SECOND DI VI SI ON

M I LLER, P. J.

, DOYLE 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

October 30, 2017



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 7 A0 66 1 , A1 7 A0 6 62 . BENSON et al

. v . W ARD;

an d v i ce v ers a.

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

Do n al d J

. W ard fi l ed a leg al m al p ract i ce act i o n ag ai ns t at t o rn ey Herb ert W

.

B e n s o n an d h i s l aw fi rm , Herb ert W

. Ben so n , P. C. (co ll ect i v el y , “ Ben s on ”). T h e

Su p eri o r Co urt o f Ti ft Co u nt y (t h e “ t ri al co u rt ”) d en i ed b o t h Ben s o n ’ s m o t i o n f o r

s u m m ary ju d g m en t an d W ard ’ s m o t i o n fo r p art i al s u m m ary ju d g m en t

. Aft er t h e t ri al

co u rt den i ed Ben s o n ’s m o t i o n fo r reco n s i derat i o n , we g ran ted h i s i n t erl o cu t o ry

ap p li cat io n

. Bo t h p art i es ap p eal

. Fo r t h e reas o n s s et fo rt h

, i n fra, we rev ers e t h e d en i al

o f Ben s o n ’ s s u m

m ary ju d gm en t m o t i o n an d d is m i s s t h e cro s s -ap peal as m o o t

.

Aft er 3 2 y ears o f m arri ag e, W ard m ov e d o u t of t h e m ari t al h o m e an d,

rep res en t ed b y Ben s o n , fi l ed a d i v o rce act io n

. Aft er a b en ch t ri al

, at w h i ch b o t h W ardan d h i s ex -wi fe t es t i fi ed

, th e Su p eri o r Co u rt of Co o k C o u n t y (t h e “ d iv o rce co u rt ”)

en t ered an o rd er o f d iv o rce an d fi n al d ecree, wh i ch i n cl u d ed a d i v i s i o n o f p ro p ert y

.

W ard s o u g h t rev i ew o f t h e ju d g m en t

, b u t t h e Su p rem e Co u rt o f G eo rg i a rem an d ed t h e

cas e t o t h e d i v o rce co u rt fo r a ru l i n g o n W ard ’ s p o s t- j u d g m e n t m o t i o n fo r fi n d i ng s

o f fact

. Th e d i v o rce co u rt am en d ed i t s o rd er o n Decem b er 2 0

, 2 0 1 2

, t o i n cl u d e

fi nd i ng s o f fact an d co ncl u s i o n s o f l aw.

W ard fi l ed th e u n derl y i n g m al p ract i ce act i o n b as ed o n Ben s o n ’ s fai l ure t o fi l e

a t im el y ap p l i cat i o n fo r ap p el l at e rev i ew o f t h e a m e n d ed o rd er. W ard al l eg ed t h at

“ [t ] h e ov erwh el m i n g l y d i sp ro p o rt i o n at e d i v i s i o n o f t h e m ari t al es t at e co n st it u t ed an

ab u se o f d i s cret i o n ” b y t h e d i v o rce co u rt an d t h at Ben s o n ’ s “ erro r barred [W ard ] fro m

t h e o p po rt u n i t y

t o s u cces s fu l l y

ap p eal h i s cas e.”

Ben s o n m o v ed fo r s u m

m ary ju d g m en t

, arg ui ng t h at W ard ’ s cl ai m fai l ed as a

m at t er o f l aw b ecau se h e co u l d n o t es t ab l i s h p ro x i m at e cau s e i n th at h e co u l d n ei t h er

p ro v e t hat t h e Su p rem e Co u rt wo u l d h a v e fo u nd t h at t h e d iv o rce co u rt ab u s ed i t s

d i s cret i o n , n o r t h a t, i f th e Su p rem e Co u rt h ad rev ers ed t h e o rd er o f d i v o rce, t h e

d i v o rce co u rt o n rem an d w o u l d h a v e award ed h i m a great er s hare o f t h e m ari t al

p r o p ert y

. W ard fi l ed a m ot i o n fo r p art ial s u m m ary ju d g m en t, as s ert in g th at

, a s a

m at t er o f l aw, h e w o ul d h av e wo n h i s ap peal bas ed o n th e d i v o rce co u rt ’ s erro n eo u s

2l eg al co ncl u s i o n s an d fi n d i n gs o f fact an d t h e d i sp ro p ort i on at e wei g h t i t p l aced o n

W ard ’ s al l eg ed ad u l t ery

.

