FI RST DI VI SI ON

BA RNES, P. J.

, GOBEI L and M A RKLE, JJ.

N O T IC E : M otions for r e c ons i de r a tion m us t be

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TH E TIM E S S E T B Y

O U R C O U R T R U LE S

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June 15, 2021



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A2 1 A0 57 7 . SHANNON v . HATCH.

M A R K LE

, J ud g e.

Aft er W arren Sh an n o n fai l ed t o ap p e a r fo r tri al

, t he t ri al co u rt en tered fi n al

ju d g m en t ag ai ns t h im

. I n t h i s di s cret io n ary ap p eal

, Sh an no n ap p eal s fro m t h e t ri al

co u rt ’ s d en i al o f hi s m o ti o n t o s et as i de t h e ju d g m en t

, co nt en d in g t h at t he tri al co u rt

a b u s ed i t s d i s cret i o n becau s e t h e ju dg m en t w as t he fu n ct i o n al eq u i v al en t o f a n

i m p ro p er d i s m i s s al wi t h p reju d i ce b as ed s o l el y on h i s n o n ap p earan ce. Becau s e we

co n cl u d e t h at t h e fi n al ju d g m en t i s a n o n am en d ab l e d efect o n t h e reco rd

, we rev ers e.

“ Gen eral l y

, we rev i ew a t ri al co u rt ’ s ru l i n g o n a m o t i o n t o s et as i de fo r ab u s e

o f d is cret i o n

. Ho wev er, wh ere t h e fact s are u n di s p u t ed an d t h e i s s u es p res en t ed o n

ap p eal i n v o l v e q u es t i o n s o f l aw, we rev i ew th e tri al co u rt ’ s r u l i n g de n o v o.” Da vi s

v. Cr es cen t

Ho l d i n gs & In ves t men t

s , 3 36 Ga. Ap p . 3 7 8 (7 8 5 SE2 d 5 1 ) (2 0 1 6 ).Th e fact s are n o t in d i s p u t e. Sh an n o n s u ed W il l iam D. H a t c h f o r n eg l i g en ce

a ri s i n g fro m an acci d en t i n wh i ch Hat ch ’ s v eh icl e s t ru ck Sh an n o n

, a p ed es t ri an

. I n

earl y J an u ary 2 0 2 0

, t h e t ri al co u rt i s s u ed an o rd er g ran t i n g t h e p art i es ’ jo i n t m o t i o n

t o co n t i n u e t h e t ri al o f t h i s m at t er, an d n o t ifi ed th em t h at t h e cas e h ad b een p l aced o n

t h e co u rt ’ s M arch 2 , 2 02 0 t ri al cal en d ar.

Th e week pri o r t o t h e cal l o f t he cal en d ar, co u rt s t af f e -m ai l ed t h e p art i es ’

co u ns el

, d i rect i n g t h em t o ap p ear o n M arch 2

, 2 0 2 0

. Co un s el fo r b o t h p art i es

ap p e a r e d a t t he cal l o f th e t ri al cal en d ar, an d t h e t ri al co u rt i n fo rm ed t h em t h at t h e

cas e was i n l in e t o b e t ri ed an d t h at t h ey w ere o n a t wo -h o u r cal l

. 1 On t h e m o rn i n g o f

M arch 3

, 2 0 2 0

, co u rt s t aff e-m ai l ed t h e part ies ’ co u n s el

, no t i fy i ng t hem th at t h e cas e

wo u l d l i k el y b e cal l ed t h e fo ll o wi n g m o rn i n g

, an d t h at t h e y w o u l d recei v e fu rt h er

co n fi rm a t i o n lat er t h at sam e d ay

. Th i rt y m i n ut es l at er, co u rt s t aff e-m ai l ed b o th

co u ns el ag ai n

, d i rect in g t h e p art i es t o ap p ear fo r t ri al t h e fo ll o wi n g m o rn i n g

. Nei t h er

Sh an n o n n or hi s co un s el ap peared fo r t ri al o n M arch 4

, 2 0 2 0. Hat ch an n o u n ced read y

fo r t ri al an d req u es t ed th at t h e t ri al co u rt en t er j u d gm en t in h i s fav or. Aft er

co n fi rm i n g w i t h t h e co u rt cl erk an d h i s s t a f f t h at t h ey h ad recei v ed n o

co m m u n icat io ns fro m Sh an n o n

, t h e t ri al co u rt en t ered fi nal ju dg m en t i n Hat ch ’ s

1 Th e cal l o f t h e t ri al cal en d ar was n o t t ran s cri b ed

.

