FOURTH D I VI SI ON

DOYLE, P. J.

, COOM ER and M A R KLE, 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 17, 2019



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 9 A0 30 5 . CITY OF BRUNSW ICK v . SM ITH.

C O O M E R , J u d ge.

Th i s ap peal ari s es fro m t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s den i al o f a m o t i o n fo r s u m m ary

ju d g m en t i n a p rem i ses l i ab i li t y l aws u i t

. Cal v i n Sm i t h s u ed t h e Ci t y of B r u n s w i ck

(t he Ci t y ), al l eg i n g t h at th e Ci t y was l i ab l e fo r t h e i n

ju ri es h e s u s t ai ned wh en h e h i t

a p o t h ol e an d fel l fro m h i s b i cy cl e. Sm i t h cl ai m ed t he Ci t y h ad co n s t ru ct i v e

k n o wl ed g e ab o u t t h e p o t h ol e an d n eg l i g en t ly fai led t o m ai n t ai n it s ro ad way

. Th e Ci t y

fi led a m o t i o n fo r su m

m ary ju d g m en t

, arg u i n g t h at Sm it h was a l i cen see an d t h at

t h ere was n o ev i d en ce t h at t h e Ci t y wi l fu l l y o r wan t o n l y cau s ed h is i n ju ri es

. Th e Ci t y

al s o arg u ed t h at ev en i f Sm i th was an i n vi t ee, t he Ci ty co u l d n o t b e h el d l i ab l e fo r h i s

i n ju ri es b ecau se t he co n d i t i on of t h e p av em en t was an o p en an d ob v io u s defect

. Th e

t ri al co u rt d en i ed t h e Ci t y’s m o t i on

, fi n di n g t h at s um m ary ju d g m en t was n otwarran t ed b ecau s e an i s s u e o f fact rem ai n ed as t o wh et h er t h e Ci t y h ad s u p eri o r

k n o wl ed g e o f t h e p ot h o l e an d , i f s o , wh et h er t h at k no wl ed g e co n s t i tu t ed wi l fu l an d

wan to n co n d u ct

. Becau s e t h ere was n o ev i d en ce th at t h e p o t h o l e was creat ed

,

co n ceal ed

, o r m ai n t ai n ed w i l fu l l y o r wan t o n l y b y t h e C i t y

, an d b ecau s e t h e al l eg ed

d efect was o p en an d o b vi ou s t o Sm i t h p ri o r t o t he fal l , we rev ers e.

Su m m ary ju d g m en t i s pro p er wh en t h e m o v i n g p art y s h o w s t hat

n o g en u in e i s s u e o f m at eri al fact ex i s t s , an d t h at t h e m o v an t i s en t i t led

t o ju d g m en t as a m at ter of l aw. W e ap p l y a d e no v o st an d ard of rev i ew

t o an ap peal fro m

a g ran t o r d en i al o f s u m

m ary ju d g m en t an d co n s t ru e

t h e ev i d en ce m o s t fav o ra b l y to t h e n o n m o v an t. H o wev er, s u m m ary

ju d g m en t can n o t b e a v o id ed b as ed o n s p ecu l at i o n o r co n ject u re; o n ce

t h e p l ead in gs are p ierced wi t h act u al ev i d en ce, t he p lai n ti ff m u s t p o i n t

t o ad m i s s i b l e ev id en ce s h o wi ng a g en u i n e i s s u e o f fact

. As o ur Su p rem e

Co u rt ex p l ai n ed

, wh i l e t h e ev i d en ce o f t h e n o nm o v an t i s t o be b el iev ed

,

an d al l ju s t ifi ab l e i nferen ces are t o b e drawn i n h i s fav o r, t h at d oes n o t

m ean t h at a p l ai n t i ff m ay d efeat a d efen d an t ’ s pro p erl y s u p p o rt ed

m o t i o n fo r s u m

m ary ju d g m en t wi t h o u t o fferi n g an y co n cret e ev i d en ce

fro m wh i ch a reas on ab l e ju ro r co u l d ret u rn a v erd i ct i n hi s fav o r an d b y

m erel y as s ert i ng th at t he ju ry m i g h t

, an d l eg al l y co u l d

, d i s b e li ev e th e

d efen d an t ’ s d en i al of wro n g d o i n g

.