Th e t ri al co u rt d en i ed b ot h m o t i o n s

. I n i t s o rd er d en y i n g W ard ’ s m o t i o n , t h e

co u rt st at ed “ [t ] h e fact s d o n o t s h o w t h at [Wa rd ]

, o n ap p eal

, wo u l d h av e b een

s u cces s fu l i n g et ti n g t h e cas e re v ers ed at th e Geo rg i a Su p rem e Co u rt

, w h i ch i s an

es s en t i al el em en t t o t h e ch arg es as s ert ed i n t hi s cas e.”

Ben s o n s ou g h t reco n s i d erat i o n of t h e d en i al o f h i s m o t i o n , arg u i n g t h at t h i s

fi nd i ng s up p o rt ed h i s arg u m en t t h at h e was en t i t led t o s u m m ary ju d g m en t

. Th e t ri al

co u rt d en i ed Ben s o n ’ s m o ti o n fo r reco n s i d erat i o n o n t h e g ro u n d t hat it h ad co n s t ru ed

t h e fact s i n fav or of Ben s o n w h en co n s i deri ng W ard ’ s m ot i o n an d co n s t ru ed t h e fact s

i n fav o r o f W ard wh en co n s i d eri n g Ben s o n ’ s m o ti on

.

On ap peal fro m t h e d en ial o f s u m m ary ju dg m en t

, we rev iew t h e ev id en ce d e

n o v o , co n s tru i n g al l reas o nab l e co n cl u s i on s an d i nferen ces drawn fro m th e ev i d en ce

i n t he l i g h t m o s t fav o rab l e t o t h e n o nm ov an t

. 1

To p rev ai l o n a l eg al m al p ract i ce cl ai m , a cl i en t m us t p ro ve t h at (1 ) h e

em p l o y ed t h e d efen d an t at t o rn ey ; (2 ) t he at t o rn ey fai led t o ex erci s e

o rd i nary care, s k i l l

, an d d i l i g en ce; an d (3 ) t h i s fai lu re was t h e p ro x i m at e

cau s e o f d am ag es t o th e cl i en t

. To es t ab l i sh p ro x im at e cau s e, t h e cl i en t

1 W i l l i s v. Ci t y o f At l an t a , 2 6 5 Ga. Ap p

. 6 40

, 6 4 1 (2 ) (5 9 5 SE2 d 3 3 9 ) (2 0 0 4 ).

3m

u s t sh o w t hat b u t fo r t h e at t orn e y’s e r r o r , t h e o ut co m e wo ul d h av e

b een d i fferen t; an y l es s er req ui rem en t wo u l d i n v i te s pecu l at i o n an d

co n ject u re. Th e d efen d an t at t o rn ey i s en t i t l ed to s u m m ary ju d g m en t i f

h e s h o w s t h at t h ere i s an ab s en ce o f p ro o f ad d u ced b y t h e cl ien t o n th e

i s su e o f p ro x im at e cau s e. 2

W i th th es e g u id in g p ri n ci p les i n m i n d

, we t urn n o w t o Ben so n ’ s an d W ard ’ s s p eci fi c

cl ai m s o f erro r.

Ca s e No . A1 7 A0 6 6 1

1

. Ben s o n arg u es th at th e t ri al co u rt erred i n d en y in g hi s m o t i o n fo r s u m m ary

ju d g m en t b ecau s e W ard fai l ed t o s h o w t h at t h e Su p rem e Co u rt wo u ld h av e fo u n d t h at

t h e d i v o rce co u rt ab u s ed i ts b ro ad d i scret i o n in eq u it ab l y di v i d i ng t h e m ari t al as s et s

.

W e ag ree.

