# C o u rt o f

A p p ea ls

o f t h e S t a te o f

G eo rg ia

ATLANTA,_

_ _ __ _ _ __ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ __ _

Th e Co u rt

o f Ap p ea l s h er eb y p a s s es t h e f

o ll owi n g o r der :

A1 8 A2 12 4 . RCC W ESLEY CHAPEL CROSSI NG, LLC et a l . v . ALLEN.

RCC W es l ey Ch ap el Cro s s i n g , LLC, et al

. ap p eal fro m t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s o rd er

p ro v is i o n al l y gran t in g cl as s cert i fi cat io n

. W e co n cl u d e t h at t h i s Co u rt l ack s ap p el l at e

ju ri s d i ct i o n an d , t h erefo re, we d i s m i s s t h is ap p eal

.

Aft er Fo rres t Al l en p ai d $ 6 5 0 t o rem o v e a “ b o o t ” 1 fro m h i s car, h e s u ed

n u m ero u s en t i t i es affi l i at ed wi t h t h e s h op p i n g cen t er wh ere h e h ad p ark ed

. Al l en

al l eg ed cl ai m s o f n eg l i g en ce, neg l i g en ce p er se, p rem is es l i ab i l i t y

, i m p u t ed

n eg li g en ce, an d fal s e i m p ri so n m en t

, an d h e req u es t ed co m p en sat o ry d am ag es

,

at t o rn ey fees

, an d p un i t i v e d am ag es

. He al s o req u es ted cl as s cert ifi cat i o n u n d er

OCGA § 9-1 1 -2 3

, i d e n t i fy i n g t wo cl as s es o f p l ai n t iffs

, an d al l eg i n g t h at t h e

d efen d an t s h ad b o o ted at l eas t 2 0 o t h er v eh i cl es

. 2

1 “ Bo o t i ng ” i s g en eral ly d efi n ed as t he p ract i ce of i m m o b i l i zi n g v eh i cl e s b y

at t ach i n g a b oo t t o t h e wh eel s . See www.d i ct i o n ary .co m / b ro ws e/ b o ot i n g

.

2 Al l en n am ed as d efen d an t s : RCC W es l ey Ch ap el Cro s s i n g

, L LC; Li t t l e Gi an t

Farm ers M ark et Co rp .; Ph an t o m Fi rewo rk s Eas t ern Reg i o n

, LLC; New Nai l s Sal o n

an d Sp a, LLC; Do l l ar Tree St o res

, In c.; St at e Fa r m Gen eral In su ran ce Co .; Pl an et

Fi t n es s

, In c.; an d Am eri c a n Wi n g s Co rp

. Th e t ri al co u rt l at er d is m i ss ed Am eri can

Wi n g s Co rp

. an d St at e Farm Gen eral In s u ran ce Co

., an d ad d ed as a d efen d an t J u d i

P. Mi t ch e l l In s u ran ce Ag en cy d / b / a/ St at e Farm

. RCC W es l ey Ch ap el Cro s s i n g

ad m i t t ed t h at i t was t h e o w n er o f t h e p ro pert y wh ere t h is p ark i ng l o t i s l o cat ed . Fo r

p u rp os es o f t hi s o rd er, we refer t o al l t h e d efen d an ts co l l ect i v el y

. January 24, 2019Th e d efen d an t s an s wered t h e co m p l ai n t an d o p p o sed cl as s cert i fi cat i o n

. O n

Ap ri l 2

, 2 0 1 8

, Al l en fi l ed a m o t i o n s eek i n g l eav e t o co nd u ct cl as s d is co v ery an d fo r

a co n feren ce u n d er OCGA § 9 -1 1 -2 3 (f). Th e fo l lo wi n g d ay

, t h e t ri al co u rt i s s u ed a

Ru l e Ni s i s et t i n g a h eari n g o n t h e m o t i o n fo r cl as s cert i fi cat i o n fo r M ay 4

, 2 0 1 8

. On

M ay 1 4

, 2 0 1 8

, t en d ay s aft er h o l d i n g t h e heari ng

, t h e t r i a l c o u rt i s s ued i t s o rd er

“ p ro v i s io n al l y ” g ran ti n g cl as s cert i fi cat i o n an d g ran t i n g leav e t o co nd u ct d i s co v ery

.

