THI RD DI VI SI ON DOYLE, P. J.

, REESE and BROWN, 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

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

.

June 28, 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 40 6 . SM ITH v . SANDERS.

R E E S E
, J u d g e.

M ark Sm i t h ap p eal s fro m an o rd er o f t h e St at e Co urt o f DeKal b Co u n t y , wh i ch

d en ied hi s m o t i o n fo r en try o f d efau l t as t o l i ab i l i t y i n Sm i t h ’ s p ers on al i n ju ry act i o n

ag ai n s t St ep h an i e San ders

. Sm i t h arg u es t h at t h e t ri al c o u r t e r red i n fi n d i n g t h at h e

fai l ed to p erfect s erv i ce u n d er G eo rg i a’ s No nres i d en t M ot o ri s t Act (“ NRM A”), 1 t h at

h e fai l ed t o fi l e a cert i fi cat i o n o f d efau l t u n d er Un i fo rm Su p eri o r Co u rt Ru l e

(“ USCR”) 1 5, an d th at h e fai l ed t o fi l e an affi d av i t t hat San d ers was n o t o n act i v e

m i l i tary d u t y

u n der t h e Serv i cem em

b ers Ci v i l Rel i ef Act

. 2 Fo r th e reas o n s s et fo rt h

i n fra, we ag ree wi t h Sm i t h an d v acat e t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s o rd er.

1 See OCGA § 4 0 -1 2 -1 et s eq

.

2 See 5 0 USC § 3 9 3 1

.On J un e 4

, 2 01 9, Sm i t h fi l ed a co m p l ai n t ag ai ns t San d ers , al l eg i n g t h at s h e h ad

n eg li g e n t l y cau s ed a m o t o r v eh i cl e co l l i s i o n wh i l e d ri v i n g i n DeKal b Co u n t y

. On

J u n e 1 0

, 2 0 1 9

, Sm i t h’ s at t orn ey fi l ed an “ affi d[av ] i t ” (t h e “ J u n e A ffi d av i t ”), i n wh i ch

co u ns el s t at ed t h at San d ers was n o t a res id en t o f G eo rg i a, t h at he h ad s en t a co p y o f

t h e s u m m o n s an d co m

p l ai n t t o San d ers at a n ad d res s i n Al ab am a, an d t h at co u n s el

h ad co m p l i ed w i t h t h e req u i rem en t s o f O C GA § 4 0-1 2 -2

. Th e J u n e Affi d av i t was

s i gn ed by th e at t o rn ey , b u t i t was n o t n ot ari zed

. On J u n e 1 1

, 2 0 1 9 , t h e Secret ary o f

St at e’ s ack n o w l ed g m e n t o f s erv i ce, t he s u m m o n s , t h e co m

p l ai n t, an d t h e J u n e

Affi dav i t were fi l ed i n t h e t ri al co u rt

.

On Au g u s t 8

, 2 0 1 9

, San ders fi l ed i n t h e t ri al co u rt a “ No t i ce o f D e f e n d an t ’ s

Pl ead i n g Pu rs u an t t o OCGA § 9 -1 1 -5 5 (a) an d Dem an d fo r Tri al b y J u ry o f Twel ve”

(t he “ G en eral Ap pearan ce”). San d ers s erv ed d is co v ery req u es t s o n Sm it h t h e s am e

d ay

. In Sep t em

b er, San ders fi l ed a s p eci al ap p eara n c e a n s w er an d affi rm at i v e

d efen s es t o t h e co m

p l ai n t

.

On Oct o b er 29

, 20 1 9

, Sm i t h ’ s at to rn ey ex ecu t ed a n ew affi d av it (t he “ Oct o b er

Affi dav i t ”), th at co n tai n ed a no t ary ’ s at t es t at i o n

. Th e at t o rn ey ag ai n at t es ted t h at h e

h ad sen t t h e co m

p l ai n t t o San d ers at t h e Al ab am a ad d res s o n J u n e 5, 2 0 19

, an d ad d ed :

2W h en I s i g n ed t he Affi d av i t t h at w as sen t t o t h e G eo rg i a Secret ary o f