Th e “ d et erm in at i o n of wh et h er an ap p eal

. . . wo u ld h av e b een su cces s fu l i s a

q u es ti o n o f l aw, ex cl us i vel y wi t h i n t h e p ro v i n ce o f ju d g es , an d s h ou l d [b e] d eci d ed

b y t h e s u p e r i o r co u rt i n ru li n g o n [Ben s o n ’ s ] m o t i o n fo r su m m ary ju d g m en t .” 3 In

co n si d eri n g wh et h er t h e Su p rem e Co u rt w ou l d h a v e r e v e r s ed t h e p ro p ert y d i v i s i o n

2 Ho l m e s v. Peeb les

, 2 5 1 Ga. Ap p

. 4 17

, 41 9 (5 5 4 SE2 d 56 6 ) (2 0 0 1 ) (p u n ct u at i o n an d fo o t n o t es o m it t ed ).

3 F i n e & Bl o ck v. Eva n s , 2 0 1 G a

. Ap p. 2 9 4

, 2 9 5 (1 ) (4 1 1 SE2 d 7 3 ) (1 9 9 1 ) (ci t at i o n s o m i t t ed ).

4award h ad Ben s o n perfect ed an a p p e a l, we ap pl y t he s am e s t an d ard o f rev i ew t h at

wo u l d h av e b een ap p l i ed b y t h at co u rt

. 4

“ Th e t ri al co urt ’ s d i v i s i o n o f m ari t al p ro p ert y wi l l b e u p hel d as l on g as i t fal l s

wi t h i n t h e co u rt ’ s b ro ad d i s cret i o n , an d t h e co urt ’ s f a c t u a l fi n d i n gs are rev i ewed

u s i n g t h e ‘ an y ev i den ce’ ru l e, u n d er wh i ch a fi n d i n g s u p p ort ed b y an y ev i den ce m u s t

b e u p h el d .” 5 “ In t h e ap p el l at e rev i ew o f a b en ch tri al

, [t h e ap p el l at e co urt ] wi l l n o t s et

as i d e t h e t ri al co urt ’ s fact u al fi n d i n g s u n l es s t h ey are cl ear l y e r r o n eo u s , an d [t h e

ap p el l at e co urt ] p ro p erl y

g i v es d u e d eferen ce t o t h e o p p o rt u n i t y o f t h e t ri al co u rt t o

ju d g e t h e cred i b i li t y

o f t h e wi t n es s es .” 6

In i t s am en ded o rd er an d fi n al d ecree, t h e d i v orce co u rt fo u nd t h at M rs

. W ard

was en t i t l ed t o a d i v o rce o n t he t h ree g ro u nd s al l eg ed i n h er co u n t ercl ai m : ad u lt ery

b y W ard ; wi l l fu l an d co n ti n u ed d es ert i o n b y W ard fo r th e t erm o f o ne y ear; an d t h e

4 See D o w Ch em. Co

. v. Og let r ee, D ea ki n s & c ., 2 3 7 Ga. Ap p

. 2 7

, 3 0 (3 ) (5 1 4

SE2 d 8 3 6 ) (1 99 9 ) (“ In co n s id eri n g [wh et h er t h e E lev en t h Ci rc u i t w o u l d h av e

rev ers ed h ad an at t o rn ey p ro p erl y ap p eal ed ]

, we ap pl y t h e s am e s t an d ard o f rev i ew

t h at wo u l d h av e b een ap p li ed b y t h e El ev en t h Ci rcu i t [.] ”).

5 Dr iver v. Dr i ver , 2 9 2 Ga. 8 0 0, 8 0 2 (2 ) (7 4 1 SE2 d 6 3 1 ) (2 0 1 3 ) (ci t at i o n s an d

p u n ct u at i o n o m it t ed ).

6 W o o d v. W o o d

, 2 8 3 Ga. 8 (6 5 5 SE2 d 6 1 1 ) (2 0 0 8 ) (ci t at i o n an d pu n ct u at i o n

o m it t ed ).

5m arri ag e was i rret ri ev ab l y b ro k en

. 7 Th e t ri al co u rt m ad e d et ai l ed fi n d i n gs o f fact

, as

fo l l o w s : t h e p art i es h ad b een m arri ed 3 4 y ears an d d i d no t hav e an y as s et s wh en t h ey

m a r r i e d ; W ard had co n tri b u ted fi n an ci al l y b y cas h i ng hi s week l y p ay ch eck s an d

p u t t i ng s o m e m o ney in a d rawer fo r g ro ceri es , b u t h ad k ep t t h e res t ; W ard h ad

s u p p ort ed h i s wi fe’ s deci s i o n t o o b t ai n ad v an ced d eg rees b y t ak i n g care o f t h e t h en

m i n o r ch i l d ren an d h o m e wh i l e s h e at t en d ed cl as s es ; M rs

