SECOND DI VI SI ON

M I LLER, P. J.

, HODGES and PI PKI N, 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

.

D ecem ber 3, 2021



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A2 1 A1 62 6

. BLOUNT et al

. v

. COLLEGE GLEN CONDOM INIUM

ASSOCIATION, INC.

M I LLE R , Pres i d i n g J u d g e.

In t h i s act i o n i nv o l v in g u n p ai d co n do m in iu m as s es s m en ts

, San d r a S. Bl o u nt

an d Ken dra Bl o u n t ap p eal fro m t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s gran t of p art i al s um m ary ju d g m en t

t o Co l l eg e Gl en Co n do m i n i u m As s o ci at i o n

, In c. T h e ap p el lan t s cl ai m t h at t h e t ri a l

co u rt erred b ecau s e (1 ) Co l l e g e Gl en fai led t o p ro d u ce ev i d en ce t h at t h ey h av e an

o wn ers hi p i n t eres t i n t h e co n d o m i n i u m at i s s u e; (2 ) Co l l eg e Gl en fai l ed t o p ro d uce

ev i d en ce es t ab li s h i n g t h e am o u n t s du e; an d (3 ) Co l l eg e Gl en fai l ed t o es t ab l i s h t h ei r

l i ab i l i t y fo r at t orn ey fees

. Becau s e t h e ap p el lan t s are b o u nd b y t h ei r ad m i s s i o n s i n t h i s

cas e, t h e t ri al co u rt co rrect l y g ran t ed s u m m ary ju d g m en t t o Co l l eg e Gl en

.

Su m m ary ju d g m en t i s p ro p er wh en t h ere i s no gen ui ne is su e o f m at eri al

fact an d t h e m o v an t i s en t i t l ed t o ju d g m en t as a m at ter of l aw. OCGA §9 -1 1 -5 6 (c). A d e n o v o s t an d ard o f rev i ew ap pl i e s t o a n ap p eal fro m a

g ran t o f s um m ary ju d g m en t

, an d we v i ew t h e ev i d e n c e

, an d al l

reas o n ab l e co n cl u s i o n s an d i n feren ces d rawn fro m i t

, i n th e l i gh t m o s t

fav o rab le t o th e n on m o v an t

.

(Ci t at i o n o m i t t ed .) Ad

ewu mi v. Amel i a Gr ove/

As h l a nd P a r

k Ho meo wn er

s As s n

., In c.

,

3 3 7 Ga. Ap p . 2 7 5 , 2 7 6 (7 8 7 SE2 d 7 6 1 ) (2 0 16 ).

So v i ewed

, th e reco rd s h o ws t hat i n Feb ru ary 20 1 9

, Co l l eg e Gl en fi l ed a

co m p l a i n t fo r ju d i ci al fo recl os u re o f l i en

, d am ag es

, an d at t orn ey fees ag ai n s t Eri n

Bl o un t an d Larry E. Bl ou n t (d eceas ed ), al l eg i n g t h at t here were u n pai d as s es s m en t s

an d l at e fees i n t he am o u n t o f $ 1 4 ,1 7 9 .1 6 fo r a co n d o m i n i u m own ed b y t h e

d efen d an t s

. Co l leg e Gl en l at er fi l ed a m o t io n t o ad d San d ra Bl o u n t a n d Ken d ra

Bl o un t as d efen d an t s o n t h e b as i s t hat t hey are h ei rs -at -l aw o f t h e d eced en t

. Th e t ri al

co u rt g ran t ed t he m ot i o n

, t h e ap p el l an ts were ad d ed to t he act i o n

, an d t h e ap p el l an t s

fi led an an s wer t o t h e co m p l ai n t . Co l leg e Gl en t h en s en t req u es t s fo r ad m is s i o n s to

t h e ap p el l an t s o n Decem

b er 3 1 , 2 0 1 9 , wh i ch i n cl u d ed t he fo l l owi n g:

1

. Ad m i t y o u h av e fai l ed t o p ay t he as s o ci at i o n d u es an d as ses s m en t s t o

Pl ai n t i ff as req u ired

.

