SECOND DI VI SI ON

A NDREWS, P. J.

, M I LLER and BRA NCH, 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

Nov em ber 20, 2015



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 5 A1 05 7

. G L OBAL SHIP SYSTEM S, L LC et al

. v

. RIVERHAW K GROUP, LLC et al

.

A N D R E W S , Pres i d in g J u d g e.

Gl o b al Sh i p Sy s t em s

, LLC, GSS Op erat i on s

, LLC, Ro b ert S. Creech , III an d

t h e r e m a in i n g p l ai n t i ffs 1 (co ll ect i v el y

, t h e “ Gl o b al Sh i p Pl ai n t i ffs ”) ap p eal fro m an

o rd er o f t h e Su peri o r Co urt o f Ch at h am Co u n t y g ran t i n g Ri v erHawk Gro u p

, LLC an d

cert ai n rel at ed d efen dan t s ’ 2 (co l l ect i v el y , t h e “ Ri verHawk Defen d an ts ”) m o t i o n fo r

1 T h e ad d it i o n al p l ai n t i ffs in cl u d e So u th eas t In d u s t ri al an d M ar i n e Serv i ces

, In c. (“ SIM S”), J o hn G. Ben n et t

, J an e H

. Ho lm es

, a nd J am es D. St ri b l i n g.

Ben net t

, Creech

, Ho l m es an d St ri b l i n g are i n d i v i d u al m em b ers o f b o t h Gl o b al Sh ip

an d GSS Op erat i o n s an d are i n d i v i d ual s h areh o l d ers o f SIM S.

2 T h e ad d it i o n al Ri verHawk Defen d an t s i n cl u d e N i c k An a c r eo nt e, Ro b ert J

. Co x

, M ark T. Ho rn s b y

, Bri an G. Rey n o l d s, J o hn K

. Ro s s

, Ch ri s W eav er, St ep h en M

. W h eel o ck

, Parad i gm Aero s p ace, LLC, Ri v erHaw k D e f en s e, LLC, Ri v erHawk

M ari n e, LLC, M ari ti m e Secu ri t y St rat eg i es , LLC, an d M ari ti m e Secu ri t y St rat eg i es

o f Fl ori d a, L L C. Ad d i ti on al d efen d an t s n o t p art i es to t h i s ap p eal i n cl u d e Ch at h ams u m

m ary ju d g m en t an d d i s m i s si n g t h e Gl o bal Sh i p Pl ai n ti ffs ’ co m pl ai n t fo r vi o l at i o n

o f Geo rg i a’ s v o l un t ary d i sm i s s al s t at u te. See OCGA § § 9 -1 1-4 1 (a) (1 ), (3 ); 9 -1 2 -4 0.

Becau s e t h e t ri al co u rt co rrect ly d i s m i s s ed Gl o b al Sh i p ’ s t h i r d ci v il act i o n ari s i n g

fro m t h e s am e s et o f fact s , we affi rm

.

In 2 0 0 3 an d 2 0 0 4, Gl o b al Sh i p an d Creech s o u g ht fi n an ci n g fo r t he p u rch as e

o f a Sav an n ah

, Geo rg i a s hi p y ard

. Th ei r search fo r fi n an ci n g led to Fo rt res s Cred i t

Co rp o rat i o n

, a d efen d a n t i n t h e fi rs t act io n

. 3 Gl o bal Sh i p u lt i m at el y s ecu red

fi nan ci n g

, b u t i t al l eg ed t h at i n Decem b er 2 00 5

, a s e ri es of eq ui p m en t fai l u res

cri p p l ed G l o b al Sh i p ’ s op erat i o n s wh i ch l ed t o a d ecl i ne i n rev en u e. 4 Gl o bal Sh i p ’ s

d em i s e cu lm i n at ed i n an Oct o b er 20 0 7 effo rt b y Drawb ri d g e t o fo recl o s e o n t h e

co m p an y ’ s real an d p ers on al p ro p ert y , as wel l as t h e s h i p y ard

.

