FOURTH D I VI SI ON

ELLI NGTON, P. J.

, BRA N CH and M ERCI ER, 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

Nov em ber 8, 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 76 8

. THE CLINE DRIVE LAND T RUST v

. W ELLS

FARGO BANK, N. A. J E-0 2 8

E LLI N G T O N , Pres i d i n g J ud g e.

W el l s Farg o Ban k

, N. A. s u ed T h e C l i n e Dri v e Lan d Tru s t s eek i n g

, o n t h e

g ro u nd s o f m

u t u al m i s t a k e

, t o refo rm th e leg al d es cri p t i o n of a s ecu ri t y d eed to

i n cl u d e cert ai n Bart o w Co u n t y real p ro p ert y own ed b y t h e Tru s t

. Th e Tru s t m o v ed

fo r ju d g m en t o n t h e p l ead i n g s

, co n t en d i n g t h at W el l s Farg o ’ s act i o n was b arred by

t h e s t at u t e o f l i m it at i o n

. Th e t ri al co u rt reject ed t h e Tru s t ’ s s t at u t e o f l im i t at i o n s

d efen s e, fi n d i n g t h at t h e st at u t e o f l i m i t at i o n d i d n o t b eg i n t o ru n ag ai n s t W el l s Farg o

u n t i l i t h ad acq u i red an i nt eres t i n t h e d o cu m en t i n 2 0 1 1

. Aft er th e t ri al co urt d en i ed

t h e Tru s t ’ s m o t i o n, t hi s Co u rt g ran t ed i t s ap p li cat i o n fo r l e a v e t o a p p eal t h e

i n t erl o cu t o ry o rd er. Fo r t h e reas o n s s et fo rt h b el o w, we fi n d th at t h e t ri al co u rt erredi n co n cl u d i n g t h at W el ls Farg o ’ s cl ai m co u l d h av e accru ed no earl i er t h an t h e d at e o f

t h e as si g n m en t o f t h e s ecu ri t y d eed t o W el l s Farg o b y t h e o ri g i nal g ran tee. H o wev er,

we affi rm t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s ju d g m en t u nd er th e ri g h t-fo r-an y -reas o n ru l e b ecau s e t h e

p l ead i n g s d o n o t s h o w t h at t h e Tru s t i s en t it l ed t o p rev ai l as a m at ter o f l aw.

“ Th e i ss ue i n a m o ti o n fo r ju d g m en t o n t h e p l ead i n g s i s wh et h er t h e u n d i s p u t ed

fact s ap peari ng fro m th e p l ead i n g s s ho w t h e m o v an t i s en t i t l e d t o j u d g m en t as a

m at t er o f l aw.” (Ci tat i o n an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed .) Bi s h o p v. W es t mi n s ter S

ch o ol s

,

In c.

, 1 9 6 Ga. Ap p. 8 9 1

, 8 9 2 (1 ) (3 9 7 SE2 d 1 4 3 ) (1 9 90 ). “ Fo r t h e pu rp o s es o f a m o t i o n

fo r ju d g m en t o n t h e p l ead i n g s, al l wel l -p l ead ed m at eri al al l eg at i o n s o f t he o p p o s i n g

p art y ’ s p l ead in g are t o be t ak en as t ru e, an d al l al l eg at i o n s o f th e m o v i n g p art y wh i ch

h av e b een d en i ed are t ak en as fal s e.” (Ci t at i o n an d p u nct u at i o n o m i t t ed

. ) Tr o p

, In c.

v. C i t y o f Br o o kh aven

, 2 96 G a. 85

, 8 6 -8 7 (1 ) (2 01 4 ) (7 6 4 SE2 d 3 98 ) (2 0 1 4 ). On

ap p eal

, t h i s Co u rt rev i ews t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s deci s i o n d e n o v o

. Co n s o l i d at ed Pi p e &

S u p p l y Co . v. Gen o a Co n s t r . S vcs

. , 2 7 9 Ga. Ap p . 8 9 4 , 8 9 5 (6 3 3 SE2 d 5 9 ) (2 0 0 6 ).