2C i ty o

f Ma co n v. Br o wn

, 3 43 Ga. Ap p

. 2 6 2

, 2 6 3 (8 07 SE2 d 3 4) (2 0 1 7 ) (ci t a t i o n s

o m it t ed ).

So v iewed

, t h e ev i d en ce s h o ws t h at s h o rt l y b efo re no o n o n M ay 3

, 2 0 15

, Sm i th

was ri d i n g a b i cy cl e t o a n earb y g as s t at i on aft er l eav i n g a fri en d’ s h o u s e. Th e

weat h er was cl ear an d s un n y

. W h i l e t rav el i n g d o wn J o hn s to n St reet i n t h e Ci t y o f

Bru ns wi ck

, Sm i t h m ad e a l eft t u rn o n to Seco n d St reet

, t h e n t u r n ed ri gh t d o wn an

al l ey way i n o rd er t o t ak e a s h o rt cu t t o t he b ack o f t h e g as s t at i o n. As h e m ad e t h e

ri gh t t u rn

, Sm i t h

, wh o h ad n o t trav ers ed t h e al l ey way p rev io u s l y

, h i t a po t h o l e i n t h e

ro ad an d fel l

. Ph o t o g rap hs o f t h e al l ey way d ep i ct u n ev en p av em en t wh ere Sm i t h fel l

.

Acco rd in g t o Sm i t h

, t h e p o t h ol e was l arg er at t h e t im e of t h e acci d en t t h an d ep i ct ed

i n t he p h o t o g rap h s ad m i t t ed i n t o ev i d en ce. As a res u l t o f h i s fal l , Sm i t h s u s t ai n ed a

b ro k en b on e an d h ad t o h av e a ro d an d p l at e i m p l an t ed i n h is h ip

. Sm i t h s u ed t h e Ci t y

fo r d am ag es ari s i n g fro m hi s fal l

, al l eg i n g t h e Ci t y n eg li g en tl y fai l ed t o m ai n t ai n i t s

ro ad way an d k n ew or s h o u l d h av e k n o wn ab o u t t h e p o t h o le. Th e Ci t y fi l ed a m o t i o n

fo r s u m m ary ju d g m en t wh i ch t h e t ri al co u rt d en i ed

. Th e t ri al co u rt i s s u ed a cert i fi cat e

o f i m m ed i at e rev i ew an d t h i s Co u rt g ran t ed t h e Ci t y ’ s ap p l i cat i o n fo r i n t erl o cu t o ry

ap p eal . Th i s ap p eal fo l l o wed

.

3Th e Ci t y co n ten d s th at t h e t ri al co u rt erred i n d en y i n g i t s m o t i on fo r s u m m ary

ju d g m en t b ecau se Sm i t h was an l i cen s ee wi t h eq u al k no wl ed g e o f an y h azard s an d

t h u s t h e Ci t y o n l y

o wed h i m a d u t y

t o av oi d wi l fu l l y o r w an t o nl y i n ju ri n g h i m

. W e

ag ree.

In it s o rd er d en y i n g t h e Ci t y ’ s m o t i o n

, t h e t ri al co u rt co n cl ud ed t h at Sm i t h was

a l icen s ee b ecau s e h e was u s in g t h e al l ey way fo r h i s o wn co n v en i en ce t o reach t h e

b ack en t ran ce o f th e g as s t at i o n

. S ee Geo r g i a Dep t

. of Tr a n s

p

. v. S t r i ckl a nd

, 2 7 9 Ga.

