FI FTH DI VI SI ON

RI CKM A N, C. J.

, M CFA DDEN, P. J.

, and SENI OR A PPELLA TE JUDGE PHI PPS

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

M ar ch 9, 2022



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A2 1 A1 51 4

. L ANGFORD v

. GEORGIA DEPART M ENT OF

COM M UNITY HEALTH et al

.

P H I P P S , Sen i o r Ap p el l at e J u d g e.

Cal eb Lan g fo rd ap p eal s fro m t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s o rd er d is m i ss i n g h i s cl ai m s

ag ai n s t t h e Geo rg ia Dep art m en t o f Co m m u n i t y H eal t h (“ DCH”) fo r fai l u re t o co m p l y

wi t h t h e an t e l i t em n o ti ce req u i rem en t s o f t he Geo rg i a To r t Cl ai m s Act (“ GTCA”),

OCGA § 5 0-2 1-2 0 et s eq

. Lan g fo rd co n t en d s t h at (1 ) D CH’ s m o t i o n t o di s m i s s was

m o ot b ecau s e he s e t t l ed h i s cas e wi t h DCH; an d (2 ) t h e t ri al co u rt erred i n fi n d i n g

t h at Lan gfo rd d i d n o t co m p l y wi t h t h e p ro ced u ral req u i rem en t s o f O CGA § 5 0 -2 1 -2 6

(a). Fi n di n g n o erro r, we affi rm

.On Oct o b er 1 5, 20 1 8

, Lan g fo rd was i n an au t o m o b i l e acci d en t wi t h an

em pl o y ee o f D C H

. L an g fo rd s en t an an t e li tem n ot i ce 1 t o t h e Ri sk M an ag em en t

Di v is i o n o f t he G eo rg i a Dep art m en t o f Ad m i n i s t rat i v e S e rv i ces (“ DOAS”) s ev eral

m o nt h s l at er t h at co nt ai n ed a s e t t l e m e n t o ffer of $ 2 5,0 0 0

. T he n o t i ce s t at ed

, in

r e l ev an t p art

, “ t h i s cl ai m ari s es fro m a m o to r v eh i cl e acci d en t

. . . b et ween Ri s k

M an ag em en t’ s in s u red a n d

. . . Cal eb Lan gfo rd .” No t hi n g i n t h e n o ti ce i d en t i fi ed

DCH as t h e s t at e g o v ern m en t en t i t y at i s s u e o r i n d i cat ed th at Lan g fo rd was s en d i n g

a co p y o f t h e n o t i ce t o DCH.

Aft er D OAS recei v ed t h e an t e l i t e m n o t i ce, a DOAS l i t ig at i o n s p eci al i s t em ai l ed Lan g fo rd ’ s co un s el t o i n fo rm h i m t hat DOAS “ wi l l accep t [h i s] cl i e n t ’s

d em an d fo r $ 2 5,0 0 0 t o s et t l e t h i s m at t er.” In a s u b s eq u en t e

- m a i l

, t h e l i t i g at i o n

s p eci al i s t fo rward ed Lan g fo rd ’ s co u n sel a d raft rel eas e. In res p o n s e, Lan g fo rd ’ s

co u ns el ex pl ai n ed th at Lan g fo rd co u ld n o t s i gn th e d raft rel e a s e t hat was p ro v i d ed

an d req u es t ed a l i m i t ed l i ab i l i t y rel eas e i n i t s p l ace. Th e l i ti g at i o n s p eci al is t i n fo rm ed

1 Th e Au g u s t 2 0 1 9 l et t er i d en t i fi es i t s el f n o t as an an t e l i t em n o t i ce, b u t rat h er

as a d em an d fo r s et t l em en t

, b ut we as s u m e, fo r pu rp o s es o f t h e ap p eal

, t h at i t wo u ld

h av e b een s u ffi ci en t to co ns t it u t e an a n t e l i t em n ot i ce h ad i t co m p li ed wi t h t h e

ap p li cab l e s tat u t o ry

p ro v i s i o n s d i s cu s s ed b el o w.

2Lan gfo rd ’ s co u n s el t h at t h e m at t er co u l d n o t b e set t l ed i f th ere w as an y ch an g e t o t h e

l an g u ag e o f t h e d raft rel eas e p ro v i d ed b y DOAS.