Th e pl ead in g s sh o w t hat o n M ay 11

, 2 0 05

, Ro b ert Garn t o o b t ai n ed a $ 3 5 9 ,6 5 0

l o an fro m Len d i n g St reet M o r t g a g e ( “ LSM ”). As p art o f t h at t ran s act i o n

, Garn to

d el i v ered a s ecu ri t y

d eed t o M o rt g ag e El ect ro n ic Reg i s t rat i on Sy s t em s , as n o m i nee

fo r LSM

, i n o rd er t o s ecu re rep ay m en t o f t h e l o an

. Th e s ecu ri t y d eed i d en t i fi es a 3 .5 6

2acre tract i n Bart o w Co u n ty as t h e p ro p ert y g ran t ed an d co n v ey ed t h ereu n der. On t h e

d ay t he s ecu ri t y d eed was ex ecu t ed

, Ro b ert Garn to an d Dru s il l a Garn t o o wn ed 1 8 .5 6

acres o f l an d (t h e “ Pro p ert y ”) i n Bart o w Co u n t y (wh i ch i n cl u ded t h e 3 .5 6 acre t ract )

o n wh i ch was l o cat ed a si n gl e fam i l y res i d en ce. 1 LSM as s i g ned th e s ecu ri t y d eed to

W el l s Farg o o n Ju n e 1 0

, 2 0 11

. T h e Tru s t acq u i red th e Pro p ert y fro m Dru s i l la Garn to

i n 2 0 1 2.

In i t s co m p l ai n t ag ai n s t th e Tru s t

, 2 W el l s Farg o al l eg ed t h at t he p art i es t o t h e

l o an in t en d ed fo r t h e Garn t o s ’ res id en ce t o s erv e as s ecu ri t y fo r t h e l oan b u t t h at t h e

res i den ce d o es n o t l i e o n t he 3 .5 6 acre t ract i d en t ifi ed b y t h e s ecu ri t y d eed

. W el l s

Farg o s o u g h t t o refo rm t h e s ecu ri t y d eed by rem o v i n g t h e d es cri pt i o n o f t h e 3 .5 6 acre

t ract an d s u b st i t ut i n g t he l eg al d es cri pt i o n o f t h e en t i re Pro p ert y

.

Th e Tru s t m ov ed fo r ju d g m en t o n t he p l ead i n gs o n t h e g ro u n d t h at t h e s ev en

y ear s t at u t o ry l i m i t at io n peri o d h ad ru n

. Th e Tru s t m ai n t ai n ed th at t h e cau s e o f act i o n

1 On t he d at e o f th e l o an t ran s act io n

, Dru si l l a Garn t o co n v ey ed h er i n t eres t in

t h e 3 .5 6 acre t ract p o rt i o n o f t h e Pro p ert y t o Ro b ert Garn t o

, wh o co nv ey ed t h e 3 .5 6

acre tract t o L SM un d er th e secu ri t y d eed

. Ro b ert Garn t o t h en co nv ey ed t h e 3 .5 6 acre

t ract t o Ro b ert G arn t o an d Dru s il l a Garn t o, as jo i n t t en an t s wi t h ri gh t o f s u rv i v o rs h i p.

2 Ro bert G arn t o was ori gi n al l y n am ed as a co -d efen d an t b u t l at e r d i s cl ai m ed

al l i nt eres t i n t h e Pro p ert y

. By co n s en t o rd er, t he tri al co u rt fo u n d t h e T ru s t t o b e t h e

ap p ro p ri at e d efen dan t

.

