FI FTH DI VI SI ON

M CFA DDEN, P. J.

, RA Y and RI CKM A 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.

http://w w w .ga a ppe a l s .us /r ule s

October 23, 2018



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 8 A1 22 7

. M ANNERS v

. 5 STAR LODGE AND STABLES, LLC

et al

.

M C F A D D E N , Pres id i n g J u d g e.

Cai t l i n M an n ers fi led t h i s l aws ui t t o reco v er d am ag es fo r th e i n ju ri es s h e

s u s t ai n ed wh en s h e was acci d en t al l y s h o t b y J oey Si ss o n at 5 St ar Lo d g e an d St ab l es

,

LLC. Sh e as s ert ed cl ai m s of prem i s es l i ab i l i t y un d er O CGA § 5 1 -3 -1 an d res p o n d eat

s u p eri o r u n d er OCGA § 5 1 -2 -2 ag ai n s t 5 St ar an d i t s o wn er, W il l i am Ken n et h Bu t l er,

J r.; an d s h e as sert ed a cl ai m o f n eg l i g en ce u n d er OCGA § 5 1 -1 -2 ag ai n s t Si s s o n

.

M an n ers ap p eal s t h e g ran t o f s u m m ary ju d g m en t t o 5 St ar an d own er Bu t l er.

Sh e arg u es t h at t he s h oo t i n g o ccu rred in t h e co u rs e an d s co p e of Si s s o n ’ s

e m p l o y m e n t

, s o 5 St ar an d Bu t l er are l i ab l e fo r th e s ho o t i n g

. Sh e al s o arg u es t h a t

wh et h er s h e was on th e p re m i s e s a s an i nv i t ee o r as a l i cen see i s a ju ry q u es t i o n,p recl u d i n g s u m m ary ju d g m en t

. Bu t i t i s u n di s p u t ed t h at at t h e t i m e o f t h e i nju ry

, t h e

cru ci al p o i n t fo r pu rp o ses o f M an n ers ’ l aws u i t, Si s s o n was n o t act i n g i n t he co u rs e

o f an y em p l o y m en t an d M an n ers was a l i cen s ee. So we affi rm

.

1

. Fa ct u a l

b a ckg r o u nd

.

“ To p rev ai l at s u m

m ary ju d g m en t u n d er OCGA § 9

- 1 1 -5 6

, t h e m o v in g p art y

m u st d em o n st rat e t h at t h ere i s n o g en u i n e i s s u e o f m at e r i a l fact an d t h at t h e

u n d i s p u t ed fact s

, vi ewed i n t h e l i g ht m o s t fav o rab l e t o t h e no n m o v i n g p art y

, warran t

ju d g m e n t a s a m at ter o f l aw. OCGA § 9 -1 1 -5 6 (c).” New Ma d i s on S o ut h Li mi t ed

Pa r tn er sh i p v. Ga r d n er

, 2 3 1 G a. Ap p

. 7 3 0

, 7 3 1 -7 3 2 (4 9 9 SE2 d 1 3 3) (1 9 98 ) (ci t at i o n

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

So v iewed

, t he reco rd s h o ws t hat 5 St ar i s a l od g e an d h o rs e-b o ard in g faci l i t y

t h at h os t s wed di n g s

, co rp o rat e r e t r e at s

, an d fam i l y reu n i o n s

. Aft er h e pu rch as ed 5

S t a r

, B u t l e r h i red Ro x an n e Yo u n g t o m an ag e t h e l o d g e an d s t ab l es

, t o m an ag e t h e

b o ard i n g o f h o rs es

, an d t o s t art l ead i ng t rai l ri d es

. Yo un g an d Si s s o n

, h er b o y fri en d,

l i ved i n an ap art m en t o n t h e p ro p ert y

. M an n ers an d h er b o y fri en d

, K eri W i l s o n

, were

fri en ds wi t h Yo u n g an d Si s s o n

, w h o m t h ey h ad m et at a w ed d i n g y ears b efo re t h e

s h o o ti n g

.

2On t he ev en i ng o f t h e sh o o t i n g

, a Fri d ay

, M an n ers an d W i l s o n wen t t o 5 St ar

t o vi s i t Yo u n g an d Si s s o n

. M an n ers an d W i l s o n fo u nd Y o u n g an d Si s s o n i n t h e b arn

.