Ap p

. 7 5 3

, 7 5 4 (1 ) (6 3 2 SE2 d 4 1 6 ) (2 0 0 6 ) (h o ld i n g t h at wh ere i n j u r e d p a r t y was

“ n ei t h er a cu s t o m er, a s erv an t

, no r a t res p as s er,” s to o d in no co n t ract u al rel at i o n s h ip

wi t h t h e Ci t y o r t h e Dep art m en t an d us ed t h e p u b l i c p ark in g f o r “ h er o wn i n t eres t

,

co n ven i en ce, an d g rat ifi cat io n ,” h er s tat u s was t h at o f l i cen see). Becau s e we ag ree

wi t h t h e t ri al co urt t h at Sm i t h was a l i cen s ee, u n d er g en eral p r e m i s e s l i ab i l i t y

p ri n ci p l es

, t h e Ci t y o wed o n l y a d u t y n o t t o wi lfu l l y an d wa n t o n l y i n ju re h i m

. See

S p ea r v. Ca lh o u n

, 2 61 Ga. Ap p

. 8 3 5

, 8 3 6 -8 3 7 (1 ) (5 84 SE2 d 7 1 ) (2 0 0 3). “ W i lfu l

co n du ct i s b as ed o n an act u al i nt en t io n t o d o h arm o r i n fl i ct i nju ry

. W an t o n co n d u ct

h as b een d es cri b ed as t h at wh i ch i s s o reck l es s o r s o ch arg ed wi t h i nd i fferen ce t o t h e

co n seq u en ces as to b e t h e eq ui v al en t i n s pi ri t t o act u al i n t en t .” S t r i ckl a n d

, 2 7 9 Ga.

Ap p . at 7 5 4 (1 ) (ci t at i o n s an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i tt ed ).

4Here, Sm i t h co n t en d s t h at h e fel l fro m h i s b i cy cl e d ue t o a p o t ho l e i n t h e

p av em en t . Ho wev er, t h e t ri al co u rt d i d n o t fi n d

, an d t he reco rd d o es n o t refl ect an y

ev i d en ce t h at “ t he p ot ho l e was creat ed

, co n ceal ed

, o r m ai n t ai n ed wi l fu l l y o r

w a n t o n l y

, th at is

, wi t h an i n t en t t o in ju re o r wi th an y co n s ci o u s i n d i fferen ce a s t o

i n fer an i n t e n t t o i n

j u re.” S t r i ckl a nd

, 27 9 Ga. A p p

. at 7 5 5 (1 ) (ci t at i o n an d

p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t e d )

. A d d i t i o n al l y

, Sm i t h d o es n o t co nt en d t h e Ci t y h ad act u al

k n o wl ed g e o f th e al l eg ed d efect

. Pret erm it t in g t h e i s s ue o f wh et h er act u al k n o wl ed g e

i s req u i red t o s h o w wi l fu l an d wan t on co nd u ct by t h e C i t y, 1 S m i t h h as fai l ed to

p res en t an y ev id en ce t h at th e Ci t y act ed wi t h an y in ten t i o n t o d o h arm o r t o act wi th

reck l es s i n d ifferen ce t o t h e co n s eq u en ces

.

1 In i t s b ri ef o n ap peal

, t he Ci t y co n t en d s t h at co n s tru ct i v e kn o wl ed g e can n ot

g i v e ri s e t o wi l fu l an d wan to n co n d u ct

. W h i l e th ere i s s o m e s u pp o rt fo r t h e C i t y’ s

arg u m en t i n cas e l aw, un d er OCGA § 3 2-4 -9 3 (a) wh i ch ap p l i es t o “ p ub l i c r o a d s ,”

“ m u n ici p al i t i es gen eral l y

h av e a m i n i st eri al d u ty t o k eep t h ei r s t reet s i n rep ai r, an d

t h ey are l i ab l e fo r i n

ju ri es res u lt i n g fro m d efect s aft er act u al n ot i ce, o r aft er t h e d efect

h a s e x i s t e d fo r a s u ffi ci en t l en g t h o f t i m e fo r n ot i ce t o b e i n ferred .” Ro q u emo r e v.