2

. Ad m i t th at y o u are l i ab l e t o Pl ai nt i ff fo r al l am ou n t s s e t f o rt h i n th e

Seco n d Am en ded Co m

p l ai n t

.

23

. Ad m i t th at y o u are l i ab l e t o Pl ai n t iff fo r al l at t orn ey ’ s fees ex p en d ed

i n t h e cas e b y

Pl ai n t i ff’ s co un s el t o d at e.

4

. Ad m i t t h at Pl ai n t iff i s en t i t l ed t o fo recl o s e i t s l i e n o n t he s u b ject

p ro p ert y , i .e., 2 84 Scan di a Ci rcl e, At h en s , GA 3 06 0 5

.

Th e req u es t s fu rt h er as ked t h e ap p el l an t s to ad m it t hat an at t ach ed s tat em en t s h o wi n g

an o u t s t an di n g b al an ce o f $ 1 5 ,8 4 5 .4 0 i n as s es s m en t s an d l at e fees was t ru e an d

co rrect ; t hat t h ey w ere h ei rs o f t h e d eced en t an d h ad n ot ren o u n ced th ei r o wn ers h ip

i n t eres t i n t h e p ro p ert y ; an d th at n o h o m eo wn ers as s o ci at i o n p ay m en t s h ad b een m ad e

s i nce J u n e 2 0 1 4

. Acco rd i n g t o t h e cert i fi cat es o f serv i ce, Co l l eg e Gl en s en t t h e

req u es t s t o t h e ap p el lan t s ’ co un s el b y m ai l

.

On Feb ru ary 20

, 2 0 20

, aft er n ei th er o f t h e ap pel l an t s res po n ded t o t he req u es t s

fo r ad m is s i o n s , Co l l eg e Gl en fi l ed a m o t io n fo r s u m m ary ju d g m en t . Th e ap p el l an t s

res p o n d ed t o t h e m o ti o n

, an d t h e t ri al co u rt h el d a h eari n g o n t h e m at t er o n J an u ary

1 1

, 2 0 2 1

. At t h e h eari n g

, th e ap pel l an ts ’ co u ns el rep res en t ed t h at he h ad n ev er

recei v ed t h e req ues t s fo r ad m i s s i o n s o r a “ go o d f a i t h d i sco v ery l et t er fro m t h e

p l ai n t i ff reg ard i ng [a] fai l u re t o res p o n d t o an y d i s co v ery [.] ” Th e ap p el l an t s al s o

arg u ed t h at

, ev en w i t h t h e ad m is s i o n s

, t here were s t il l m at eri al fact s th at h ad n o t b een

es t ab l i s h ed

. Th e t ri al co u rt i n d icat ed t h at it w o u l d h o l d it s ru l i n g i n ab ey an ce fo r 4 5

3d ay s

, al l o wi ng t he part i es to det erm i n e w h et h er th ey wi s h ed t o m ed i at e th e m at t er. In

Feb ru ary 2 0 2 1

, t he t ri al co u rt g ran t ed p art i a l s u m m a r y ju dg m en t t o Co l l eg e Gl en

,

re c o g n i z i n g t h at t h e ap p el l an t s h ad n o t fi l ed a fo rm al m o t i o n t o wi t h d raw t h e

ad m i s s i o n s an d, as o f t h e d at e o f t h e o rd er, h ad s ti l l fai l ed to res p o nd t o t he req u es t s

fo r ad m is s i o n s . Th i s ap p eal en s u ed

.