In v es t m en t Fu n d II, LLC, Ch at h am In v es t m en t Fu n d QP II, LLC, Ch at ham Cap i t al

M an ag em en t II, LLC, Ch at ham Cap i tal Pa r tne r s

, In c., Ch at h am Cap i t al Ho l d i n g

, In c.,

Drawb ri d g e Sp eci al O p p o rt u ni t i es Fu n d, LP, an d Drawb ri dg e Sp eci al Op p o rt u n i ti es

GP, LLC.

3 Gl o b al Sh i p fu rt h er al l eg ed t h at Fo rt res s as s i g n ed i t s ri g h t s t o Drawb ri d g e

Sp eci al O p p o rt u ni t i es Fu n d

, L P, (“ Drawb ri dg e”) wh i ch t h en as s i g n ed cert ai n ri g h t s

t o Ch at ham Cap i t al M an ag em en t II, LLC, Ch at h am In v es tm en t Fu n d QP II, LLC, an d

Ch at ham In v es t m en t Fu n d II, LLC.

4 Fo r ad d i t i on al d i s cu s s i on o f t h e eq u i p m en t fai l u res

, s ee Gl o b al Sh i p S ys t ems

, LLC v. Co nt i n en t a l

Ca s . Co

. , 2 9 2 Ga. Ap p . 2 1 4 (6 6 3 SE2 d 8 2 6 ) (2 0 0 8 ).

2In an effo rt t o s t o p t h e l o o m i n g fo recl o s u re o f t h ei r p ro p ert y

, Gl o b al Sh i p

, G SS

Op erat i o n s an d Creech fi l ed a ci v i l act i o n in t h e Su p eri o r Co u rt o f Ch at ham Co u n t y

o n O ct o b er 3 1

, 2 0 0 7 (t he “ fi rs t act i o n ”). 5 Th e fi rs t act io n s o ug h t : (1 ) an in ju nct i o n to

s t o p t h e p en d in g fo recl o s u re o f Gl o bal Sh i p ’ s eq u i p m en t an d s hi p y ard ; (2 ) an

acco u n t in g fro m t he d efen d an t s “ wh i ch refl ect s h o w t h e i n teres t

, p en al t i es

, an d fees

cl ai m ed by t h e Defen d an t s w ere cal cu l at ed ; ” (3 ) m o n ey d am ag es fo r b reach es o f t h e

d u t i es o f g o o d fai t h

, fai r d eal i n g

, an d l o y al t y ; an d (4 ) at t o rn ey fees

. Of n o te, Gl o b al

Sh i p ’ s co m

p l ai n t i n t h e fi rs t act i o n al l eg ed th at th e d efen d an t s ex h i b i t ed b ad fai t h

“ g i ven [t h ei r] act i v e p art i ci p at i o n

. . . i n t h e d ai ly act iv i t i es of [Gl o bal Sh i p an d G SS

Op erat i o n s ]

, t hei r act i o n s i n d ecl ari n g t he L o an in d efau l t

, an d accel erat i n g t h e d eb t

,

an d t h ei r refu s al t o n eg o t iat e i n g o o d fai t h co n cern i ng rep l acem en t fi n an ci ng .” 6 On

No v e m b e r 2 0

, 20 0 7

, Gl ob al Sh i p v o l u nt ari l y d i s m i s s ed t he fi rs t act i o n wi t h o ut

p reju d i ce.

5 Th e d efen d an ts i n t he fi rs t act i o n i n cl u ded Fo rt res s Cred i t Co r p o rat i o n,

Drawb ri d g e Sp eci al Op po rt u ni t i es Fu n d

, LP, Ch at ham Cap i t al Man ag em en t II, LLC,

Ch at ham In v es t m en t Fu n d QP II, LLC, an d Ch at h am In v es t m en t Fu n d II, LLC.

