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

Septem ber 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 A1 03 1

. EDOKPOLOR et al v

. GRADY M EM ORIAL

HOSPITAL CORPORATION et al

.

M E R C I E R , J u dg e.

Pat ri ck E d o k

p ol o r an d Li n d a Pat ri ck (co l l ect i v el y

, “ Ed o kp o lo r”) ap p eal t h e

g ran t of s u m

m ary ju d g m en t t o Grad y M em o ri al Ho sp i t al Co rp o rat i o n, Sh i rl ey Si n g h,

an d J an e D o e (co l l ect iv el y

, “ Grad y ”) i n E d o k po l o r’ s wro n gfu l d eat h s ui t ag ainst them

i n t h e St at e Co urt o f Fu l t o n Co u n t y

. Grad y h as m o v ed th i s Co u rt t o d i s m i s s t h e

ap p eal

, arg u in g t h at Ed o kp o l o r’ s n o t i ce o f ap p eal was u n ti m el y

, an d t h at Ed o k p o l o r

fai l ed t o fi l e a b ri ef w i t h i n 2 0 d ay s o f t h e d o ck et i ng of t h i s cas e. Th e m o t i o n to

d i s m i s s i s m o o t wi t h reg ard to t h e l at e fi l in g o f Ed o k p o lo r’ s b ri ef, as t hi s Co u rt

g ran t ed an ex t en s io n o f t h e fi l i ng d at e. Ho wev er, as a t h res h o l d m at t er, we ex am i n et h e is s u e o f wh et h er Ed ok po l o r’ s ap p eal was t i m el y

. Fo r t h e reas o n s t h at fo l l o w, we

g ran t Grad y ’ s m o t i on t o d i s m i s s

.

Ed o k p o l o r fi l ed s u i t ag ai n s t G rad y o n J u l y 1 5

, 2 0 1 0

. On M ay 2 8, 2 0 13

, t h e t ri al

co u rt g ran t ed Ed o k

p o l o r’ s m o t i o n fo r an award o f ex p en s es i n cu rred i n s erv i n g Grad y

M em ori al Ho s pi t al Co rp o rat i o n

, p u rs u an t t o OCGA § 9 -1 1-4 (d ) (4 ), an d s t at ed t h at

i t res erv ed t he i s s u e o f t h e am o u n t o f t h e award o f ex p en s es t o b e d et erm i n ed at a

l at er h eari n g o n G rad y ’ s m o t i o n t o d i s m i s s o r fo r s u m m ary ju d g m en t

. On Sep t em b er

1 2

, 2 0 1 3

, t h e t ri al co u rt den i ed Grad y ’ s m o t i o n t o d i s m is s o r fo r s u m m ary ju d g m en t

.

On Oct o ber 1 7, 2 0 1 3 , Grad y fi l ed a ren ewed m o t i o n fo r s u m m ary ju dg m en t

, wh i ch

t h e tri al co u rt g ran t ed o n Oct o b er 7

, 2 0 14

, o n t h e g ro u nd s t h at “ t h e cau s at i o n

t es t i m o ny of reco rd i s i n s u ffi ci en t t o creat e a t ri ab l e i s s u e o f fact .” Th e o rd er ap p ears

t o refer t o t h e d efen d an t s co ll e c t i v e ly as “ Defen d an t ” an d s t at es t h at ju d g m en t i s

en t ered i n fav o r o f “ Defen d an t ; ” i t ap pears t hat Si n gh d i ed b efo re s h e w as s erv ed wi th

t h e c o m p l ai n t

. Ed o k

p o l o r d o es n o t co n t en d t h at t h e gran t o f s um m ary ju d g m en t

ap p li ed t o fewer t h an al l o f t h e d efen d an t s

.

