M HB ”), Grad y A. Ro b ert s

, III,

In d i v i d ual l y (“ Ro b ert s ”), an d San d ra A. M urray

, a/ k / a San d ra M

. Ro b ert s

,

In d i v i d u al l y (“ M u rray ”). In Cas e N o

. A1 5 A1 1 0 0 , Ro b ert s an d M u rray ap p eal fro m

an ord er o f co n t em

p t

. In Cas e N o

. A1 5 A1 1 0 1

, Ro b e r t s a n d M u rray ap p eal fro m an

o rd er g ran t i n g a m o t i o n t h ey h ad fi l ed fo r a su p ers ed eas b o n d. Becau s e t h e ap p el l an t s

fai l ed t o o b

ject b el o w ab o u t t h e s p eci fi c i s s u es t h ey as s ert o n ap p eal

, an d t he i s s u eswere n ei t h er rai s ed n o r ru l ed o n by t h e t ri al co urt

, w e affi rm t h e j u d g m e n t s f r o m

wh i ch t h e ap p el lan t s ap peal

.

Th e ap p el l at e reco rd s h o ws t h e fo l l o wi n g

. In A p ri l 20 1 0 an d N o v em b er 2 0 0 8,

s erv i ce o f p ro ces s was p erfect ed as to Ro b ert s an d M HB, res p ec t i v e l y. Aft er M HB

was s erv ed

, i t fi l ed an an swer, d efen s es

, an d co u n t ercl ai m 1 ; Ro b ert s d id n ot

. On M ay

1 7

, 20 1 3

, Fi rs t Geo rg i a fi l ed a m o t i o n fo r defau l t ju d g m en t ag ai n s t Ro b ert s

. On J u n e

1 2

, 2 0 13

, s erv i ce o f p r o c e s s was p erfect ed as to M u rray

. On J u l y 8

, 2 0 1 3, t h e t ri al

co u rt g ran t ed Fi rs t Geo rg i a’ s m o t i o n fo r d efau lt ju d g m en t ag ai n s t Ro b ert s

.

O n O ct ob er 2 2

, 2 0 1 4

, rel y i ng o n OCGA § § 9 -1 1 -3 7 2 an d 9-1 1 -6 9

, 3 F i r s t

Geo rg i a fi l ed a m o t i o n t o co m p el an d fo r san ct i o n s (an d a s u p p o rt i n g b ri ef),

req u es t i ng t h e t ri al co u rt t o i s su e an o rd er co m p el li n g Ro b ert s an d M u rray t o co m p l y

wi t h p o s t -ju d g m en t d i s co v ery an d i m po s i n g s an ct i o n s fo r t h ei r refu s al t o ap p ear fo r

n o t i c e d d ep o s i t io n s an d t o p ro d u ce do cu m en t s l i s t ed in a s u bp o en a t h at h ad b een

1 Th e ap p el lat e reco rd refl ect s th at Ro b ert s

, as “ CEO”, s i g n ed lo an ag reem en t s

o n b eh al f o f M HB.

2 OCGA § 9 -1 1 -3 7 (p ro v i d in g rem ed i es fo r t h e fai l u re o f a part y t o m ak e

d i s co v ery ).

3 OCGA § 9 -1 1

- 6 9 (p ert i n en t l y p ro vi d i n g th at t h e “ [p ] ro ces s t o en fo rce a

ju d g m en t fo r t h e p ay m en t o f m on ey s h al l be a wri t o f ex ecu t i o n ”; an d t h at a ju d g m en t

cred i t o r m ay

p ro p o u n d d i s co v ery

i n ai d o f a ju dg m en t o r ex ecu t i o n ).

2s erv ed u p o n t h em

. T h e ap p el l at e reco rd d oes no t refl ect t hat ei t h er Ro b ert s o r M u rray

res p o n d ed t o Fi rs t Geo rg i a’ s m o t i o n to co m p el an d fo r s an ct i o ns

. On No vem b er 1 2,

2 0 1 4

, th e t ri al co u rt en t ered an o rd er gran t i n g Fi rs t Geo rg i a’ s m o ti o n to co m p el an d

fo r s an ct i o n s

. Ap p el lan t s v o i ced n o o b ject i o n

, an d t h e ap p el l at e reco rd d o es n ot

refl ect th at ei th er ap p el l an t co m p l a i n e d t h at th ey h ad no t recei v ed n ot i ce o f t h e

m o ti o n o r o f t h e co u rt ’ s o rd er t h ereo n

.