6 G l ob al Sh i p al s o al l eg ed t h at Ho rn s b y

, a d efen d an t i n t h e s eco n d an d t h i rd

act i on s , p art i ci p at ed i n s ecu ri n g fu n d in g fo r Gl ob al Sh i p

.

3On No vem b er 1 4 , 2 0 0 8, t h e Gl o b al Sh i p Pl ai n t iffs fi led a s eco n d ci v i l act i o n

i n t h e Su p eri o r Co urt o f Fu l t o n Co u n t y (t h e “ s eco n d act i o n ”). Gl o b a l S h i p a d d ed

SIM S an d t h ree i n d i v i d u al m em b ers o f t h e Gl o bal Sh i p an d GSS Op erat i o ns l i m i t ed

l i ab i l i t y co m

p an ies as p art y p l ai n t i ffs an d 1 6 ad d i t i o n al p art y d efen d an t s , i n cl u d i n g

t h e Ri verHawk D efen dan t s

. 7 In a sp rawl i n g 2 8 -co u n t co m p l ai n t

, 8 t he Gl o b al Sh ip

Pl ai n t i ffs al l eg ed a h os t o f wro n g s i n cl u d i n g b reach es o f co n t ract

, ai d i n g an d ab et t i n g

b reach es o f co n t ract

, b reach es o f fi d u ci ary d ut i es

, co n s p i raci es to b reach fi d u ci ary

d u t i es

, frau d

, t o rt i o u s i n terfer e n c e wi t h b u s i n es s rel at i o n s

, an d “ m al i ci ou s

p r o cu rem en t o f breach [es ] o f fi d u ci ary d u t [i es ] ,” al l s t em m i n g fro m Gl o bal S h i p ’s

effo rt s t o s ecu re o ri g i n al fi n an ci n g an d i t s s u b s eq u en t co l lap s e. On A pri l 2 4

, 2 0 0 9,

t h e t r i a l c o u rt i n t h e s eco n d act i o n en t ered an o rd er g ran t i ng i n p art m u l t i p l e

d efen d an t s ’ m o t i on s fo r ju dg m en t o n t h e p l ead i n g s

. Ten d ay s l at er, t h e Gl o b al Sh ip

Pl ai n t i ffs v o l u nt ari l y

d is m i s s ed t h e s eco nd act i o n.

7 Fo r a l i s t i ng of t h e p art i es i n t h e s eco nd act i o n

, s ee fo ot n o t es 1 an d 2

, s u p ra.

8 Gl o b al Sh i p ’ s i n i t i al co m p l ai nt i n t h e s eco n d act i on i n cl u d ed 2 2 s ep arat e

co u nt s

. Ho wev er, o n Ap ri l 1 7, 2 0 0 9

, G l o b al Sh i p fi l ed a “ Fi rs t Am en d ed an d Res t at ed

Co m p l ai n t ” wh ich al l eg ed 2 8 s ep arat e co u n ts

. Th e p art i es d o n o t co n t es t t h at Gl o b al

Sh i p ’ s fi rs t am en d ed co m p l ai n t co n t ro l l e d a t t h e t im e o f Gl o b al Sh i p’ s v o l u n t ary

d i s m i s s al o f t h e s eco n d act io n.

4On e d ay s h y o f th e si x -m o n t h ren ewal p eri o d

, t h e Gl o b al Sh ip Pl ai n ti ffs fi l ed

a co m p l ai n t

, i d en t i cal t o t h e s eco n d act i o n, i n th e Su p eri or Co u rt o f Ch at h am Co u n t y

s eek i n g t h e s am e rel i ef i t p u rs u ed i n th e s eco n d act i o n (t h e “ t h ird act i o n ”). Th e

Ri v erHawk Defen d an t s m o ved fo r s u m m ary ju dg m en t

, cl ai m i n g t hat th e Gl o b al Sh ip

Pl ai n t i ffs ’ t h ird act i o n was b arred b y OCGA § 9-1 1 -4 1 (a) (3 ). Th e t ri al co urt ag reed

,

g ran t i n g t h e Ri v erHawk Defen d an t s ’ m ot i o n fo r s u m m ary ju d g m en t an d d is m i s s i n g

t h e Gl o b al Sh i p Pl ai n t i ffs ’ co m p l aint. T he G loba l S hi p Pl ai n ti ffs (h erei n aft er, “ Gl o b al

Sh i p ”) ap p eal

.

