SECOND DI VI SI ON
M I LLER, P. J.

, RI C K M A N and REESE, 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

June 19, 2019



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A 19A 0 231. T H E A T L A

N T A DEVELOPM ENT AUTHORI T Y e t a l.

v. A N S L E Y W

A L K C O N D O M I N I U M A S S O C I A T I O N

, I N C

. et al

.

R E E S E
, J u d g e.

Th e At l an t a Dev el op m en t Au t h ori t y d / b /a In v es t At l a n t a , A t l an t a Bel t Li ne,

In c., an d t h e Ci t y o f At l an t a (co l l ect i v el y “ t h e A p p el lan t s”) ap p eal t h e t ri al co urt ’ s

o rd er d en y i n g t h ei r m o t i o n t o d i s m is s an i n vers e co n d e m n a t io n an d t res p as s act i o n

fi led b y An s ley W al k Co n d om i n i u m As s o ci at i o n , In c., in d iv i d u al l y an d o n b eh al f o f

a cl as s o f s im i larl y s it u at ed p ers o n s (co ll ect i v el y “ th e Ap p el l ees ”). 1 T h e Ap p el l an t s

cl ai m t h at t h e t ri al co u rt m i s i n t erp ret ed t h e co n t ract l an g uag e fo u n d i n an ag reem en t

1 T h e t ri al co u rt g ran t ed th e Ap p el lees ’ m o t i o n fo r l eav e t o ad d ad d i t i o n al p art i es , J o d aco , In c., W ay

n e A. Ch ri s ti an , an d Ro b ert

. R. Sm i t h as p lai n t i ffs

. Fo r t h e p u rp o s es o f

t h i s ap p eal , we wi ll refer t o al l t h e p l ai n t i ffs co l l ect i v el y as “ t h e Ap p el l ees .”t i tl ed “ Term i n at io n o f Rai l ro a d E as em en t ” (h en cefo rt h “ t h e A greem en t ”). Fo r t h e

reas on s s et fo rt h i nfra, we d i s ag ree an d affi rm t he ru l i n g o f t h e t ri al co u rt

.

Vi ewed i n t he l i g h t m os t fav o rab l e t o t h e no n -m o v an t

, 2 t h e am en d ed co m p l ai nt

al l eg es t h e fo l l o w i n g fact s

. 3 Th e p ro p ert y at i s s u e i nv o l v es a 3

. 4 6 -m i l e p ort i o n o f t h e

At l an t a Bel t Li n e, fo rm erl y o perat ed as a rai l ro ad b y N o r f o l k So u t h ern Rai l ro ad

(“ NSR”). On March 7

, 2 01 7

, NSR en t ered in t o t h e Ag reem en t wi t h t h e At l an t a

Dev el o pm en t Au t h ori t y (“ ADA”). Th e Ag reem en t i n cl ud ed t h e fo l l o wi n g lan g u ag e:

W HEREAS, NSR h as ob t ai n ed fro m t h e Su rface Tran s p o rt at i o n Bo ard

au t h ori t y to ab an d on an y an d al l ri g h t an d o b l i g at i o n p u rs u an t t o fed eral

l aw t o p ro v i d e co m

m o n carri er rai l t ran s p o rt at i o n i n t h e Co rri d o r[ 4 ] as

s et fo rt h i n t h e D eci s i on o f t h e Su rface Tran s p o rt at i on Bo ard i n STB

Do ck et No . 2 9 0 (Su b -No

. 2 1 0 X), No rf o l k S o u t her n Ra il wa

y Co mp a ny

-Ab a n d o n men t Exemp t i o n -i n Fu l t o n Co u n t y, G A (Serv i ce Dat e J u n e 9

, 2 0 0 9 ); an d

W HEREAS NSR h as ex erci s ed i t s au t h o ri ty t o ab an d on i t s rai l co m m o n

carri er ri g h t s i n t h e C o r ri d o r an d h as co ns u m m at ed t h e ab an d o n m en t

effect i v e as o f Oct o ber 2 2

, 2 0 1 0

, p urs u an t t o t h e N o t i ce o f

2 See Kel l y v. Lewi s , 2 2 1 Ga. Ap p . 5 06 , 5 0 7 (4 7 1 SE2 d 5 8 3 ) (1 9 9 6 ).

3 Th e Ap p el l an t s at t ach ed t h e Ag reem en t as Ex h i b i t A t o t h e am en d ed co m p l ai n t

.

