FI FTH DI VI SI ON

M C FA DDEN, C. J.

, RI CKM A N, P. J.

, and M ERCI ER, J.

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

D E A D LIN E S A R E N O LO N G E R TO LLE D IN T

H I S

C O U R T. A LL FILIN G S M U ST B E S U B M I TTE D WITH IN

TH E TIM E S S E T B Y

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

.

M ay 26, 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 23 2

. FREEPORT TITLE & GUARANTY INC., AS

TRUSTEE OF THE 4 9 7 7 M EM ORIAL TRUST v

. TEGEUE

et al

.

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

In t h i s act i o n t o q u i et t i t l e t o cert ai n real p ro p ert y

, Freep o rt Ti t l e & Gu aran t y

In c. (“ Freep o rt ”) s eek s rev i ew o f a t ri al co u rt o rd er ad o p t i n g a sp eci al m as t er’ s rep o rt

an d en teri n g a j u d g m e n t a g ai n s t Freep o rt on i t s cl ai m of t i t le m ad e p u rs u an t to

Geo rg i a’ s rev ers i o n s t at u t e. W e affi rm

.

Th e u n d erl y i n g fact s h ere are no t i n d i s pu t e. On Sep t e m b e r 1

, 1 9 99

, GASR,

In c. ex ecu t ed a p ro m is s ory n o t e (“ th e n o t e”) an d d eed t o s e c u r e d eb t i n fav o r o f

Go l et a Nat i o n al Ban k

, no w k n own as Co m m u n i t y W es t Ban k (“ Co m

m u n i t y W es t ”).

Th e s ecu ri t y d eed g ran t ed Co m m un i t y W es t i n t eres t i n cert ai n real p ro p ert y in

DeKal b Co u n ty

, Geo rg i a (“ t h e p ro p ert y ”), an d was reco rd ed on Oct ob er 29

, 1 9 9 9.Th e n o t e was n o t reco rd ed

, b ut p ro v id ed t h at al l “ p ri n ci p al an d accru ed i n t eres t i s d u e

an d p ay ab l e 2 0 y ear(s ) f

ro m d at e o f i n it i al d i s b u rs em en t ,” w h i ch was Sep t em b er 1,

1 9 9 9

. Th e s ecu ri t y d eed m ad e referen ce t o t h e n o te an d i n cl u d ed a s pace t o i n s ert t h e

d at e o f t h e fi n al p ay m en t , b u t t h e l i n e was l eft b l an k:

(a) Th e d eb t ev i d en ced b y t h at cert ai n p ro m i ss o ry n ot e

(h erei n aft er referred t o as t h e “ No t e”) dat ed o f ev en dat e h e rei n, m ad e

b y GASR

. . . t o t h e o rd er o f L e n d er i n t h e p ri n ci p al face am ou n t o f

ONE HUNDRED TWE N TY-FIVE THOUSAND AND NO/ 1 0 0

D O L L A RS ($ 1 2 5,0 0 0 .0 0 ), wi t h t h e fi n al p ay m en t b ei n g d u e o n o r

b efo re

_ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ ; t o g et h er w i t h an y an d al l ren ewal s

,

m o d i fi cat i o n s

, co n so l id at i o n s an d ex t en s i o n s o f th e i n d eb t ed n es s

ev i d en ced b y

t h e No t e[.]

In M ay 2 0 1 2

, G ASR fi l ed a p et i t i o n fo r Ch ap t er 1 1 b an k ru p t cy pro t ect i o n

. In

i t s s t at em en t o f fi n an ci al affai rs

, GASR i d en ti fi ed Co m m u n i ty W es t as t h e h o l d er o f

a s ecu red i n t eres t i n th e p ro p ert y

. Ho wev er, G ASR l at er m ov ed t o di s m i s s i t s

b an kru p t cy

cas e, an d i n Feb ru ary

2 0 1 3 , t h e b an k ru p t cy

co u rt g ran t ed d i s m i s s al

.