Lan g fo rd t h ereaft er su ed DCH fo r v ari o us t o rt cl ai m s ari s i n g fro m t h e car

acci den t

. 2 DCH m o v ed t o d i s m i s s t h e cas e fo r (as rel ev an t h ere) l ack o f s u b j ect m at t er

ju ri s d i ct i o n

. DCH arg u ed

, am o n g o t her t h i n g s

, t h at (1 ) Lan g fo rd ’ s an t e l i t em n o t i ce

was d efi ci en t b ecau s e i t fai led t o i d en t i fy th e “ s t at e g o v ern m en t en t it y ” i n vo l v ed as

req u i red b y OCGA § 5 0 -2 1 -2 6 (a) (5 ) (A), an d (2 ) Lan g fo rd fai l ed t o s en d o r d el i v er

a co p y o f t h e n o t i ce t o DCH as req u i red b y OCGA § 5 0 -2 1-2 6 (a) (2 ). 3

Lan g fo rd t h en fi l ed an am en d ed co m p l ai n t

, al l eg i n g t h at DCH h ad en t ered i n to

a b i n d i n g

, p re-s u i t co n t ract t o s et tl e t h e cas e. DCH fi l ed a m o t i o n t o d i sm i s s t h e

co n tract cl ai m

, d en y i n g t h at t h e p art i es h ad en t ered in t o a v a l i d

, en fo rceab l e

s et t l em en t ag reem en t

. At a h eari n g o n DCH’ s m o t i o n s t o d i s m i s s

, Lan g fo rd ’ s co u n s el

ag reed t o t h e d is m i s s al o f t h e co n t ract cl ai m

. At t h e en d of th e h eari ng

, t h e t ri al co u rt

2 Lan g fo rd al so s u ed t h e DCH em p l o y ee i n v o lv ed in t h e acci d en t an d t h e St at e

o f Geo rg i a, bu t t h e t ri al co u rt d i s m i s sed t h o s e d e f e n dan t s

, an d Lan g fo rd d o es n ot

ch al l en g e t h ei r d i s m is s al s o n ap p eal

.

3 As d i s cu s s ed m ore fu l l y i n Di vi s i o n 2 , t h e GTCA p ro v i d es a l im i t ed wai v er

o f t h e St at e’ s s o verei g n i m m u n i t y

, s ee OCGA § 50 -2 1 -2 3

, b u t t o recei v e t hi s wai v er

o f i m m un i t y a G TCA cl ai m an t m u s t co m p l y wi th

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

, t h e an t e l i t em

n o t i ce p ro v i s i o n s o f OCGA § 5 0 -2 1 -2 6

.

3al s o d i s m i s s ed Lan g fo rd ’ s t o rt cl ai m s o n t h e g ro u n d s t h at h i s an t e li tem n o t i ce “ d id

n o t n am e [DCH]

, an d i t was n o t s en t to [DCH]. ” T h e tri al co urt en t ered a wri t t en

o rd er s ev eral d ay s l at er d i s m i s si n g Lan g fo rd ’ s l aws u i t

. Th is ap p eal fo l lo wed

.

“ W e rev i ew d e n ov o a tr i a l c o u r t ’ s ru l i n g o n a m o t io n t o d i s m i s s b as ed o n

s o v erei g n i m

m un i t y gro un d s

, wh i ch i s a m at t er o f law. Fact u al fi n d i n g s are s u s t ai n ed

i f t h ere i s ev i den ce su p p o rt i n g t h em

, an d t h e b u rd en o f p ro o f is o n th e p art y s eek i n g

t h e wai v er o f i m

m un it y .” Br o wn v. Bd

. o f Reg en ts o

f Un i v

. S y s t e m o f Ga

. , 3 5 5 Ga.

Ap p . 4 7 8 , 4 7 9 (8 4 4 SE2 d 5 4 4 ) (2 0 2 0 ) (ci t at i on an d p u nct u at i o n o m i t t ed ).

At t h e o u ts et

, we n o t e t h at L an g fo rd ’ s i n i t i al b ri ef fai ls t o co m p l y wi t h t h i s

Co u rt ’ s ru l es

. Mo s t si g ni fi can t l y

, al t h ou g h Lan g fo rd en um erat es t wo erro rs

, h i s b ri ef

co n tai n s o n l y o n e u n n u m b e red arg u m en t ap p aren tl y i n t en d ed t o co v er b o th

en u m erat i o n s

. See Co u rt o f Ap p eal s Ru l e 2 5 (c) (1 ) (“ Th e seq u en ce o f arg u m en t s in

t h e bri efs s h al l fo l l ow th e o rd er o f t h e en u m erat i on o f erro rs

, an d s h al l b e n u m b ered

acco rd i n g l y .”). Co n s eq u en t l y

, i t i s di ffi cu lt t o d i s c e rn t h e n at u re an d m eri t o f h i s

arg u m en t s

.