Su m m ary ju dg m en t is ap p ro p ri at e wh en t h ere i s no gen u i ne i s s u e a s t o an y

m at eri al fact an d t h e m ov i n g p art y i s en t i t l ed t o a ju d g m en t as a m at t er o f l aw. OCGA

§ 9-1 1 -5 6 (c). Th i s Co u rt rev i ews a g ran t o r d en i al of s um m ary ju d g m en t d e n o v o an d

co n st ru es t h e ev i d en ce in t h e l i g h t m o s t fav o rab le t o t h e n o n m ov an t

. Ci ti fi n a n ci al

S vcs . v. Va r n er , 3 2 0 Ga. Ap p . 1 7 0 (7 3 9 SE2 d 4 7 7) (2 01 3 ).

In t h e s ol e en u m erat i on o f erro r, G l o b al Sh i p co nt en d s t h e t ri al co u rt erred by

g ran t i n g t h e Ri v erHawk Defen d an t s ’ m ot i o n fo r s u m m ary ju d g m en t an d d is m i s s i n g

Gl o bal Sh i p ’ s co m

p l ai nt fo r two reas o n s : (1 ) res ju di cat a d o es no t b ar t h e act i o n s o f

Gl o bal Sh i p ’ s p ri v i es wh o were n o t p art i es t o t he fi rs t act i on (SI M S

, Ben n et t

,

Ho l m es

, an d St ri b l i n g ); an d (2 ) res ju d i cat a d o es no t b ar t h e t h i rd act i o n b ecau s e t h e

5fi rs t an d s eco n d act i o n s were n o t b as ed u p o n t h e s am e cl ai m s

. W e wi ll ad d res s each

i n t urn

.

1

. Fi rs t

, Gl ob al Sh ip arg u es t h at t h e cl a i m s of SIM S, Ben n et t, Ho l m es an d

St ri bl i n g are n o t b arred b y OCGA § 9 -1 1 -4 1 (a) (3 ) b ecau s e t h ey were n o t p art i es to

t h e fi rs t act i o n ; t h erefo re, t h e t h i rd act i o n act u al ly rep res en t s t h es e p l ai n t i ffs ’ s eco n d

act i on

. 9 Rel ev an t to t h i s arg u m en t

, OCGA § 9 -1 1 -4 1 (a) (1 ) (A) p ro v id es t h at “ an

act i on m ay

b e d is m i s s ed b y t h e p l ai n t i ff, wi th o ut ord er o r p erm i ss i o n of co u rt

, [b ] y

f i l i n g a wri t t en n o ti ce of d i s m i s s al at an y ti m e b efo re th e fi rs t wi t n es s is s wo rn .”

M o reo v er, “ [a] d i sm i s s al u n d er t h i s s u b s ect i o n i s wi t h o u t p reju d i ce, ex cep t t h at t h e

fi li n g o f a s eco n d n o t i ce o f d i s m i s s al o p era t e s as an ad ju d i cat io n u p on t h e m eri t s .”

OCGA § 9 -1 1 -4 1 (a) (3 ). “ Th e p l ai n m ean i n g o f OCGA § 9-1 1 -4 1 i s t h at a p l ai n t i ff’ s

s eco n d v o l u n t ary d i s m is s al o f a cas e o p erat es as an ad ju di cat io n o n t h e m eri t s ag ai n s t

t h e p lai n t i ff.” (Em

p h as i s i n o ri g i n al o m it t ed .) D i ll a rd La n d In ves t men t s v. S o u th