4 “ Co rri d o r” refers t o s ev eral p arcel s o f lan d at t ach ed as E x h i b i t A t o t h e Ag reem en t, i n cl u d i n g t h e p ro p ert y

at i s s u e.

2Co n su m m at i o n of Ab an d o n m en t NSR fi l ed o n t h at d at e i n STB Do ck et

No . 2 9 0 (Su b -No . 2 1 0 X ); an d

W HERE A S

, N S R h a s fu l l y d i v es t ed i t s el f o f al l o f i t s ri g ht

, t i t l e an d

i n t eres t i n t h e Co rri d o r an d an y o b l i g at i o n p u rs uan t t o 4 9 USC § 10 9 0 1

t o p ro v i de co m

m o n carri er frei g ht t ran s p ort at io n i n t h e Co rri do r; an d

.

. .

W HEREAS, NSR no w d es i res to t erm i n at e i t s eas em en t o f ri g h t o f way

fo r al l p as s en g er an d frei g h t rai l ro ad p u rp o s es o v er, u p o n an d acro ss th e

Co rri d o r [.]

Th e Ag reem en t t h en s t at es :

1

. [Term i n at io n o f Rai l ro ad Eas em en t ]

. Effect i v e as o f t h e d at e h ereo f,

t h e NSR Rai l ro ad Eas em en t i s h ereb y t erm i n at ed i n i t s en t iret y an d sh al l

h av e n o fu rt h er fo rce an d effect

. W i t h o u t l i m i t i n g t h e f o r e g o i n g, NSR

b y ex ecu ti o n h ereo f q u i t cl ai m s , rem i s es an d rel eas es u n t o A DA an y

ri gh t, t i t l e o r i n t eres t (inc lud i n g , wi t h o u t l i m i t at i on , an y eas em en t ri g h t s )

i n , t o , o v er, acro s s , un d er, t h ro u g h

, an d u p o n an y p o rt i o n o f th e Co rri d o r

ari s i ng o u t o f t he NSR Rai l ro ad Eas em en t

.

2

. [M i s cel l an eo u s ]

. Th i s T erm i n at i o n s h al l be co n s tru ed an d en fo rced i n

acco rd an ce wi t h t h e l aws o f t h e St at e o f Geo rg i a an d s h al l b e b i n d i n g

u p o n an d i n u re t o t h e b en efi t o f ADA, i t s s u cces so rs an d as s i g n s an d al l

s u b s eq u en t o wn ers o f al l o r an y p art o f t h e Co rri d or fo rm erl y b en efi t ted

o r en cu m b ered b y t h e NSR Rai l ro ad Eas em en t

.

3Th e Ap p el l ees fi l ed t h e am en d ed co m p l ai n t req u es t in g cl as s cert i fi cat i o n an d

cl ai m i ng t h e co n d o m i n i u m o w n ers were ad jacen t l an d o w n ers wh o o w n ed fee t i t l e in

l a n d a djo i n i n g an d wi t h i n t h e d i sp u t ed p ro p ert y o n t h e d at e NSR ab an do n ed i t s

r a ilr oa d- pur

pose e a se m en t. Acco rd i n g t o t h e am en d ed co m pl ai nt

, t h e o ri g i nal rai lr oa d

i n s t ru m en t s g ran t ed on l y rai l ro ad -p u rp o s e eas em en ts ; d eed s an d ag reem en t s s h o w

t h at N SR’ s p red eces s o rs i n i n t eres t recei v ed rai l ro ad -p u rp o s e eas em en t s o v er t h e

l an d

, b u t t h e o ri g i n al o w n ers o f t h e l an d ret ai n ed a fee s i m p l e i n teres t i n t he s u b

ject

p ro p e r t y , bu rd en ed b y th e rai l ro ad -p u rp os e eas em en ts

. Th e am en d ed co m p l ai nt

co n ten d s t h at NSR ab an d o ned i t s rai l ro ad -p u rp o s e eas em en t wh en i t ex ecu t ed t h e

Ag reem en t o n M arch 7

, 2 0 17

, res u l t i n g i n t h e Ap p el l ees h o l d i ng fee s i m p le t i t l e to

t h e l an d

, u nen cu m

b ered b y an y rai l ro ad e a s em en t

. Th e Ap pel l ees so u gh t d am ag es

fro m t h e Ap p el l an t s ’ a l l e g ed i n v ers e co n dem n at i o n an d tres p as s , in ad d i t i o n to

at t o rn ey fees , co s t s , an d ex pen s es

.