In i t s o rd er, t h e t ri al co u rt d e t e r m i n ed t h at Al l en s at i s fi ed t h e ad eq u acy

, t y p i cal i t y

,

co m m o n al i t y

, an d p red o m i nan ce req u i rem en t s fo r cl as s cert i fi cat i o n u n d er OCGA §

9 -1 1 -2 3 (a). It d i d n o t

, h o w ev er, ad d res s su p eri o ri t y

. As to n u m ero s i t y

, t h e t ri al co u rt

g ran t ed l eav e to co n d uct d i s co v ery i n o rd er t o s at i s fy t h e n u m ero s i t y p rereq u i s i t e.

Th e t ri al co u rt s t at ed i n i ts o rd er t h at di s co very fo r p u rp o s es o f cl as s cert i fi c a t i o n

wo u l d b eg in as o f th e d at e o f t h e o rd er an d co n t i n ue fo r 9 0 d ay s

. Th e t ri al co u rt

i n s t ru ct ed t h e p art ies th at

, “ [p ] ri o r t o t he c l o s e o f cl as s d is co v ery Pl ai n t i ff s h al l

p ro v id e t hi s Co u rt wi t h ev i d en ce o f t h e t o t al n u m b er o f cl as s m em

b ers

. Nu m ero s i t y

u n d er O CGA § 9-1 1 -2 3 wi l l b e s at i s fi ed u p o n a s h o wi n g t h at t h e t o tal n u m b er o f

cl as s m em

b ers i s eq u al t o o r g reat er t h an t wen t y -fi v e (2 5 ) cl as s m em b ers

. ”

Th e defen d an t s fi led t h e i n s t an t ap p eal

, an d Al l en fi l ed a m ot i o n t o d is m i s s t h e

ap p eal o n t he g ro u n d s t h at t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s o rd er i s no t i m m ed i at el y ap p eal ab l e u n d er

OCGA § 9 -1 1 -2 3 (g ).

Th e q u es t i o n o f wh et h er we h av e ap pel l at e ju ri s d i ct i on t o ad d res s t he m eri t s

o f t h e t r i a l co u rt ’ s o rd er in v o l v es t h e i n t erp ret at i o n of a s t at u t e, an d t h erefo re, o u r

rev i ew i s d e n ov o

. 3 Up

p er Ch at t a h o o ch ee Ri ver keep er v. Fo r syt h Co u n ty

, 3 1 8 Ga.

Ap p . 4 9 9 , 5 0 2 (7 3 4 SE2 d 2 4 2 ) (2 0 1 2 ).

3 Nei t h er o u r Co u rt n o r t h e Su p rem e Co u rt o f Geo rg i a h as ex pres s l y wei g h ed

i n o n wh et h er a p art y m ay i m m e d i at el y ap p eal a p ro v i s i o nal g ran t o f cl as s

cert ifi cat i o n

. Cf. S

en ti nel Of f en d er S vcs

. v. Gl o ver

, 2 9 6 Ga. 3 1 5, 3 3 5 -3 3 6 ( 5 ) (7 6 6

SE2 d 4 5 6 ) (2 0 1 4 ) (n o ti n g ju ri s d i ct i o n al i s s ue b ut d ecl i ni n g t o a d d res s i t i n l i g h t o f

rem an d o n o t h er g ro u n d s ).OCGA § 9 -1 1 -2 3 (c) (1 ) p ro v i d es t h at “ [a] co u rt ’ s o rd er cer t i f yi ng a cl a s s o r

r ef u s i n g to cer t i

f y a cl a s s sh a l l b e a

p p ea la b l e i n t h e s am e m an n er as a fi nal o rd er to

t h e ap p el l at e co u rt w h ich wo u ld o t h erwi s e h av e ju ri s d i ct i o n o v er t he ap p eal fro m a

fi nal o rd er i n t h e act i o n .” (Em p h as i s s u p pl i ed .) OCGA § 9-1 1 -2 3 (g ). Th e cl as s act i o n

s t at u te al s o i n s t ru ct s t h at

[a] ft er t h e co m

m en cem en t o f an act io n i n w h i ch cl ai m s o r d efen s es are

p u rp o rt ed t o b e a s s ert ed o n b eh al f o f o r ag ai n s t a cl as s

, th e co u rt sh al l

h o l d a co n feren ce am o n g al l n am ed p art i es t o t h e act i o n fo r t h e pu rp o s e

o f es t ab l i sh i ng a s ch ed u l e fo r an y d is co v ery g erm an e t o t h e i s su e o f

wh et h er th e req ues ted cl as s s h o u l d o r s h o u l d n o t b e cert ifi ed