On No v em

ber 6, 2 0 1 4, t h e t ri al co u rt den i ed Ed o kp o l o r’ s “ E m erg en cy M o t i o n

fo r Reco n s i d erat i o n o f Ord er Gran t i n g Su m m ary J u d g m en t

, an d fo r S u s p en s i o n o f

Sai d Ord er Pen d in g Reco n s i d erat i o n

. ” Th e m o t i o n i s no t i ncl u d ed i n t h e reco rd

2t ran s m i t t ed t o t h i s C o u r t

. On J an u ary 2 2

, 2 0 1 5

, Ed ok p o lo r fi l ed i n t h e t ri al co urt a

m o ti o n t o rev i s e t h e o rd er g ran t i n g s um m ary ju d g m en t

, arg u i n g

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

,

t h at t h e cas e was s t il l p en d i n g becau s e o f th e u n res o l v ed OCGA § 9 -1 1 -4 co s t award

an d t h e t ri al co u rt t h erefo re co u l d a d d r e s s t h e su b st an ce o f th e m o t i o n fo r

reco n s i d erat i on

, an d referred t o t h e earl ier m o t i o n as “ (p erh ap s erro n eo u sl y ) s t y l ed

as an em erg en cy m o ti o n fo r reco n si d erat i o n ,” arg u i n g t h at t he cas e was s t i l l p en d i n g

b ecau s e o f t h e u n r e s o lv ed co s t i s s u e, an d t h e co u rt h ad “ th e p o wer t o ad d res s t h e

s u b s t an ce o f t h e m ot i o n fo r reco n s i d erat io n

. ” In an o rd er en t ered Sep t em b er 1 4

, 2 0 1 5,

t h e t ri al co u rt d et erm in ed t h e am o u n t o f t h e award of co s t s u n der OCGA § 9 -1 1 -4

. In

t h e s am e o rd er, i t al s o d et erm i ned t h at i t s earl i er o rd er g ran t i n g s um m ary ju d g m en t

o n O ct o b er 7

, 2 0 1 4 w as a fi n al ju d g m en t

, an d den i ed Ed ok p o l o r’ s m o t io n t o rev i s e

t h e s u m m ary ju d g m en t o rd er. Ed o k p o l o r fi led a n o t ice o f ap p eal o n Oct o ber 1 4

, 2 0 1 5,

s t at i n g th at h e ap p e a l s “ fro m th e s u m m ary ju dg m en t d at ed 1 0 / 7 /2 0 1 4

, m ad e a fi n al

o rd er o n 9 / 1 4 / 2 0 1 5

. ”

On ap p eal

, Ed o k

p o l o r arg u es t o t h i s Co urt t h at t h e t r i al co u rt erred in

d et erm i n i n g t h at t h e Oct o b er 1 7, 2 01 4 ord er g ran t i n g su m m ary ju d g m en t was a fi n al

ju d g m en t

. In t hree o t h er en u m erat i o n s o f erro r, Ed o k po l o r ch al l en g es t h e t ri al co urt ’ s

g ran t o f s u m

m ary ju d g m en t t o Grad y

. G r a d y a s s ert s t h at t h e n o t i ce o f ap peal

, fi l ed

3o v er a y ear aft er t h e o rd er w as en t ered g ran t i n g s u m m ary j u d gm en t t o Grad y

, was n ot

t i m el y ; Ed o k

p o lo r arg ues t h at t h e cas e rem ai n ed p en di n g u n t il t h e S e p tem b er 1 4,

2 0 1 5 o rd er was en tered

, an d t h u s t h e n o t i ce o f ap p eal fi l ed w i t hi n 3 0 d ay s o f t h at

o rd er was t i m el y

.

“ A n o t i ce o f ap peal s h al l b e fi l ed wi t h i n 3 0 d ay s aft er en t ry o f t h e ap p eal ab l e

d eci s i o n o r ju d g m en t co m p l ai n ed o f.” OCGA § 5 -6 -3 8 (a). “ Th e t im e req ui rem en t o f

OCGA § 5 -6 -3 8 (a) is ju r i s d i ct i o n al

, an d b ecau s e of [t he ap p el l an t ’ s ] fai l u re t o fi l e

a t i m e l y n ot i ce o f ap peal

, [t h e] ap p eal m u st be d i s m i s s ed fo r l ack o f ju ri s d i ct i o n .”