1

. In t wo rel at ed arg um en t s

, t h e ap pel l an t s cl ai m t h at t h e t r i al co u rt erred in

g ran t i n g s u m

m ary ju d g m en t t o Co ll eg e Gl en as t o t hei r l i ab i l i t y fo r t h e as s es s m en t s

b e c a u s e Co l l eg e Gl en fai l ed t o es t ab l i s h t h at t h ey h av e a p ers o nal i n teres t i n t h e

co n do m i n i um

an d fai l ed t o p ro d u ce ev i d en ce o f t h e am o u n ts d u e. Th es e arg u m en t s

fai l u nd er es t ab l is h ed p reced en t

.

Un d er OCGA § 9 -1 1 -3 6 (a) (2 ), a “ m at t er i s ad m i t t ed u n les s

, wi t h in 3 0 day s

aft er serv i ce o f t h e req u es t o r wi t h i n s u ch s h o rt er o r l o n g er t i m e as t h e co u rt m ay

al l o w, t h e part y t o wh o m th e req u es t i s d i rect ed s erv es u po n t h e p art y req u es t i n g t h e

ad m i s s i o n a wri t t en an s wer o r o b j ect i on ad d res s ed t o t he m at ter.

. . . ” W h ere t h e

req u es t s are s erv ed by m ai l

, t h ree d ay s are ad ded t o t h e 3 0 -d ay res po n s e peri o d

. Pa t el

v. Co l u m b i a Na t . In s . Co

. , 3 1 5 Ga. Ap p . 8 7 7 , 8 7 9 (7 2 9 SE2 d 3 5 ) (2 0 1 2).

I t i s wel l s et t l ed t h at a p art y ’ s fai l u re t o t i m el y res p o n d t o req u es t s f o r

ad m i s s i o n co n cl u si v el y es t ab l i s h es as a m at t er o f law each o f t h e m at t ers

4ad d res s ed i n t h e req u es t s

. Th i s i s t ru e ev en if th e req u es t ed ad m is s i o n s

req u ire op i n i o ns o r co n cl u s i o n s o f l aw, s o l o n g as t he l eg al co n cl u s i o n s

rel at e t o th e fact s o f t h e c a s e. Th e l an g uag e i n O CGA § 9 -1 1 -3 6 (a) i s

cl ear, u n am

b ig u o u s

, an d u n eq u i v ocal an d m ean s ju s t wh at it s ay s. O ne

m u s t co m p l y s tri ct l y an d l i t eral l y wi th t h e t erm s o f t h e s t at u te up o n th e

p eri l o f h av in g h i s res p on s e co n s tru ed to be an ad m i ss i o n

. Th u s

, m at t ers

d eem ed ad m i t t ed un d er t h i s st at u t e bec om e sole m n a dm iss i o n s i n ju d i ci o

an d are co n cl u s i v e as a m at t er o f law o n t h e m at t ers s t at ed an d can n o t

b e co n t rad i ct ed b y ot her ev i d en ce u n l es s th e ad m i s s i o n s are wi t h d rawn

o r am en d ed o n fo rm al m o t i o n

.

(Ci t at i o n an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed .) Ad ewu mi

, s u p ra, 3 3 7 G a. A p p

. at 2 7 7 (2 ). As t h e

t ri al co urt p ro p erl y reco g n i zed

, OCGA § 9 -1 1-3 6 (b ) p erm i t s a p art y t o r e q u es t t h e

wi t h d rawal o f an ad m i s s i o n “ wh en [1 ] t he p res en t at i o n o f t h e m eri t s o f t he act i o n wi l l

b e s u b serv ed t hereb y an d [2 ] t h e p art y wh o o b t ai n ed t h e ad m i s s io n fai ls t o sat i s fy t h e

co u rt th at wi t h d rawal o r am en dm en t wi l l p reju di ce hi m in m ai n t ai n in g h i s act i o n o r

d efen s e o n t h e m eri t s .”