. A t t h i s

co n f er en ce, t he co u r t s h a l l set a d at e f o r a h ea ri n g o n th e i s s u e o f cl a s s

cer t i f i ca t i o n

. Excep t

f o r go o d ca u se s h own

, s u ch h ea r in g ma y n o t b e s et

s o o n er t ha n 9 0 d

a ys n o r l a t er th a n 1 8 0 d

a ys a f t er t h e d a t e o n wh ich th e

co u r t i ss u es i ts s ch ed

u l in g o r d er p ur s u a n t t o t h e co n

f er en ce. If ev i d en ce

i s p res en t ed b y affi d av i t

, t h e p art i es s h al l h av e an o p p o rt u n i t y t o

cro s s-ex am in e affi an t s as t o s u ch t es t i m on y o ffered b y affi d av it

.

(Em p h as i s s u p p li ed .) OCGA § 9 -1 1 -2 3 (f) (1 ).

“ Th e fi rs t s t ep i n o u r a n a l y s is o f t hi s i s su e o f s t at u t ory co n s t ru ct i o n i s to

ex am i n e th e p l ai n s tat u t o ry lan g u ag e.” (Ci t at i o n om i t t ed .) M o r r is o n v. Cl a b o r n

, 2 9 4

G a

. A p p

. 5 0 8

, 5 1 2 (2 ) (6 69 SE2 d 4 9 2 ) (2 0 08 ). Co n s id eri n g t h e p l ai n l an g u ag e o f

t h es e s t at u t es

, we co n cl u d e t hat t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s ord er n ei t h er cert i fi ed n or refu s ed to

cert ify t he cl as s s u ch t h at t h e o rd er i s i m m ed i at el y ap p eal ab l e.

Im p o rt an t l y

, A l l en m ov ed fo r cl as s cert ifi cat i o n o n Feb ru ary 6

, 2 0 1 8. O n Ap ri l

2

, 2 0 1 8

, Al l en fi l ed a m o t i o n s eek i n g l e a v e t o co n du ct cl as s d i s co v ery an d fo r a

co n feren ce u nd er OCGA § 9 -1 1 -2 3 (f). Th e fo l lo wi n g day, t h e t ri al co u rt i s s u ed a

Ru l e N i s i s et t i n g a h eari n g o n t h e m o t i o n fo r cl as s cert i fi cat i o n fo r M ay 4

, 2 01 8

. Th et ri al co u rt is s u ed i t s o rd er t en d ay s aft er t h e h eari n g. OCGA § 9 -1 1 -2 3 (f) (1 ) s p eak s

i n t he m an d at o ry l an g u ag e: t h e t ri al co u rt “ s hal l ” ho l d a h eari n g

, w h i ch can n o t o ccu r

u n t i l at l eas t 9 0 d ay s aft er th e s ch ed u l i n g co nferen ce. See Ba yl i s v. Da r

ya n i

, 2 9 4 Ga.

Ap p

. 7 2 9

, 7 3 0 (1 ) (6 69 SE2 d 6 7 4 ) (2 0 0 8 ) (“ Th e gen eral ru l e i s t h at ‘ s h al l ’ i s

r e co g ni zed as a co m

m an d, an d i s m an d at o ry .”) (ci t at i o n s om i t t ed ). H ere, t h e t r i a l

co u rt hel d a h eari n g b efo re an y s ch ed u l in g co n feren ce. Un d er th e p l ai n l an gu ag e o f

t h e s t at u t e, t h i s h eari n g co u l d n o t co n s t i t u t e th e h eari n g o n cl as s cert i fi cat i o n t h at

m u st occu r b efo re t h e t ri al co u rt m a y cert ify t h e cl as s

. Th e t ri al co u rt i s req u i red to

h o l d a st at us co n feren ce an d s et d i s co v ery

, an d a h e a r i n g o n t h e cert i fi cat i o n i s s u e

can n ot occu r u n t i l at l eas t 9 0 d ay s aft er t h e t ri al co u rt has d o ne so

. OCGA § 9 -1 1 -2 3

(f) (1 ). I t i s u n d i s pu t ed t h at n on e of t h at o ccu rred i n t h i s cas e. T h u s

, t h e t ri al co u rt

wi l l n eed t o h o l d an o t h er h eari ng aft er t h e 9 0 d ay d i s co v ery p eri o d t o ad d res s cl as s

cert ifi cat i o n

. Pres um ab l y

, at t h at t i m e, th ere wi l l b e an o rd er t h at ei t h er cert i fi es t h e

cl as s o r refu s es t o cert ify t h e cl as s

.