3accru ed i n 2 0 05

, al m o st ten y ears b efo re W el l s Farg o fi l ed s u i t

. Th e t ri al co u rt d en i ed

t h e Tru s t ’ s m o t i on

, reject i ng th e Tru s t ’ s arg u m en t t h at

, b ecau s e W el l s Farg o s t o o d in

LSM ’ s s h o es as as s i g n ee, i t s cl ai m was b arred b y t h e s t at u t e o f l im it at i o n

. Rat h er, t h e

t ri al co u rt co ncl u d ed

, i n v iew o f Ba r r o n v. W el l s Fa rg o Ba n k, N.A.

, 3 3 2 Ga. Ap p

. 1 8 0

(7 6 9 SE2 d 8 3 0 ) (2 0 15 ), t h at t h e s t at u t e o f l i m i t at io n b eg an t o ru n ag ai n s t W el l s Farg o

o n l y u p o n t h e as s ig n m en t o f t h e s ecu ri t y d eed t o W el l s Farg o b y

LSM

.

On ap p eal

, th e Tru s t co n t en d s t h at t h e t ri al co u rt erred i n rel y in g o n Ba r r o n fo r

t h e p ro p o s i t i o n t h at t h e s tat u t e o f l im i t at i o n accru ed wh en LSM as s ig n ed t h e s ecu ri t y

d eed t o W el l s Farg o

. W e ag ree

. “ An act i o n t o refo rm a wri t t en d ocu m en t m ay b e

b r o u g h t wi t h i n s ev en y ears fro m t h e t i m e t h e cau s e o f act i o n accru es .” (Ci t a t i o n

o m it t ed .) Ha

f f ner v. Da vi s , 2 90 Ga. 7 5 3 , 7 5 6 (3 ) (7 2 5 SE2 d 2 8 6 ) (2 0 1 2). An d “ [a] s

a gen eral ru l e, t h e s t at u t e of li m i t at i o n d o es n ot co m m en ce t o ru n ag ai n s t an eq u i t ab l e

act i on fo r refo rm at i o n o f a wri t t en i n s t ru m en t b as ed o n m u t u al m i s t ak e o r frau d u n t i l

t h e m i s t ak e o r frau d h as b een

, o r b y t h e ex erci s e of reas o n ab le d i l i gen ce s h o u l d h av e

b een

, d is co v ered .” (Ci t at i o n an d p un ct u at i o n o m it t ed .) Id

. Ho wev er, “ [a] n act i o n to

refo rm a deed m ay no t b e b arred b y th e s ev en -y ear s t at u t e o f li m i t at i o n

. . . i f t h e n o n

co m p l ai n i n g p art y w i l l n o t b e p reju d i ced .” (Fo o t n o t e o m i tt ed .) Co hen v. W a ch o vi a

Mo r t g

. Co rp

. , 33 2 Ga. Ap p

. 10 9

, 1 1 1 (7 7 0 SE2 d 1 7) (2 0 1 5 ). See OCGA § 2 3 -2 -3 2

4(b ) (“ Rel i e f m ay b e g ran t ed ev en i n cas es of n eg l i gen ce b y t h e co m p l ai n an t i f i t

ap p ears t hat t h e ot h er p art y h as n o t b een p reju d i ced t h ereb y .”); Eh l er s v. Up p er W es t

S i d e, LLC , 2 9 2 Ga. 1 5 1 , 1 5 3 -1 5 4 (1 ) (7 3 3 SE2 d 7 2 3 ) (2 0 1 2).

W e ap p l i ed t h e fo reg o i ng p ri n ci p l es i n Ba r r o n

. In t h at cas e, t h e ap pel l ee b an k,

al s o W el l s Farg o

, s u ed Barro n t o refo rm t h e l eg al d es cri p t i o n o f p ro pert y s ecu ri n g a

d eb t o w ed b y Barro n t o t h e ban k o n t h e g ro u n d t h at t he s e c u r i t y d eed m i s t ak en l y

i d en t i fi ed o n l y a p o rt i o n o f Barro n ’ s t ract of p ro p ert y

. 3 3 2 Ga. Ap p

. at 1 8 0

. Th e t ri al

co u rt g ran t ed s u m

m ary ju dg m en t t o t h e b an k b as ed o n ju d i ci al es t op p el

, fi n di n g t h at

Ba r r o n h ad co n t en ded i n h i s p ers o n al b an k ru p t cy p ro ceed i n g t h at h e o wn ed o n e

