FOURTH D I VI SI ON

DI L LA RD, P. J.

, M ERCI ER 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

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.

https ://w w w

. ga a ppe a ls .us /r ule s

Jul y 26, 2022



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A2 2 A0 67 0 . HARBIN et al . v . RITCH et al

.

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

An g el a Ho l l y Harb i n

, i nd i v id u al l y an d as t h e m o th er an d n ex t fri en d o f Bri s t ol

M el to n

, s u ed Bo bb y an d San d ra Ri t ch fo r d am ag es s u s t ai n ed wh en Bri s t o l was

i n ju red d u ri n g a fi rewo rk s d is p l ay a t t h e Ri t ch h o m e. 1 Th e t ri al co urt g ran t ed

s u m m ary ju d g m en t t o t h e Ri t ch es , an d t h i s ap p eal fo l l o wed . W e rev ers e.

S u m m ary ju d g m en t is ap p ro p ri at e wh en n o g en ui n e i s s u es o f m at eri al f a c t

rem ai n an d t h e m o v i n g p a rt y is en t it l ed t o ju d g m en t as a m at t er o f l aw. See OCGA

§ 9 -1 1 -5 6 (c). W e rev i ew t h e gran t o f s u m m a r y j u d g m en t de n o vo

, co n s t ru i n g t h e

1 Harb i n al s o s ued t wo ad d i t i o n al d efen d an t s

, Harl ey Ri t ch an d J as o n J o h n s o n,

b u t t h o s e d efen d an ts were d i s m i s s ed fro m t h e s u i t

.ev i d en ce an d al l reas on ab l e i n feren ces i n fav o r o f th e n o n -m ov i n g p art y

. See Br o wn

v. Di cker s o n , 3 5 0 Ga. Ap p. 1 3 7 , 1 3 7 (8 2 8 SE2 d 3 7 6 ) (2 0 1 9 ).

So v i ewed

, t h e reco rd s h o ws t h at o n J ul y 4

, 2 0 1 9

, ei g h t -y ear-o l d Bri s t o l

at t en ded a p art y at t h e Ri t ch h o m e wi t h h er fat h er, Den n i s M el t o n

, h er s t ep -m o t h er,

Li n d sey M el t o n, an d h er s ib l i n g s

. Th e Ri t ch es

, wh o are Den ni s ’ s au nt an d u ncl e, h el d

an an n u a l F o u r t h o f J u l y p art y

, i n v i t i n g fri en d s an d fam i l y t o a l arg e g at h eri n g t h at

i n cl u d ed fo o d

, en t ert ai n m en t fo r ch i l d ren

, an d a fi rew o r k s d i s p l ay

. Al t h o u g h t h e

Ri t ch es had o ri g in al l y as k ed g u es ts at t en d i n g t h e p art y i n 20 1 9 no t t o b ri ng al co h o l

,

m an y p eo p l e at t h e cel eb rat io n

, i n cl u d i n g t he Ri t ch es

, were d ri n k i n g

, an d m o s t were

i n t o x i cat ed

.

Th e Ri t ch es ’ s on an d s ev eral o t h ers were i n ch arg e o f fi rewo rk s t h at h ad b een

p u rch as ed b y t h e Ri t ch es an d al s o d o nat ed b y p art y g ues t s

. Th e Ri t ch es i m po s ed n o

ru l es o n w h o co ul d l ig ht fi rewo rk s o n t h ei r p ro p ert y

, an d t h e i n d i v i d u al s ru n n i n g t h e

fi rewo rk s sh o w w e r e d r u n k. Un fo rt u n at el y

, t h e s h o w d i d n o t g o as p l an ned

. Th e

Ri t ch es ’ s o n w as bu rn ed t ry i n g t o li g h t a fi rewo rk ; a fi rewo rk fel l o v er an d l au n ch ed

t o ward t h e s treet

, al m o s t h i t ti ng a m o t o rcy cl is t o n t h e ro ad ; an d an erran t fi rewo rk h i t

D e n n is n ear t h e h o u s e. At t h at p o i n t, Den ni s an d Li n d s ey d eci d ed t o g at h er t h e i r

fam i l y an d l eav e t h e p art y

. Th ey t o l d Bri s t o l

, wh o h ad b een i n t h e fro n t y ard wat ch i n g

2t h e fi rewo rk s wi t h o t h er ch i l d ren

, t o wai t i n t h e g arag e w h i l e th ey p rep ared t o l eav e.