Fl o r i d a In ves t men t

s

, 3 20 Ga. Ap p

. 2 0 9

, 2 1 2 (2 ) (7 3 9 S E 2 d 6 9 6) (2 0 13 ). It fo l l o ws

t h at “ [f] or a s eco n d n ot i ce o f di s m i ss al t o o p erat e as an ad ju d i cat i o n up o n t h e m eri t s

,

9 T el l i n g l y

, G l o b al Sh i p

, GSS Op erat io n s an d Creech d o n o t arg u e t h at t h ei r

cl ai m s i n t h e th i rd act i o n are n o t b arred du e t o t h e v ol u nt ary d i s m is s al s i n t h e fi rs t an d

s eco n d act i o n s

. Rat her, t h ey arg u e t h at “ [f] o r t h e reas o n s d et ai led h erei n bel o w, t h ei r

cl ai m s are n o t b arred as t h ere i s n o i d en t it y o f cl ai m s b et w een th e [fi rs t ] act i o n an d

t h e [s eco n d a] ct i o n

. ”

6. . . i t m

u s t h av e been fi l ed b y t h e s am e pl ai nt i ff wh o fi l ed t h e fi rs t n o t i c e o f

d i s m i s s al .” Id

. Th erefo re, i n i ns t an ces i n wh ich m ul t i p l e p l a i n t i ffs fi l ed m u l t i p l e

act i on s an d d i s m i s s al s

, t h e rel ev an t i n q u i ry i s wh et h er “ a ny o f t h e Ap p el l an t s was a

p l ai n t i ff w h o v o lu n t ari l y di sm i s s ed b o t h act i o n s .” (Em p h as i s s u p pl i ed .) Id

. See al s o

Bel co El ec. v

. B u s h

, 2 0 4 Ga. Ap p

. 8 1 1

, 8 1 4 (4 2 0 SE2 d 6 0 2 ) (1 9 9 2 ) (u n d er p ri o r

v ers i on o f OCGA § 9 -1 1 -4 1 (a) (3 ), fo u rt h act i o n d i s m i s s ed wh ere i d en t i t y o f

p l ai n t i ffs was n o t i d en t i cal i n t h ree p ri o r act i o ns ).

Here, t h e an s wer t o t h i s q u es t i o n i s y es

. Gl o bal S h i p

, GSS Op erat i o n s

, an d

Creech were p l ai nt iffs i n t h e fi rs t an d seco n d act i o n s

, each o f wh i ch was t erm i n at ed

wi t h a v o l u n t ary d i s m i s s al

. Acco rd i ng l y

, Gl o b al Sh ip ’ s t h ird act i o n i s b arred b y t h e

res ju d i cat a effect o f OCGA § 9 -1 1 -4 1 ( a ) ( 3 )

, an d Gl o b al Sh i p’ s i ncl u s i o n o f

ad d it i o n al pl ai n ti ffs d o es n o t al t er th i s co n cl us i o n. 1 0 See D i ll a rd La n d

, 3 2 0 G a. Ap p.

at 2 1 2 (2 ). As a res u l t, t h e t ri al co u rt d i d n o t err i n g ran t i n g t h e R i v e rHawk

Defen d an t s ’ m o t i o n fo r s u m m ary ju d g m en t o n t h i s i s s u e.

1 0 W e n eed n o t co n s i d er wh et h er t h e i n d i v i d u al p l ai n t i ffs h av e a ri g h t t o b ri n g

i n d i v i d u al

, rat h er th an d eri v at i v e, act i o ns

. See Ph o en i x A i r l i n e S

vcs

. v. Met r o

Ai r l i nes

, 2 6 0 Ga. 5 8 4, 5 8 5 (1 ) (3 9 7 S E 2 d 6 9 9 ) (1 9 9 0 ); Pi nn a cl e B en n i n g v. Cl a r k

Rea lt y Ca p i t a l

, 3 1 4 Ga. Ap p . 6 0 9 , 6 1 6 (2 ) (a) (7 2 4 SE2 d 8 9 4 ) (2 0 1 2).