In fai l i n g t o t i m el y res p o n d t o Co l l e g e Gl en ’ s req u es t s fo r ad m i s s i o n s

, t h e

ap p el l an t s ad m i tt ed t h e req ues ts as a m at t er o f l aw. Ad ewu mi

, s u p ra, 3 3 7 Ga. Ap p

. at

2 7 7 (2 ). Fu rt h er, al th o u g h t h e ap p el l an ts as s ert ed t h at t h ey di d n o t recei v e t h e

req u es t s

, t h ey di d n o t m o v e th e t ri al co u rt to al l o w th e a d m i s s i on s t o b e wi t h d rawn

o r am en d ed u n der OCGA § 9 -1 1 -3 6 (b ). See, e.g

., Pa t el

, s u p ra, 3 1 5 Ga. Ap p

. at 8 7 9

5(reject i ng t h e ap p el l an t ’ s av erm en t reg ard in g t he d at e th at s h e recei v ed t h e req u es t s

b ecau s e s h e d i d n o t m o v e t o w it h d raw t h e ad m i ss i o ns ). Becau s e t h e ap pel l an t s “ d id

n o t av ai l [t hem s el v es ] o f an y o f t h e v ari et y o f res p on s es av ai lab l e u n d er OCGA § 9

-

1 1 -3 6 an d ch o se n o t t o s eek t h e l i b eral rem ed i es affo rd ed to p art i es u n d er t h e s t at u t e

t o av o i d t h e co n s eq u en ces o f a fa i l u r e t o res p o n d

, t h e s ub ject m at ter o f [Co l l eg e

Gl en ’ s ] req u es t s fo r ad m i s s i o n s t o o d ad m i t t ed

. ” (Ci t at i o n o m i t t ed .) Ad ewu mi

, s u p ra,

3 3 7 Ga. Ap p

. at 27 8 (2 ). An d “ w h ere a p art y fai l s to an s wer a req u es t fo r ad m i s s i on s

wi t h i n th e req u i s i t e ti m e an d t h e ad m i s s i o n s rem o ved al l i s s u es of fact

, t he o t h er p art y

i s en t i t l ed t o a gran t o f it s m o t i on fo r s um m ary ju d g m en t .” (Ci t at i o n an d pu n ct u at i o n

o m i t ted .) Id

. Here, t h erefo re, al t h o u g h t h e ap p el l an t s co n ten d t h at t h ey h av e n o

p ers o n al o wn ers h i p o f t h e co n d o m i n i u m

, t h ey “ ad m it t ed t hat [ t h e y ] o wed t h e

as s es s m e n t s t o [Co l l eg e Gl en ] an d [were] i n deb t ed to i t i n t h e am o un t al l eg ed []

,

rem o v in g an y gen u i n e is s u e o f m at eri al fact fro m t h e cas e as t o [t hei r] i n deb t ed n es s .”

Id

. T h erefo re

, t h e gran t o f s u m m ary ju d g m en t as t o t h e u n p ai d as s es s m en t s was

p ro p er.

2

. Nex t

, t h e ap p el lan t s cl ai m t h at Co ll eg e Gl en fai l ed t o es t ab l i s h t hei r l i ab i l i t y

f o r a t to rn ey fees b ecau s e it d i d n o t pro d u ce b i l li n g reco rd s o r o t her i n fo rm at i o n

s h o wi n g t h e fees i n cu rred an d b ecau s e t here i s i n s uffi ci en t ev i d en ce t hat t h e fees were

6reas on ab l e. W e co n cl u de t h at t h e t ri al co u rt p ro p erl y g ran t ed s u m m ary ju dg m en t t o

Co l leg e Gl en o n t h e ap p el l an t s ’ l i ab i l i ty fo r at to rn ey

fees

. 1

T h e t ri al co u rt co rrect l y d et erm i n ed t h at t h e ap p el l an t s are l i ab l e fo r at t o rn ey

fees “ [p ] u rs u an t t o t he u n an s wer e d [ r e q u es t s fo r ad m i s s i o ns ] .” Co l l eg e Gl en

req u es t ed t hat th e ap pel l an t s ad m i t t o b ei ng l i ab l e fo r “ al l at t o rn ey ’ s fees ” ex p en d ed

u p u n t i l t h e fi l i n g o f t he req u es t s

. Th e ap p el l an t s ’ fai l ure to res p o n d co n cl u s i v el y

es t ab l i s h ed t h ei r li ab i l i t y on t he i s s u e. See Ja cks o n v. Nemd eg el t

, In c.