Al m o s t i m

m ed iat el y

, h o wev er, an o t h er erran t fi rewo rk fl ew i n to th e g arag e, s t ri k i n g

an d i n j u ri n g Bri st o l.

Harb i n s u ed t h e Ri t ch es i n p rem i s es li ab il i ty t o reco v er d am ag es res ul t i n g fro m

Bri s t ol ’ s i n

ju ri es

. Th e Ri t ch es m o v e d fo r s u m m ary j u d gm en t

, arg u i n g t h at (1 ) t h ey

d i d n o t b reach a d u t y t o Bri s to l, wh o was a l i cen s ee, an d (2 ) Bri s t o l an d h er p aren t s

h ad eq u al o r s u p eri o r k n o wl ed g e o f an y h azard p o s ed b y t h e fi rewo rk s

. Th e t ri al co u rt

g ran t ed t h e m o t i o n, an d t hi s ap p eal fo l l o wed

. 2

Bri s to l was a s o ci al gu es t at t h e R i t c h es ’ p art y an d t h u s a l i cen s ee o n t h ei r

p ro p ert y

. See Br o wn

, s up ra at 13 8

. W it h res p ect t o li cen sees

, a p ro p ert y o wn er o wes

a d u t y n o t t o cau s e wi l fu l o r w an t o n i n j u ry

. See i d.; OCGA § 5 1 -3 -2 (b ). Gen eral l y

,

“ wi l fu l m i s co n d uct ” i s “ an act ual i n t en t i o n t o d o harm o r i n fl i ct i n ju ry ,” an d wan t o n

m i s co n d u ct i s “ t h at wh i ch i s s o reck les s o r s o ch arg ed wi t h i n d ifferen ce t o t h e

co n seq u en ces as t o b e t h e eq u iv al en t in s p i ri t t o act u al i n ten t .” B r o wn , s u p ra at 1 3 9

(ci t at i o n an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed ). A p ro pert y o wn er, ho wev er, al s o act s wi l fu l l y an d

wan to n l y b y fai li n g t o “ ex erci s e o rd i n ary care t o p rev en t in ju ri n g a p ers o n wh o i s

2 Harb i n l a t e r a m e n ded h er co m p l ai n t t o ad d a cl ai m th at t h e Ri t ch es

n eg li g en t l y en t ru s t ed a d an g ero u s i n s t ru m en t al i t y (fi rewo rk s ) to i n t o x i cat ed p ers o n s

. Th e t ri al co u rt d i d n ot ad d res s t h i s cl ai m i n i t s s u m

m ary ju d g m en t o rd er.

3act u al l y k n o wn t o b e or m ay reas o n a b l y b e ex p ect ed t o b e, wi t h in ran g e o f a

d an gero us act b ei n g do ne o r a h i dd en peri l o n [t he] p rem i s es .” Id

. (ci t at i o n an d

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

,

a p o s s es s o r o f l an d i s s u b ject t o l i ab i l i t y fo r p h y s ical h arm cau s ed t o

l i cen s ees by a co n d it i on o n t h e l an d if, bu t o nl y if, (a) th e p o s s es so r

k n o ws o r h as reas o n t o k n o w o f t h e co n d i t i o n an d s h ou l d real ize th at i t

i n v o l v es an u n reas o nab l e ri s k o f h arm t o s uch l i ce n s e e s

, an d s h o u l d

ex p ect t h at t h ey wi l l no t d i s co v er or real i ze t h e d an g er, an d (b ) h e fai l s

t o ex erci s e reas on ab l e care t o m ak e th e co n di t i o n s a f e

, o r t o w arn th e

l i cen s ees o f t h e co n di t i o n an d t h e ri s k i n vo l v ed

, an d (c) t h e l i cen sees d o

n o t k n o w o r h av e reas o n t o k n ow o f th e co n d i t i o n an d t h e ri s k i n v o l v ed

.