Ou r req u i rem en ts as t o t he fo rm o f ap p el l at e b ri efs were creat ed n o t t o

p ro v i d e a n o bs t acl e, b ut t o ai d p art i es i n p res en t i n g t hei r arg u m en t s i n

a m an n er m o s t l i k el y t o b e f u l l y a n d effi ci en t l y co m

p reh en ded b y t h i s

4Co u rt ; a p art y wi l l n ot b e g ran t ed rel i ef s ho u l d we err i n d eci p heri n g a

b ri ef wh i ch fai l s t o ad h ere t o t h e req u i red fo rm

.

Ca mp b el l v. Br eed l ove

, 24 4 Ga. Ap p

. 8 1 9

, 8 2 1 (5 3 5 SE2 d 30 8 ) (2 0 00 ) (ci t at i o n an d

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

1

. In Lan g fo rd ’ s fi rs t en u m erat i o n of erro r, h e co n t en d s t h at t h e part i es s et t l ed

t h e cas e, an d DCH’ s m o t i o n t o d i s m i s s was t h e r e f o re m o o t

. Lan g fo rd ’ s b ri ef,

h o wev er, co n t ai ns n o ci t at i o n of au t ho ri t y o r reas o ned l eg al arg u m en t t o s u p p o rt t h i s

cl ai m

. Fo r ex am

pl e, h i s bri ef co n t ai n s n o l eg al ci t at i o n s o r l eg al arg u m en t reg ard i n g

wh en a s et t l em en t ag reem en t b eco m es b i n d i n g, t h e ci rcu m s t an ces u n der wh i ch a

m o t i on to di s m i s s b eco m es m o o t

, o r a tri al co urt ’ s au t h ori t y to ru l e o n a m o t i o n t o

d i s m i s s

. Acco rd in g l y

, t h i s cl ai m o f erro r i s d eem ed ab an do n ed

. d e Ca s t r o v. Du r el l

,

2 9 5 Ga. Ap p

. 1 9 4

, 2 0 4 (3 ) (6 7 1 SE2 d 2 4 4 ) (2 0 0 8) (d eem in g an en u m erat i o n o f erro r

ab an do n ed wh ere t h e ap p el lan t fai led t o ci te an y l eg al au t h o ri t y i n su p po rt t h ereo f);

s ee Co u rt o f Ap p eal s Ru l e 2 5 (c) (2 ) (“ An y en u m erat i o n o f erro r t h at i s n o t s u p p o rt ed

i n t h e b r i e f b y ci tat io n of au t h o ri t y o r arg u m en t m ay be d eem ed ab an d o ned .”). See

al s o Gr es h a m v. Ha r r i s

, 3 4 9 Ga. Ap p

. 1 34

, 1 3 8 (1 ), n

. 9 (8 2 5 SE2 d 5 1 6) (2 0 19 ) (l eg al

an al y s i s “ i s, at a m i ni m

um

, a d i scu s s i o n o f t h e ap p ro p ri at e l aw as ap p li ed t o t h e

rel ev an t fact s”) (ci t at i o n , p u n ct u at i o n , an d em p h as i s o m i t t ed ).

52

. In Lan gfo rd ’ s s eco n d en u m erat i o n o f erro r, h e co n t en d s t h e tri al co u rt erred

i n fi n di n g t h at h i s a n t e l i t e m no t i ce d i d n o t m eet t he p ro ced u ral req u i rem en t s o f

OCGA § 5 0 -2 1 -2 6 (a) (2 ) an d (5 ) (A). W e d i s ag ree.

Th e GTCA p ro v i d es a l i m i t e d wai v er of t h e St at e’ s so v erei g n im m un i t y “ fo r

t h e t o rt s o f s t at e offi cers an d em p l o y ees w h i l e act i n g wi t h i n t h e s co p e o f t h ei r o ffi ci al

d u t i es o r em

pl o y m en t .” OCGA § 5 0 -2 1 -2 3 (a). Th at wai v er i s effect i v e on l y i f al l o f

t h e req u i rem en t s i n t h e GTCA are m et

. See OCGA § 50 -2 1 -2 3 (b ) (“ Th e s t at e wai v es

i t s so v erei g n i m

m u n it y o n l y t o t h e ex t en t an d i n t he m an n er p ro v i d ed i n t hi s art i cl e

an d o n l y wi t h res p ect t o act i o n s b ro u g h t i n t h e co u rt s o f t h e St at e o f Geo rg i a.”).