On J an u ary 7

, 2 0 1 5, t he t ri al co u rt en t ered an o rd er fi n d i ng Ro b ert s an d M u rray

i n co n t em p t o f co u rt fo r fai l u re t o co m p ly wi t h t h e o rd er en tered on No v em b er 1 2,

2 0 1 4

. In t h e J an u ary 7, 2 0 1 5 o rd er, Ro b ert s an d M u rray w ere o rd ered t o be co n fi n ed

fo r a peri o d o f 2 0 d ay s

, o r un t i l t h ey p u rg ed th em s el v es o f c o n t e m p t b y p ay i n g t h e

am ou n t t h ey h ad b een ord ered t o p ay i n t h e N o v e m b er 1 2

, 2 0 1 4 ord er an d by

s ch ed u l i n g t h ei r res p ect i v e d ep o s i t i o n s

.

Ca s e No . A1 5

A1 1 0 0

1

. Ro b ert s an d Mu rray t i m el y fi l ed a n ot i ce o f ap p eal fro m th e J an u ary 7

, 2 0 1 5

co n tem p t o rd er, g i v i n g ri se t o Cas e No

. A1 5 A1 1 0 0. In t h ei r s ol e en u m erat ed erro r,

Ro b ert s an d Mu rray co n t en d t h at “ [i ] t was cl earl y erro n eo u s fo r t h e t ri al Co u rt to

g ran t t h e M o t i o n t o Co m p el an d San ct i o n s wh en t h ere was n o fi n al ju d g m en t

3p u rs u an t t o OCGA § 9 -1 1 -5 4 [ 4 ] .” Ro b ert s an d M u rray fu rt h er as s ert i n t hei r ap p eal

b ri ef t h at t h e t ri al co u rt erred i n g ran t i n g t h e m o t i o n t o co m p el an d fo r s an ct i o n s wh en

t h ere was n o fi nal ju d g m en t p u rs u an t t o OCGA § 9-1 1 -5 8 (b ). 5 Ho wev er, Ap p el l an t s

fai l ed t o rai s e t h es e i s s ues b el o w; t h ey d i d n o t ap p ear fo r a n ot i ced heari ng ; t h ey fi l ed

n o b ri ef i n res p o ns e t o Fi rs t Geo rg i a’ s m ot i o n t o co m p el an d fo r s an ct i o n s wh i ch was

fi led m ore th an a y ear aft er t h ey b o t h h ad b een s erv ed wi t h pro ces s i n t h e cas e; t h ey

d i d no t o t h erwi s e o b

ject i n an y m an n er to ei t h er t h e m o t i o n o r t o th e t ri al co urt ’ s

4 OCGA § 9-1 1-5 4 (b ) p e r t i n e n t l y p ro vi d es : “ W h en

. . . m u l t i pl e p art i es are

i n v ol v ed [i n an act i o n ]

, th e co u rt m ay d i rect th e en t ry o f a fi n al j u d gm en t as t o o n e

o r m o re b u t fewer t h an al l o f t he cl ai m s o r p art i es o n ly u p o n an ex p res s d et erm i n at i o n

t h at t h ere i s n o ju s t reas o n fo r d el ay an d up o n an ex p res s d i rect io n fo r t h e en t ry o f

ju d g m en t

. In th e ab sen ce o f s u ch d et erm i n at i o n an d d i rect i o n

, an y o rd er o r o t h er fo rm

o f d eci s i o n , h o wev er d es i g n at ed , wh i ch ad ju di cat es fewer t h an al l t he cl ai m s o r t h e

ri gh t s an d l i ab i l i t ies o f fewer t h an al l t he p art i es s h al l n o t t erm i n at e t h e act i o n as t o

a n y o f t h e cl ai m s o r p art i es

, an d t h e o rd er o r o th er fo rm o f d eci s i o n i s s u b ject t o

rev i s io n at an y t i m e b efo re t h e en t ry o f ju dg m en t ad j u d icat i n g al l t h e cl ai m s an d t h e

ri gh t s an d l iab i l i ti es o f al l t h e p art i es .” See S t a sco Mech a n i ca l Co n t r a ct o r s v.