. W ard h ad o th erwi s e b een

t h e p ri m ary

careg i v er; s h e h ad p ai d t h e h ou s eh o l d bi l l s an d p ai d in t o her ret i rem en t

fu n d co n t i n u o u s l y , wh il e W ard ch o s e n o t t o h av e an y ret i rem en t wi t h h el d fro m h i s

p ay ch eck s ; s h e h ad t ak en a n um b er o f t ri p s p ai d fo r o ut o f t h e m ari t al b an k acco u n t ;

M rs

. W ard h ad s up p o rt ed her h u s b an d d u ri n g hi s o n e-y ear p eri o d o f u n em p l o y m en t ;

s h e k e p t h i m o n h er h eal t h i n s u ran ce d u ri n g h i s recen t bat t le wi t h can cer; an d s h e

h el p ed care fo r h i s ai l i ng m o th er d u ri n g t he m o t h er’ s fi n al 1 8 m o n t h s.

Th e d iv o rce co u rt ad di t i o n al l y n o t e d th at t h e p art i es had fo u g h t o ver W ard ’ s

u n fai t h fu l n es s an d t hat

, d u ri n g t h e b e n c h t r i a l, W ard h ad rel i ed up o n t h e Fi ft h

Am en d m en t o n cro s s -ex am i nat i o n rat her t han an s wer wh et h er h e had co m m i t t ed

ad u lt ery

. Th e ev i d en ce s ho wed

, h o wev er, t h at i n 2 0 1 0

, W ard h ad m o v ed d i rect l y o ut

o f t h e m ari t al h o m e i n t o t h e h o m e o f h is g i rl fri en d

, wi t h wh o m h e co n t i n ued t o l i v e

7 See OCGA § 1 9 -5 -3 (6 ), (7 ), (1 3 ).

6at th e t i m e of t h e b en ch t ri al

. T h e d i v o rce co u rt ad d ed t h at o n e o f t h e ad u l t so n s o f t h e

p art i es h ad t es ti fi ed t h at W ard h ad n o t b een i nv o l v ed m u ch wi t h th ei r fam i l y an d t h at

t h e o t h er s on d i d n o t d es i re co n t act wi th h i s fat her.

W ard cal l ed Mrs

. W ard ’ s s i st er t o t es t i fy t h at sh e h ad v i s i t ed t h e p art i es ’ h o m e

i n th e earl y 1 9 90 s an d t h at W ard was an “ ex cel l en t ” fat h er an d “ n i ce” h u s b an d wh o

t o o k care o f t h e h ou s eh o l d a n d wo rk ed al l t h e t i m e. Th e co u rt n o t ed

, h o wev er, t h at

acco rd i n g t o t h e s i s t er’ s t es t i m o n y , s h e h ad b een d iv o rced t wo t i m es , h ad a s t rai n ed

rel at i o n s h i p wi t h M rs

. W ard

, h ad h a d lu n ch wi t h W ard an d h is g i rl fri en d

, an d

b el i ev ed W ard h ad a “ g reat rel at i o ns h ip ” wi t h h i s s o n s. Fi n al l y , t h e co u rt n ot ed t h at

m em b ers o f th e co m

m u n it y h ad t es t i fi ed on b eh al f o f M rs

. W ard ’ s go o d rep u t at i o n

i n t he co m

m u n i ty an d h er t ru t h fu l n es s.

Th e d iv orce co ur t t h e n award ed M rs

. W ard t h e b u l k o f t h e m ari tal es t at e,

i n cl u d i n g t h e h o m e, v ari ou s t o o l s an d t ract o rs , an d th e en t i ret y o f h er ret i rem en t

acco u n t s.