W h ere a l i cen s ee h as eq u al k n o w l ed g e o f t h e d an g ero u s co n d i t i o n or th e

r i s k s i n v ol ved

, th ere i s n o wi l fu l o r wan t o n act io n o n t h e p art o f t h e

o wn er an d t h ere i s n o l i ab i l i t y t o t h e l i cen s ee.

Id . (ci t at i o n, p u n ct u at i on , an d em p h as i s o m i t t ed ).

Th e t ri al co u rt fo u nd n o ev i d en ce t h at t h e Ri t ch es en g ag ed in wi l fu l o r wan t o n

co n du ct t o ward Bri st o l. It fu rt h er co n cl u d ed t h at

, as a m at t er o f l aw, Bri st ol had eq u al

k n o wl ed g e o f t h e h azard an d ri s k s pres en t ed b y t h e fi rewo rk s d i s p lay . W e d i s ag ree

o n b o t h co u n ts

.

Co n st ru ed f

a v o rab l y t o H arb in

, th e reco rd s h o ws t h at “ al l ki n d o f s t u ff [h ad ]

h ap pen ed o v er t he y ears ” w i t h fi rewo rk s at t h e Ri t ch es ’ Fo u rt h o f Ju l y p art y

, s u ch as

4p art y -g oer s s h o o t i n g fi rewo rk s at each o th er an d fi rewo rk s st ri ki n g at l eas t o n e

i n d i v i d u a l

. A l co h o l co n su m pt io n was co m

m o n

, an d al t h o u g h San d ra Ri t ch as k ed

g u es ts n o t t o b ri n g al co h o l to t he p art y i n 2 0 1 9

, m o s t o f t h e at t en d ees

, i ncl u d i n g t h e

Ri t ch es an d t h e i nd i v i d u al s han d l in g t h e fi rewo rk s

, were d ri n k i n g

. M oreo v er, t h e

Ri t ch es m ad e n o effo rt t o reg u l at e wh o lau n ch ed fi rewo rk s at t h e p art y o r t o as s es s

wh et h er t h o s e p eo p l e co u l d d o s o s afel y

, w it ho u t im p eri l in g p art y g u es t s

. Gi v en t h i s

ev i d en ce, q u es t i o n s o f fact rem ai n as t o wh et h er th e Ri t ch es act ed wi l fu l l y an d

wan to n l y b y al l o wi n g i n t o xi cat ed in d i v i d u al s t o s h oo t o ff fi rewo rk s o n t h ei r p ro p ert y

i n t h e p res en ce o f a l arg e g ro u p o f ad u l t s an d ch i l d ren

. See Bet h a n y Gr o up

, LLC v.

Gr o bma n

, 3 15 Ga. Ap p

. 2 9 8, 3 0 0 (1 ) (a) (7 2 7 SE2 d 1 4 7 ) (2 0 1 2 ) (“ [I] f a d an g er t o a

l i cen see i s k n o wn an d fo res een b y t h e p ro pert y o wn er, t h en t h e o wn er m u s t ex erci s e

o rd i n ary care an d d il i gen ce to p ro t ect t h at l i cen s ee fro m t h e peri l .”); Hi cks v. W a l ker

,

2 6 2 Ga. Ap p

. 2 1 6

, 2 1 9 (5 8 5 SE2 d 8 3 ) (2 0 03 ) (fo l l owi n g deck co l l ap s e t h at i n ju red

a g ues t at a fam i l y co ok o u t

, q u es t i o n o f f a ct rem ai n ed as t o wh et h er ho m eo wn ers

“ ex erci s ed o rd i nary care i n p rev en t i n g i n ju ry t o t h e i r g u es ts o r s h o wed s u ch

i n d i fferen ce t o co n s eq u en ces as t o ju s t i fy a fi n d i n g o f wan to n n es s ”).