W i l l ia ms o n

, 1 5 7 Ga. Ap p

. 5 4 5

, 5 4 6 (2 78 SE2 d 1 2 7 ) (1 9 8 1 ) (“ [i ] f t h e al l eg ed l i ab i l i t y

i s j o i n t

, a d efau l t ju dg m en t s h o ul d no t b e en t ered ag ai n s t a d efau l t i n g d efen d an t u n t i l

al l o f t h e d efen d an t s h av e d efau l t ed ; o r if o n e o r m o re do n o t d efau l t t h e n

, as a

g en eral pro p o s i t io n

, en try of j u d g m en t s ho u l d awai t an ad ju d i cat i on as t o t h e l i ab i l i t y

o f t h e n o n d efau l t i n g d efen d an t (s )”).

5 OCGA § 9 -1 1 -5 8 (b ) req u ires t h e fi l i n g o f a ci v i l cas e d i s p o s i t i o n fo rm b efo re

t h e en t ry o f a ju d g m en t b y t h e cl erk o f co urt

. See Ho r es h v. DeKi n der

, 2 9 5 G a. Ap p.

8 2 6

, 8 30 (1 ) (6 7 3 SE2 d 3 11 ) (2 0 0 9 ) (a p rev ai l i n g p art y can n o t co l l ect o n o r en fo rce

a ju d g m en t u n t i l t h e ju d gm en t i s en t ered i n co m pl i an ce wi t h OCGA § 9 -1 1 -5 8 (b )).

4ju d g m en t t h ere o n ; an d th ey m ad e n o i s s u e b el ow, n o r do t h ey o n ap peal

, as to

wh et h er t h ey h ad recei v ed n o t ice o f t h e m o t i o n an d o rd er.

Gen eral ly

, n o m at t er h o w erro n eo u s a ru l i n g o f a t ri al co u rt m i g h t

b e, a l i t i g an t can n ot s u bm i t t o a ru l i n g o r acq u i es ce i n t h e h o l d i ng

, an d

t h en co m pl ai n o f t h e s am e o n a p p eal

. He m u s t s t an d h i s g ro u n d

.

Acq u i es cen ce dep ri v es h i m o f th e ri g h t t o co m p l ai n f u r t h e r

. T h at i s, a

p art y can n o t ig n o re t h at wh i ch h e o r s h e t h i n k s t o b e erro r, t ak e a ch an ce

o n a fav orab l e o u tco m e, an d co m p l ai n l at er. 6

Ou r ap p el l at e co u rt s are co u rt s fo r t h e co rrect i on o f e r r o rs o f l aw

co m m i t t ed i n t h e t r i a l c o u rt

. Ro u t i n el y

, t h is Co u rt refu s es t o rev i ew

i s su es n o t rai s ed i n t h e t ri al co u rt

. To co n s i d er t h e cas e o n a co m p l et el y

d i fferen t b as i s fro m t h at p res en t ed b el o w w o u l d b e co n t rary t o t h e l in e

o f cas es h ol d i n g

, “ He m

u s t st an d o r fal l u p o n t h e p o s i t i o n t ak en i n th e

t ri al co u rt .” Fai rn es s t o t h e t ri al co u rt an d t o t h e p art i es dem an d s t h a t

l eg al i s s u es b e as s ert ed i n t h e t ri al co u rt

. Al t h ou g h u nd er t h e “ ri g ht fo r

an y reas o n” ru l e t h i s co u rt wi ll affi rm t he co rrect ru l i n g o f a t ri al co u rt

o n g ro u n d s n o t ad d res s ed b el o w, we d o n o t ap pl y a “ w ro n g fo r an y

reas o n ” ru l e t o rev ers e in co rrect ru l i n g s o n i ss u es n o t rai sed o r ru led

u p o n i n t h e t ri al co urt

. 7

6 Ki n g v. Gen On En er

g y Ho l d i n gs

, 32 3 Ga. A p p

. 45 1

, 4 5 2 (1 ) (7 4 7 SE2 d 1 5 )

(2 0 1 3) (ci t at i o n o m i t t ed ).

7 Al s t o n & Bi r d LLP v. M

el l o n Ven t u r es II, L. P

., 30 7 Ga. Ap p. 6 4 0

, 64 8 (6 ) (b )

(7 0 6 SE2 d 6 5 2 ) (2 0 1 0 ) (p u n ct u at i o n an d fo ot n o t e o m i t t ed ); s e e g en eral l y Des i gn s

Un l imi ted v. Ro d

r i g u ez

, 2 6 7 Ga. Ap p

. 8 4 7

- 8 4 8 ( 6 0 1 SE2 d 38 1 ) (2 00 4 ); Lo wer y v.

At l a n t a Hea r t As s o c., P

. C.