Th e fact t h at t h e s t at u t e co n t em p l at es co nd i t i o nal cert i fi cat i o n d o es n o t co n fer

ju ri s d i ct i o n o v er ev ery

co n d i t io n al o rd er. See OCGA § 9 -1 1 -2 3 (c) (1 ). Th ere i s n o

d i s p u t e t h at cl as s cert i fi cat i o n s are i n h eren t l y co n d i ti o n al

. J. M. I. C. Li f e In s

. Co

. v.

To o l e

, 2 8 0 Ga. Ap p

. 3 7 2

, 37 8 (2 ) (c) (6 3 4 SE2 d 1 23 ) (2 0 06 ) (“ It b ears em ph as i s t h at

cert ifi cat i o n o rd ers are ‘ i n h eren t l y t en t at i v e,’ an d t h e t ri al co urt ret ai ns j u ri s d i ct i o n

t o m o d ify o r ev en v a c a t e t h em as m ay b e w arran t ed b y s u b s eq u en t ev en t s i n t h e

l i ti g at i o n .”). Nev ert h el es s

, a p l ai n t i ff b ri ng i n g a cl as s act i o n su i t m u s t m ak e a

t h res ho l d s h o wi n g o f, am o ng o t h er el em en t s

, n um ero s i t y

. See OCGA § 9 -1 1 -2 3 (a);

Br en n t ag Mi d

S ou t h

, In c. v. S

ma r t , 3 0 8 Ga. Ap p . 8 9 9 , 9 0 1 -9 02 (2 ) (7 1 0 SE2 d 5 6 9 )

(2 0 1 1) (“ To o b t ai n cl as s act io n cert i fi cat io n

, t h e cl as s rep res en t at i ves m u s t sat i s fy al l

fo u r p rereq u i s i t es o f O C G A § 9 -1 1 -2 3 (a), an d at l eas t on e o f t h e req u i rem en t s s et

fo rt h i n OCGA § 9 -1 1 -2 3 ( b )

. ” (ci t at i o n an d p un ct u at io n o m i t t ed )). “ Nu m ero s i t y i s

t h e th res h o l d fact o r, t h e s i n e q u a n o n fo r cl as s act i o ns .” Amer i ca n Deb t Fo un d a t i o n

v. Ho dz i c

, 3 1 2 G a. Ap p

. 80 6

, 8 09 (1 ) (7 2 0 SE2 d 2 8 3 ) (2 01 1 ). T o s at i s fy t he t h res h o ld

req u i rem en t s

, p l ai n ti ffs m u s t d o m o re t h an s i m

p l y al l eg e t h at t h ey were s at i s f i ed

.W

a l –Ma r t St o r es v. Du kes

, 5 6 4 U. S. 3 3 8

, 3 49 (II) (A) (1 3 1 SCt 2 5 4 1

, 1 8 0 L E2 d 3 7 4 )

(2 0 1 1) ; G e o r

g i a -Pa ci f i c Co n s u mer Pr o d

uct s v. Ra tn er

, 2 95 Ga. 5 2 4

, 5 26 (1 ) (7 6 2

SE2 d 4 1 9 ) (2 0 14 ). In s t ead

, t he p l ai nt i ff m u s t p ro ffer ev i den ce t o es t ab l i s h t h at t h ey

h av e m et t h e t h res ho l d req u irem en t s

. See Du kes

, s u p ra, 5 6 4 U. S

. at 3 4 9 (II) (A);

Ra t n er

, s u p ra, 2 95 Ga. at 5 2 6 (1 ). In deed

, as p art of i t s o rd er, t h e t ri al co u rt req u i red

Al l en to p res en t evi d

en ce reg ard i n g t h e n u m

b e r o f cl as s m em

bers s o as t o s at i s fy

n u m ero s i t y

.

