FOURTH D I VI SI ON DOYLE, P. J.

, M I LLER and DI LLA RD, 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 ls .us /r ule s /

M ar ch 2, 2015



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 4 A2 28 2

. TRIPLE T -BAR, LLC d / b / a FINAL M A RKDOW N et al . v . DDR SOUTHEAST SPRINGFIELD, LLC.

M I LLE R , J u d ge.

DDR So u t h eas t Sp ri ng fi el d

, LLC (“ DDR”), as s ucces s o r i n i n t eres t

, fi l ed s u i t

t o reco v er t h e ou t s t an d i ng b al an ce o n an leas e ag reem en t ex ecu ted b y T ri p le T-Bar,

LLC, an d g u aran t eed b y To dd an d Barb ara Bl ack wel l

. Aft er t he tri al co u rt en t ered a

co n sen t ju d g m en t ag ai ns t Tri p l e T-Bar, DDR m o v ed fo r s u m m ary ju dg m en t o n t h e

g ro u nd t h at t h e Bl ack wel l s w ere p ers o n al ly li ab l e u n d er t he g u aran t y

. Th e t ri al co u rt

g ran t ed DDR’ s m o t i on , an d t h e Bl ack wel l s ap p eal

, co n t en d i n g t h at t h e t ri al co u rt

erred i n g ran t in g DDR’ s m o t i o n fo r s u m m ary ju d g m en t becau s e DDR fai l ed to

es t ab l i s h t h at t h e l eas e ag reem en t an d g u aran t y were ad m i ss i bl e b u s i n es s reco rd s an dt h ere were q u es t i o n s o f fact as t o wh et h er th e g u aran ty was en fo rceab le

. 1 Fo r t h e

reas on s s et fo rt h b el o w, we affi rm

.

“ Su m m ary j u d gm en t i s p ro p er wh en t h ere i s n o g en u i ne i s s u 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 t er of l aw. W e rev iew t h e g ran t o f

s u m m ary ju d g m e nt d e n o v o , co n s t ru i n g t h e ev i den ce i n fav o r o f t h e n o n m o v an t .”

(Ci t at i o n o m i t t ed .) A n g e l B u s i n es s Ca t a l ys t s
, LLC v. Ba n k o

f t h e Oz a r

ks

, 3 1 6 Ga.

Ap p . 2 5 3 , 2 5 4 (7 2 8 SE2 d 8 5 4 ) (2 0 1 2 ).

So v i ewed

, t h e ev i den ce s h o ws t h at i n No v em b er 2 0 0 6

, Tri p l e T-Bar en t ered

i n t o an ag r e e m e n t wi t h In l an d So u t h eas t Sp ri n g fi el d

, LLC (“ In l an d”), t o l eas e a

co m m erci al p ro p ert y i n Lawren cev i l l e un t i l Feb ru ary 2 0 1 2

. T he l eas e was si g n ed by

b o t h Bl ack wel l s as rep res en t at i v es o f T ri p l e T-Bar, t h e Bl ack w el l s were i d en t i fi ed in

t h e l eas e as t h e g u aran t o rs , an d t h e Bl ack wel l s ’ pers o n al g u aran t y w as at t ach ed t o t h e

l eas e an d i n co rp o rat ed t h erei n b y referen ce. Th e g u aran t y cro s s-referen ced t h e l eas e

ag reem en t

, ag ai n i d en t i fi ed t h e Bl ack wel l s as t h e g uaran t o rs , an d al s o i d en t i fi ed

In l an d as t h e lan d l o rd an d T ri p l e T-Bar as t h e ten an t

. In Feb ru ary 2 0 0 7

, DDR

acq u ired In l an d an d b ecam e t h e l an d l o rd o f t h e p ro p ert y

.

1 Th e ju d g m en t ag ai n s t Tri p l e T-Bar i s n o t ch al l en g ed

.