2fav o r. Sh a n n o n m o v ed t o s et as i d e t h e ju d g m en t

, wh i ch t h e t ri al co u rt d en i ed

. W e

g ran t ed Sh an n on ’ s ap p l i cat i o n fo r d i scret i o n ary ap p eal , an d t h i s ap p eal fo ll o wed

.

In rel at ed en u m erat i o n s of erro r, Sh an n o n arg u es t h at t h e t ri al co u rt ab u s ed i t s

d i s cret i o n b y d en y i n g h is m o t io n t o s et as i de b ecau s e t h e fi n al j u d gm en t effect i v el y

an d i m p ro p erl y di s m i s s ed h i s cl ai m s wi t h p reju d i ce b as ed s o l el y o n h i s fai l u re to

ap p ear fo r t ri al

. 2 W e co n cl ud e t h at t h e fi nal j u d gm en t i s a n o n am en dab l e d efect o n t h e

reco rd , an d t h erefo re rev ers e. 3

2 Al t h o u g h Sh an n on co n t es t s t h e su ffi ci en cy o f t he t ri al n o ti ce, w e p res u m e h e

recei v ed pro per n o t i ce fo r p u rp o s es o f t h i s ap p eal s i n ce we rev ers e o n ot h er g ro u n d s

. See Ba r n e r v

. Bi n kl ey

, 30 4 Ga. Ap p

. 7 3 (6 9 5 SE2 d 3 9 8 ) (2 0 1 0). Ho w ev er, we t ak e

t h i s o p po rt u n i t y t o n ot e t h at Sh an n o n ’ s co u n s el em ph at i cal l y b l am es t h e t ri al co u rt

fo r h is ab s en ce at tri al b ecau s e t h e t ri al co u rt p u rp ort ed l y an n ou n ced at t h e cal en d ar

cal l t h at i t wo u l d n o t i f

y c o u n s e l t o ap p ear fo r t ri al b y p h o n e, b u t in s t ead s en t an em ai l

. In t eres ti n g l y

, at th e m o ti o n h eari n g

, bo t h t h e t ri al ju d g e an d o pp o s i n g co u n s el

d en ied t hat t h e co urt h ad d i rect ed co u n s el to awai t a ph o n e cal l

. Mo reo v er, Sh an n o n ’ s

co u ns el d i d n o t d en y t h at h e recei v ed t h e e-m ai l s

, b u t in st ead ad m i t t ed t h at h e s i m p l y

d i d n o t read t h e m

. Th is ap p aren t d i s reg ard fo r co m m un i cat i o n s fro m t h e co u rt

,

es p eci al ly wh en co u n s el ’s c a s e i s o n an act i v e tri al cal en dar, i s t ro u b l i n g

, an d we

ex p res s ou r d eci ded d i s ap pro bat i o n o f co u ns el ’ s co nd u ct

. See Ru l e 1.3 o f t h e Geo rg i a

Ru l es o f Pro fes s i o n al Co n d uct fo u n d i n Bar Ru l e 4 -1 0 2 (d ).