In M ay 2 0 1 3 , Co m

m u n i t y W es t ex erci s ed t h e p o wer o f s al e co n t ai ned i n t h e

s ecu ri t y deed

, fo recl o sed o n t h e p ro pert y

, an d pu rch as ed t h e p ro p ert y a t t h e s al e. It

t h en so l d th e p ro p ert y to F l yi n g Co u s i n s

, LLC, an d co n v ey ed t i t l e p u rs u an t t o a

l i m i ted warran t y d eed reco rd ed o n Au g u s t 2

, 2 0 1 3

. Fi ve y ears lat er, i n 20 1 8, Fl y i n g

2Co u s i n s s o l d t h e p ro p ert y t o A m s al u T eg eu e an d Sefras h M i n y ah el

, co n v ey i n g t i t l e

b y a l i m i ted warran t y

d eed t hat was reco rd ed o n M ay 1 1 , 2 01 8

.

In J u l y 2 0 1 8, e ve n though Co m m u n i t y W es t h ad fo recl o s ed on GASR’ s i n t eres t

i n th e pro p ert y fi v e y ears earl i er, GASR ex ecu t ed a q u it cl ai m d eed i n co n s i d erat i o n

o f $ 1 0.0 0 co n v ey i n g t o Freep ort i t s in t eres t i n t h e p ro p ert y

. Th e fo l l o w i n g m o n t h,

Freep o rt fi led a p et i t i o n t o q ui et t i t l e n am i n g Teg eu e an d M i n y ah el as res p o n d en t s

an d cl ai m i n g t h at i t was th e fee s i m p l e o w n er o f t h e p ro p ert y p u rs u an t t o th e GASR

q u i t cl ai m d eed

. Freep o rt arg u ed t h at b ecau s e t h e m at u ri t y d at e or t h e l as t i n s t al l m en t

o f t h e d eb t was n ot s tat ed i n t h e s ecu ri ty d eed as req u i red b y

OCGA § 4 4 -1 4 -8 0 (a)

(2 ), t i t le t o t h e p ro p ert y h ad rev ert ed t o GASR i n 20 0 6; t he 2 0 1 3 fo recl o su re an d al l

s u b s e qu en t co nv ey an ces of th e p ro p ert y w ere n u l l an d v o i d ; an d Freep o rt was fee

s i m p l e o wn er o f t h e p ro p ert y p u rs uan t t o t h e GASR q u i t cl ai m d eed

.

Te g e u e an d Mi n y ah el an s wered t h e p et i t i o n an d as s ert ed a co u n t ercl ai m to

q u i et ti t l e. Th ey al s o s o u gh t a d ecl arat o ry ju d g m en t t h at th ey o wn ed t h e p ro p ert y free

an d cl ear o f an y i n t eres t o f Freep o rt o r GASR, an d as s ert ed a t h i rd -p art y co m p l ai nt

ag ai n s t GASR, Co m

m u n i t y W es t

, 1 Fl y i n g Co u s i ns

, an d t h e ad m i n i s t rat o r o f t h e Sm al l

1 Co m m u n i t y W es t fi l ed a cro s s -cl ai m ag ai ns t GASR to reco v er o n t h e n o t e in

t h e ev en t i t was d et erm i n ed t h at t i t l e rev ert ed t o GASR.

3Bu s i nes s Ad m i n is t rat i on

, seek i n g

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

, to refo rm th e s ecu ri ty d eed to

co rrect th e m

u t u al m i s t ak e/ s cri v en er’ s erro r b y i n s ert i n g t h e fi nal pay m en t d at e o f t h e

n o t e. Teg eu e an d M i n y ah el a l s o a s s ert ed t hat Freep o rt

, as s u cces so r i n i n t eres t to

GASR, was es t o p p ed fro m as sert i n g a po s i t i on i nco n s i s t en t wi t h G ASR’ s po s i t i o n in

i t s b an k ru p t cy fi l i n g

.

Co m m un i t y W es t, Fl y in g Co u s i n s

, an d T eg eu e an d M i n y ah el s u bs eq u en t l y

m o ved fo r su m

m ary ju d g m en t o n Freep o rt ’ s p et it io n t o q ui et t i t le, an d Freep o rt fi l ed

a cro s s -m o t i o n fo r s u m

m ary ju dg m en t

. Teg eu e an d M i n y ah el al s o m o v ed t o d i s m i ss

Freep o rt ’ s p et i t i o n . Th e t ri al co u rt ap po i n ted a s peci al m as t er t o h ear t h e d i s p u t e.