2In Ap ri l 2 0 07

, T ri pl e T-Bar’ s ren t p ay m en t ch eck w as ret u rn ed fo r in su ffi ci en t

fu n d s. Tri p l e T-Bar t h en fai l ed t o p ay ren t fo r t h e m o nt h s o f A p r i l 2 0 0 8 an d

Sep tem b er 2 0 0 8

, an d i t m ad e i t s l as t ren t p ay m en t i n Oct o b er 2 00 8

. In Feb ru ary 2 0 0 9,

Tri p l e T-Bar cl o s ed i t s b us i n es s o p erat i o n s an d v acat ed t h e p rem i s es wi t h o ut DDR’ s

co n sen t

, in v i o l at i o n of t h e leas e ag reem en t

. W h en Tri p l e T-Bar fai l ed to re-o p en fo r

b u s i n es s an d p ay pas t d u e ren t as DDR req ues t ed

, DDR fi l e d s u i t ag ai n s t t h e

Bl ack wel l s an d Tri p le T-Bar.

1

. T h e Bl ack wel ls co nt en d t hat t h e t ri 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 DDR b ecau s e DDR d i d n o t lay a fo un d at io n t o ad m i t t h e l eas e an d t h e

g u aran ty i n t o ev i d en ce. W e d i s cern n o erro r.

Un d er OCGA § 24 -8 -8 0 3, b u s in es s reco rd s m ay b e ad m i s s i b l e as an ex cep t i o n

t o t he h ears ay

ru l e. Th e s t at u t e p ro v i des t h at

a m em oran d u m , rep o rt

, reco rd

, o r d at a co m p i l at i on , i n an y fo rm , o f act s ,
ev en t s , co n d i t i o n s , o p i n i o n s , o r di ag n o s es , i f (A) m ad e at o r n ear th e
t i m e o f t h e d es cri b ed act s , ev en t s , co n d it i o n s , o p i n i o ns , o r d i ag no s es ; (B) m ad e b y , o r fro m i n fo rm at i o n t ran s m i t t ed b y , a p ers o n wi t h p ers o nal
k n o wl ed g e an d a b u s i n es s d u t y t o r e p o rt ; (C) kep t i n t h e co u rs e o f a
reg u larl y co n d u ct ed b u s in es s act i vi t y ; an d (D) i t was t h e reg u l ar p ract i ce

o f t h at b u s i n es s act i v it y t o m ak e t h e m em o ran d u m , rep o rt

, reco rd

, o r d at a co m pi lat i o n , al l as s h o wn b y t h e t es t i m o n y o f t h e cu st o d i an o r o t h er
q u al ifi ed wi tn es s [.]

OCGA § 2 4 -8 -8 0 3 (6 ).

3In s u p p o rt of i ts s um m ary ju d g m en t m o t io n fi l ed o n M ay 2 4, 2 01 3

, DDR

s u b m i t t ed t h e affi d av it o f i t s as s i s t an t g en eral co u n sel an d at t ach ed t o t h e affi d av i t t h e

l eas e ag reem en t an d th e g u aran t y

. In her affi d av i t

, t h e as s i s tan t g en eral co u n s el

o ffered n o t es t i m o n y es t ab l i sh i n g h er fam i li ari t y wi t h DDR’ s m et h o d o f k eep i n g

b u s i n es s reco rd s , h er p ers o n al k n o wl ed ge ab ou t an y o f t he t ran s act i o ns , o r t h at t h e

l eas e an d g u aran t y were m ad e i n t h e reg ul ar co u rs e o f b u s i n es s

. As a res u l t, DDR’ s

as s i s tan t g en eral co u ns el fai l ed t o l a y a p r o p er fo u n d at i o n in h er i ni t i al affi d av i t to

ad m i t t he leas e an d t h e g u aran t y as b us i n es s r e c o r d s

. See, e.g ., Na l l ey No r t h s i d e

Ch evr o l et v. Her r i n g , 2 1 5 Ga. Ap p

. 1 8 5

, 1 8 6 -1 8 7 (3 ) (4 5 0 SE2 d 4 52 ) (1 9 9 4 ) (reco rd s

at t ach ed to affi d av i t s h o u l d n o t h av e b een ad m i tt ed as b us i n es s reco rd s wh ere affi an t

o ffered n o t es t im o ny es t ab l is h i n g h i s k n o w l e d g e wi t h t h e b u s i n es s’ s m et h o d o f

k eep in g r e co rd s o r ab o u t t h e tran s act i on s , an d p ro v i d ed n o fact s s h owi n g t h at t h e

en t ri es were m ad e i n t he reg u l ar co u rs e o f b u s in es s ).