4Th e A p p el l an t s m ov ed t o d i s m i ss t h e am en d ed co m p l ai n t

, 5 arg u i ng t h at NSR’ s

eas em en t t ran s ferred t o t h em an d t h e Ap p el l ees fai l ed t o s et fo rt h a cl ai m fo r i n v ers e

co n dem n at i o n o r t res p as s

. Th e t ri al co u rt d en i ed t h e Ap p el l an t s ’ m o t i o n s , bu t g ran t ed

a cert ifi cat e o f i m

m ed i at e rev i ew. Th i s ap p eal fo l l o w ed

.

“ W e rev i ew th e g ran t o r d en i al o f a m o t i o n t o di s m i s s d e n o v o , co ns t ru i n g t h e

p l ead i n g s i n t h e li g ht m os t fav o rab l e to t h e pl ai n t i ff[s ] wi t h an y d o ub t s res o l v ed in

t h e p l ai n t i ff[s ’ ] fav o r.” 6

W i t h th is g ui d i n g p ri nci p l e i n m i n d

, we t u rn n o w t o th e A pp el l an t s ’ s p eci fi c

cl ai m o f erro r.

Th e Ap p el l an t s arg u e t hat t h e t ri al co u rt erred in d en y i n g t h ei r m o t i o n s to

d i s m i s s b ecau s e, u n d er Geo rg i a l aw, a co nt ract t h at reco g n i zes t h e co nt i n u i ng u s e o f

t h e eas em en t t o o t h ers fo r o t h er p u rp o s es do es n o t co n s t it u te an ab an d o n m en t o f t h at

eas em en t . W e d i s ag ree.

5 Becau s e t h e A g reem en t was at t ach ed as an ex h i b i t t o t he am en ded co m p l ai n t

, t h e
t ri al co u rt co u l d co n s i der i t wh en ru l i n g o n a m o t i o n t o d i s m i s s

. See Go l d Cr eek S L, LLC

v. Ci ty o f Da ws o n vi l le

, 29 0 Ga. Ap p

. 80 7

, 8 0 9 (1 ) (6 6 0 SE2 d 8 5 8 ) (2 0 08 ) (“ A co p y o f an y wri t t en i n s tru m en t wh i ch i s an ex h i b i t t o a p l ead i ng i s a p art t h ereo f fo r al l p u rp o s es an d

t h u s , a t ri al co u rt i s au t h o ri zed t o co n s i d er ex h i b it s at t ach ed t o an d in co rp o rat ed i n t o t h e
p l ead i n g s i n i t s co ns i d erat io n o f a m o ti o n t o d i s m is s .”).

6 Ro g er s v. Du p r ee ,

_ _ Ga. Ap p

.

_

_ (8 2 4 SE2 d 8 2 3 ) (2 0 1 9 ) (p un ct u at i on an d
ci t at i o n s o m i tt ed ).

5Gen eral ly

, wh en “ i n t erp ret i n g an ex p res s eas em en t

, t h e ru l es o f co n t ract

co n st ru ct i o n ap pl y .” 7 Fu rt h er, “ [t ] h e card i n al ru l e of co n t ract co ns t ru ct i o n i s t o

as cert ai n t h e i n t en t i o n o f t h e p art i es

. To t h is en d [,] t h e wh o l e i n s t ru m en t, t o g et h er

wi t h i t s ci rcu m s tan ces , m

u s t b e co n s i d ered

. Ab s en t am bi g u i t y th at can n o t b e res o l v ed

b y ap p l y i n g t h e ru l es of co n tract co n s t ru ct i o n , t h e [co n s tru ct i on o f a] co n t ract rem ai n s

a q u es ti o n o f l aw.” 8

Th e q u es t i on o f wh et h er t h e Ag reem en t t erm i n at ed t he rai l ro ad -p u rp o s e

eas em en t o r, as t h e Ap p el l an t s arg u e, t h e Ag r e e m en t “ t erm i n at [ed NSR’ s ] ri g h t s to

t h e eas em en t [an d] co n fi rm [ed ] t h at t h e ri gh t s fo rm erl y h e l d b y [ N S R ] w o u l d b e

p res erv ed an d t ran s ferred t o t h e [ADA,] ” i s a q u es t i o n o f co n t ract co n s t ru ct i o n , wh i ch

req u i res a t h ree-s tep p ro ces s

. 9 Th e t h ree-s t ep p ro ces s i s as fo l lo ws :

