FI FTH DI VI SI ON

M CFA DDEN, P. J.

, M CM I LLI A N and GOSS, 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

June 28, 2019



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A 1 9 A 0 2 9 4

. C O L E M A N v

. P R E T I U M M O R T G A G E

ACQUISITIONS TRUST et al

.

M C F A D D E N , Pres id i n g J u d g e.

Th i s ap p eal ari s es fro m an act i o n bro u g h t b y p ro s e l i ti g an t J o s ep h A. Co l em an

,

J r., ag ai n s t v ari o u s d efen d an t s i n wh i ch h e al l eg ed t o r t c l a i m s i n co n n ect io n wi t h a

t h reat en ed fo recl o s u re o f h i s real p ro p ert y . On ap peal h e en u m erat es t wo ru l i n g s as

erro r: t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s g ran t o f s u m m ary j u d gm en t t o fo u r o f t h e d efen dan t s (Pret i u m

M or tga ge A c qui s i ti on Tru s t ; W i l m i n g to n Sav i n g s Fu n d So ci et y

, F S B d/b/a C hr istia na

Tru s t ; Ru s h m o re Lo an M an ag em en t Serv i ces LLC; an d K e n ne y & M ed i n a, P.C.); an d

t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s d en i al o f hi s m o t i o n t o am en d h i s p et it io n t o ad d cau s es o f act io n

. 1

1 Th e t ri al co urt al s o i s su ed ru l i n g s en d i n g t h e act i o n as to o t h er d efen d an t s : a

ju d g m en t o n t h e p l ead i n g s i n fav or o f Di tech Fi n an ci al

, LLC f/ k/ a G r een T ree

Serv i ci n g

, LLC, an d a d i s m i s s al o f t h e act i o n i n fav o r o f M o rt g ag e El ect ro n i c

Reg is t rat i o n Sy s t em

, In c. Co l em an d o es n o t en u m erat e t h es e ru l in g s as erro r, s o t h eyNei t h er en u m erat io n h as m eri t

. O u r S u p rem e Co u rt h as reject ed t h e s o l e arg u m en t

t h at Co l em an rai s es on ap p eal i n s u p p o rt o f h i s cl ai m t h at t h e t ri al co u rt sh o u l d n ot

h a v e gran t ed s u m

m ary ju dg m en t

. An d t h e reco rd d o es n o t s h o w t h at t h e t ri al co u r t

d en ied h i s req u es t t o am en d h i s p et i t i o n t o ad d cau s es o f act i o n

. So we affi rm

.

1

. Fa ct s a n d p r o ced

ur a l p o s t u r e.

T h e f act s di sp o si t iv e o f t h i s ap p eal are u n d is p u ted

. On March 1 8

, 2 0 0 4

,

Co l em an en t ered i n to a Deed t o Secu re D eb t (h erei n aft er, t h e s ecu ri ty d eed ) t h at

en cu m b ered h i s real p ro p ert y as s ecu ri t y fo r a l o an

. Th e s ecu ri t y d eed pas s ed to

s ev eral h o l ders i n a s eri es o f as s i g n m en t s. In earl y Decem b er 2 0 1 7, Co l em an was s en t

a n o t i ce o f t h e i n s t i t u ti o n o f fo recl o s u re p ro ceed i n g s o n th e g ro u n d t h at h e h ad

d efau l t ed o n hi s l o an

. He fi l ed an ex p art e em erg en cy p et i ti o n fo r a t em p o rary

res t rai n i n g o rd er t o st o p t h e fo recl o s u re, wh ich t h e tri al co urt g r a n t ed fo r a l i m i t ed

p eri o d o f t i m e p u rs u an t t o OCGA § 9

- 1 1

- 6 5 ( b ) (p erm i tt i ng g ran t of t em p o rary

res t rai n i n g ord er wi t h o u t wri tt en o r o ral n o t i ce t o ad v ers e p art y u nd er cert ai n

ci rcu m s t an ces ). Th e t ri al co u rt s et a h eari ng o n t h e m at ter fo r M arch 2

, 2 0 1 7

.

On Feb ru ary 2 3

, 2 0 1 7

, Co l em an fi led a m o t i o n fo r l eav e t o am en d hi s p et i t i o n

t o ad d d efen d an ts t o t h e p ro ceed i n g an d t o as s ert ad d i t i o n al cau ses of act i o n

. Th e t ri al

are n o t at i s s u e i n t h i s ap p eal

.

2co u rt i s s u ed a n u n c p ro t u n c ord e r, effect i ve M arch 2, 2 0 1 7

, ti t led “ O rd er Gran t i n g

Pl ai n t i ff’ s M o t i o n fo r Leav e t o Am en d ,” wh i ch s t at ed t h at Co l em an “ sh al l h av e u n t i l

Ap ri l 1 3, 2 0 1 7 t o am en d h i s co m p l ai n t t o ad d p art i es an d t o s erv e th os e p art i es .” On

M arch 1 0

, 2 0 1 7

, Co l em an fi l ed an a m e n d ed p et i t i o n t h at ad d ed d efen d an t s an d

as s ert ed v ari o u s ad d i t i o n al o r res t at ed cau s es of act io n rel at ed t o o r ari si n g o u t o f t h e

fo recl o s ure p ro ceed i n g s

.