72

. Nex t

, Gl o b a l Sh i p as s ert s t h at res ju d i cat a do es n o t b ar t h e t hi rd act i o n

b ecau s e t h e fi rs t an d seco n d act i o n s were no t b as ed u p o n t h e s am e cl ai m s

. 1 1 As n o t ed

ab o ve, “ [t ] he p l ai n m ean i n g o f OCGA § 9-1 1 -4 1 i s t h at a p l ai n t i ff’ s s eco n d v o l u n t ary

d i s m i s s al o f a ca s e o perat es as an ad ju d i cat i o n o n t h e m e r i t s a g ai n st t h e p l ai n t i ff.”

(Em p h as i s i n o ri g i nal .) Di l l a r d La n d

, 32 0 Ga. Ap p

. at 2 12 (2 ). T o t h at en d

, “ t h e

l an g u ag e o f O CGA § § 9 -1 1 -4 1 (a) an d 9 -2 -6 1 (a) cl earl y s peak s t o t h e d i s m i s s al an d

ren ewal o f an ‘ ac t i o n ’ o r a ‘ cas e,’ n o t a cl ai m wi t h i n an act i o n wh ere o t h er cl ai m s

h av e al s o b een as s ert ed b y t he s am e p lai n t i f f s

. ” 1 2 ( Em p h as i s i n ori g i n al .) Y

o u n g v.

Ri d er

, 2 0 8 Ga. Ap p

. 1 4 7, 1 4 9 (2 ) (4 3 0 SE2 d 1 1 7 ) ( 1 9 9 3 ). In d eed

, t h e d i s m i s s al o f

“ cl ai m s ,” o r o f l es s t h an al l of a p art y ’ s cau s es o f act i o n

, i s g o vern ed b y t h e p l ead i n g

am en d m en t ru les co d i fi ed at OCGA § 9 -1 1 -1 5

. See Id

. See al so S o u t h ea s t er n Ho s e

v. P r u d e n t i a l In s

. Co

. o

f Amer i ca

, 16 7 Ga. Ap p

. 3 5 6 (1 ) (3 0 6 SE2 d 30 8 ) (1 9 8 3 )

(d efen d an t ’ s arg u m en t t h at fo u rt h act io n p recl u d ed b y v o l u nt ary d i s m i s s al “ i s

1 1 W it h th e ex cep t i o n o f t h e arg u m en t ad d res s ed i n Di v i s i o n 1

, s u p ra, Gl o b al

Sh i p d o es n o t co n ten d th at id en t i t y o f t h e p art i es i s lack i ng o r t h at t here was n o

p rev i o u s ad

ju d i cat i on o n th e m eri t s b y a co u rt o f co m p et en t ju ri s d i ct i o n. See Gu n b y

v. S i mo n , 2 7 7 Ga. 6 9 8

, 6 9 9 (5 9 4 SE2 d 3 4 2 ) (2 0 0 4 ).

1 2 T h i s d i ffers fro m t h e co rres p o n d in g Fed eral Ru le of Ci v i l Pro ced u re, wh i ch

ex p res s l y p ro v i d es t h at “ i f t he p l ai n ti ff p rev i o u s l y d is m i s s e d an y fed eral

- o r

s t at e-co urt act i o n ba s ed o n o r i n cl u d i n g t h e s a m e cl ai m

, a n o t i ce o f d i s m i s s al o p erat es

as an ad j u d i cat i o n o n t he m eri t s.” (Em p h as i s s u p p l i ed .) Fed

. R. Ci v

. P. 4 1 (a) (1 ) (B).