Fo l l owi n g a h eari n g

, th e s p eci al m as t er fo un d i t u n n eces sary t o reach t h e

p art i es ’ arg u m en t s wi t h reg ard t o t h e rev ers i o n s t at u t e an d refo rm at i o n o f t h e s ecu ri t y

d eed

. In s t ead

, i t co n cl u d ed t h at b ecau s e GASR ad m i t t ed i n i t s b an k ru p t cy fi l i n g s t h at

t h e s ecu ri t y t i t l e t o t h e p ro p ert y was h el d b y Co m m u n i ty W es t, an d “ s at s il en t l y b y ”

as Co m m u n i t y W es t fo recl o s ed o n an d s o l d t h e p ro p ert y

, Freep o rt

, as GASR’ s p ri v y

,

was b ou n d GASR’ s ad m i s s i o n an d co n d u ct

, an d was es t o p ped fro m cl ai m in g t i t l e by

rev ers i on

. Th e s p eci al m as t er fo u n d fu rt her t hat wh en Freep o rt accep t ed t h e GASR

q u i t cl ai m d eed i n 20 1 8

, it w as o n n o ti ce t o i n q u i re in t o t h e s t at u s o f t h e s ecu ri t y d eed

“ g i ven t h e o bv io u s m i st ak e o f t h e s cri ven er i n fai l i n g t o fi l l i n t h e m at u ri t y dat e, an d

4g i v en i t s s p eci fi c referen ce t o t h e Pro m i s s o ry No te,” an d t h at i t was u n d i s p ut ed t h at

GASR was n o t i n p o s s es s i o n o f t h e p ro p ert y a n d h a d n o t b een i n p o ss es s i o n fo r at

l eas t fi v e y ears

. T h e s p eci al m as t er reco m m en d ed t hat t he t ri al co u rt d en y Freep ort ’ s

m o ti o n fo r s u m

m ary ju d g m en t ; g ran t t he s u m m ary ju dg m en t m o ti on fi l ed by

Co m m u n i t y We s t

, Fl y i n g Co u s i n s

, an d Teg eu e an d M i n y ah el ; d i s m is s Freep ort ’ s

p et i t i o n t o q ui et t i t le; i ss u e a d ecl arat i o n t h at Teg eu e an d M i n y ah el are v es t ed wi th

free s i m p l e t i t le t o t h e p ro p ert y ; can cel t h e GASR q u it c l a i m d e ed ; an d d i s m i s s t h e

t h i rd -p art y co m

p l ai n t s as m o o t

. Th e t ri al c o u r t a d o p ted t h e fi n d in g s o f t h e s p eci al

m as t er an d en t ered ju d g m en t i n acco rd an ce wi th t h e reco m m en d at i on s

.

Freep o rt n o w ap p eal s

, arg u i n g t hat t h e t ri al co u r t e r red i n fi n d i ng t h at t h e

s ecu r i t y d e e d d i d n o t rev ert s ev en y ears fro m i ts ex ecu t i o n

, erred i n “ creat i n g an

es t o p p el ex cep t i o n t o t h e rev ers i o n d o ct ri n e,” an d erred i n h o ld i ng t h at i t w as n o t a

b o na fi d e p u rch as er. “ On ce t h e t ri al co u rt ad o p t s t he s p eci al m as t er’ s fi n d i n g s an d

en t ers ju d g m en t

, t h e co u rt ’ s d eci s i o n i s u p h el d b y t h e ap p el l at e co u rt u n les s cl earl y

erro neo u s bu t co n cl u s io ns o f l aw are rev i ewed d e n o v o .” Rep u bl i c Ti t l e Co

., LLC v.