M an n ers an d Yo u ng b eg an lo o k i n g at real es t at e l i s t i n g s o n t h e co m p u t er, wh i l e

Si s s o n s h o wed W i l s on a m o d i fi cat i o n he h ad m ad e t o hi s p i s t o l

. W i th i n m i n u t es

,

Si s s o n acci d en t al l y s h o t M an n ers

. At t h e t i m e o f th e s h oo t in g

, Si s s o n was n o t d o i n g

an y t h i n g rel at ed t o wo rk at 5 St ar. No r were Man n ers o r Wi ls o n do i ng an y t h i n g

rel at ed t o wo rk

at 5 St ar wh en M an n ers was s h ot ; t h ey were t h ere fo r a s o ci al v i s i t

.

Do ro t h y Hu n t

, a fri en d o f Y o u n g ’ s, was al s o i n t h e barn at t h e t i m e o f t h e

s h o o t i n g

. Sh e was at 5 St ar t o t ak e care o f t h e h ors es du ri n g t h e week en d b e c a u s e

Y o u n g wo ul d b e b u s y wi t h wed d i n g s o n Sat u rd ay an d Su n day

. Hu n t t es t i fi ed t h a t

Yo u n g h a d t o l d h e r t h at M an n ers an d W i l s o n were g oi n g t o h el p p ark cars fo r t h e

wed d i n g s as t h ey h ad d o n e befo re, al t h o u g h Hu n t d i d n o t s p eak wi t h M an n ers o r

Wi l s o n ab ou t t h at p ro s p ect iv e as si g nm en t

. Th ere i s n o ev i d en ce t h at

, at th e t i m e o f

t h e s h o ot i n g

, Man n ers was e n g a g e d i n an y b u s i n es s at 5 St ar, an d s h e t es t i fi ed t h at

s h e had n o p l an s t o ret u rn t o th e p ro p ert y l at er t h at w eek en d t o wo rk or fo r an y o t h er

reas on

.

2

. Res p o n d ea t s u p er io r

.

3M an n ers arg u es t h at th e t ri al co u rt erred i n g ran t i n g s um m ary ju d g m en t o n h er

res p o n d eat s u p eri o r cl ai m b ecau s e a j u ry co u l d fi n d t h at Si s s o n was 5 St ar’ s em p l o y ee

an d t h at th e s h o ot in g o ccu rred wh i l e h e was en gag ed i n 5 St ar’ s b u s i n es s

. As s u m i n g

fo r p u rp o s es o f t h is ap p eal o nl y t h at Si s s o n was 5 St ar’ s em p l o yee, t h ere i s n o

ev i d en ce t h at t h e s h o ot i n g o ccu rred wh i l e Si s s on was en g ag ed i n 5 St ar’ s b u s i n es s

.

So t h e t ri al co u rt d i d n o t err b y g ran t i n g 5 St ar an d Bu t l er’ s m o t i o n f o r s u m m ary

ju d g m en t o n t h i s cl ai m

.

“ Ev ery p ers o n s h al l b e l i ab l e fo r t o rt s co m m i t t ed by h i s w i fe, h i s ch il d

, o r h i s

s erv an t b y h i s co m

m an d o r i n th e p ro s ecu t i o n an d wi t h i n t h e s co p e o f h i s b u s i n es s

,

wh et h er t h e s am e are co m m it ted b y n eg l i g en ce o r v o l u n t ari l y .” OCGA § 5 1 -2 -2

.

“ W h en a s erv an t cau s es an i n ju ry t o a n o t h e r, th e t es t t o d et erm i ne if t he m as t er i s

l i ab l e i s w h et h er or n o t t he s erv an t was a t t h e t i me o f t he in j u r y act i n g wi t h i n t h e

s co p e o f h i s em

p l o y m en t an d o n t h e b u s i n es s o f t h e m as ter.” Hi cks v. Hea rd

, 2 8 6 Ga.

8 6 4 , 8 6 5 (6 9 2 SE2 d 36 0 ) (2 0 1 0 ) (ci tat i o n o m i t t ed ; em p h as i s ad d ed ).

M an n ers arg u es t h at Do ro t h y Hu n t’ s t es t i m o n y t h at M an n ers an d W i l s o n

, h er

b o y fri en d

, were at t h e prem i s es t o h el p wi t h t h e wed d i n gs

— ev en t ho u gh Man n ers

an d W i ls o n d i d n o t k no w t hat

— i s ev i den ce th at “ t h e gat h eri ng [i n th e b arn ] b efo re

t h e s h o o ti n g was at l eas t i n p art a 5 St ar b us i n es s m eet in g wh ere Yo un g an d Si s so n

4were g o i n g t o t al k ab o u t h o w [ M a n n ers ] an d [W i l s o n] were go i ng to h el p wi t h t h e

t wo wed d i n g s at t h e p rem i s es ,” b u t t h at M an n ers was s h o t b efo re t h ey were ab l e to

b eg in t h at d i s cu ss io n

. So

, M an n ers arg u es

, a ju ry co u l d f i n d t h at t h e sh o o t i n g

o ccu rred wh i l e Si ss o n was en g ag ed i n h i s em p l o y er’ s b u s i n es s

.