8i n co rrect i f an y o n e o f t h e p rev i o u s act i o ns is n o t bas ed o n o r i n cl u di n g t h e cl ai m

p res en t ed i n t h e p res en t act i o n ”). Fi n al l y

, OCGA § 9 -1 2 -4 0 i s t h e co d i fi cat i o n “ o f

Geo rg i a’ s co m

m o n l aw ru l e o f res ju d i cat a” an d p ro vi d es t h at

[a] ju d g m en t o f a c o u r t o f co m p et en t ju ri s d i ct i o n sh al l b e co n cl u s iv e

b et ween t he s am e p art ies an d t h ei r p ri v i es as t o al l m at t ers p u t i n i s s ue

o r wh i ch u n d

er t h e r u l es o

f l a w mi g h t h a ve been p u t i n i s s u e in t h e cau s e

wh erei n t he ju d g m en t w as ren d ered u n t i l t h e ju d g m en t i s rev ers ed o r s et

as i d e.

(Em p h as i s s u p p li ed .) See Fo wl er v. Vi n eya r d

, 2 61 Ga. 4 5 4

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

(1 9 9 1).

In t h i s cas e, we co n cl u d e t h at Gl o b al Sh i p ’ s t h i rd act i o n i s b arred p u rs u an t to

t h e res ju d i cat a effect o f O CGA § 9-1 1 -4 1 (a) (3 ). In ad d i t i o n t o req ues t i n g eq u i t ab l e

rel i ef, G l o b al Sh i p ’ s fi rs t act io n i ncl u d ed a cl ai m fo r m o n ey d am ag es fro m m u l t i p l e

d efen d an t s fo r b reach es of t h e d u t i es o f g o o d fai t h

, fai r d eal in g

, an d l o y al t y

. To

s u p p ort i t s req ues t f

o r d am ag es

, Gl o b al Sh i p ’ s co m p lai n t i n t h e fi rs t act i o n al l eg ed

t h at t h e d efen d an ts ex h i b i t ed b ad fai t h “ g i v en [t h e i r ] act i v e p art i ci p at i o n

. . . i n t h e

d ai l y act i v i t i es o f [Gl o b al Sh ip an d GSS Op erat i o n s ]

, t h ei r act i o n s i n d ecl ari n g t h e

Lo an i n d efau l t

, an d accel erat i ng th e d eb t, an d t hei r refu s al t o neg o t i at e i n g o o d fai th

co n cern in g rep l acem en t fi n an ci n g .” In t he s eco n d an d th i rd act i on s

, wh i ch were

9i d en t i cal t o e ach ot h er, G l o b al Sh i p ag ai n s ou g ht m o n ey d am ag es fo r a v ari et y o f

cau s es o f act i o n, i ncl u d i n g fo r b reach es o f d u ti es co n s on an t wi th t h o s e al l eg ed i n t h e

fi rs t act i o n

, b as ed u p on s i m il ar fact u al al l eg at i o n s

. See Ad a m s v. Tr i co r d

, LLC

, 2 9 9

Ga. Ap p . 3 1 0 , 3 1 2 (1 ) (6 8 2 SE2 d 5 8 8 ) (2 0 0 9 ); S o u t h ea s t er n H

o s e , 1 6 7 Ga. Ap p . at

3 5 6 (1 ) (d efen d an t ’ s arg u m en t t h a t f o u r t h act i o n p recl u d ed b y v ol u n t ary d i s m i s s al

“ i n co rrect i f an y o n e o f th e p rev i o u s ac t i o n s i s n o t b a s ed o n or i n cl u di n g t h e cl ai m

p res en t ed i n th e p res en t act i o n ”). ( E m pha sis supplie d. ) M o reo v er, th ere i s a co n t i n u i t y

i n t he d efen d an t s n am ed i n t h e fi rs t

, s eco n d an d t h ird act io n s

, in cl u d i n g t h e Ch at h am

an d Dr a wb ri d g e d efen d an t s

. See Bel co

, 20 4 G a. Ap p

. at 8 1 5 (OCGA § 9 -1 1 -4 1

d es i g n ed “ t o p rev en t a p l ai n ti ff fro m rep eat ed ly fi li n g ac t i o n s fo r th e sam e cl ai m

ag ai n s t an y d efen d an t

, no t o n l y p rev i o u s l y n am ed d efen d an ts ”). Fi n al l y

, G l o b al Sh ip

h as o ffered n o ex p l an at i on fo r i t s fai l ure to b ri ng t h e cau s es o f act io n co n t ai ned i n t h e