St at e wi th t h e s um m on s an d co m p l ai n t

, I f o r g o t t o s i g n i t i n fro n t o f a

n o t ary

. Ho wev er, I k new t h at th e affi dav i t h ad t o b e fi l ed wi t h t h e cl erk

o f t h e co u rt an d t hat I co u l d b e s u b ject t o s an ct i o n s , et h i cal d i s ci p l i n e,

co n t em p t

, an d p o s s i b le cri m in al act io n i f I m ad e a fal s e s t at em en t t o th e

co u r t

. I i n t en d ed th e s tat em en t

. . . t o b e u nd er oat h an d i n co m p l i an ce

wi t h Geo rg i a l aw an d m

y o b l i g at i o n s as an o ffi cer o f t h e co urt

.

In M ay 2 0 20

, Sm i t h m o v ed fo r en try o f d efau l t ju d g m en t as t o l i ab i l i t y , arg u i n g

t h at San d ers was in defau l t b ecau s e s h e h ad n ot fi led an an s wer w i t hi n 4 5 d ay s o f

J u n e 1 0

, 2 0 1 9

. In ad di t i o n t o th e O ct o b er Affi d av i t, Sm i t h at t ach ed t o hi s m o t i o n ,

co p ies o f t h e cert i fi ed m ai l sen t t o San d ers t h at h ad b een ret u rn ed as “ un cl ai m ed [.] ”

Th e tri al co u rt d en i ed t h e m ot i o n , fi n d i n g t h at s erv i ce o n San d ers w as i n v al id

b ecau s e t h e J u n e Affi d av i t di d no t co n t ai n a n o t ary s i g n at u re. Th e t ri al co u rt ’ s o rd er

al s o s tat ed t h at “ [e] v en i f serv i ce h ad b een v al i d l y p erfect ed

, [USCR] 1 5 req u i res t h at

a p l ai n t i ff s eek i n g a d efau l t ju d g m en t ” m ak e cert ai n c e r t i f i cat i o n s i n wri t i n g an d

at t ach t hem t o t h e m o t i o n fo r d efau l t j u d g m en t

, i n cl u d i n g t hat t he defen d an t was n ot

cu rren t l y o n act i v e m i l it ary du t y

. Fi n d i n g t hat Sm i t h h ad n ot d o n e t h i s, th e t ri al co u rt

d en ied th e m o t i o n o n t h i s b as i s as wel l

. W e g ran ted Sm i t h’ s ap p l i cat i o n fo r

i n t erl o cu t o ry

ap p eal

.

3W e rev i ew t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s d en i al o f a m o t i o n fo r d efau l t

ju d g m en t

. . . fo r an ab u s e o f d i s cret io n . An ab u s e o f d i s cret i o n o ccu rs

wh ere a ru l i n g i s un s up p o rt ed b y an y ev i d en ce o f reco rd o r wh ere t hat

ru l i n g m i s s t at es o r m i s ap p l i es t he rel ev an t l aw. Fu rt her, w h ere i t i s

ap p aren t th at a t ri al co u rt ’ s ju d g m en t res t s o n an erro n eo u s l eg al t heo ry ,

we can n o t a f

f i r m

. Ho wev er, to t h e ex t en t t h i s cas e pres en t s a q u es t i o n

o f l a w, th e s t an dard o f rev i ew i s d e n o v o, d u ri n g wh i ch we o w e n o

d eferen ce t o t h e t ri al co urt ’ s ru l i n g [.] 3

W i th t h es e g u id in g p ri n ci p l es i n m i n d , we t u rn n ow t o Sm i t h ’ s cl ai m s o f erro r.

1

. Sm i th arg u es t h at s erv i ce o n San d ers was val i d

, an d t h at t h e t ri al co u rt t hu s

erred i n fi n d i n g t h at s h e was n o t i n d efau l t . W e ag ree.