Un d er wo o d v. La n i er Ho me Cen t er

, 2 3 9 Ga. Ap p

. 2 8 2 (5 2 1 SE2 d 2 0 7 ) (1 9 99 ); Br o wn

v. W eb b , 2 2 4 Ga. Ap p . 8 5 6

, 8 5 7 (4 8 2 SE2 d 3 8 2) (1 99 7 ); OCGA § 5 -6 -4 8 (b ).

An o rd er “ co n s t i t u tes a fi n al ju dg m en t w i t hi n th e m ean i n g o f OCGA § 5 -6 -3 4

(a) (1 ) wh ere i t l eav es n o i s s u es rem ai n i n g to b e res o l v ed

, co n s t i t u t es t h e co u rt ’ s fi n al

ru l i n g o n t h e m eri t s o f t h e act i o n

, an d l eav es t h e p art i es wi t h n o fu rt h er reco u rs e in

t h e t ri al co u rt .” Fo r ri s t er v. Ma n i s Lu mb er Co

. , 2 3 2 Ga. Ap p

. 37 0

, 3 7 1 (1 ) (5 0 1 SE2 d

6 0 6 ) (1 9 9 8 ) (ci t at i o n om i t t ed ). A m o ti o n fo r reco n si d erat io n d o es n o t ex ten d t h e t i m e

fo r fi l i n g a n o t ice o f ap p eal

. U n d e r w o o d

, s u p ra; see A mer ica n Fl a t Gl a ss

Di s t r i b u t o r

s

, In c. v. Mi ch a el

, 2 6 0 Ga. 3 1 2 (3 9 2 SE2 d 8 5 5 ) (1 9 9 0 ); OCGA § 5 -6 -3 8.

4Ho wev er, “ s um m ary ju d g m en t o rd ers wh i ch d o n o t d i s p o s e of th e en t i re cas e

a r e c o n s i d ered in t erl o cu t ory an d rem ai n wi t h in t h e b reas t o f t h e co u rt u n t i l fi n a l

j u d g m e n t i s en t ered

. Th ey are s u b ject t o rev i s i o n at an y t i m e b efo re fi n al ju d g m en t

u n l es s t h e co u rt i s s u es an o rd er ‘ u p o n ex pres s d i rect io n ’ u n d er OCGA § 9 -1 1 -5 4 (b ).”

Bo u rf f v. Gr een Tr ee S

er vi ci n g

, LLC

, 32 1 G a. Ap p

. 32 0

, 3 22 -3 2 3 (3 ) (7 41 SE2 d 1 7 5 )

(2 0 1 3) (p h y s i cal p reced en t o n ly ); Ho d g es Pl u m b i n g & El ect r i c Co . v. ITT Gr i n n el l

Co

. , 1 7 9 Ga. Ap p

. 5 2 1 , 5 2 2 (1 ) (3 4 7 SE2 d 2 5 7 ) (1 9 8 6 ). In d et erm i ni n g wh et h er we

h av e ju ri sd i ct i o n o v er th is cas e, t h erefo re, we are p res en t ed wi t h th e i s s u e o f wh et h er

t h e en t ry o f s u m m ary ju d g m en t o n O c t o b er 7

, 2 0 1 4 co n s t it u t ed a fi nal ord er i n t h i s

cas e wi t h i n t h e m ean i n g o f O C GA § 5 -6 -3 4 (a) (1 ), req u i ri n g an ap peal t o b e fi l ed

wi t h i n 30 d ay s

, wh i l e Ed o k po l o r’ s m ot i on fo r co s t s an d fees p u rs u an t t o O CGA § 9

-

1 1 -4 rem ai n ed p en d i ng (as t o t h e am o u n t ).

Th e i s su e o f t h e fi n al i t y of a ju d g m en t h as b een co n s i d ered i n co n n ect i o n wi th

p en di n g c o s t an d fee award s p u rs u an t t o o t h er s t at u t es

. E d o k po l o r p oi n ts us t o t h e

d e c i s i o n o f t h e Su p rem e Co urt o f Geo rg i a i n S o t t er v. S t ep h en s

, 2 9 1 Ga. 7 9 ( 7 2 7

SE2 d 4 8 4 ) (2 0 1 2 ). In S

o t t er

, a cas e p ert ai n i n g t o t h e ad m i n i s t rat i o n o f an es t at e, t h e