On Ap ri l 2 8

, 2 0 1 7

, t h e fo u r o ri g i n al d efen d an ts m ov ed fo r s u m m ary ju d g m en t

o n al l o f Co l em an ’ s cl ai m s

, in cl u di n g th o s e i n t h e am en d ed p et i t i o n

. Th e o n l y

arg u m en t i n o p p o si t i o n t o su m m a r y ju dg m en t t h at Co l em an art i cu l at ed i n h i s

res p o n s i v e p l ead i n g was t h at he “ d en i es t h at t h e p u rp o rt ed l en d er h as an y ri g h t t o t h e

en fo rcem en t o f ei t h er t h e No t e o r Secu ri t y A g reem en t al l eg ed ly ex ecu t ed b y t h e

Pl ai n t i ff o n M arch 1 8

, 2 00 4 .” It ap p ears fro m t he reco rd t h at Co l em an ex p an d ed t h i s

arg u m en t at a h eari n g o n t h e su m m a ry ju d g m en t m o t i o n ; al t h o u g h t h e reco rd o n

ap p eal d o es n o t co n t ai n a t ran s cri p t of t h at h eari n g

, 2 t h e t ri al co u rt

, i n her s u b s eq u en t

o rd er, s t at ed t h at Co lem an as s ert e d t w o a r g u m en t s at t h e h eari n g : “ t he fi rs t i s an

2 In h i s n o t ice o f ap p eal

, Co l em an d i d no t s p eci fy t h at a t ran s cri p t wo u l d b e

fi led fo r in cl us io n i n t h e reco rd

. See OCGA § 5 -6 -3 7 (“ th e n ot i ce s hal l s t at e wh et h er

o r n o t an y t ran scri p t o f ev i d en ce an d p ro ceed in g s i s t o b e tran s m i tt ed as p art o f t h e

reco rd o n ap p eal ”).

3at t em

p t t o at t ack as s i gn m en t s wh i ch are i n ev i d en ce i n t h e reco rd in t h i s cas e an d t h e

s eco n d i s an arg u m en t t h a t t h e [d ] efen d an t s can n o t fo recl o s e wi t h o u t p ro vi n g t h at

t h ey hav e o wn ers h i p o f t h e [n ] o t e rel at ed t o t h e [s ]e c u r i t y [d ] eed .” Fi n d i n g t h at

n ei t h er arg u m en t h ad m eri t as a m at t er o f l aw, t h e t ri al co u rt g ran ted s u m m ary

ju d g m en t

.

2

. Ap p el l a t e j u r i s di ct i o n

.

As an i n i t ial m at t er, we co n s i d er o u r j u ri s d i ct i o n o v er t h is ap p eal

. See g en eral l y

Fo r d v. F o rd

, 3 4 7 Ga. Ap p

. 2 3 3 (8 1 8 SE2 d 6 9 0) (2 0 1 8) (ap p el l at e co urt h as d u t y to

i n q u i re i n t o i t s ju ri s d i ct i o n t o rev i ew erro rs en u m erat ed o n ap p eal ). W i t h i n 3 0 day s

o f th e en t ry o f t h e s u m

m ary j ud gm en t o rd er, Co l em an fi l ed a m o t i on fo r an ex t en s i o n

o f t i m e t o fi le h i s n ot i ce o f ap p eal

. Ou r Ci v i l Pract i ce Act au t h o ri zed t h e t ri al co u rt

t o g ran t Co l em an a 3 0 -d ay ex t en s i o n

, OCGA § 5 -6 -3 9 (a) (1 ) & (c), wh i ch t h e t ri al

co u rt d i d i n wh at am o u n t ed t o a n u n c p ro t u n c o rd er. Al t h o u g h t h e t ri al co u rt en t ered

t h at o rd er aft er t h e ex ten s i o n p eri o d h ad ru n

, C o l em an n ev ert hel es s fi l ed h i s n o t i ce

o f ap p eal wi t h i n t hat p eri od

.

Un d er t h es e ci rcu m s t an ces

, we fi n d t h at Co l em an ’ s n ot i ce o f ap p eal w as t i m el y

a n d th at we hav e ju ri s d i ct io n t o d eci d e hi s ap p eal

. W e ack n o wl ed ge t h a t o u r

ju ri s p ru den ce i ncl u d es cas es t h at pr e v e n t u s fro m ex erci s in g ju ri sd i ct i o n in

4ci rcu m s t an ces wh ere t h e t ri al co u rt g ran ted an u nt i m el y m o t io n fo r ex t en s i o n (fi l ed

m o re th an 30 d ay s aft er th e en t ry o f a fi n al j u d gm en t), In t h e In t er es t o f C. S

. M.