Here, Al l en p res en t ed n o ev i d en ce an d p u t fo rt h n o t h in g o t her t h an h i s o w n

al l eg at i o n s i n hi s co m

p l ai n t t o es t ab l i s h t h e nu m ero s i ty t hres h o ld

. In th e ab s en ce o f

s u ch a s h o wi n g th ere s i m

p l y i s n o t an o rd er t h at cert i fi es a cl as s

. See Per ez v. At l a n ta

C h eck Ca s h er

s

, 3 0 2 Ga. A p p. 8 6 4

, 8 6 7-8 6 8 (6 9 2 SE2 d 6 7 0) (2 0 1 0) (b efo re a t r i a l

co u rt can cert i fy th e cl as s

, t h e p l ai nt i ff mu s t s h o w t h at s he s at i s fi ed t h e t h res h o ld

f a ct o rs ). See al s o Fu l l er v. Hea r t wo o d 1 1

, 3 0 1 Ga. A pp

. 3 0 9

, 31 4 (6 8 7 S E2 d 2 8 7 )

(2 0 0 9) (“ Leg i t i m at e reas o n s fo r d el ay [i n cert i fy i n g a cl as s ] i n cl u d e

. . . co n d u ct i n g

d i s co v ery o n t he cert i fi cat i o n i s s u e s o t h at t h e co u rt wi ll h av e s u ffi ci en t i n fo rm at i o n

wh en d eci d i n g wh et h er t o cert ify t h e cl as s .”) (fo o t n o t es o m i t t ed ). M o reo ver, we n o t e

t h at

, al t h o u g h th e t ri al co u rt m ad e fi n d i ng s as t o t h e o t h er cri teri a u n d er OCGA § 9

-

1 1 -2 3 (a), i t ad d res s ed o nl y p red o m i nan ce u n d er OCGA § 9-1 1 -2 3 (b ) (3 ) an d d i d n ot

m en t i o n s u p eri o ri t y

. Th erefo re, we co n cl ud e th at t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s p ro v is i on al o rd er

i s n o t an o rd er cert i fy i n g a cl as s , an d we l ack ju ri s d i ct i on o v er t h e ap p eal

.

“ It i s an el em en tary ru l e o f s t at u t o ry co n s t r u c t i on t h at s t at u t es rel at i n g t o t h e

s am e s u b j e c t m at t er are ‘ i n p ari m at eri a’ an d m u s t b e co n s tru ed t o get h er an d

h arm o ni zed wh en ev er po s s i b l e.” (Ci t at io n s om i t t ed .) La n d US A, LLC v. Ga

. Po wer

Co

. , 2 9 7 Ga. 23 7

, 2 41 (1 ) (7 7 3 SE2 d 2 3 6 ) (2 0 1 5 ). “ An d ap p el l a t e c o u r t s m u s t

co n st ru e s t at u t es to g i v e s en s i b l e an d i nt el li g en t effect t o al l o f t h ei r p ro vi s i o n s an d

t o refrai n fro m an y i nt erp ret at i o n wh i ch ren d ers an y p art o f t h e st at ut es m ean i n g l es s .”

( C ita tions a nd punc tua tion o m i t t ed .) Gr ah a m v. McKes s o n In f o r m ation Solutions

, 279

Ga. A p p

. 3 6 4

, 3 6 6 (6 3 1 SE2 d 4 2 4 ) (2 0 0 6 ). Co n s i d eri n g t h e st at u t o ry p ro v i s i on st o g et h er, t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s ord er, an d t h e t h res h o l d n at u re of es t ab l is h i n g n um ero s i t y

,

we co n cl u d e th at t h e t ri al co urt ’ s o rd er d i d n o t cert i fy a cl as s s u ch t hat we wo u l d h av e

ju ri s d i ct i o n o v er t h e ap p eal at t h i s t i m e. J u ri sd i ct i o n at th i s p o i n t rem ai n s wi t h t h e

t ri al co u rt . Acco rd i n g ly , we d i s m i s s t hi s ap p eal fo r l ack o f ju ri s d i ct i o n.

C o u r t o f A p p e a l s o f t h e S t a t e o

f G e o r g ia

C le r k ’ s O f f i c e

, A t la n t a

,

_

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ I c e r ti fy t h a t t h e a b o v e is a t r u e e x t r a c t f r o m

t h e m i n u t e s o

f t h e C o u r t o

f A p p e a l s o f G e o r g i a

. W i tn e s s m y s i g n a t u r e a n d th e s e a l o

f s a i d c o u r t

h e r e t o a f f i x e d t h e d a y a n d y e a r l a s t a b o v e w r i t t e n

.

, C l e r k

. 01/24/2019