Fr eep o rt Ti t l e a n d Gu a r

. , 3 51 Ga. Ap p

. 4 0 8

, 4 09 (8 2 9 SE2 d 1 7 2 ) (2 0 19 ) (ci tat i o n an d

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

51

. Freep o rt fi rs t arg u es t h at t h e t ri al co u rt erred i n fi n d i n g th at t h e secu ri t y d eed

d i d n o t rev ert b ack t o GASR o n Sep t em b er 1

, 2 0 0 6

, s ev en y ears fro m i ts ex ecu t i o n,

p u r s u a n t t o OCGA § 4 4 -1 4 -8 0 (a) (2 ). Freep ort as s ert s t h at p u rs u an t t o t h i s Co d e

s ect i on

, t i t le to t h e p ro p ert y rev ert ed t o GASR i n 2 00 6 b ecau s e t he m at uri t y d at e o r

t h e m at uri t y o f t h e l as t in s tal l m en t o f t h e d eb t was n ot s t at ed i n t h e s ecu ri t y d eed

, an d,

t h erefo re, t h e 2 0 1 3 fo recl o s ure an d al l su b s eq u en t co nv ey an ces were v o i d

. It cl ai m s

t i tl e t o t h e p ro pert y pu rs u an t t o th e 20 1 8 q u i t cl ai m d eed fro m it s p urch as e o f GASR’ s

i n t eres t

.

“ Th e co n st ru ct i on o f a d eed

, l i k e an y o t h er co n t ract

, i s a q u es t i o n o f l aw t h at

we rev i ew d e n o v o

. ” Mi ke’s Fu r n i t u re Ba r n v. S m i t h

, 3 4 2 Ga. Ap p. 5 5 8

, 5 6 0 (2 ) (8 0 3

SE2 d 8 0 0 ) (2 0 1 7). “ In co n s t ru in g a d eed , t h e co urt ’ s o verri d i n g g oal i s t o as cert ai n

an d g i v e effect t o t he i n t en t o f t h e p a r t i e s .” S tea r n s Ba n k, N.A. v. Mu l l in s

, 3 3 3 Ga.

Ap p

. 3 6 9, 3 7 2 (1 ) (7 7 6 SE2 d 4 8 5 ) (2 01 5 ) (ci t at i o n an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i tt ed ). OCGA

§ 4 4 -1 4 -8 0 (a) (1 ) s et s fo rt h th e g en eral ru l e es tab l i s h i n g wh en t i t l e to p ro p ert y

rev ert s t o t he g ran t o r. Th at p ro v i s io n s tat es i n rel ev an t p art t h at

[t ] i t l e t o real p ro p ert y co n v ey ed t o s ecu re a d eb t o r d eb t s s ha l l r ever t t o

t h e g ran t o r o r h i s o r her h ei rs

, p ers o n al rep res en t at i v es

, su cces s o rs

, an d

as s i g n s at t h e ex pi rat i o n o f s even yea r s f r o m th e ma t u r it

y o f t h e d eb t o r

6d

eb t s o r t h e ma t u r i t

y o f th e l a s t i n s t a l l men t t h ereo f a s s t a ted o r fi xed i n

t h e r eco r d

o f t h e co n veya n ce o r, i f n ot reco rd ed , i n t h e co n v ey an ce[.] 2

(Em p h as i s s u p p l i ed

. ) Freep o rt rel i es u p o n OCGA § 4 4 -1 4 -8 0 (a) (2 ), wh ich p ro v i d es

t h at “ [i ] f t h e m at u ri t y o f t h e d eb t o r d eb ts o r t h e m at u ri ty o f t h e l a s t i n s t a l l m en t

t h ereo f i s n o t s t a t ed o r f

i xed

, ti t l e t o real p ro p ert y co n vey ed to s ecu re a d eb t o r d eb t s

s h a l l r ever t at t h e ex p i rat i o n o f s even yea r s f r o m t h e d a t e o f th e co n veya n ce as s t at ed

i n t h e r e c o rd o r, if n o t reco rd ed

, i n t h e co nv ey an ce[.] ” (Em ph as i s s u p p l i ed .)

Su b s ect io n s (a) (1 ) an d (a) (2 ), co n s t ru ed t o get h er, req u i re t h at t h e m at u ri ty d at e o r

t h e m at u ri t y o f t h e las t in s tal l m en t o f t h e d eb t b e s t at ed o r fi x ed i n th e co n v ey an ce to

av o id rev ers i o n o ccu rri n g s ev en y ears fro m t h e d at e o f t h e co n v ey an ce. See, e.g

.,

Al l t e l G a

. Co m mu n i ca t i o n s v. Ga

. PS C

, 2 70 Ga. 1 0 5

, 1 0 7 (5 05 SE2 d 2 1 8 ) (1 9 9 8 )

(ap p el l at e co u rt s v i ew a s tat u t e as a wh o le an d co n s t ru e al l p art s o f a s t at u te t o g et h er

t o m ak e t h em

h arm on i ze).