Ci t y o f Fo r s yt h

, 2 74 Ga. A p p. 4 2 0

, 4 2 3 ( 6 1 7 S E2 d 6 4 4 ) (2 0 0 5 ) (ci t at i o n an d

p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed ). Co mp a r e S t ewa r t v. Ha r va r d

, 23 9 Ga. Ap p. 38 8

, 3 92 (2 ) (5 2 0

SE2 d 7 5 2 ) (1 9 9 9) (h o l d i ng t h at wh en t h e i n ju red part y i s a l i cen s ee, t h e act u al d an g er

“ m u s t b e k n o w n an d fo res een b y t he p ro p ert y own er b efo re an y d ut y t o p ro t e c t

ex i s t s.” (ci t at i o n o m i t t ed )). Fo r o u r p u rp o s e h ere, b ecau s e t h e t ri al co u rt d i d n o t b as e

i t s an al y s i s o n t h e ap p l icab i l i t y o f t h e st at u t e an d d id n ot d eci d e wh et her t he al l ey way

was a “ p u b li c ro ad ” as req u i red b y O CGA § 3 2 -4 -9 3 (a), we n eed n o t reach t h i s i s s ue.

5By s t at u t e, a m u ni ci p al i t y i s rel iev ed o f l i ab i l i t y res u l t i n g fro m a

d efect i n a p u b l i c ro ad o r s i d ewal k wh en i t h as n o act ual n o t i ce t h ereo f

o r wh en s u ch d efect h as n o t ex i st ed fo r a s u ffi ci en t l en g th o f t i m e fo r

n o t i ce t h ereo f to b e i n ferred

. Im p li ed o r co n st ru ct i v e n o t i ce o f a d efect

m ay b e s h o w n i n a v ari et y o f way s ; fo r ex am p l e, t es t i m o n y as t o h o w

l o n g t he d efect h ad ex i s t ed p ri o r t o t h e acci d en t

, o bject i v e ev i d en ce t hat

t h e d efect h ad ex i s t ed o v er t i m e, o r ev i d en ce t hat o th er p ers o ns h ad al s o

fal l en as a res ul t o f t h e sam e c o n d i t i on o v er a p eri o d o f y ears

. No t i ce

m ay al s o b e i m

p u t ed t o t he ci t y fro m t he kn o wl ed g e o f i t s own ag en t s o r

em p l o y ees

.

Cr i d er v. Ci t y o f At l an t a

, 1 8 4 Ga. Ap p

. 3 8 9

, 3 8 9 (1 ) (3 6 1 SE2 d 5 2 0 ) (1 9 8 7) (ci t at i on s

an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t ted ). In i t s o rd er d en y i n g t h e Ci t y ’ s m o t i on

, t h e t ri al co u rt fo u n d

t h at th ere was s o m e ev i d en ce t h at th e Ci ty h ad co n s tru ct i v e kn o wl ed g e o f t h e p o t h o l e,

s u ch t h at s u m

m ary ju dg m en t was n o t warran t ed

. Th e t ri al co u rt

, n o t i n g t h at Sm i t h h ad

n ev er u s ed t h e al l ey way b efo re, fo u n d t h at t h e p ot h o l e was a s t at i c co n d i ti o n an d t h at

Sm it h h ad n o p ri o r kn o wl ed g e o f t h e p o t h o le. Ho wev er, t he t ri al co u rt ’ s co n cl u s i o n

d o es no t ap p ear t o tak e i n t o co ns i d erat i o n wh et h er th e fact u al ev i d en ce was “ p l ai n,

p al p ab l e, an d u n d i s p u t ed ” t hat n o t h in g o b s t ru ct ed Sm i t h ’ s ab i li t y t o s ee t h e p o t h o l e,

s u ch t h at t h e d efect was o r s h o u l d h av e b een v is ib l e to h i m