Nev ert h el es s , i n a rep l y bri ef i n s u p p o rt of i t s m o t io n fo r s u m m ary ju d g m en t

,

DDR at t ach ed a s eco n d affi dav i t fro m i ts as s i s t an t g en eral co un s el t h at cu red t h e

d efect s i n h er i n i t ial affi d av i t

. No t ab l y , i n h er s eco n d affi dav i t

, t h e as s i s t an t g en eral

co u ns el av erred t h at s he was fam i li ar wi t h DDR’ s reco rd k eep i n g , l eas e fi l es were

m ai n t ai n ed i n DDR’ s reg ul ar co u rs e o f b u s in es s , an d DD R a c qu i red t h e l eas e

4ag reem en t i n t h i s cas e aft er m erg i n g wi t h In l an d

. “ [E] m p l o y ees o f s u cces s o r en t i ti es

can au t hen ti cat e b u s i n es s reco rd s of t h e i r p red eces so r en t i t i es t h at p as s t o t h em by

v i rt u e o f m erg er.” (Ci tat i o n an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed .) W a r e v. M u l t i b a n k 2 0 0 9 -1

RES -ADC V en tu r e, LLC

, 3 2 7 Ga. A p p

. 2 45

, 2 4 9 (2 ) (7 5 8 SE2 d 1 4 5 ) (2 0 1 4 ); s ee al s o

An g el Bu s in es s Ca t a lys ts

, s u p ra, 3 1 6 Ga. Ap p

. at 25 5 -2 5 6 (1 ) (h o l d i n g t h at

, wh en

“ ro ut i n e, fact u al d o cu m en t s m ad e by o n e b u s i n es s are t ran s m it t ed an d del i v ered t o a

s eco n d b u s i n es s an d t h ere en tered i n t h e reg u l ar co u rs e o f b u s i n es s o f t h e recei v i n g

b u s i n es s , s u ch d ocu m en ts are ad m i s si b le” as b us i n es s reco rd s). Th i s s eco nd affi d av i t

was s u ffi ci en t t o l ay a fo u n d at i o n

. Th erefo re, th e l eas e ag reem en t an d at t ach ed

g u aran ty were p ro p erl y

ad m i t t ed as b u si n es s reco rd s.

Th e Bl ack wel l s arg u e t h at t h e t ri al co u rt s h o u l d n o t h av e co n si d ered t h e s eco n d

affi d av i t b ecau s e i t was n ot t i m el y fi l ed

.

OCGA § 9 -1 1 -5 6 (c), wh i ch req u i res t h a t a m o t i o n fo r s u m m ary ju d g m en t b e s erv ed at leas t 3 0 d ay s befo re t h e t i m e fi xed fo r a h eari n g ,
an d OCGA § 9 -1 1 -6 (d ), wh i ch req u ires t h at wh en a m o t io n i s s u p p o rt ed
b y affi d a v i t

, t h e affi dav i t s h al l be s erv ed wi t h t h e m o t i o n , h av e b een

co n s t r u e d t o g e t h er t o m ean th at an affi d av i t rel i ed o n i n s u p p o rt of a

m o t i o n fo r s u m

m ary ju d g m en t m

us t b e o n fi l e fo r at leas t 3 0 d ay s p ri o r
t o t h e h eari n g

.

(Ci t at i o n s an d fo o t n ot es o m i tt ed .) Co r d el l v. Ba n k o

f No r t h Ga

. , 2 9 5 Ga. Ap p . 4 0 2,

4 0 5 (1 ) (b ) (6 7 2 SE2 d 42 9 ) (2 0 0 8 ). In t h i s cas e, n ei t h er p art y req u es t ed a heari n g o n

5DDR’ s m o t ion f or su m m ary ju d g m en t an d n o h eari n g was hel d

. Co n s eq u en t l y , t h e 3 0

-

d ay s t at u to ry p eri o d fo r fi l i ng t h e affi dav i t d id n o t ap p l y . See S hr o ps h i r e v. Al o s t a r

Ba n k o f Co mmer ce , 3 14 Ga. Ap p . 3 1 0

, 3 1 3 (2 ) (a) (7 24 SE2 d 3 3 ) (2 0 1 2 ).

Nev ert h el es s , t h e r e q u i r e m en t u n d er OCGA § 9 -1 1-6 (d ) t hat an affi d av i t

s u p p ort i n g a m o ti on b e s erv ed co n t em p oran eo u s ly w i t h t h e m ot i o n “ i s t o en s u re t h at

t h e o t h er s id e h as ad eq u at e n o t i ce o f an d o pp o rt un i t y t o res p o n d t o s u ch ev i d en ce.”