p arcel o f real p ro p ert y an d n o t t wo

, as h e n o w m ai n t ai n ed

. Id

. W e d ev o t ed t he g reat er

p o rt i on o f o u r an al y s i s i n co ncl u d i n g t h at t h e t ri a l c o u rt co rrect l y d eci d ed t h e i s s u e

o f ju d i ci al es t op p el

. Id

. at 1 8 3 -1 8 5 (1 ). We a l s o

, ho wev er, co n s i d ered Barro n ’ s

co n ten t i o n t h at t h e b an k ’ s co m pl ai n t was u n t i m el y

. Id

. at 1 8 6 -1 8 7 (2 ) (c). W e n o t ed

t h at “ W el l s Farg o was fi rs t as s i g n ed an i n t eres t i n t h e p ro p ert y o n Ap ri l 3, 2 0 0 7

, an d

i t fi l ed su i t o n A u gu s t 2 0

, 2 0 1 2 ; t h u s

, W el l s Farg o fi led s u i t ap p ro x i m at el y fi v e y ears

an d fo u r m o n t h s aft er i t reas on ab ly co u l d h av e bee n e x pect ed to d i s co ver an erro r

reg ard i n g t he M ay 2 0 0 4 s ecu ri t y d eed .” Id

. at 1 8 6 (2 ) (c). W e al s o fo u nd

, “ m o reo v er,”

t h at “ Barro n can n o t b e p reju d i ced b y t h e co nt ract refo rm at io n becau s e h e i s ju d i ci al l y

5es t o p p ed fro m a s s e r t i n g an u n en cu m bered i n t eres t i n t he p ro p ert y

. Th u s W el l s

Farg o ’ s co m

p l ai n t was t i m el y .” Id . at 1 8 6-1 8 7 (2 ) (c).

W e d i d no t h o ld i n Ba r r o n t h at t h e s t at u t e o f l im i t at io n s n eces s ari l y b eg i n s to

accru e as t o an as s i g n ee’ s act i o n fo r refo rm at i o n o f co n t ract at t h e t i m e o f as s i g n m en t

.

Un l ik e i n t h i s cas e, wh et h er t h e b an k ’ s p red eces s o r s h o u l d h av e d i s co v ered t h e erro r

i n t he s ecu ri t y d eed u po n ex erci s e o f reas o nab l e d i l ig en ce was n o t ex p res s ly at i s s ue.

No r d o th e fac t s o f B a r r o n i m p l y t h at we n eces sari l y co n s i d ered t h e q u es t i o n

. 3 “ A

d eci s i o n ’ s ho l d i n g is l im i ted t o t h e fact ual co n t ex t o f t h e cas e b ei n g d eci d ed an d t h e

i s su es t h at co n t ex t n eces s ari l y rai s es

. Lan g u ag e t h at s o u n ds l i k e a ho l d i n g

– b ut

act u al l y ex ceed s t h e s co p e o f t h e cas e’ s fact u al co n tex t

– i s n o t a h o l d i n g n o m at t er

h o w m u ch i t s o u nd s l i k e o n e” (Ci t at i o n an d p u n ct u at io n o m i t t ed .) Ga

. In t er lo ca l Ri s k

Mg mt

. Ag en cy v. Ci ty of S a n d y S p r i n g s

, 3 3 7 Ga. Ap p

. 34 0 n .1 (7 8 8 SE2 d 74 ) (2 0 1 6 ).