Fi rs t , t h e t ri al co u rt m

u s t d eci d e wh et her t h e co n t ract l an gu ag e is cl ear

an d u nam bi g u o us

. If i t i s , t h e t ri al co u rt s i m pl y en fo rces t h e c o n tract

acco rd i n g t o i t s cl ear t erm s ; t h e co n t r a ct al o n e i s lo o k ed t o fo r i t s

m e a n i n g

. Nex t

, if t h e co nt ract i s am b i g uo u s in so m e res pect

, t h e co u r t

7 P i ch u l i k v. Ba ll

, 2 7 0 G a. Ap p . 6 5 6

, 6 60 (1 ) (6 07 SE2 d 2 47 ) (2 0 0 4 ) (p u n ct u at i o n

an d fo o t n o t e o m i t ted ).

8 Id . (p u n ct u at i o n an d fo o t no t es o m i t t ed ).

9 See McKi n l ey v. Co l i s eu m Hea l t h Gr o u p , 3 0 8 Ga. Ap p

. 7 68

, 77 0 (1 ) (7 0 8 SE2 d
6 8 2 ) (2 01 1 ).

6m

u s t ap p ly t h e ru les o f co n t ract co ns t ru ct i o n to res o l ve t he am b i gu i t y

. Fi n al l y , if t h e am

b ig u i t y rem ai n s aft er ap p l y i ng t h e ru l es o f co n s t ru ct i o n ,
t h e i ss ue of wh at t h e am

b i gu o u s l an g u ag e m ean s an d wh at t h e p art i es

i n t en d ed m

u s t b e res o lv ed b y

a ju ry

. 1 0

Here, t h e t ri al co u rt s u m

m ari l y d en i ed t h e Ap p el l an ts ’ m o t i o ns t o di s m i s s

. Th u s , we

can n ot d et erm i n e fro m t he o rd er wh et h er t he t ri al co u rt d id s o b ecau s e i t fo u n d t h at

t h e Ag reem en t u n am

b i g uo u s ly s t at ed th at NSR ab an d o n ed i t s rai l ro ad -p u rp o s e

eas em en t o r b ecau s e i t fo un d t h e Ag reem en t was a m b i g u o u s an d creat ed q u es t i on s

o f m at eri al fact to b e d eci ded b y a ju ry

. 1 1

Wi t h r e g a rd t o t h e fi rs t s t ep o f t h e co n s t ru ct i o n o f a co n t ract

, t h e Ap p el l an t s

as s ert i n t h ei r b ri ef t h at t h e ab an d o n m en t lan g u ag e i n t h e Ag reem en t m erel y refers to

NSR’ s ab an d o n m en t o f it s ri g ht s an d o b l i g at io n s t o p ro v i d e rai l serv i ce u n d er fed eral

reg u l at o ry l aws , an d n o t i t s ab an d o n m en t o f t h e a c t u a l eas em en t

. In su p po rt o f t h i s

arg u m e n t

, t h e Ap p el l an t s p o in t t o lan g u ag e i n t h e Ag reem en t s tat i n g th at NSR “ by

ex ecu t i o n h ereo f q u i t cl ai m s , rem i ses an d rel eas es u n t o ADA an y ri g h t, t it l e o r i n t eres t

(i ncl ud i ng , wi t h o u t l i m i t at i on , an y eas em en t ri gh t s)” i n t h e p ro p ert y

.

1 0 Id . (ci tat i o n an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed ).

1 1 Id

.