s eco n d an d t h i rd act i o n s i n t h e fi rs t act i o n

. 1 3 See F owl er

, 2 61 Ga. at 4 5 8 (3 ). See al s o

Ca r t wr i gh t v. Fi r s t Ba p t i s t Ch u r ch o

f Keys vi ll e

, 3 1 6 G a

. A p p

. 2 99

, 30 2 (7 2 8 SE2 d

8 9 3 ) (2 0 12 ); Ad

a ms

, 2 9 9 Ga. Ap p

. at 3 1 2 (1 ) (“ Th e i s su e i s n o t wh et h er t h e p l ai n t i ffs

1 3 In fact

, Gl o b al Sh i p ’ s s i n g u l ar ack n o wl ed g m en t o f t h is fai l u re co m es fro m

i t s ap p el l an t ’ s b ri ef in wh i ch i t s t at e s t h e s eco n d act i o n fo l l o wed “ s u b s t an t i al

i n v es t i g at i o n .”

10l i ti g at ed th es e c l a i m s i n t he p rev i o u s act i o n, b u t wh et h er th ey co u l d h av e l i t i g at ed

t h es e cl ai m s i n t h e p rev i o u s act i o n .”).

Th e bi n d i n g s i n ew bet ween each o f t h e t h ree act i o ns i s th e ap p aren t l y co m p l ex

i n i t i al fi n an ci n g fo r, an d s ub s eq u en t fai l u re o f, t h e Gl o b al Sh i p s h i p y ard . In fact , as

s h o wn b y i t s al l eg at i o n s

, al l o f Gl o b al Sh i p ’ s cau s es o f act i o n fro m each o f i t s t h ree

ci v i l act i on s m ay b e t r a c e d t o i t s in i t i al fi n an ci n g an d act i v i t i es as s o ci at ed wi t h i t s

fi nan ci n g

. 1 4 To p res erv e cau s es o f act i o n fro m res ju d i cat a, “ o n e m u s t as s ert al l cl ai m s

fo r rel i ef co n cern i n g t he s am e s u b ject m at t er i n o n e l aws u i t an d an y cl ai m s fo r rel i ef

co n cern in g t h at s am e s u b

ject m at t er wh i ch are no t rai s ed wi l l be res ju di cat a p u rs u an t

t o OCGA § 9 -1 2-4 0.” Fo wl er

, 2 6 1 Ga. at 4 58 (3 ). Th i s was n o t d o n e. Acco rd i n g l y

,

we fi n d n o erro r i n t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s o rd er g ran t i n g t h e Ri verHawk Defen d an t s ’ m o t i o n

fo r s u m m ary ju d g m en t an d d i s m i s s i ng Gl o b al Sh i p ’ s t h i rd act i o n

.

Ju d g men t a f f i r m ed . Mi l l er

a n d Br a n ch , JJ., co n cu r

.

1 4 Fo r an ex am

p le o f an ac t i o n w h i c h wo u l d di ffer fro m t h e cau ses o f act i o n

p res en t ed i n Gl o bal Sh i p ’ s t h ree ci v i l act io n s d i s cu s s ed i n t h i s cas e, see Gl ob a l S h i p

, 2 9 2 Ga. Ap p

. at 2 1 4. Si m i l arl y

, S o u t h ea s t er n Ho s e i s di s t i n g u i s h ab l e. 1 6 7 Ga. Ap p.

at 3 5 7 (1 ) (“ [A] ct i o n s p red i cat ed u p o n d i s t i n ct an d s ep arat e v i o lat i o n s o f a leas e were

n o t b as ed o n t he s am e cl ai m

. ”). See al s o Gu n b y

, 27 7 Ga. at 70 0 (s u b

ject m at t er o f

d i fferen t act io n s were s ep arat e s u rg eri es an d n o t i d en t i cal cau s es o f act i o n ).

11