No t wi t h s tan d i n g W el l s Farg o ’ s rel i an ce o n Ba r ro n

, “ an as s i g n ee t ak es t h e

as s i g n m en t s u b

ject to d efen s es ag ai n s t t h e as s i g n or,” i n cl u d i n g t he d efen s e o f t h e b ar

o f th e s tat u te o f l i m i t at i o n s

. P r id g en v. Au t o -Own er

s In s

. Co

. , 2 04 G a. A p p

. 3 2 2

, 3 2 3

3 Th e ev i d en ce i n Ba r r on s h o wed t h at , fo l lo wi n g t he as s i g nm en t t o t h e b an k,

an em p l oy ee o f a t i t l e ag en cy fi l ed an affi d av i t o f a s cri v en er’ s erro r t h at “ ‘ s o m eo n e’

at t h e t i tl e ag en cy ” had cau s ed t h e secu ri t y d eed at i s s u e t o b e fi l ed wi t h an i n co rrect

l eg al d es cri p t i on . 3 3 2 Ga. Ap p . at 1 8 2

.

6(4 1 9 SE2 d 9 9 ) (1 99 2 ). 4 See H o u g h t o n v

. S

a co r F i n an ci a l

, In c.

, 3 3 7 Ga. Ap p

. 2 5 4,

2 5 8 -2 5 9 (1 ) (b ) (i ) (7 8 6 SE2 d 90 3 ) (2 0 1 6) (as s i g n ee of a c o n t r a c t co u ld n ot s t art a

n ew li m i t at i o n p eri od fo r fi l i n g b reach o f co n t ract act i o n by d em an d i n g t h at th e o t h er

p art y p ay t h e as s i g n ee an am o u nt d u e un d er t h e co n tract ). Th us

, W el l s Farg o t o o k t h e

s ecu ri t y deed s u bject t o t h e d efen s e o f t h e b ar o f th e st at ut e o f l i m i t at i o n an d s t o o d

i n t h e s h oes o f LSM i n s o far a s w h e n t h e cl ai m fo r refo rm at i o n o f t h e s ecu ri t y d eed

b eg an t o accru e. It fo l l o ws t h at t h e t ri al co u rt erred i n co n cl u d i ng t h at t h e st at u t e o f

l i m i tat i on s accru ed n o earl i er t h an t h e as s i g nm en t of th e s ecu ri t y d eed t o W el l s Farg o.

Fu rt h er, t h e p l ead i n g s s h ow t h at t h e al l eg ed m i s t ak e i n t he leg al d es cri p ti o n w a s

ap p aren t o n i t s face an d c o u l d h a v e b een as cert ai n ed b y LSM wi t h reas o n ab l e

d i l i g en ce b y

read i n g t h e s ecu ri t y

d eed

. See, e.g

., Co h en v. W a ch o vi a Mo r t

g

. Co rp

. ,

3 3 2 Ga. A p p

. at 1 1 1 (s t at u t e o f l i m i t at io n s n ot t o ll ed wh ere t h e l en d er al l eg ed a

m u tu al m i s t ak e i n t h e m i s t a k en o m i s s i on of t h e co -o wn er o f s ecu red p ro p ert y as a

g ran t o r u n d er th e s ecu ri t y d eed

, b ut t h e l en d er k n ew o r s h o u ld h av e k n o wn o f t h e co

4 An as s ig n ee “ st an d s i n th e s h o es ” o f i t s as s i g n o r, an d th u s “ o b t ai n s n o g reat er

ri gh t s th an t h e as si g no r p os s es s ed at t he t i m e o f as s ig n m en t. ” ( C i t at i o n s o m i t t ed .)

S o u t h er n Tel eco m In c. v. TW Tel eco m In c. o f Geo r g i a L.P.

, 3 2 1 Ga. A p p

. 1 1 0 , 1 1 4

(7 4 1 SE2 d 2 3 4 ) (2 0 1 3 ). In o t h er wo rd s

, “ t h e as s i g nee h as n o m o re ri g h t s u n d er t h e

co n tract th an t he as si g no r wo u ld h av e i n d eal i n g s wi t h th e o t h er co n t ract i n g p art y .”