Th e ev i d en ce i s u nd i s p u t ed

, h owev er, t h at wh at ev er t h e p l an s m ay h av e b een

fo r l at er t h at w eek en d, t h ey were n o t di s cu ss i n g wo rk a t t h e t i me o f t h e s h o o t i n g

. So

t h ere i s n o ev i d en ce t h at Si s s o n was en g ag ed i n 5 St ar ’s b u s i n es s at t h e t i m e h e

acci den t al l y s h ot M an ners

. Th 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 o n t h e

res p o n d eat s u p eri o r cl ai m

.

3

. Pr emi s es l i a b i l it

y

.

M an n ers arg u es t h at t h e t ri al co u rt erred i n g ran t i n g s um m ary ju d g m en t o n h er

p rem i s es l iab il i ty cl a i m b e cau s e s o m e ev i d en ce wo u l d al lo w a ju ry t o fi n d t h at

M an n ers was o n t h e p rem i s es to w o rk an d wa s t h e r e f o re an i n vi t ee, an d t h at 5 St ar

an d Bu t l er b reach ed t he d u t y t o ex erc i s e o rd in ary care t o keep M an n ers s afe. W e

d i s ag ree.

“ Th e el em en t s o f l eg al l i ab i l i t y o f t h e o wn er o f pr e m ise s fo r i n ju ri es occas i o n ed

t o p ers o n s t h ereo n v ary acco rd i n g t o wh et h er t he p ers on i n ju red w as

, a t t h e t i me of

t h e i n j ur y

, a t res p as s er, a l i cen s ee, an i n v i t ee ex p res s or i m p li ed

, o r a p ers o n s t an d i n g

5i n s o m e s p eci al rel at io n reco g n i zed b y l aw.” Co o k v. S o u t her n R. Co

., 5 3 G a

. A p p.

7 2 3

, 7 24 -2 5 (1 ) (1 8 7 SE 2 7 4 ) (1 9 3 6) (em p h as is ad d ed ). A l an d o wn er owes t h e d u t y

o f o r d in ary care t o an in v i t ee. OCGA § 5 1 -3 -1 ; Ja r r el l v. JDC & As s o c., LLC

, 2 9 6

G a

. A p p

. 5 2 3

, 52 5 (6 7 5 SE2 d 2 7 8 ) (2 00 9 ). A l an d o w n er o w es a l es s er d u t y

— t o

av o id cau s in g wi l l fu l o r w an t o n i n ju ry

— t o a l icen s ee. OCGA § 51 -3 -2 (b ); Ja r r el l

,

2 9 6 Ga. Ap p

. at 5 2 5

. “ To d et erm i n e wh et h er a p ers on i s an i n v it ee o r a m ere l i cen s ee,

t h e nat u re of h i s rel at i o n o r co n t act wi t h t h e o wn er o r occu p i er o f t h e prem i s es m u s t

b e d et erm i n ed

. . . a t th e t i me o f t h e in j u ry

. . . .” Ar ms t r o n g v. Su n d a nce

En t er t a i n men t

, 17 9 Ga. Ap p

. 6 3 5 (3 4 7 SE2 d 29 2 ) (1 9 8 6 ) (ci t at i o n an d pu n ct u at i o n

o m it t ed ; em

p h as i s i n o ri g in al ).

As d et ai l ed ab o v e, wh at ev er t h e p lan s m ay h av e b een fo r l at er t h at week en d,

i t i s un d is p u t ed t h at at t h e ti m e o f t h e i n ju ry

, wh en Si s s o n acci d en t al l y sh o t M an n ers

,

M an n ers was en g ag i n g in a s o ci al v i s i t

. Un d er Geo rg ia l aw, so ci al g u es t s are

l i cen sees

, n o t i n v i tees

. Th o mp s o n v. Ou r s l er

, 3 1 8 Ga. Ap p. 3 7 7

, 3 78 (7 33 SE2 d 3 5 9 )

(2 0 1 2). So at th e t im e o f t h e i nju ry

, 5 St ar an d Bu t l er o n l y o wed M an ners t h e d u t y n ot

t o i nju re h er wan t o n l y o r wi l l fu l l y

.