Befo re fi l i n g s u i t

, a GTCA cl ai m an t i s req u i red t o s en d o r del i v er an an t e l i t em n o t i ce

t o t h e Ri s k M an ag em en t Di v i s i o n o f t h e DOAS. OCGA § 5 0 -2 1 -2 6 (a). A co p y o f t h e

n o t i ce m u s t b e s en t o r d el i v ered t o t h e ag en cy

, “ th e act or o m i ss i o n s of wh i ch are

as s ert ed as t h e b as i s of t he cl ai m .” OCGA § 50 -2 1 -2 6 (a) (2 ). W i th i n t h e n o t i ce, t h e

cl ai m an t m

u s t s tat e, t o t h e ex t en t o f t h e cl ai m an t ’ s k n o w l ed g e an d b el i ef:

(A) Th e n am e o f th e s t at e g o v ern m en t en ti t y

, t h e act s o r o m i ss i on s o f

wh i ch are as s ert ed as t h e b as i s o f t h e cl ai m ;

(B) Th e t i m e o f t h e t ran s act i o n o r occu rren ce o u t o f wh i ch t h e l o s s

aro s e;

6(C) Th e p l ace o f t he t ran s act i o n o r o ccu rren ce;

(D) Th e n at u re o f t h e l os s s u ffered ;

(E) Th e am o un t o f t h e l os s cl ai m ed ; an d

(F) Th e act s o r o m i ss i o n s wh i ch cau s ed t h e l os s

.

OCGA § 5 0 -2 1 -2 6 (a) (5 ).

St ri ct co m

p l i an ce wi t h t h e GTCA’ s an t e l it em n o t i ce req u i rem en t s i s req u i red ;

s u b s t an t i al co m

p l i an ce i s i n s u ffi ci en t

. S e e B d. o f Reg en t s of U n i v. S ys t em o f Ga

. v.

Myer s

, 2 9 5 Ga. 8 4 3

, 84 5 (7 6 4 SE2 d 5 4 3 ) (2 0 1 4). If t h e req u i red no t i ce o f a cl ai m i s

n o t g i ven

, co u rt s d o n ot h av e ju ri s di ct i on o v er t h e cl ai m

. See OCGA § 5 0 -2 1 -2 6 (a)

(3 ) (“ No act i o n ag ai n s t t h e s t at e u n d er t h i s art i cl e s h al l b e co m m en ced an d t h e co u rt s

s h al l h av e n o ju ri sd i ct i o n th ereo f un l es s an d u n ti l a wri tt en n o t i ce o f cl ai m h as b een

t i m el y pres en t ed t o t h e s t at e as p ro v i d ed i n t h i s s u b sect i o n [.] ”).

Here, La n g f

o r d fai l ed t o i d en t i fy i n h i s an t e l i t em n o t i ce “ [t ] h e n am e o f t h e

s t at e g o v ern m en t en t i t y

, t he act s o r o m i s s i o n s o f wh i ch are as s ert ed as th e b as i s o f t h e

cl ai m ,” as req u ir ed b y O CGA § 5 0 -2 1 -2 6 (a) (5 ) (A). Lan g fo rd ’ s o m i s si on o f an

en t i re cat eg o ry of in fo rm at i o n req u i red b y OCGA § 5 0 -2 1 -2 6 (a) (5 ) r e n d e r s t h e

n o t i ce i ns u ffi ci en t

. Br o wn

, 3 5 5 Ga. A p p

. at 48 1 (“ [T] h e co m p l et e o m i s s i o n o f o n e o f

t h e s i x cat eg o ri es o f i n fo rm at i o n req u i r e d b y t h e an t e l i t em n o t i ce st at ut e ren d er[s ]

7suc h n otic e s insuf f ici en t .”) (ci t at i o n an d p u nct u at i o n o m i t t ed)

. F ur the r m o r e

, L a ngf

or d

d o e s n o t d i s p u t e t h at he fai l ed t o s en d a co p y o f h is an t e l i t em no t ice t o DCH. H e

arg u es

, h o wev er, t h at b ecau s e o f t h e p art i es ’ s et t l em en t d i s cu ss i o ns an d e-m ai l

ex ch an g es

, t he St at e was aware t h a t D CH was t h e ag en cy at i s s u e. 4 “ N ev ert h el es s

,

ev en wh en t h e s tat e ag en cy h as act u al n o t i ce, a cl ai m an t i s n o t ex cu s ed fro m s t ri ct l y

co m p l y i n g wi t h t h e n o ti ce req ui rem en t s .” Id . (ci t at i o n an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed ).