3 Hat ch arg ues t h at Sh an n o n wai v ed an y arg u m en t w i t h res p ect t o O CGA § 9

-

1 1 -6 0 (d ) (3 ) b ecau s e h e referen ced on l y OCGA § 9 -1 1 -6 0 (d ) (2 ) i n h i s m o t i o n t o s et

as i d e. Al th o ug h i t i s t ru e t h at Sh an n o n d i d n o t s p eci fi cal l y n am e su b p art (d ) ( 3 ) o f

t h at Co d e s ect i o n i n h i s m o t i o n

, h e co n ten d ed t h at t he fi n al ju d g m en t was a

n o n am en d ab l e d efect o n t h e reco rd

, wh i ch i s t h e g ro u nd ad d res s ed i n OCGA § 9 -1 1

-

6 0 (d ) (3 ). To fi n d t h at Sh an n on t h u s w a i v e d h i s arg u m en t h ere w o u l d am o u n t to

p l aci ng fo rm

ab o v e s u bs t an ce, wh i ch we d ecl i ne t o d o

.

3Pu rs uan t to OCGA § 9 -1 1 -6 0 (d ) (3 ), a t ri al co u rt is au t ho ri zed t o set as i d e i t s

ju d g m en t d u e t o “ [a] n o n am en d ab l e d efect wh i ch ap pears u p o n t h e face of t h e reco rd

o r p l ead in g s .” U n der Geo rg i a l aw, a t ri al co u rt ’ s d i sm i s s al of a cl ai m wi t h p reju d i ce

wh ere t h e cl ai m co ul d o n l y be p ro perl y d i s m i s s ed wi t h o u t p reju d i c e am ou n t s t o a

n o n am en d ab l e d efect o n t h e reco rd

. Bo n n er v. Gr een

, 2 6 3 Ga. 7 7 3 (4 38 SE2 d 3 6 0 )

(1 9 9 4); S ki p p er v. Pa ul

, 3 56 Ga. Ap p

. 2 81

, 2 8 3 (2 ) (8 4 6 SE2 d 4 4 4 ) (2 02 0 ) (p h y s i cal

p reced en t o n l y)

. A n d

, p urs u an t t o OCGA § 9 -1 1 -4 1 (b ), 4 a d i sm i s s al fo r fai l u re to

p ro s ecu te i s n o t an ad

ju d i cat i on o n t h e m eri t s an d t hu s i s wi t h o u t p reju di ce. Ch r ys l er

Fi n a nci al Svcs

. Amer i ca s v. Ben j a mi n

, 3 25 G a. Ap p

. 57 9

, 5 8 1 ( 1 ) (7 5 4 SE2 d 1 5 7 )

(2 0 1 4); W o l f p a ck En t er

p r i s es v. Ar r i n g t o n

, 27 2 Ga. Ap p

. 1 7 5

, 1 7 6 (1 ) (6 12 SE2 d 3 5 )

(2 0 0 5) (“ A d i s m is s al wi t h p reju d i ce b as ed s o l el y o n wan t o f p ro s ecu t i o n o r fai l u re to

ap p ear i s i m

p ro p er.”). In t h i s s am e v ei n, U n i fo rm Su peri or Co u rt Ru l e (“ USCR”) 1 4

p ro v id es t h at “ t h e co urt m ay d i s m i s s wi t h o ut p r ej u d i ce an y ci v i l act i o n

. . . up o n t h e

fai l u re t o p ro p erl y res p o n d t o t h e cal l o f t h e act i o n fo r t ri al [.] ” (em p h as i s s u p p l i ed ).

4 OCGA § 9-1 1-4 1 (b ) p ro v i d es

, i n pert i n en t part : “ Fo r fai l u re o f t he p l ai n t i ff

t o p ro s ecu t e o r t o co m

pl y wi t h t h i s ch ap t er o r an y o rd er o f co urt

, a d efen dan t m ay

m o v e f o r d i s m i s s al o f an act i o n o r o f an y cl ai m ag ai n s t h i m

. . . . A d i s m i s s a l f o r

fai l u re o f t h e p l ai n ti ff t o p ro s ecu te do es n o t op e r a t e a s a n ad ju d i cat i o n up o n t h e

m eri t s [.] ”