Pu rs uan t to OCGA § 9 -1 1 -1 2 (a), a d efen d an t m u s t s erv e h er an s wer wi t h i n 3 0

d ay s aft er s erv i ce of t h e su m m o n s an d co m

p l ai n t

. W h en an an s wer i s n o t fi l ed b y t h e

d ead li n e, t h e cas e is au t o m at i cal l y co n s i dered t o b e i n d efau l t

. 4 A d efen d an t m ay o p en

d efau l t as a m at t er of ri g h t wi t h i n 1 5 d ay s of t he d u e d at e. 5 Aft e r t h at t i m e, a p art y

m u st s eek l eav e o f t h e t ri al co u rt t o o p en p reju dg m en t d efau l t. 6

3 Ri ver s v. Ri ver s , 3 4 8 Ga. Ap p

. 40 2

, 4 0 4 (8 2 3 SE2 d 8 4) (2 0 1 9 ) (ci tat i o n s an d

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

4 OCGA § 9 -1 1 -5 5 (a).

5 Id

.

6 OCGA § 9 -1 1 -5 5 (b ).

4OCGA § 40 -1 2 -2 of t he NRM A s t at es th at s erv i ce o f p ro ces s o n a n on res i d en t

,

s h al l b e m ad e b y s erv i n g a co p y o f t h e co m pl ai n t o r o t h er p l ead i n g w i t h

s u m m o n s at t ach ed th eret o o n t h e Secret ary of St at e, h i s d ul y au t h ori zed

ag en t

, o r h is s u cces s o r i n o ffi ce, al o ng wi th a co p y o f t h e affi d av i t t o be

s u b m i t t ed t o t he co u rt p u rs u an t t o t h is Co d e sect i o n

. Su ch s erv i ce sh al l

b e s u ffi ci en t s erv i ce u p o n an y s uch n o n res i d en t

, p ro vi d ed t h at n o t i ce o f

s u ch s erv i ce an d a co p y o f th e co m p l ai n t an d p ro ces s are fo rt h wi t h s en t

b y reg i st ered o r cert i fi ed m ai l o r s t at u t o r y o v e r n i g h t d el i v ery b y th e

p l ai n t i ff t o t he d efen d an t

, i f h i s ad d res s i s k n o wn , an d t h e d e f e nd an t ’ s

ret u rn recei p t an d t h e p l ai n t i ff’ s affi d av i t o f co m p l i an ce wi th th i s Co de

s ect i o n are ap p en ded t o t h e s u m m o n s o r o t h er p ro ces s an d fi l ed wi th th e

s u m m o n s , co m

p l ai n t, an d o t h er p ap ers i n t h e cas e i n t h e co urt wh erei n

t h e act i o n i s p en d i n g

.

Th u s , u n d er § 4 0 -1 2 -2

, s erv i ce i s effect ed by s erv i n g th e Secret ary o f St at e wi th

a co p y of th e co m

p l ai n t a n d s u m m o n s , al o n g wi t h a co p y of t h e affi d av i t t o b e

s u b m i t t ed t o t h e co u rt

. Sm i t h ’ s fai l u r e t o fi le a p ro p erl y n ot ari zed affi d av i t o n l y

5affect ed t h e v al i d i t y o f hi s p r o o f o f s erv ice, n o t t h e s erv i ce i t sel f. 7 S m i t h cu red t h e

d efect i n p ro o f o f s erv ice i n t h e Oct o b er Affi dav i t

. 8

W e reject San d ers ’ s arg u m en t t hat

, un d e r OCGA § 9 -1 1 -4 (h ), t h e t i m e to

an s wer d id n o t b eg i n to ru n un t i l t h e O ct o b er Affi d av i t was fi l ed an d t h at her an s wer,

fi led i n Sep t em

b er 2 01 9

, was t h u s t i m el y

. S e c t i on 9 -1 1 -4 (h ) s t at es i n p art

, “ If t h e

p r o o f o f s erv i ce i s n ot fi l ed wi t h i n fi v e b u s i n es s d ay s , t h e t i m e fo r t h e p art y s e r v e d

t o an s w er t h e p ro ces s s hal l n o t beg i n t o ru n u n t i l s u ch p ro o f o f s erv ice i s fi l ed .” Pro o f

7 See Ta t e v. Hu g h es , 2 5 5 Ga. Ap p

. 51 1

, 51 2 (5 6 5 SE2 d 8 5 3 ) (2 0 0 2 ) (“ Serv i ce

m ay b e p erfect ed b y s erv i n g a co p y s u m m o n s an d co m

p l ai n t (al o n g wi t h a cert i fi cat e

o f co m p l i an ce) on t he Secret ary o f St at e an d i m m ed i at el y s en di n g , b y cert i fi ed m ai l

,

a n o t i ce o f s uch s erv i ce an d a co p y o f t h e co m p l ai n t an d p ro ces s t o t h e n o n res i d en t

at h er k n o wn ad dres s .”).