. S ee LeCr o y v. B r a g g

, 3 1 9

Ga. Ap p

. 8 8 4

, 88 6 -8 8 7 (1 ) (7 3 9 SE2 d 1 ) (2 0 1 3); see a l s o M cLemo r e v. Gen u i n e Pa r t

s

Co

. , 31 3 Ga. Ap p

. 6 4 1

, 6 4 4 -4 5 (7 2 2 SE2 d 3 6 6 ) (2 0 1 2 ) (“ Th e rel ev an t i n qu i ry

. . . i s

6wh et h er [t h e p l ai n t i ff’ s] v i ew o f t h e h azard was o b s t ru ct ed at t h e p o i n t i m m ed i at el y

b efo re [] h e was ab o u t t o s t ep o n t o i t

. W h ere an o b s t ru ct i o n i s p erfect l y ob v i o u s an d

ap p aren t, s o t hat o n e lo o k i n g ah ead wo u l d n eces s ari l y see i t

, t h e fact th at t h e p l ai n t i ff

m erel y fai l ed t o l o o k wi l l n ot rel i ev e [h i m ] fro m th e res p o n s i b i l i t y fo r [h i s ]

m i s ad v en t u re.” (fo o t n o t e an d pu n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed )). Th i s Co u rt h as h el d t h at “ [a]

s t at i c co n d it i on i s o n e t h at d o es n o t ch an g e an d i s d an g ero us o n l y i f so m eo n e fai l s to

s ee i t an d wal k s i n t o it

. If n o t h i n g o b st ru ct s t h e i n v i t ee’ s ab i l i t y t o s e e t h e s t a t i c

co n di t i o n

, t h e pro p ri et or m ay s afel y as s u m e th at th e in v i t ee wi l l s ee i t an d wi l l real i ze

an y as s o ci at ed ri s k s.” LeCr o y

, 3 1 9 Ga. Ap p. at 8 8 6 (1 ) (ci t at io n o m i t t ed ) 2

. In cas es

i n v o l v i n g a s t at i c co n d it io n

, s u ch as a p ot h o l e, “ a p l ai n t i ff is h el d t o hav e k n o wl ed g e

o f an o pen an d o b v io u s co n d i t i o n .” No r wi ch v. Sh r imp Fa ct o r y, In c.

, 3 3 2 Ga. Ap p.

1 5 9

, 1 6 2 (7 7 0 SE2 d 3 5 7 ) ( 2 0 1 5 ) (p u n ct u at i o n o m i tt ed ). S ee a l s o LeCr o y

, 3 1 9 Ga.

Ap p

. 88 6 (1 ) (n o t i ng t h at p o t h o les are co n s id ered s t at i c defect s ); Mu s ket t v. Sket ch l ey

Cl ea ner s, In c.

, 29 7 Ga. Ap p

. 5 6 1

, 5 6 4 (3 ) (6 7 7 SE2 d 7 3 1 ) (2 0 0 9 ) (“ Sm al l crack s

,

h o l es , an d u nev en s p o ts i n p av em en t are co n s i d ered s t at ic d efect s .”).

2 A ltho ug h LeCr o

y co n s i d ered t h e p ro p ert y own er’ s d u t y t o an i n v i t ee, t h e sa m e

reas on i n g ap p li es to Sm i t h

, a l i cen s ee. Cf

. Br a z i er v. P h o en ix Gr ou p M g mt

. , 2 8 0 Ga.

Ap p

. 6 7

, 7 1 (1 ) (a) (6 3 3 SE2 d 3 5 4) (2 0 0 6 ) ( ap p l y i n g t h e op en -an d -o bv i o u s h azard

d o ct ri n e t o a l i cen s ee o r t res p as s er).

7Th e tri al co u rt

, t ak i n g ju d i ci al n o t i ce of a 2 0 14 Go o gl e St reet vi ew ph o t o g rap h

o f t h e al l eg ed d efect as ev i d en ce t o s u g g es t t hat t he Ci t y had i n ferred o r co n s t ru ct i v e

k n o w l e d g e o f t h e p o t h o l e’ s ex i s t en ce, d et erm i n ed t h at d is pu t ed m at eri al fact s

rem ai n ed as t o w h et h er t h e Ci t y ’ s k n owl ed ge o f t h e p o t h o le was s u p eri o r t o t h at o f