F a c tua l que stions a lso e xist r e ga r ding t he p art i es ’ rel at i ve k n o wl ed g e. Cla im ing

a lack o f s u p eri o r k n o wl ed g e, t h e Ri t ch es n ot e t h at Bri s t o l, h er fat h er, an d h er m o t h er

5u n d ers t o o d t h at fi rewo rk s wo u l d b e o n d i sp l ay at t h e p art y

. T hey al s o p o i n t to

Bri s t ol ’ s t es t i m o n y th at s h e k new n o t t o “ p l a y a r ou n d t h e fi rewo rk s ” b ecau s e s h e

m i g h t get b u rn ed

. Th ey h av e ci t ed n o ev i d en ce, h o wev er, t h at Bri st o l was “ p l ay i n g ”

aro u n d t h e fi rewo rk s wh en s h e was i n ju red

. In s t ead

, sh e was s t an d i n g i n t h e g arag e,

wh ere Den n i s an d Li nd s ay h ad s en t her fo r s afet y aft er sev eral co n cern i ng i n ci d en t s

at t he fi rewo rk s s h o w.

E i g h t

- y ear-o l d Bri s t ol m ay h av e kn o wn t h at fi rewo rk s co u l d b u rn h er i f s h e

p l ay ed wi t h t h em

. See Ba r n es v. F u l t o n

, 2 1 3 Ga. A p p

. 8 0 6

, 8 0 7 (4 4 6 SE2 d 2 1 3 )

(1 9 9 4) (d a n g ers as s o ci at ed wi t h fi re are “ n o rm al l y u n d ers t o o d b y y o u n g ch i l d ren

ab s en t ot h er fact o rs creat i n g ad d i t i o n al ri s k s o f h arm ”). Bu t we can n o t ag ree t h at

, as

a m at t er o f l aw, sh e s h o ul d h av e u nd ers t o o d t h e ri s k o f a t t e n d i n g t h i s p art i cu l ar

fi rewo rk s s h o w

, wh i ch t h e Ri t ch es l eft i n th e h an d s o f i n t ox i cat ed i n d iv i d ual s

. Ev en

i f o t h ers at t he p art y

— s u ch as Bri st o l ’ s fat h er an d s t ep -m o t her

— k n ew t h at t h es e

i n d i v i d u al s were dru n k an d co u l d h av e fo res een t h e d an g er, t h e Ri t ch es hav e n ot

o ffered an y bas i s fo r i m pu t i n g t h at k n o wl ed g e t o Bri s t ol

. See Go u rl ey v. Fo o d

Co n cep t s

, 2 2 9 Ga. Ap p

. 1 8 0

, 1 8 1

- 18 2 (4 93 SE2 d 58 7 ) (1 9 9 7 ) (refu s in g t o i m p u t e

s o n ’ s “ u n i m

part ed k no wl ed g e” t o m o t her wh o s l i p p ed o n s u b s t an ce i n res t au ran t );

Ba r ry v. Ca n t rel l

, 1 5 0 Ga. Ap p

. 4 3 9

, 4 4 1 (1 ) (2 5 8 SE2 d 6 1 ) (1 9 7 9 ) (as s es s i n g

6wh et h er 1 1 -y ear-o l d ch i l d i n ju red o n d efen d an t’ s p ro p ert y k n ew o f t h e h azard ou s

co n di t i o n an d as s o ci at ed ri s ks ); s ee al s o P o wl ey v. Pr eci s i o n Pl u mb in g Co

. , 2 2 2 Ga.

Ap p

. 8 4 8

, 85 1 (4 ) (4 7 6 SE2 d 7 7 7 ) (1 99 6 ) (“ No ev i d en ce was p res en t ed t hat p ri o r to

h i s fal l

, [ch i l d ] k n ew o f an d ap p reci at ed t h e p o ss ib l e d an ger p o s ed b y t he [co n d i t i o n

o n p ro pert y ] .”) (p h y s i cal p reced en t o n l y ).

Th e reco rd rai s es fact u al q u es t io n s as t o wh et her t h e Ri t ch es b reach ed a d u t y

t o Bri s t o l an d w h et h er t h ey h ad s u p eri o r k n o wl ed g e o f t h e dan g er o n th ei r p ro p ert y

.

Acco rd in g ly , t h e t ri al co u rt erred i n g ran t i n g s u m m ary ju d gm en t t o t h em

.

Ju d g men t r ever sed . Di l l a r d

, P. J., a n d

Ma r kl e, J., co n cu r

.

7