7Th i s Co u rt has h el d t h at “ [a] n am bi g u i t y i s d efi n ed as d u p l i ci t y , i n d i s t i n ct n es s ,

an u ncert ai n t y o f m e a n in g o r ex p res s i o n u s ed i n a wri t t en i n s tru m en t

, an d al s o

s i gn i fi es o f d o u b t fu l o r u n cert ai n n at u re; wan t in g cl earn es s o r d efi n i t en es s ; d i ffi cu l t

t o co m p reh en d o r d is t i ng u i s h; of d o u b tfu l p u rp o rt ; o p en to v ari o u s i n t erp ret at i o n s .” 1 2

Co n st ru i n g t h e p l ead i n g s i n th e l i g h t m o st fav o rab l e t o t he Ap p el l ees , as t h e

n o n -m o v an t

, t h e Ag reem en t is am b i g u o us b ecau s e t h e p art i e s ’ i n ten t i o n can n o t b e

d efi n i t i v el y as ce r t ai n ed fro m t h e fo u r co rn ers o f th e d o cu m en t

. 1 3 At pres en t

, i t i s

u n cert ai n wh at p ro p ert y ri g h t s w ere co n v ey ed b y t h e Ag reem en t t o ADA fro m NSR.

Th u s , t h e t ri al co u rt m

u s t p ro ceed t o st ep t wo an d ap p l y t h e ru l es o f co n t ract

co n st ru ct i o n t o res o l v e th e am b i g u i t y

. 1 4 “ Un d er t he ru l es of co n tract co n s t ru ct i o n,

p aro l ev i den ce i s ad m i s si b le to ex p l ai n an am bi g ui t y i n a wri t ten co n t ract

, al t h o u g h

s u ch ev i d en ce i s i nad m i s s i b l e t o ad d t o , t ak e fro m , o r v ary t h e wri t i n g i t s el f.” 1 5

1 2 Cr u z v. Pa r ed

es , 3 3 3 Ga. Ap p

. 8 5 7

, 8 59 (2 ) (7 7 7 SE2 d 70 2 ) (2 0 15 ) (p u n ct u at i o n

an d fo o t n o t e o m i t ted ).

1 3 See McKi n l ey , 3 0 8 Ga. Ap p . at 7 7 0 (1 ).

1 4 Id

.

1 5 Id . at 7 70 -7 7 1 (1 ) (ci t at i o n an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed ).

8To res o l ve t h i s i ss u e, t h e t ri al co u rt wo u l d b e req u i red t o d et erm i n e wh o o wn s

fee-s i m p l e t i t l e t o t h e p ro p ert y b y ex am in i n g al l co n v ey an ce i n s t r u m en t s an d

as cert ai n i n g w h et h er th e i n s tru m en t s co n v ey ed fee-s i m p l e t i tl e o r m erel y rai l ro ad

p u rp os e eas em en t s

. 1 6 In l i g h t o f t h i s u n cert ai n ty

, t h e t ri al co u rt d i d no t err i n d en y i n g

t h e Ap p el l an t s ’ m o t i on s t o d i s m i s s

.

Ju d g men t a f f i r m ed . Mi l l er

, P. J., a n d

Ri ckma n , J., co n cu r

.

1 6 See J a cks o n v. Ro g er

s , 2 0 5 Ga. 58 1

, 5 8 6 -5 8 7 (5 4 SE2 d 1 3 2 ) (1 94 9 ) (“ [T] h e

cru ci al t es t i n d et erm i ni n g wh et h er a co n vey an ce g ran t s an eas em en t i n , o r co n v ey s ti t l e
t o , l an d

, i s t h e i n t en ti o n of t h e p art i es , b u t i n arri v i n g at t h e in t en t i o n[,] m an y el em en t s

en t er i n t o t h e q u es ti o n . Th e wh o l e d eed o r i n s tru m en t m u s t b e l o o k ed t o, an d n o t m erel y d i s jo i nt ed part s o f i t

. Th e reci t al s i n t h e d eed

, th e co n tract

, t h e su b ject -m at t er, t h e o b

ject

, p u rp o s es , an d n at u re o f t h e res t ri ct i o n s o r l i m i t at i o n s, i f an y , o r t h e ab s en ce o f s u ch , an d

t h e at ten dan t fact s an d ci rcu m s t an ces o f th e p a r t i es at t h e ti m e of t h e m ak i n g of t h e

co n v ey an ce are al l t o b e co n s i d ered .”) (ci t at i o n s an d p u n ct uat i o n o m i t t ed ).

9