Sm it h . Ho wev er, as t h i s Co u rt h el d i n Ci t y o f Ma co n v. Br own

,

[w] h i l e t h e ph o t o g rap h s m ay p ro v id e s o m e b as i s fo r i n fe r r i n g ag e,

wi t h ou t co n t ex t o r ex pl an at i o n

, an y co n cl u s i o n as t o t h e ag e o f th e

al l eg ed d efect i n th e [al l ey way ] wo u l d b e m ere s pec u l a t i o n

. T he

p h o t o g rap h s o nl y s h o w t h e co n d i ti o n o f th e al l eg ed defect i n t h e [al l ey

way ] at o ne p oi nt i n t im e

. . . [ b e f o r e ] t h e acci den t

. Th e t ri al co u rt ’ s

an al y s i s was b as ed on i t s r ev i ew o f t h e p h o to g rap h s

. Bu t

, th e

p h o t o g rap h s al o n e d o n o t es t ab l i s h h o w l o n g t h e al l eg ed d efect t o ok t o

d ev el o p an d wo rs en

, an d [Sm i t h ] h as n o t b r o u g h t fo rt h an y ad d i t i o nal

ev i d en ce t o co n t ex t u al i ze o r l en d s u pp o rt t o h i s arg u m en t s reg ard i n g th e

l en g th o f t i m e t h i s area o f t h e [al l ey way ] h ad t h i s d efect

.

3 4 3 Ga. Ap p

. at 2 6 5 (ci t at io n s o m i t t ed ). “ Th e q u es ti on of co n s t ru ct i v e n o t i ce

o rd i n ari ly i s fo r t h e ju ry

, ex cep t i n t h e ab s en ce o f an y ev i d en ce o f co n s tru ct i ve n o t i ce

t h at co u l d creat e a fact q u es t io n

, an d in s u ch an i n s t an ce, t he i ss u e o f n eg l i g en ce i s

a m a t t e r o f l aw. ” Ci t

y o f S t

. Ma r ys v. Reed

, 3 4 6 Ga. Ap p

. 5 0 8

, 5 0 9 -5 1 0 (8 1 6 SE2 d

4 7 1 ) (2 0 1 8 ). In t h e i n s t an t cas e, Sm i t h d i d n o t p ro v i d e fu rt h er ev i d en ce s u ch as p ri o r

rep o rt s t o t h e Ci t y o r o t h er t es t i m o n y as t o h o w l o n g t h e defect h ad ex i st ed p ri o r to

8t h e acci d en t

, ob ject i v e ev i den ce t h at th e defect h ad ex i st ed o v er ti m e, o r ev i d en ce t h at

o t h er p ers o n s had al s o fal l en as a res u l t o f t h e s am e co n d it i o n o ver a p eri o d o f y ears

.

Fu rt h er, Sm i t h d id n o t d ep o se an y em p l oy ees o r ag en t s of t h e Ci t y wh o s e t es t i m o ny

co u ld h av e i m

pu t ed k n o wl ed g e o f t h e d efect t o t h e Ci t y

.

Ad d it i on al l y

, Sm it h di d n o t al l eg e t h at h i s v i ew o f th e p o th o l e was o b s t ru ct ed

o r t h at i t w as co n ceal ed p ri o r t o h i s fal l

. Gi v en t h e u n d i s p u t ed ev i d en ce, we fi n d t h at

t h e Ci t y ’ s m o t i on pi erced t h e p l ead in g s

, p u t t i n g t h e b u rd en o n Sm i t h t o co m e fo rward

wi t h s p eci fi c fact s s h owi n g a g en u in e i s s u e rem ai n ed fo r ju ry res o l u t i o n

. S ee Cr i d er

,

1 8 4 Ga. Ap p

. at 3 8 9 (1 ) (“ W h ere no ev i d en ce i s pres en t ed wh i ch wo ul d au th o ri ze a

fi nd i ng o f act u al o r co ns t ru ct i v e k n o w l ed g e o f an al l eg ed d efect

, ju dg m en t s h o u l d b e

en t ered i n fav o r o f t h e m

u n i ci p al i t y .” (ci t at io n s o m i t t ed )).

Ju d g men t r ever sed . Do yl e, P. J., a nd

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

.

9