Wh i l e i t i s cl ear t h at t h e d at e o f m at u ri t y of th e d eb t was n o t s t a t ed i n t h e

s ecu ri t y d eed

, we co n s i d er wh et h er i t was f i xed

. “ [I] t is an el em en t ary ru l e o f st at u t o ry

co n st ru ct i o n t h at

, ab s en t cl ear ev i d en ce t o t h e c o n t rary

, wo rd s s h o u l d b e as s i g n ed

2 See, e.g

., OCGA § 4 4 -1 4 -6 0 1 (4 ) (“ ‘ Co nv ey an ce’ m ean s a sal e, l eas e, o r o t h er

t ran s fer o f co m

m erci al real es t at e.”).

7t h ei r o rd i n ary

, lo g i cal

, an d co m m o n m ean i ng .” Fu l t o n Co u n ty v. Ber ry

, 3 5 4 Ga. Ap p.

8 4 1

, 8 4 5 (8 4 1 SE2 d 7 4 4 ) (2 0 20 ) (ci t at i o n an d p u n ct u at io n o m it t ed ). An d we l o o k to

d i ct i o n ary d efi ni t i o n s fo r t h e c o m m o n m ean i n g o f a p art i cu l ar wo rd

. Id

. “ Fi x ed ” i s

d efi n ed as “ n o t s u b

ject to ch an g e o r fl u ct u at i o n.” See M erri am -W eb s t er Di ct i o n ary

,

h t t p : // www.m erri am -web s t er.co m / d i c t i o n ary /fi x ed (web s i t e l as t acces s ed Feb ru ary

1 3

, 2 0 2 1 ). Here, al t h ou gh th e s ecu ri t y d eed d i d n ot i n co rp o rat e th e no t e b y referen ce, 3

i t p ro v i d ed t h at t h e n o t e was ex ecu t ed o n t h e s am e d at e, st at ed t h e am ou n t o f t h e n o t e,

an d m ad e referen ce t o a fi n al pay m en t d at e, ev en t h o u g h t h at d at e was n o t wri t t en o n

t h e l i n e p ro v id ed

. Th e l an g u ag e fo l l o wi ng t h e b l an k l i n e referred t o “ ren ewal s

. . . an d

ex t en s i o n o f t h e i n d eb t ed n es s ev i d en ced b y t he [n ] o t e.” Th e s ecu ri t y d eed i s t h erefo re

s u ffi ci en t t o es tab l i s h t h at t h e “ m at u ri t y o f t h e l as t i n st al l m en t ” o f t h e d eb t w as fi x ed

o r “ n o t s u b

j e c t t o ch an g e,” an d t h at t h e part i es t o th e deed i nt en d ed t h at a d at e b e

p ro v id ed

. Co m

p are Vi n evi l l e Ca

p i t a l Gr o up

, LLC v. McCo o k

, 3 2 9 Ga. Ap p

. 7 9 0

, 7 9 1

(7 6 6 SE2 d 1 5 6 ) (2 01 4 ) (t h e face o f t he d eed s h o wed t h at th e m at u ri t y d at e o r las t

i n s t al l m en t o f t h e d e b t wa s n o t s t at ed or fi x ed ; deed pro v id ed o n ly t hat t h e d eb t

3 See Un i t ed B a n k v. W

es t Cen t r a l Ga

. Ba nk

, 27 5 G a. Ap p

. 4 1 8, 4 1 9 -4 2 0 (6 2 0

SE2 d 6 5 4 ) (2 0 0 5) (al t h ou gh d at e l i s t ed i n d eed di d n o t refer to t h e m at u ri ty d at e o r

l as t i n s tal l m en t o f t h e d eb t

, OCGA § 4 4-1 4 -8 0 (a) (1 ) was s at i s fi ed b ecau s e d eed

i n co rp o rat ed n o te b y referen ce an d d at e w a s t h e s a m e as t he m at u ri t y d at e o f t h e

n o t e).

8s ecu red was p ay ab l e o n d em an d acco r d i n g t o t h e t erm s o f a pro m i s s o ry n o t e).