W an t o n co n d u ct i s co n d u ct t h at “ i s s o reck l es s o r so ch arg ed wi t h i n d i fferen ce

t o t h e co n s eq u en ces as t o b e t he eq u i v al en t i n s p i ri t t o a c t u a l i n t en t t o do h arm o r

6i n fl i ct i n

ju ry

. M o reo ver, an o wn er h as n o d ut y t o a l i cen s ee t o k eep th e p rem i s es u p

t o an y st an d ard of safet y

, ex cep t t h a t t h e y m u s t n o t co nt ai n p i tfal l s

, m an t rap s

, an d

t h i n g s o f t h at t y

p e.” Tr u l ove v. Jo n es

, 2 7 1 Ga. Ap p

. 6 8 1, 6 8 1 -6 8 2 (1 ) (6 1 0 SE2 d 6 4 9 )

(2 0 0 5) (ci t at i o n s an d p u nct u at i o n o m i t t ed ).

[I] t i s al s o u su al l y wi l fu l o r wan t o n n o t t o e x erci se o rd i n ary care t o

p rev en t i n ju ri n g a p ers on wh o i s act u al l y k n o w n t o b e o r m ay reas o n ab l y

b e ex p ect ed t o b e, wi t h i n ran g e o f a d an gero u s act b ei n g d o n e o r a

h i d d en p eri l on o n e’ s p rem is es

. In o t h er w o r d s

, a p o s s es s o r o f l an d i s

s u b ject to l i ab i l i ty fo r ph y s i cal h arm cau s ed t o li cen s ees b y a co n d i t i o n

o n t h e l an d i f, b u t o n l y i f, (a) t h e p o s s es so r k no ws o r h as reas o n t o kn o w

o f t h e co n d it i o n an d s h ou l d real i ze th at it i nv o lv es an u n reas o n ab l e ri s k

o f h arm t o s u ch li cen s ees

, an d s h o ul d ex p ect t h at t h ey wi l l n o t d i s co v er

o r real i ze th e dan g er, an d (b ) h e fai l s t o ex erci s e reas o n ab l e care t o m ak e

t h e co n d i t i o n safe, o r t o warn th e l i cen sees o f t he co n d i t i o n an d th e ri s k

i n v o l v ed , an d (c) t h e l i cen s ees d o n ot k n ow o r h av e reas o n t o k n ow o f

t h e co nd i t i o n an d t h e ri s k i n vo l v ed

.

Th o mp so n v. Ou r

s l er

, 31 8 Ga. Ap p. 3 7 7

, 37 8 (7 3 3 SE2 d 3 5 9 ) (2 0 1 2 ) (ci t at i o n s an d

p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed ). “ W h ere a l i cen s ee h as eq u a l k n o w l e d g e of t h e d an g ero u s

co n di t i o n o r t h e ri s ks in vo l v ed

, t h ere i s n o w i l fu l o r wan t o n act i o n o n th e p art o f t h e

o wn er an d t h ere i s n o l i a b i l it y t o t h e l i cen s ee.” Tr ul o ve

, 2 7 1 Ga. A p p

. at 6 8 2 (1 )

(ci t at i o n an d p u nct u at io n o m i t ted ; em ph as i s i n o ri g i n al ).

7It i s un d i s p u ted t h at t he s h o o ti n g w as an acci d en t

. To t h e ex t en t t h at Man n ers

arg u es o n ap p eal t h at 5 St ar an d Bu t l er th ro u gh Yo u n g u n ju s t i fi ab l y p l aced Man n ers

at ri s k g i v en Yo u ng ’ s kn o wl ed g e t h at Si s s o n h ad b een d ri n k i n g an d was h an d l i n g a

g u n

, i t is al s o u n d is p ut ed th at M an n ers k n ew t h es e fact s

. (Sh e p o i n ts t o n o ev i d en ce

t h at Si s s o n was i nt o x i cat ed o r t h at an y in t o x i cat io n h ad an y t h in g t o d o w i t h t h e

acci den t .) M an n ers “ ad m i t t ed t hat [Si s s o n ] d i d n ot i n t en ti on al l y h urt h er an d t h at h er

i n ju ry was t h e res u l t o f an acci d en t

. An d th e u n d i sp u ted ev i d en ce s h o ws t h at [s h e]

was awar e [ o f t h e fact s t h at s h e n o w co n t en d s un reas o n ab l y p l aced h er at ri s k ] .”

Tr u lo ve

, 2 7 1 G a

. A p p

. at 6 82 (1 ). Acco rd i n g l y

, t h e tri al co urt pro p erl y g ran t ed

s u m m ary ju d g m en t o n t h e p rem i s es l i ab i l i t y cl ai m

.

Ju d g men t a f f i r m ed . Ra y a n d Ri ckma n , JJ., co ncu r

.

8