Al g er n on Bl a i r

, In c. v. Na t

. S

u ret y Co rp

., 2 22 Ga. 6 7 2

, 6 7 3 (1 5 1 SE2 d 7 2 4 ) (1 9 6 6 ).

7o wn er’ s i n t eres t i n t h e p ro p ert y at t h e t i m e o f t h e l o an ); La yf i el d v. Sa n f o r d

, 2 4 7 Ga.

9 2

, 9 3 (2 7 4 SE2 d 4 5 0 ) (1 9 8 1 ) (refo rm at i o n o f i n s tru m en t d en i ed wh ere co m p l ai n i n g

p art y h ad “ n ot b o t h ered t o read t h e d eed o r h av e i t read t o h i m o r h av e th e p ro p ert y

s u rv ey ed ”).

Al t h ou g h t h e t ri al co urt erred i n i t s an al y s i s

, t h e pl ead i n gs do n o t es t ab l i s h t h at

W el l s Farg o wo u ld b e u n ab l e t o p rev ai l o n i t s cl ai m fo r refo rm at io n o f t h e s e cu ri t y

d eed

. 5 In t h e cas e o f a m u t u al m i s t ak e, refo rm at i o n o f a n a g r e e m e n t to refl ect t h e

p art i es ’ act u al i n t en t i s n ot n eces s ari l y p reju d i ci al t o t h e n o n-co m p lai n i n g p art y

. See,

e.g

., Hi l l v

. Ag new

, 1 9 9 Ga. 6 4 4

, 6 4 6 (3 4 SE2 d 7 0 2 ) (1 9 4 5 ) (“ If [d efen dan t ] g et s wh at

h e b o ug h t

, t h en h e can n o t b e h u rt b y refo rm i n g t h e i n st ru m en t

, s o as t o k eep h i m

fro m g et t i n g wh at h e d i d n o t b u y .”) (ci t at i o n an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed ); McCo l l u m v.

Lo vel es s

, 1 8 7 Ga. 2 6 2

, 26 7 (3 ) (2 00 SE 1 1 5) (1 9 3 8 ) (“ [T] h e defen d a nt wi l l n o t b e

5 See Ha r p er v. Pa t t er

s o n

, 2 7 0 Ga. A p p

. 4 3 7, 4 39 (2 ) (6 0 6 SE2 d 8 8 7 ) (2 0 0 4 )

(A m o t i o n fo r ju d g m en t o n t he p l ead i n g s

, ab s en t th e in t ro d u ct io n o f affi d av i t s

, d e p o s i t i o n o r i n t erro g at ori es i n s u p p o rt o f t h e m o t i o n

, i s eq u iv al en t t o a m o t i o n to

d i s m i s s fo r fai l u re t o st at e a cl ai m

, wh i ch “ s ho u l d n ot be g ran t ed u n l es s t h e av erm en t s

i n t h e co m

p l ai n t d i scl o s e w i t h c e r t ai n t y th at t h e p lai n t i ff wo ul d no t b e en t i t l ed to

rel i ef u n der an y st at e o f fact s wh i ch co ul d b e p r o v e d i n s u p p o rt of [i ts ] cl ai m .”)

(ci t at i o n an d p u n c t u a t io n o m i t t ed ); Au er b a ck v. Ma s l i a

, 1 42 Ga. Ap p

. 1 8 4, 1 8 6 (2 )

(2 3 5 SE2 d 5 9 4) (1 9 7 7 ) (“ J u d g m en t o n t h e pl ead i n gs m ay b e g ran t ed o n l y wh ere i t

ap p ears fro m th e pl ead i ng s t h em s el ves t h a t t h e p ers o n ag ai n s t wh o m ju d g m en t i s

s o u g ht can i n n o ev en t p rev ai l .”) (ci t at io n o m i tt ed ).