, 2 6 6 Ga. Ap p. 4 0 2

, 4 0 4-4 0 5 (2 ) (5 97 SE2 d 4 9 4 ) (2 0 0 4 ).

5Ap p el l an t s fai led t o o b ject b el o w ab o u t t h e o rd er t o co m p el an d fo r s an ct i o n s

,

an d “ t h u s d i d n o t g i v e t h e t ri al co u rt o p po rt u ni t y t o co rrect t he al l eg ed erro r.” 8 A p art y

“ m ay n o t i dl y si t b y an d wat ch wh en p o ss i b l e erro r is p res en t ed an d o n ap p eal cl ai m

erro r. It is n eces s ary

, i n o r d e r t o m ak e t h e s am e a b as i s fo r ap p el lat e rev i ew t h at

o p p o s i n g co u n s el m ak e p ro p er o b ject io n o r i n v o k e s o m e ru l i ng o f t he co u rt

. ” 9

Co n s eq u en t l y

, i n th i s cas e t h e ap p el l an t s’ fai l u re t o o b ject an d p res erv e t h e i s s u e fo r

ap p el l at e rev i ew d ep ri ves t h e ap p el l an ts o f t h e ri gh t to c o m p l ai n o n ap p eal

. 1 0 Th e

cl ai m s o f erro r o n ap p eal were n ei t h er rai s ed no r ru l ed o n b el o w, an d t h ere is n o t h i n g

fo r u s t o rev iew. 1 1

8 Ki n g , s u p ra.

9 DOT v. Br a n na n , 2 7 8 Ga. Ap p . 7 1 7 , 7 1 9 (6 29 SE2 d 4 8 1 ) (2 0 0 6 ).

1 0 See Ki n g

, s u p ra; La mb v. Ja ved

, 30 3 G a. Ap p

. 2 7 8

, 2 80 (1 ) (6 9 2 SE2 d 8 6 1 )

(2 0 1 0).

1 1 See W ya tt Pr o ces s i ng

, LLC v. Bel l Ir r i

g at i o n, In c

., 2 9 8 Ga. Ap p

. 3 5

, 3 6 (6 7 9

SE2 d 6 3 ) (2 0 09 ) (“ On ap p eal

, t hi s co u rt d oes n o t rev i ew i s s u es wh i ch were n o t rai s ed

an d ru l ed o n b el o w .”) (ci t at i o n an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed ); Fr a n ci s v. Fr an ci s

, 2 7 9 Ga.

2 4 8

, 2 4 9 (6 1 1 SE2 d 4 5 ) (2 0 0 5) (“ t h e fai l u re t o m ak e an o b j e c t io n wh i ch i s b o th

t i m el y an d s p eci fi c i s t reat ed as a wai v er. Th e ru l e i s t h at t h e sco p e o f rev i ew i s

l i m i ted t o t h e sco pe of t h e ru l i n g i n t h e t ri al co u rt as s h o wn by t h e t ri al reco rd an d

can n ot b e en l a rg ed o r t ran s fo rm ed t h ro ug h a p ro ces s o f s wi t ch in g (o r) s h i ft i n g .”)

(ci t at i o n an d p u n ct uat i o n o m i t t ed ); Cr ip p en v. Ou t b a ck St ea kh o u s e In t l

. , 3 2 1 Ga.

Ap p

. 1 6 7

, 1 7 0 (1 ) (7 4 1 SE2 d 2 8 0 ) (2 0 13 ) ( “ I s s u es p res en t ed fo r t h e fi rs t t i m e o n

ap p eal fu rn i s h n o t h i ng fo r u s t o rev i ew, fo r t hi s i s a co urt fo r co rrect io n o f erro rs o f

6Ev en as s u m i n g

, wi th o u t d eci d i n g

, t h at t h e defau l t ju d g m e n t a g ai ns t Ro b ert s

was n o t a fi n al o rd er, g iv en t h at n o d i s p o s i t i o n o f Fi rs t Geo rg i a’ s cl ai m s ag ai n s t M HB

o r a g a in s t M u rray h ad b een en t ered

, 1 2 an d g iv en t hat no ci v i l cas e d i s p o si t i o n fo rm

h a d b e e n fi l ed

, 1 3 t h e ap p el l an t s fai l t o p res en t an y b as is t o rev ers e t h e t ri al co u r t ’s

ju d g m en t

. Pu rs uan t t o O C G A § 9 -1 1 -6 9, “ i n ai d o f [a] ju dg m en t o r ex ecu t i o n