W e co n cl ud e t h at

, as a m at t er o f l aw, W ard f a i l e d t o d em o n s t rat e t h at t h e

d i v o rce co u rt ab us ed i t s d i s c r e t i o n an d t h at t h e Su p rem e Co urt t h u s wo u l d h av e

rev ers ed t h e award bu t fo r Ben s o n ’ s erro r. A l th o u g h W ard co m p l ai n e d t h at t h e

d i v o rce co u rt g av e u n d u e wei g h t t o h i s al l eg ed ad u l t ery , t h e am en d ed o rd er i n d i cat es

7t h at t h e co u rt di d co n s i d er “ al l t h e rel ev an t fact o rs ” an d d id no t i m p ro p erl y co n s i d er

ev i d en ce o f W ard ’ s ad u l t ery

. 8 “ [E] v en t h o u g h an ad ul t ero u s sp o u s e c a n n o t o b t ai n

al i m o n y , an eq u i tab l e p ro p e r t y d i v i s i o n i s s t i ll perm is s i b l e.

. . . H o wev er, wh ere

eq u it ab l e d i v i s io n o f p ro p ert y i s i n i s s u e, t h e co n d uct o f t h e p art i es , b ot h d uri n g t h e

m arri ag e an d wi t h referen ce t o t h e cau se o f t h e di v o rce, i s rel ev an t an d ad m i s s i b l e.” 9

W ard h as n o t po i n t ed t o a s i n g l e Geo rg i a ap p el l at e cas e rev ers i n g an award

b as ed s o l el y o n t h e i m

b al an ce o f t h e award

. T o t h e co n t rary , t h e di v o rce co u rt

,

“ s i t t in g as t ri er o f f

act

, was n o t req ui red t o award [W ard ] an y of t h e m ari t al

p ro p ert y .” 1 0

[A] n eq u i t ab l e di v i s i o n of m ari t al p ro p ert y d o es n o t neces s ari l y m ean an

eq u al di vi s io n

. Th e p u rp o s e b eh i n d t h e d o ct ri ne o f eq u i t ab le d i v i s io n o f

8 See Mo r r o w v

. Mo r r o w , 2 72 G a. 55 7

, 5 5 8 (5 32 SE2 d 67 2 ) (2 0 0 0 ) (“ In

d et erm i n i n g t h e m an ner i n wh i ch m ari tal p ro p ert y is t o b e eq u it ab ly d i v i d ed

, t h e fact

fi nd er i s au th ori zed t o ex erci s e i t s d i s cret i o n aft er co ns i d eri n g al l t h e rel ev an t fact o rs , i n cl u d i n g each p a r

ty ’ s co n t ri b u t i o n t o t he acq u i s i t i o n an d m ai n t en an ce of t h e p ro p ert y [wh ich w o u l d i n cl ud e m on et ary co n t ri b u t i o n s an d co n t ri b u t i o n s o f a s p ou s e as a h o m em ak er]

, as wel l as t h e pu rp o s e an d i nt en t o f t h e p art i es reg ard i ng t h e o wn ers h ip

o f t h e p ro p ert y .”) (ci t at i on s o m i t t ed ).

9 Pet er s v. Pet er s , 2 48 Ga. 49 0

, 4 9 1 -4 9 2 (2 ) (2 8 3 SE2 d 45 4 ) (1 9 81 ) (ci t at i on s

o m it t ed ).

1 0 See S t a n l ey v. S t a n ley

, 2 8 1 Ga. 6 7 2 (1 ) (6 4 2 SE2 d 9 4 ) (2 0 0 7 ) (ci t a t i o n

o m it t ed ; em

p h as i s s u pp l i ed ).

8m ari t al p ro p ert y i s to as s u re t h at p ro p ert y accu m u l at ed du ri n g t he

m arri ag e b e fai rl y d i st ri b u t ed b et w een th e p art i es

. Each s p o u se i s

e n t i t l ed t o an al l o cat i o n o f t h e m ari t al p ro p ert y b as ed u p on h i s o r h e r

res p ect i v e eq u i t ab l e in t eres t th erei n

. Th u s , an award i s n o t erro n eo u s

s i m p l y b ecau s e o ne p art y recei v es a s eem i n gl y g r e a t e r s h are o f th e

m ari t al p ro p ert y

. 1 1

M o reo v er, s o m e ev i d en ce ex i s t ed i n t h e reco rd t o s u pp o rt each o f t h e co urt ’ s

fact ual fi nd i n g s

. 1 2 Pret erm i t ti n g wh et h er t h e d i v o rce co u rt erred i n i t s co n cl u s i o n t h at