4Hat ch arg ues t h a t t h e tri al co u rt di d n o t d i sm i s s Sh an n o n ’ s cl ai m s h ere, b ut

i s su ed a fi n al ju d g m en t fo l l o wi n g t ri al

, wh i ch w as au t h ori zed un d er t he ru l e s et fo rt h

i n Kr a f t

, In c. v. Ab a d

, 2 6 2 Ga. 3 3 6 (4 1 7 SE2 d 3 1 7 ) (1 9 9 2 ). In Kr a f t

, o u r Su p re m e

Co u rt h el d t h at t h e perm i s s i v e l an g u ag e o f OCGA § 9 -1 1 -4 1 (b ) an d USCR 1 4 d o es

n o t co n fi n e a tri al co u rt t o d i s m i s s i n g a cas e wi th o u t p r e j u d i c e fo r a p art y ’ s

n o n ap p earan ce at t ri al ; rat h er, a t ri al co u rt m ay co n ti n u e t h e cas e o r p ro ceed wi t h t h e

t ri al o f t he cas e i n t h at p art y ’ s ab s en ce. Kr a f t , 2 6 2 Ga. at 3 3 6

.

Th ere is o n e k ey d i s t i n ct i o n b et w een Kr a f t an d t h e s u b

j ect cas e, ho wev er. In

Kr a f t

, t h e t r i a l co u rt “ h eard ev i d en ce,” wh ereas h ere, H at ch an n o u nced read y to

p ro ceed t o t r i a l a n d m erel y req u es t ed a fi n al ju d g m en t i n h i s fav o r bas ed p u rel y o n

Sh an n o n ’ s ab s en ce. Kr a

f t

, 2 62 Ga. at 3 3 6

. M o reo v er, al t h ou g h it ap p ears t h at a ju ry

p o o l w as p res en t i n t h e co u rt ro o m at t h e t i m e, t he reco rd d o es n o t sh o w t h at t h ey were

s wo rn or i m

p an el ed

. In o t h er w o rd s

, th ere was n o t ri al in t h i s cas e. 5 See Pr ef er r ed

Ri s k In s. Co

. v. Bo

yki n

, 1 7 4 Ga. Ap p

. 2 6 9

, 2 7 4 (4 ) (3 2 9 SE2 d 9 0 0 ) (1 9 85 ) (“ t h e t ri al

d o es no t b eg i n u n t i l t h e ju ry h as b een i m

p an el ed an d s wo rn

. ”) (ci t at i o n o m i t t ed ).

5 Sh an n o n d i d n o t wai v e h i s ri g h t t o a ju ry t ri al b as ed s o l e l y o n h i s

n o n ap p earan ce fo r t ri al

. B a r n er

, 3 04 Ga. Ap p

. at 7 7 (3 ). In fact

, t he reco rd s h o ws t h at

h e rep eat ed l y

d em an d ed an d ex p ect ed a ju ry t ri al

.

5Co n seq u en t l y

, t here w as n o ad ju di cat i o n o n t h e m eri ts h ere, an d th e t ri al co u rt

was au t h o ri zed o nl y to di s m is s t h i s cas e wi t h o u t p reju d i ce i f i t ch o s e to d i s p o s e o f

t h i s cas e u n d er th es e ci rcu m s t an ces

. OCGA § 9 -1 1 -4 1 ( b); USCR 1 4 ; s ee Ch r ys l er

Fi n a nci al S

vcs

. Amer i ca s

, 3 2 5 Ga

. A p p

. a t 5 81 (1 ); W o l fp a ck En t er

p r is es

, 2 7 2 Ga.

Ap p

. at 1 7 6 (1 ). Bu t b y i s s u i n g fi n al ju d g m en t

, t h e t ri al co u rt effect i v e l y d i s m i s s ed

t h e cas e wi th p reju d i ce. Th erefo re, as a m at t er o f l aw, t h e fi nal ju dg m en t i s a

n o n am en d ab l e d e f

e c t o n t he reco rd

, an d t he t ri al co u rt ab u s ed i t s d i s cret i o n by

d en y i n g Sh an n o n’ s m o t i on t o s et as i d e. Bo nn er

, 26 3 G a. at 7 73 ; OCGA § 9 -1 1 -6 0 (d )

(3 ).

Ju d g men t r ever sed . Ba r n es , P. J., a n d

Go b ei l , J., co n cu r

.

6