8 See Rei l ly v. Cr o l

k , 1 1 2 Ga. Ap p . 3 3 4 , 3 36 (1 4 5 SE2 d 1 1 0 ) (1 9 6 5).

6i n cl u d es “ [t ] he wri t ten ad m i s s i on o r ack n o w l ed g m en t of s erv i ce b y th e d efen d an t [,] ” 9

s u ch as t h e fi l i ng o f a g en eral ap p earan ce. 1 0

Becau s e San ders fi l ed her Gen eral Ap p earan ce o n Au gu s t 8

, 2 0 19

, h er an s wer

was d u e n o l at er t h an Mo n d ay , Sep t em b er 9

, 20 1 9

. 1 1 S h e w a s t hu s o u t s i d e t h e t i m e

t o o p en defau l t as a m at t er o f ri g h t by t h e t i m e s h e fi l ed h er an s wer o n Sep t em b er 2 6,

2 0 1 9

. 1 2

9 OCGA § 9 -1 1 -4 (h ) s t at es :

Th e p ers o n s erv i n g t h e p ro ces s s h al l m ak e p ro o f o f su ch s erv i ce wi t h th e

co u rt i n t h e co un t y i n wh i ch t h e act i on i s p en d in g wi t h in fi v e b u s i n es s d ay s o f th e s erv i ce d at e. If t h e p ro o f o f serv i ce is n o t fi l ed wi t h i n fi ve b u s i n es s d ay s, t he t i m e fo r t he p art y s erv ed t o an s wer t h e p ro ces s sh al l

n o t b eg i n to ru n u n t i l s u ch p ro o f o f s erv i ce i s fi l ed

. Pro o f o f s erv i ce sh al l

b e as fo l l o w s : (1 ) If s erv ed b y a s h eri ff o r m ars h al

, o r s u ch o ffi ci al ’ s d ep ut y , th e affi d av i t o r cert i fi cat e o f t h e s h eri ff, m ars h al , o r d ep u t y ; (2 ) If b y an y o t h er p ro per p ers o n , s u ch p ers o n ’ s affi dav i t ; (3 ) In cas e o f p u b l i cat i o n , t h e cert i fi cat e o f t h e cl erk o f co u rt

cert i fy i n g t o t h e p u b l i cat i o n an d m ai l i ng ; o r (4 ) Th e wri t t e n ad m i s s i o n o r ack n o wl ed g m en t o f s erv i ce b y th e d efen d an t

. In t h e cas e o f serv i ce o t herwi s e th an b y p u b l i cat i o n , t h e cert i fi cat e o r affi d av i t s h al l s t at e t h e d a t e , p l ace, an d m an n er o f serv i ce. Fai lu re t o

m ak e p ro o f o f s erv i ce s h al l n o t affect t h e v al i d it y o f t h e s erv i ce.

1 0 See Br o wn v. Fo kes Pr o p s

. , 2 8 3 Ga. 2 3 1

, 2 3 2 (2 ) (6 5 7 SE2 d 8 2 0 ) (2 0 0 8 ).

1 1 See OCGA § 9-1 1-5 5 (a).

1 2 See i d

.