, 1 8 4

Ga. Ap p

. 1 25

, 12 5 -1 2 6 (3 61 SE2 d 1 6 ) (1 9 8 7); o r wh ere a no t i ce o f ap p eal was fi l ed

m o re t h an 3 0 d ay s aft er t he en t ry o f a fi n al ju d g m en t b u t wi t h i n 3 0 d ay s o f a n u n c p ro

t u n c o rd er co rrect i n g th e d at e o f t h at j u d gm en t

, Bo wen v

. Cl a yt o n Co u nt

y Ho s p.

Au t h

. , 1 6 0 Ga. Ap p

. 8 0 9 (2 8 8 SE2 d 2 3 2 0 (1 9 82 ). Bu t t h o s e ci rcu m s t an ces d o n ot

ex i s t h ere. Un l i k e i n t h o s e cas es

, Co l em an fi l ed a t i m el y m o t i o n fo r ex t en s i o n t h at t h e

t r i a l c o u rt h ad t h e au t h o ri t y t o g ran t an d

, i n fact

, g ran t ed

, an d h e fi l ed a n o t i ce o f

ap p eal wi t h i n t h e ex t en s io n p eri o d p erm i t ted b y s t at u t e. OCGA § 5 -6 -3 9 (c).

3

. S u mma r y j u d g men t

.

W e rev i ew d e n o v o Co lem an ’ s cl ai m t h at th e tri al co u rt erred i n g ran t i n g

s u m m ary ju d gm en t

, co n s t ru i n g t h e ev i d en ce m o s t fav o rab l y to ward s h i m

. No r t h wes t

Ca r p et s v. Fi r s t Na t

. Ba n k o

f Ch a t s wo r t h

, 2 8 0 G a

. 5 3 5

, 5 3 8 (1 ) (6 3 0 SE2 d 4 0 7 )

(2 0 0 6). Th e o n l y arg u m en t t h at Co l em an m ak es o n ap p eal i n s u p p o rt o f t h i s cl ai m i s

t h a t so m e o f t h e as s i g n m en t s o f h i s s ecu ri t y deed were v o id

. Bu t Co l em an h a s n o

s t an d i n g t o at t ack t h o s e as s ig n m en t s

, an d s o h e can n o t ch al l en g e th e fo recl o s u re o n

t h at b as i s o r b ri n g cl ai m s p rem i s ed o n s u p p o sed l y v o i d as s i g n m en t s

. See Ames v. JP

Mo r g a n Ch a s e Ba n k, N. A.

, 2 9 8 Ga. 7 3 2

, 7 3 7 -7 4 2 (3 ) (7 8 3 SE2 d 6 1 4 ) (2 0 1 6 ). So h e

5h as no t s h o wn t h at t he t ri al co urt erred i n g ran t i n g s u m m ary ju d g m en t

. See No r t h wes t

Ca r p et s

, s u p ra at 5 3 9 (3 ) (affi rm i n g s u m m ary ju d g m en t i n fav o r o f d efen dan t b an k

wh ere p l ai n t iff l ack ed s t an d i n g t o ch al len g e fo recl os u re).

4

. Den i a l o f mo t i o n f or l ea ve t o a m en d

p et i ti o n

.

Co l em an arg u es t h at t he t ri al co u rt erred i n d e n yi n g h i s m o t i o n fo r l eav e to

am en d h i s p et i t i o n t o p erm i t h im t o ad d cau s es o f act i o n

. Bu t h e h as n o t s h o wn t h at

t h e t ri al co u r t m a d e a n y s u ch ru l in g

. As d es cri b ed ab o v e, t h e t ri al co u rt g ran t ed

Co l em an ’ s m o t i on t o a m en d h i s p et i t i on

, Co l em an fi l ed an am en d ed p et i t i o n t h at

i n cl u d ed n ew cau s es o f act i o n

, an d t he t ri al co u rt co ns i d ered t h o s e n ew cau s e s o f

act i on i n ru l i n g o n t he su m m ary ju d g m en t m o t i o n

. Th e fact t h at t h e t ri al co u rt d i d n ot

s p eci fi cal l y m en t i o n ad d i n g cau s es o f act i o n i n h er o rd er gran t i n g t h e m o t i o n i s o f n o

m o m en t

, b ecau s e Co l em a n w a s en t i t l ed t o ad d cau s es o f act i o n wi t h o u t t h e t ri al

co u rt ’ s l eav e. See Ben ed

ek v. Bd

. o f Reg en ts o f t h e Un iv. S

ys t em o f Ga

. , 3 3 2 Ga. Ap p.

5 7 3 , 5 7 4 -5 7 5 (1 ) (a) (7 7 4 SE2 d 1 5 0 ) (2 01 5 ); s ee al s o OCGA § 9 -1 1 -1 5 (a).

Ju d g men t a f f i r m ed . McMi l l i a n a n d

Go s s, JJ., co n cu r

.

6