Th erefo re, rev ers io n d id n o t o ccu r u n d er OCGA § 4 4 -1 4 -8 0 (a) (2 ).

M o reo v er, ev en if we co n cl u d ed t h at t he dat e o f t h e m at u ri t y th e d eb t was n ot

s u ffi ci en t l y “ fi x ed ” b ecau se i t d o es n o t ap p ear i n t h e s ecu ri ty d eed

, t h e d at e co u l d b e

s u p p li ed b y th e co n t em

p oran eo u s l y ex ecu t ed n o t e. 4 Fo rm er OCGA § 2 4 -6 -3 (a), in

effect at t h e t i m e F reep o rt as s ert s rev ers i on o ccu rred

, “ au th o ri ze[d ] t he u s e o f

co n tem p o ran eo u s ly e xecu t ed wri t i n g s t o p ro v i d e neces s ary t erm s n ot co n t ai n ed i n t h e

d o cu m en t at i s s u e, o r t o co rrect o b v i o u s erro r s i n t h e d o cu m en t at i s s u e.” 5 W h i t e

Ho u s e In n & S

u i t es v. Ci t

y o f W a r m S p r i n g s

, 2 8 5 Ga. 3 22

, 32 3 (1 ) (6 7 6 SE2 d 1 7 8 )

(2 0 0 9). An d we h av e h el d th at “ co n t em p oran eo us wri t i n gs sh o ul d b e co n s i d ered ev en

i f o n e o f t h e wri t i n g s p u rp o rt s t o co n t ai n t h e en ti re u n d ers t an d i ng o f t h e p art ies h eret o

wi t h res p ect t o t h e t ran s act i o n s co n t em p l at ed h ereb y an d ev en i f t h e wri t i n gs are n ot

4 W e h av e h el d t hat “ [o ] ne t h in g i s co n t em p o ran eo u s w i t h a g i v en t ran s act i o n

wh en i t i s s o re l at ed i n po i n t o f t i m e as reas o n ab ly to b e s ai d to b e a p art o f s u ch

t ran s act io n .” See Da b b s v. Key Eq u ip

. Fi n a nce

, 3 0 3 G a

. A p p

. 57 0

, 5 7 4 (6 9 4 SE2 d

1 6 1 ) (2 0 10 ) (ci t at i o n an d pu n ct u at i o n o m it t ed ) (“ u n d er Geo rg i a ru l es o f co n t ract

co n st ru ct i o n

, wh ere m

u l ti p l e d o cu m en t s are ex ecu t ed at t h e s am e t i m e i n t he co u rs e

o f a s i n g l e t ran sact i on

, t h ey s h o u l d b e co ns t ru ed t o g et her” (ci tat i o n s an d pu n ct u at i o n

o m it t ed )). Th e ev id en ce h ere sh o wed t h at t h e no t e an d secu ri t y de ed were

co n tem p o ran eo u s ly

ex ecu t ed d o cu m en t s

.

5 OCGA § 24 -3 -3 rep l aced fo rm er OCGA § 2 4 -6 -3 i n 2 0 13 an d i s i d en t i cal to

t h e fo rm er s tat ut e.

9cro s s -referen ced .” Du ke v. KHD Deu t z o f A mer i ca Co r

p

. , 2 2 1 Ga. A p p

. 4 5 2

, 45 2 (4 7 1

SE2 d 5 3 7 ) ( 1 9 9 6 ) (ci t at i on an d p un ct u at i o n o m i t t ed ). Th erefo re, t h e

co n tem p o ran eo u s ly ex ecu t ed n o t e can be u s ed t o p ro v i d e t h e e x act d at e o f t h e las t

i n s t al l m en t of t he d eb t

- S e p t e m b e r 1

, 20 1 9

. Th i s g i v es effect to t h e i n t en t o f t h e

p art i es t o t h e s ecu ri t y

d eed an d n o t e. See i d. at 4 5 2 -4 5 3

.