W ard h ad “ wi l l fu l l y d es ert ed ” M rs

. W ard fo r o n e y ear wi t h i n t h e m ean i ng o f OCGA

§ 1 9 -5 -3 (7 ), an y erro r w as h arm l es s wi th res p ect to th e d i v i s i o n o f p ro pert y

. Aft er

l i st i n g d es ert i o n as a t h i rd g ro u n d fo r d i v o rce, t h e d i v orce co u rt el ab o rat ed t h at W ard

h ad m o ved i n w i t h h i s gi rl fri en d i n 2 0 1 0

. A s s tat ed ab o v e, “ t h e co n d u ct o f t h e p art i es ,

b o t h d u ri n g th e m arri ag e an d wi t h referen ce to t h e c a u s e o f t h e d i v o rce, i s rel ev an t

an d ad m i s s i b l e.” 1 3 In th e ab sen ce o f a s h o wi n g of ab us e o f d i s cret i o n , W ard has fai l ed

1 1 W r i g h t v. W r i gh t

, 2 7 7 Ga. 1 3 3

, 1 3 4 (2 ) (5 8 7 SEd 6 0 0) (2 0 0 3 ) (ci t at i o n s an d

p u n ct u at i o n o m it t ed ).

1 2 See D r i v e r , 29 2 Ga. at 8 03 -8 0 4 (4 ) (d es p it e cl ai m t h at d i v orce d ecree

co n tai n ed n u m ero u s i n co rrect fi n d i n g s th at affect ed t h e d i v is i on o f t h e m ari t al es t at e,

m o st of th e d i s p u t ed fi n d i n g s were s u p p o rt ed b y s o m e ev id en ce i n t h e reco rd

, wh i ch

i s al l t h at was req u i red ).

1 3 Pet er s , 24 8 Ga. at 4 9 1-4 9 2 (2 ) (ci t at i o n s o m i t t ed ). Cf. Dr i ver , 2 9 2 Ga. at 8 0 4 (4 ) (co ncl u d i n g th at

, a l t h o u g h t h e t ri al co urt cl earl y erred by m i s i d en t i fy i n g t h e

9t o sh o w t h at th e o u t co m e of an ap p eal t o t he Su prem e Co u rt o f Geo rg i a wo u l d h av e

b een di fferen t

. 1 4 Ben s o n was t h u s en t i t l ed t o s um m ary ju d g m en t

. 1 5

2 . In v i ew o f o u r h o l d i ng i n Di v i si o n 1 , s up ra, we n eed n o t ad d res s Ben s o n ’ s

rem ai n i n g cl ai m

o f erro r.

Ca s e No . A1 7 A0 6 6 2

3

. In h i s cro s s -ap p eal

, W ard arg u es t h at t he d i v o rce co u rt m ad e erro n eo u s l eg al

co n cl u s i o n s an d fi n d i n g s o f fact an d t h at t h e Su p rem e Co u rt wo ul d h av e fo u n d t h at

t h e d iv o rce co u rt ’ s d iv is i o n o f t he m ari t al p ro p ert y co ns t i t u ted an ab u s e o f d i s cret i o n.

Becau s e we co ncl u d ed i n Di v i s i o n 1

, s u p ra, th at t h e t ri al co u rt erred b y no t g ran t i n g

s u m m ary ju d g m en t i n fav o r o f Ben s on , we n eed n o t ad d res s t h i s arg u m en t o n ap p eal

.

W e t hu s d i s m i ss t h e ap p eal i n Cas e No . A1 7 A0 6 62 as m o o t

.

Ju d g men t r ever

s ed i n Ca s e No

. A1 7

A0 6 61

. Ca s e No

. A1 7

A 0 6 6 2 d i s mi s s ed a s

mo o t . Mi l l er

, P. J., a n d D oyl e, J., co n cu r

.

s o u rce o f t h e am o u n t of a h u s b an d ’ s 2 0 1 0 i n c o m e , t h e fi gu re was s u p p o rt ed

el s ewh ere b y

t he reco rd an d th e erro r was t h u s h arm l es s ).

1 4 See Ho l mes , 2 5 1 Ga. Ap p . at 4 2 0 (3 ).

1 5 See Ki d d v. G a

. As s n

. o

f Ed u ca t o r s , 2 63 Ga. Ap p

. 1 7 1

, 1 7 5 (5 8 7 SE2 d 2 8 9 ) (2 0 0 3).

10