Su p rem e Co u rt o f Geo rg i a ex am in ed t h e ti m el i n es s o f an ap p eal by cert ai n p a r t i es

fro m cert ai n o rd ers en t ered i n t h e cas e, an d fo u n d th at “ i f j u d gm en t res erv es t h e i s s u e

5o f at t o rn ey fees u n der OCGA § 1 3 -6 -1 1

, t hen on e can n o t cl ai m t h at ‘ t h e cas e i s n o

l o n g er p en di n g i n t h e co u rt b el o w’ as req ui red b y O CGA § 5 -6 -3 4 (a) (1 ).” S o t t er

,

s u pra at 8 3 -8 4

. Ho wev er, t h e an al y s i s i n So t t er is co u n t er t o Ed ok p o l o r’ s po s i ti o n,

b ecau s e t h e Su prem e Co u rt no t ed t h erei n t h at

, “ wh i l e an at t o rn ey fees award p u rs u an t

t o OCGA § 9 -1 5 -1 4 m ay b e co n s i d ered an ci l l ary an d p o st -ju d g m en t

, an award o f

at t o rn ey fees u n d er OCGA § 13 -6 -1 1

. . . i s co n s i d ered p art o f t h e un d erl y i n g cas e.”

Id

. Po i n ti n g o u t t h at t he at t o rn ey fees award ed t o t h e p l ai n t i ff w ere s p eci al l y p l ead ed

fo r i n h er co m

p l ai n t , t h e Co u rt al s o ex pl ai n ed t h at award s o f at t o rn ey fees p u rs u an t

t o O CGA § 13 -6 -1 1 “ ap p l y t o co n d u ct ‘ ari s i n g ’ fro m th e t ran s act i o n u nd erl y i n g t h e

cau s e o f act i o n i n l i t i g at io n ,” wh ereas “ OCGA § 9 -1 5 -1 4

. . . h as b een i nt erp ret ed to

g o v ern co n d uct o ccu rri n g d u ri n g th e l i t ig at i o n .” S o t t er

, su p ra at 8 3. Ad d i t io n al l y

, t h e

Su p rem e Co u rt no t ed t h at t h e ap p eal ed -fro m ord ers in q u es t io n i n S o t t er were n ot

f i n a l

, b ecau se is s u es rem ai n ed t o b e res o lv ed as t o so m e p art i es wi t h reg ard t o t h e

u n d erl y i n g cl ai m s

. So t t er , s u pra at 8 2

.

Th e award o f co s ts p u rs uan t t o OCGA § 9 -1 1-4 ( d ) (4 ) ari s es fro m a p art y ’ s

co n du ct d u ri n g l i t ig at i o n

, sp eci f i c a l l y

, n o n -co m

p l i an ce wi t h a req u es t t o wai v e

p ers o n al s erv i ce, rat h er t h an fro m t h e t ran s act i o n u n d erl y i n g t h e cau se o f act i o n i n t h e

cas e. Th erefo re, h ere, wh ere th e t ri al co u rt h ad en t ered i t s s u m m ary ju d g m en t o rd er

6co n cl u d in g t h e cas e as t o al l p art i es an d i s s u es

, t h e fact th at t h e an ci l lary i ss u e o f t h e

co s t award u n d er OCGA § 9 -1 1-4 (d ) rem ai ned p en d i n g di d n o t p rev en t t h e ju d g m en t

fro m b ei n g fi n al fo r p u rp o s es o f OCGA § 5 -6 -3 4 (a) (1 ) an d OCGA § 5 -6 -3 8 (a).

Th e O ct ob er 1 7

, 2 0 1 4 j u d g m en t o rd er was a fi n al ju d g m en t

. In as m u ch as t h i s

ap p eal w as b ro u g ht o u t s i d e o f t h e 3 0 -d ay t i m e fram e fro m t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s en t ry o f

ju d g m en t an d t h u s was u n t i m el y , we g ran t Grad y ’ s m o t i o n t o d i s m i s s

.

Ap p ea l d i s mi s s ed . El l in gt o n , P. J., a n d Br an ch , J., co n cu r

.

7