72

. Sm i t h al so arg u es th at t h e t ri al co u rt erred in fi n d i n g t h at he d i d n o t co m p l y

wi t h USCR 1 5

. 1 3

USCR 1 5 p ro v i d es :

Th e p art y s eek i n g en t ry o f a d efau lt ju d g m en t i n an y act i o n s h al l cert i fy

t o t h e co u rt t h e fo l l o wi n g : th e d at e an d ty p e of serv i ce effect ed ; t hat

p ro o f o f serv i ce was fi l ed wi t h t h e co u rt wi t h i n 5 b u s i n es s d ay s o f th e

s erv ice d at e, o r, i f no t f

i l e d w i t h i n 5 b u s i n es s d ay s o f th e s erv i ce d at e,

t h e d at e o n wh i ch pro o f of s erv i ce was fi l ed ; t h at n o d efen s i v e p l ead i n g

h a s b e e n fi l ed b y t h e d efen d an t as s h own b y co u rt reco rd s ; an d t h e

d efen d an t ’ s m i l i tary s t at u s , i f req u ired

. T h i s cert i fi cat e s h al l be i n

wri t i n g an d m

us t b e at t a c h e d t o t h e p ro p o s ed defau l t ju d g m en t wh en

p res en t ed t o t h e ju dg e fo r s i g n at u re.

Es s en t i al l y , USCR 1 5 req u i res t h at t h e p lai n t i ff’ s at t o rn ey cert i fy t o t h e t ri al

co u rt i n wri t i ng th e fo l l o wi n g t wo t y pes o f i n fo rm at i o n: “ t h e d at e an d t y p e o f s erv i ce

effect ed o n [t h e d efen d an t ] an d t h at t h e co u rt reco rd s s ho w n o d efen s iv e pl ead i n g h ad

b een fi l ed .” 1 4 W e h av e h el d t h at

, “ [b ] as ed o n t he ap p aren t p u rp o s e o f Ru l e 1 5 an d t h e

fact t h at t h e s am e in fo rm at i on req u i red i n th e Ru l e 1 5 cert i fi cat e can be fo u n d i n t h e

1 3 “ Th e U n ifo rm Ru les fo r t h e s u peri o r co u rt s are ap pl i cab l e i n s t a t e co u rt s

u n l es s sp eci fi cal l y s t at ed o t h erwi s e b y t h e Un i fo rm St at e Co u rt R u l e s.” M o o d y v. S t a t e , 2 5 6 Ga. Ap p

. 6 5 , 6 7, n

. 5 (5 6 7 SE2 d 7 0 9 ) (2 0 0 2 ).

1 4 W i l l i a m s v

. C o n t emp o r a r

y S vcs

. Co r p

. , 3 2 5 Ga. A p p

. 29 9

, 3 0 1 (7 5 0 SE2 d

4 6 0 ) (2 0 1 3 ).

8reco rd

, . . . t h e fai l u re t o fi l e a Ru l e 1 5 cert i fi cat e i s n ot a n o nam en d ab l e defect i n t h e

reco rd [.] ” 1 5

H ere, t h e d at e an d t y

p e o f s erv i ce effect ed o n San d ers an d th e fact t h at n o

t i m el y d efen s i v e p l ead i n g h ad b een fi led were ap paren t fro m t h e r eco rd

. Th u s ,

Sm it h ’ s fai l u re t o co m

p l y wi th USCR 1 5 was an am en d ab l e d efect

.

T h e t ri al co u rt fu rt h er erred b y fi n d i n g t h at Sm it h ’ s fai l u re t o i n cl u d e a n

affi d av i t rel at i n g t o t h e s t at u s o f San d ers ’ s m i l it ary s erv i ce v io l at ed USCR 1 5 an d 5 0

USC § 3 9 3 1

. Becau s e San d ers h ad m ad e a G e n e r a l Ap p earan ce, § 39 3 1 d i d n ot

ap p ly

. 1 6

Acco rd i ng l y , w e v acat e t h e t ri al co urt ’ s o rd er an d rem an d fo r fu rt h er

p ro ceed in g s

.

Ju d g men t va ca t ed a nd ca s e r ema n d

ed . Do yl e, P. J., a nd

Br o wn

, J., co n cu r

.

1 5 Id

.

1 6 See 5 0 U SC § 3 9 3 1 (a) (“ Th i s s ect i on ap p l i e s t o a n y ci v i l act i o n o r

p ro ceed in g , i n cl u di ng an y ch i l d cu s to d y p ro ceed i n g , i n w h i ch t h e d efen dan t d o es n ot

m ak e an ap p earan ce.”).

9