(Ci t at i o n an d p u nct u at io n om i t t ed .) Al ca t r a z Med i a v. Y a h o o ! In c. , 2 9 0 Ga. Ap p

. 8 8 2,

8 8 4 -8 8 5 (1 ) (b ) (6 6 0 SE2 d 7 9 7 ) ( 2 0 0 8 ). Ho wev er, “ [t ] ri al co u rt s m ay co n s i d er

affi d av i ts wh i ch are n o t fi l ed o r s erv ed wi t h i n t h e t i m e l i m i t s co n t em p lat ed b y t h e

s t at u tes

, an d i t is n o t n eces s ary t o n o t e t h e e x e rci s e o f d i s cret i o n o n t h e reco rd .”

(Ci t a t i o n s an d fo ot n o t es o m i t t ed .) Kr o p p v. Ro b er t

s , 2 4 6 Ga. Ap p

. 49 7

, 4 9 9 (5 4 0

SE2 d 6 8 0) (2 0 0 0).

Here, DDR s u bm i t t ed i t s s eco n d affi d av i t o n J u l y 2 9

, 2 0 1 3

, an d t h e t ri al co u rt

en t ered i t s su m

m ary ju d g m en t ord er o n M arch 2 5

, 20 1 4. It is ap p aren t t h at i n g ran t i n g

s u m m ar y ju d g m en t t o DDR, t h e t ri al co urt co ns i d ered t h e s eco n d affi d av i t b ecau s e

i t s t at ed t h at i t h ad t h e b r i e f s o f t h e p art ies

, al l o t h er p lead i n g s i n t h e cas e, an d t h e

reco rd b efo re i t

. Si n ce DDR s u b m i t t ed t h e s eco n d affi d av it al m o s t e i g h t m o n t h s

b efo re t h e en t ry

o f t h e s u m

m ary ju d gm en t o rd er, t he Bl ack wel l s were n o t s u rp ri s ed

6b y i ts fi l i n g

. I n t h e ab sen ce o f ev i d en ce i n t h e reco rd t o t h e co n t rary , we m u s t

p res u m e t h e t ri al co u rt act ed co rrect l y

. See S h r o p s h i r e , s u p r a , 3 1 4 G a. Ap p

. at 3 1 4

(2 ) (a). Th erefo re, no erro r has b e e n s h o wn b y t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s co n s id erat i on o f t h e

s eco n d affi d av i t

.

2

. Th e Bl ack wel l s al s o co n t en d t h at t h e t ri al co u rt erred i n g ran t i n g s u m m ary

ju d g m en t t o DDR becau s e t h e g u aran ty i s i n co m p let e an d th e Bl ack wel l s d i d n ot

i n t en d t o b e p ers o nal l y

l i ab l e fo r t h e l eas e. Th e Bl ack wel l s ’ cl ai m h as n o m eri t

.

“ Un d er Geo rg i a’ s St at u t e o f Frau d s , a p ers o n al g u aran t y o f a d eb t i s n o t

en fo rceab l e u n les s i t i s in wri t i n g, i s s i g n ed b y t h e p art y b ei n g ch arg ed as t h e

g u aran to r, an d i d en t i fi es t h e d eb t

, t h e p ri n ci p a l d eb t o r, t he p ro m i s o r, an d t h e

p ro m i s ee.” (Ci t at i o ns om i tt ed .) La fa r ge B l d g

. Ma t er i a l

s
, In c. v. Th o mp s o n , 2 9 5 Ga.

6 3 7

, 6 3 9 (2 ) (7 6 3 SE2 d 4 4 4) (2 0 1 4 ); s ee al s o OCGA § 1 3 -5 -3 0 (2 ) (“ A p ro m i s e to

an s wer fo r t h e d eb t

, d efau l t

, o r m i s carri ag e o f an o t h er” i s n o t b in d i n g o n t h e p ro m i s o r

u n l es s i t i s i n wri t i n g an d s i g n ed b y t h e p ro m i s o r.).