, 3 0 2 G a. Ap p.

7 6 7

, 7 7 0 (6 9 1 SE2 d 65 3 ) (2 0 1 0 ) (b ecau se t he ap p el l an t fai l ed t o res p o n d t o t h e

req u es t s fo r ad m i s si o ns

, ap pel l an t w as i n d eb t ed t o t h e ap p e l l e e f o r reas o n ab l e

at t o rn ey fees

, as s et fo rt h i n t h e ad m i t t ed req u es t s ); Na t l

. Ba n k o f Ga

. v. M

er r i t t

, 1 3 0

Ga. Ap p . 8 5 , 8 8 (2 ) (2 0 2 SE2 d 1 9 3 ) (1 9 7 3 ) (wh ere req u es t fo r ad m i s s io n s i n cl u d ed

1 W h i l e t h e tri al co u rt fo u n d t h e ap p el l an t s l i ab le fo r al l at t o rn ey fees

, i t d i d n ot

ru l e as t o an y am o u n t or t h e reas o n ab l en es s of t h e fees . Th us , we affi rm o n l i ab i l i t y

al o n e an d an y arg u m en t s o n t he am o u n t o r reas o n ab l en es s o f at t o rn ey fees are b ey o n d

t h e sco p e o f o u r rev i ew. S ee Gu z ma n v. Li n k

, 3 54 G a. A p p

. 46 3

, 4 6 5 -4 6 6 (1 ) (8 4 1

SE2 d 2 0 3 ) (2 0 2 0 ) (a co u rt m ay g ran t su m m ary ju d g m en t on t h e i s s u e o f l i ab i l i t y

al o n e, ev en wh ere fact i s s ues o n d am ag es rem ai n ); E a r l s v. An eke

, 3 5 0 Ga. A p p

. 4 5 5,

4 6 0 (1 ) (8 2 9 SE2 d 6 6 1 ) (2 01 9 ) (“ [W ] h en t h i s Co u rt rev i ews a d eci s i o n o f a t ri al co u rt

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

m ary ju d g m en t

, i t s it s as a co u rt fo r th e co rrect io n of e r r o rs o f

l aw[,] ” an d w h ere th e t ri al co u rt d o es n o t ru l e o n a s p e ci fi c q u es t i o n

, th e i s s u e i s

b ey o n d o u r rev i ew) (p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed ).

7an ad m is s i o n t h at t h e d efen dan t o wed $ 1 ,1 3 0.2 5 i n at t o rn ey fees

, an d th e d efen d an t

fai l ed t o an s wer t h e req u es t, t h e p l ai nt i ff was en t i t l ed t o s u m m ary ju d g m en t o n

at t o rn ey fees ). Acco rd i n g l y

, t h e t ri al co u rt p ro p erl y gran t ed s u m m ary ju d g m en t to

Co l leg e Gl en as t o t h e ap pel l an t s ’ l i ab i l i t y fo r at t o rn ey

fees

.

Becau s e t h e t ri al co u rt co rrect l y g ran t ed s u m m ary ju d g m en t t o Co l l eg e Gl en

as t o t h e ap p el lan t s ’ l i ab i l i t y fo r u n p ai d co n d om i n i um as s es sm en t s an d at t o rn ey fees

,

as s et fo rt h i n t h e req u es t s fo r ad m i s s i o n s

, we affi rm

.

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

g es a n d Pi p ki n , JJ., co ncu r

.

8