On ap peal

, Lan g fo rd co n t en d s t h at t h e Su p r e m e C o u rt o f Geo rg i a’ s d eci s i o n

i n Cu mmi n g

s v. Ga . Dep t . o

f Ju ven i l e Ju s t i ce , 2 8 2 Ga. 8 2 2 (6 5 3 SE2 d 7 2 9 ) (2 0 0 7 ),

s u p p ort s hi s arg u m en t t h at t he t ri al co u rt erred i n fi n d in g t h at h is an t e l i t em n o t i ce d id

n o t co m p l y wi t h t he s t at ut o ry req u i rem en t s. In Cu mmi n g s

, t h e p lai n t i ff b el i ev ed t h at

t h e ag en cy at i s s ue was t h e Geo rg i a Dep art m en t o f Tran s p o rt at i o n (“ DOT”), wh en t h e

co rrect ag en cy was t h e G eo rg i a Dep art m en t o f Ju v en i l e J u s t i ce (“ DJ J ”). Id

. at 8 2 2.

As a res u l t

, t h e p l ai n t i ff n am ed t h e DOT as t h e res p o n si b l e ag en cy in h er an t e l i t em

n o t i ce i n s t ead o f t h e DJ J a n d m ai l ed a co p y o f t h e n o t i ce t o t h e DOT in s t ead o f t h e

DJ J

. Id

. Th e Su p rem e Co u rt n o t ed t h at t h e p l ai n l an g u ag e o f OCGA § 5 0-2 1 -2 6 (a)

(5 ) (A) “ req u i res t h e i d e n t i f i cat i o n of t he ag en cy a s s er t ed t o b e res p o n s i b le, rat h er

4 Lan g fo rd ’ s rep eat ed as s ert io n s t h at h e en g ag ed i n co m m u n i cat i o n s “ wi t h t h e

p ro p er en t it y ”

— wh i ch h e i d en t i fi es as D CH

— are d i si n g en u o us

. Each o f t h e

co m m u n icat io ns t o wh i ch h e refers was wi t h DOAS, n o t DCH.

8t h an i d en t i fi c a t i o n o f t h e ag en cy a ct u a l l y res p o n s i b le[,] ” an d t h e p lai n l an g u ag e o f

OCGA § 5 0 -2 1 -2 6 (a) (2 ) s i m i l arl y “ req u i res n o t i c e t o t h e ag en cy a s ser t ed t o be

,

rat h er t h an t h e ag en cy t h at a ct u a l l y i s

, res p o n s i b l e[,] ” i d

. at 8 2 5 (em p h as i s i n

o ri g i nal ), an d fo u n d t h at th e p l ai n t i ff h ad co m p l i ed w i t h t h e p l ai n l an g u ag e o f t h es e

an t e li t em n o t i ce p ro v i s i o n s

. Id

. at 8 2 7

. In co n t ras t

, L an g fo rd d i d n ot co m p l y wi t h t h e

p l ai n l an g u ag e o f t h e s t at u t e; h e d i d n o t i d en ti fy o r m ai l t he n o ti ce t o t h e wr o n g s t at e

ag en cy

— h e fai l ed t o i d en t i fy a n y ag en cy

, “ t h e act s o r o m i s s i o n s o f wh i ch are

as s ert ed as t h e b as i s o f t h e cl ai m [,] ” OCGA § 5 0 -2 1 -2 6 (a) (5 ) (A), o r s en d a co p y o f

t h e n o t i ce t o a ny su ch ag en cy

, O CGA § 50 -2 1 -2 6 (a) (2 ). Th u s

, Cu m mi n g s d o es n ot

s u p p ort L an g fo rd ’ s co n t en t i o n t h at t h e t ri al co u rt erred b y fi nd i ng t h at h i s an t e l i t em

n o t i ce d i d n o t co m

pl y wi t h OCGA § 5 0 -2 1-2 6 (a) (2 ) an d (5 ) (A).

Becau s e La n g fo rd ’ s fai l u re t o st ri ct l y co m p l y wi t h t h e s t at u t o ry n o t i ce

req u i rem en t s d ep ri v ed t h e t ri al co u rt o f ju ri s di ct i o n o ver h i s cl ai m ag ai n s t DCH, we

affi rm t h e t ri al co urt ’ s d is m i ss al o f Lan g fo rd ’ s co m p l ai nt

. See Br o wn

, 3 5 5 G a. Ap p.

at 4 8 1 -4 8 2

.

Ju d g men t a f f i r m ed . Ri ckma n , C. J., a n d McFa d d en , P. J., co n cu r

.

9