Here, t he l eas e an d g uaran t y b o t h id en t i fy t he Bl ack wel l s as t he g u aran t o rs ; t h e

g u aran ty was i n co rp o rat ed i n t o t h e l eas e; an d t h e g u aran ty p ro vi d ed t h at i t s erv ed as

an i n du cem en t fo r In l an d t o en t er i n t o t h e l eas e, as In lan d w o u l d n o t h av e en t ered i n to

7t h e l eas e wi t h T ri p l e T-Bar h ad t h e Bl ack w el l s n o t ex ecu t ed th e gu aran t y

. Th e

g u aran ty al s o p ro v i d ed t h at t h e Bl ack wel ls

ab s o l u tel y , un co n di t i o n al l y , an d i rrev o cab l y g u aran tees to [In l an d]

. . . t h e fu l l an d p u n ct ual p erfo rm an ce an d ob s erv an ce b y [Tri p l e T-Bar] o f
al l t h e t erm s , co n d i t i o n s , co v en an t s , an d o b l i g at i on s t o b e p erfo rm ed an d

o b s erv ed b y [Tri p l e T-Bar] u n d er t h e Leas e

. . . in cl ud i n g , wi t h o u t l i m i t at i o n , t h e p ay m en t as an d wh en d u e, wh et h er b y accel e r a t i o n o r

o t h erwi se, o f al l M i n i m

u m Ren t an d Ad d i t i o nal Ren t (b o t h as d e f i n ed
i n t h e Leas e) an d an y o t h er s u m s p ay ab l e b y [Tri p l e T -Bar] un d er th e Leas e[.]

Th e g u aran t y fu rt h er p ro v i d ed t h at i t was a co nt i n u i ng o b l ig at i o n t h at c o u l d n o t b e

i m p ai red , d i m i n i s hed , o r t erm i n at ed fo r an y reas o n

.

Th e Bl ack wel l s ’ arg u m en t t hat t h e g u ara nty i s une nf or c e a ble b ecau s e i t was n ot

d at e d i s m eri t l es s b ecau s e t h e g u aran t y p ro v i d ed t hat i t was ex ecu t ed

co n tem p o ran eo u s ly wi t h t he l eas e, wh i ch was s i g n ed o n No vem b er 8

, 2 0 0 6

. Th e

Bl ack w e l l s fu rt h er arg ue t h at th e g u aran t y i s n o t en fo rceab le b ecau s e th ey d i d n ot

i n i t i al ev ery p ag e an d t h e d o cu m en t was n o t n o t ari zed

, b u t t h ey p o i n t t o n o au t h o ri t y

h o l d i n g t h at t h e s e o m i s s i o n s ren d er t h e g u aran ty u n en fo rceab l e. Th e Bl ack wel l s ’

s i gn at u res are p l ai n ly o n t h e g u aran t y an d t h e s i g n at u res are n o t al l eg ed t o b e fo rg ed

.

Th erefo re, t h e Bl ack w el ls are ch arg ed wi t h k n owl ed g e o f an d are b o u n d by t h e t erm s

8o f t h e g u aran t y

. See Meg el v. Do n al d s o n , 2 8 8 Ga. Ap p

. 5 1 0

, 5 1 6 (5 ) (6 54 SE2 d 6 5 6 )

(2 0 0 7).

Gi v en t h at t h e g u aran t y was i n wri ti n g , it i d en t i fi ed al l o f t he es s en t ial p art i es

an d o b l i g at i o n s , an d t h e Bl ack wel l s s i g n ed t h e g u aran ty

, t here i s n o q ues t i o n o f fact

t h at DDR, as t h e s u cces s o r i n i n t eres t to th e p ro m i s e e , w as en ti tl ed t o en fo rce t h e

g u aran ty an d h o l d t h e Bl ack wel l s pers on al l y l i ab le fo r Tr i p l e T

- B a r’ s d eb t

. See

C.L.D.F. In c. v. Ar a mo r e LLC

, 2 9 0 G a. Ap p

. 2 7 1

, 2 7 3 -2 7 4 (1 ) (6 59 SE2 d 6 9 5 ) (2 0 0 8 )

(co n cl u d i n g th at t h e g u aran t y co n t em p o ran eo u s l y ex ecu t ed an d in co rp o rat ed i n to

l eas e was en fo rceab le). Acco rd in g l y , t h e t ri al co u rt p ro p erl y g ran t ed s u m m ary

ju d g m en t t o DDR.

Ju d g men t a f f i r m ed . Do yl e, P. J., a n d

Di l la r d

, J., co n cu r

.

9