, [a]

ju d g m en t cred it o r

. . . m ay

. . . [e] x am i n e an y pers o n

, i n cl u d in g t he ju d g m en t d eb t o r

b y t ak i n g d ep o s i t i o n s o r p r o p o u nd i n g i n t erro gat o ri es ;

. . . [o r] [c] o m p el t h e

p ro d uct i o n o f d o cu m en t s or t h i n g s [.] ” An d p urs u an t t o OCGA § 9 -1 1-3 7

, a part y m ay

ap p ly fo r an o rd er co m

pel l i n g d i s co v ery an d fo r t h e i m p o s i t i o n o f s an ct i o n s fo r fai l u re

t o co m p l y wi th d i s co v ery req u es t s ; an d a t ri al co u rt m ay m ak e s u ch o rd ers an d t ak e

act i on s sp eci fi ed b y t h at Co d e s ect i o n

. A p p el l an t s ci t e n o au t h o ri t y

, an d we h av e

fo u n d n o n e, s t at i n g t h at a t ri al co u rt i s au t h o ri zed t o g ran t a p o s t -ju dg m en t m o t i o n to

co m p el d i s co v ery an d t o i m

po s e s an ct i o n s fo r fai l u re t o res p o n d t o di s co very req u es t s

l aw co m m it t ed b y t h e t ri al co u rt wh ere p ro p er ex cep ti o n i s ta k e n

. On e m ay n ot

ab an do n an i ss u e i n t he t ri a l c o u r t a n d o n ap p eal rai se q u es ti o n s o r is s ues n ei t h er

rai s ed n o r ru l ed o n b y t he t ri a l c o u rt .”) (fo o t n o t e om i t t ed ); S mi th v. Ci s co

, 3 1 6 Ga.

Ap p . 8 7 1 , 8 7 8 -8 7 9 (4 ) (7 3 0 SE2 d 5 8 3 ) (2 0 12 ).

1 2 See Lo r d v. Ho l l a n d

, 2 8 2 Ga. 8 9 0 , 8 9 2 -8 9 4 (2 ) (6 55 SE2 d 6 0 2) (2 0 0 8 ).

1 3 See Ho r es h , s u p ra.

7i n an act i o n ag ai n s t jo i n t d efen d an t s o n l y aft er t h e en t ry o f a ju d g m en t ad ju d i cat i n g

l i ab i l i t y as t o al l d efen d an ts

, o r o n l y aft er a ci v il cas e d i s po s it i o n fo rm has b een

fi led

. 1 4

Ca s e No . A1 5 A1 1 0 1

2

. Aft er Ro bert s an d M urray fi l ed t h ei r n o ti ce of ap p eal gi v i n g ri s e t o Cas e No

.

A1 5 A1 10 0

, t h e t ri al co u rt en tered o n J an uary 2 9

, 2 0 1 5

, an o rd er g r a n t i n g a m o t i o n

t h ey h ad fi l ed fo r a s u p ers ed eas b o n d

. Ro b ert s an d M u rra y t i m e l y f i l ed a n o t i ce o f

ap p eal fro m

t h e J an u ary

2 9

, 2 0 1 5 ord er g ran t i n g a s u p ers ed eas b o n d

, g i v i n g ri s e to

Cas e No

. A1 5 A1 1 0 1

. T h ei r ap p eal b ri ef i s i d en t i cal t o th e ap peal b ri ef fi l ed i n Cas e

No

. A1 5 A1 1 00 ; t h e s am e erro r i s en u m erat ed o n ap p eal

, an d t h e s am e as s ert i o n s are

m ad e. As d et erm i n ed ab o ve, 1 5 th ere i s n o th i n g fo r u s to rev i ew reg ard i n g t h e cl ai m s

o f erro r rai s ed o n ap peal

. 1 6

Ju d g men t s a f f ir med . Do yl e, C. J., a n d

Bo gg s

, J., co n cu r

.

1 4 See e. g

., Ho r es h

, s u p ra 8 2 9 (1 ) (“ As a m at t er o f s t at u to ry law, th e q u es t i o n

o f wh en a ju d g m en t i s en t ered fo r p u rp o ses o f OCGA § 5 -6 -3 4 i s n o t co n t ro l l ed by

OCGA § 9 -1 1 -5 8 (b ).”).

1 5 See Di v i s i o n 1 , s u p ra.

1 6 See W ya t t P r o ces s i n g

, LLC

, s u p ra; Fr a n ci s

, s u p r a ; C r i p p en

, s up ra; S

mi t h

,

s u p ra.

8