8p reju d i ced b y t h e refo rm at i o n of t h e d eed s o as t o m ak e i t s p eak t h e t ru t h .”). An d

, as

we n o t ed ab o v e, t h e l i m i t at i o n p eri o d m ay n o t b ar a refo rm at i o n cl ai m i f t h e n o n

co m p l ai n i n g p art y wi ll n o t b e p reju d i ced

. Co h en v. W a ch o vi a M

o r t g

. Co r p

. , 3 3 2 Ga.

Ap p

. at 1 1 1

. Th e Tru s t arg u es t h at i t w o u l d n eces sari l y b e p reju d i ced b y t h e

refo rm at i o n of t he s ecu ri t y d eed i n t h at t h e Tru s t was a b o n a fi d e p u rch as er fo r v al u e

wh o t oo k wi t h o u t n o t i ce t h at W el l s Farg o cl ai m ed an i n t eres t i n al l o f t h e Pro p ert y

.

See Ha f f ner v. Da vi s

, 2 9 0 Ga. 7 5 3

, 7 5 6 (3 ) (7 2 5 SE2 d 2 8 6 ) (2 0 1 2 ) ( s u b s e q u en t

p u rch as ers wo u ld b e p reju di ced b y t h e refo rm at i o n of t h e warran t y d eed as t h ey were

“ b o n a fi de p urch as ers wh o h ad n o n o ti ce o f t h e m i s t ak e un t i l aft er” t h ey b o u g h t t h e

p ro p ert y ). Here, al t h o ug h i t can b e i n ferred f r o m t he deed t o t he Tru s t t h at i t p ai d

v al u e fo r t h e Pro pert y

, t h e Tru s t d o es n o t p o in t t o an y t h i n g i n t he pl ead i n g s t h at

es t ab l i s h es i t h ad n o n ot ice o f t h e al l eg ed m u t u al m is t ak e i n th e s ecu ri t y d eed o r t h at

,

as a m at t er o f l aw, W el l s Farg o co u l d n o t p rev ai l by s h o wi n g a l ack of p reju d i ce to

t h e Tru st i f t h e s ecu ri t y d eed w as refo rm ed

. See, e.g

., W h i t en v. Mu r r a

y

, 2 6 7 Ga. Ap p.

4 1 7

, 4 2 1 (5 9 9 SE2 d 3 4 6 ) (2 0 0 4 ) (“ No t i ce su ffi ci en t t o ex ci t e at ten t i o n an d pu t a p art y

o n i nq u iry s h al l b e n o t i ce of ev ery t h in g t o wh ich i t is aft erw a rd s fo un d t h at s u ch

i n q u i ry m i g h t h av e l ed

. ”). T h e Tru s t h as n ot es t ab l i s h ed

, at th i s s t ag e o f t h e l i t i g at i o n,

t h at i t i s en t it l ed t o ju d g m en t. See G a m b l e v. Pi l ch er

, 2 4 2 Ga. 55 6

, 5 5 8 (2 5 0 SE2 d

94 1 6 ) (1 9 7 8 ) (t ri al co u rt erred i n g ran t i n g ju d g m en t o n t h e p l ead i n g s wh ere ap p el l ee

h ad n o t sh o wn t h at i t t o o k t he s ecu ri ty d eed wi t h o ut k no wl ed g e o f th e m at eri al m an ’ s

c l a i m a g a i ns t th e p ro p ert y ). Acco rd i n g l y

, we affi rm t he t ri al co u rt ’ s d en i al o f t h e

Tr u s t ’s m o t i o n fo r ju d g m en t o n t h e p l ead i n g s u nd er t h e p ri nci p l e o f ri g h t fo r an y

reas on

. See Fo r d v. At

ki n s o n Dr ed

g in g Co

. , 2 2 2 Ga. Ap p

. 5 9 3

, 5 9 4 n

. 1 (4 7 4 SE2 d

6 5 2 ) (1 9 9 6 ) (“ [A] ju d g m en t ri g h t fo r an y reas o n wi ll b e affi rm ed

. ”).

Ju d g men t a f f i r m ed . Br a nch a n d

Mer ci er , JJ., co n cu r

.

10