Freep o rt as sert s t h a t t h e n o t e can n ot b e us ed t o ch an ge a t erm i n t h e s ecu ri t y

d eed b ecau s e, u n d er Vi n evi l l e

, s u p ra, t h e n o t e i s i n ad m i s s i b l e p aro l ev i d en ce. Bu t as

ex p l a i n e d ab o v e, t h e s ecu ri t y d eed i s s u ffi ci en t o n i t s face t o es t ab l i sh t h at t h e

m at u ri t y d at e o f t h e d eb t was fi x ed

. Ev en co n s i d eri n g t h e co n t em p o ran eo u s wri t i n g

ru l e, V i n evi l l e is d is t i ng u isha

b le

. T he r e

, t h is Co u rt co n s i d ered wh et h er a s ecu ri t y d eed

co n tai n ed an affi rm at i ve s t at em en t s ho wi n g t h at t h e part i es in ten d ed t o es t ab l i s h a

p erp et u al o r i n d efi ni te s ecu ri t y i n t eres t as req u i red u n d er OCGA § 44 -1 4 -8 0 (a) (2 ).

Id

. at 7 9 4 (1 ) (a)

. We ru led t h at p aro l ev i d en ce was n o t ad m is s i b l e t o m ak e t h at

d et erm i n at i o n becau se t he l an gu ag e o f (a) (2 ) was m o r e s p eci fi c t h an t he g en eral

l an g u ag e o f OCGA § 4 4 -6 -2 1 (co u rt can “ h ear p a r o l e v i d en ce t o p ro v e m ak er’ s

i n t en t i o n ”). Id

. Ho wev er, t h i s i s n o t a cas e i nv o l v i n g w het h er a s t at em en t i n a d eed

10es t ab l i s h ed a p erp et ual s ecu ri t y i n teres t

. H ere, we o n l y d et erm i n e wh et h er t h e

m at u ri t y d at e o f t he d eb t was s t at ed o r fi x ed i n t h e d eed

. 6

W e h o l d t h at u n d er t h es e u n i q u e ci rcu m s t an ces

, t h e m at u ri ty d at e o f t h e las t

i n s t al l m en t was fi x ed i n t h e s ecu ri t y d eed

, an d t h e rev ers i o n p ro v is i o n o f OCGA § 4 4

-

1 4 -8 0 (a) (2 ) d o es no t ap p l y

. A s n o rev ers i o n o ccu rred

, GASR h ad n o i n t eres t i n t h e

p ro p ert y t o co n v e y t o F r eep o rt b y q u it cl ai m d eed i n 2 01 8 fo l l o wi n g Co m m u n i t y

W es t ’ s fo recl o su re an d s al e o f t h e p ro p ert y i n 2 0 1 3

. Th e t ri al co u rt t herefo re d i d n ot

err i n en teri n g a ju d g m en t i n acco rd an ce wi t h t h e s peci al m as ter’ s rep o rt th at

, am o n g

o t h er t hi n g s , i n cl u d ed d i s m i s s al o f Freep o rt ’ s p et i t i o n t o q u i et t i t l e.

2

. Gi v en o u r h o l di n g i n D i v i s i o n 1 t h at rev ers i on of t i t l e t o t h e p ro pert y d i d n ot

o ccu r un d er O CGA § 4 4-1 4-8 0 (a) (2 ), w e n eed no t ad d res s Freep o rt ’ s rem ai n i n g

arg u m en t s

.

Ju d g men t a f f i r m ed . McFa d

d en , C. J., a nd

Ri ckma n, P. J., co n cu r

.

6 Freep o rt al s o rel ies o n t h i s Co u rt ’ s o p in i o n i n Bel l v. Fr eep o rt Ti t l e & Gu ar

. , 3 5 5 Ga. Ap p

. 9 4 (8 4 2 SE2 d 5 6 5 ) (2 02 0 ), bu t t h at cas e i n vo l v ed OCGA § 4 4 -1 4 -8 0

(b ), wh ich req u i res t h at ext en s i o n s o f a n o t e b e reco rd ed . Id . at 9 8 -9 9 (2 ) (a). Th ere

i s n o s u ch req u i rem en t i n t h e st at u t e fo r t he o ri gi n al n o t e. In d eed

, OCGA § 4 4 -1 4 -8 0

(a) an t i ci p at es t h at a co nv ey an ce (i n wh i ch t h e m at u ri t y d a t e o f t h e d eb t sh o u l d b e

s t at ed o r fi xed ) m i g h t n ot b e reco rd ed

.

1112