THI RD DI VI SI ON

ELLI NGTON, P. J.

, BETHEL and GOBEI L, JJ.

N O T IC E : M otions for r e c ons i de r a tion m us t be

p h 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

Septem ber 17, 2018



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 8 A0 9 0 8

. G E ORGE W ESTLEY W ENTZ et al

. v

. EM ORY

HEALTHCARE, INC. et al

.

B E T H E L , J u d g e.

I n t h i s m ed ical m al p ract i ce act i o n

, Geo rg e W es t l ey W en t z ap p eal s t h e

d i s m i s s al wi t h p reju d i ce o f h i s cl ai m s ag ai n s t E m o r y H eal t h care, In c. (Em o ry ) an d

t wo n urs es

, as wel l as th e d i s m i s s al of hi s ren ewal s u i t fo r t h e s am e cau s e o f act i o n.

W en t z arg u es t h at b ecau s e t h e t ri al co u rt di d no t ex erci s e i t s d is cret i o n t o d i s m i s s t h e

s u i t w i t h preju d i ce u n t i l aft er W en t z v o l u n t ari l y d i s m is s ed t he o ri g i nal act i o n

, t h e t ri al

co u rt erred i n co n cl ud i n g t h at h i s ren ewal act i o n was b arred b y r es j ud i ca ta

. Becau s e

W en t z d i s m i s s e d h i s o ri g in al act i o n wi t h o u t p reju d i ce p ri or t o t h e t ri al co u rt ru l i n g

o n Em ory ’ s m o t i o n t o d i s m i s s

, t h ereb y res ul t i n g i n n o fi n al ad j u d icat io n o n t h e m eri t so f t he o ri g i n al co m p l ai n t, we fi n d t hat W en t z’ s cl ai m s are no t b arred b y r es j u d i ca t a

.

Acco rd in g ly , we rev ers e.

“ In ru l in g o n a m o ti on t o d i s m i s s, t he t ri al co u rt m u s t a c c ep t as t ru e al l

wel l -p l ed m at eri al al l eg at i o ns i n t h e co m p l ai n t an d m

us t res o l v e an y d ou b t s i n fav o r

o f t h e p l ai n t iff. We r e v i e w th e t ri al co u rt ’ s ru l i ng d e n ov o

. ” Ro b er s o n v. No r t h r u

p

,

3 0 2 Ga. Ap p

. 4 05

, 40 5 (6 9 1 SE2 d 5 4 7 ) (2 0 1 0) (ci t at io n s o m i tt ed ). So v i ewed

, t h e

reco rd s ho ws t hat W en t z o ri g in al l y fi l ed t h i s m ed i cal m al p ract i ce act i o n on Feb ru ary

2 1

, 2 0 1 7

, al l eg i n g t h at t wo u n i d en t i fi ed n u rs es em p lo y ed b y E m o r y n eg l i g en t l y

rem o v ed h i s cat h et er, cau s i n g d am ag e t o h i s b l ad d er, u ret h ra, an d pro s t at e g l an d

. 1 As

req u i red b y OCGA § 9

- 1 1

- 9 .1

, W en t z fi l ed an ex p ert affi dav it wi t h h i s o ri g i n al

co m p l ai n t

. On M arch 2 8

, 2 0 17

, E m o r y f i l e d i t s an swer an d a m o t i o n t o di s m i s s fo r

fai l u r e t o s t a t e a cl ai m

, arg u i n g i n i t s m o t io n t h at W en t z’ s ex p ert affi d av i t was

i n s u ffi ci en t

. Sp eci fi cal l y

, E m o ry arg u ed th at t h e ex p ert affi dav i t fai led t o s et fo rt h t h e

affi an t ’ s ex p eri en ce, an d t h us fai l ed t o s at i s fy OCGA § 2 4 -7 -7 0 2

.

On M ay 2

, 2 0 1 7

, W en t z v o l u n t ari l y d i s m i s sed h i s cas e, t erm in at in g t h e act i o n

wi t h o u t p reju d i ce an d fi l i n g a fi n al d i s p os i t i o n o f t h e m at t e r

. T h e fo l l o w i n g d ay

,

Em o ry m o v ed t o s t ri k e W en t z’ s d i sm i s s al wi t h o u t p reju d i ce, arg u in g t h a t b ecau s e

1 Ci v i l Act i o n Fi l e No . 1 7 CV2 51 5 -6

2W en t z fai l ed t o am en d h i s ex pert affi d av i t wi th i n t h e st at u t o ri l y -p res cri b ed 3 0 d ay s

,

OCGA § 9 -1 1 -9 .1 (e) co m p el s h i s co m

p l ai n t t o b e d i s m i s s ed fo r fai l u re t o s t at e a

cl ai m , wh i ch i s a d i s m i s sal wi t h p reju d i ce.

W en t z refi l ed an d ren ewed h i s act i o n ag ai n s t Em o ry o n J u l y 1 3

, 2 0 17

, an d h e

a t t ach ed an ex p ert affi d av i t t o h i s co m p l ai n t

. 2 Th is affi d av i t

, h o wev er, co n t ai n e d

u p d at es t h at refl ect e d the e xpe r t’ s e x p eri en ce an d l i cen s i n g s tat u s

. In res po n s e, Em o ry

fi led a m o ti o n t o di s m i s s th e ren ewal co m p l ai n t fo r fai l u re t o s t at e a cl ai m

. In t h i s

m o ti o n

, h o wev er, E m o ry arg u ed t h a t W en t z’ s cl ai m w as b arred b y r es j u d i ca t a

.

Em o ry co n t e n d e d t h at b ecau se W en t z’ s o ri g i n al s u it co u l d o n l y b e d is m i ss ed wi th

p reju d i ce u n der OCGA § 9 -1 1 -9 .1 , h i s ren ewal s u i t was b arred

.

On Sep t em

b er 2 9

, 201 7

– al m o s t fi v e m o n t h s aft er W en t z’ s v o lu n t ary d i s m i s s al

– t h e t r i a l co u rt ad d res s ed t h es e m at t ers i n an ord er t h at b o t h co nv ert ed W en t z’ s

o ri g i nal di s m i s s al to o n e wi t h p reju d i ce an d d i s m i s s ed h i s r e n e wal act i on

. 3 In i t s

o rd er, th e t ri al co u rt co n cl u ded t h at W en t z “ h ad n o ab so l u te ri g h t t o v o l u n t ari l y

d i s m i s s [t h e] p ri o r s ui t wi t h o u t p reju d ice un d er O CGA 9 -1 1 -4 1 (a),” an d t h at “ by

2 Ci v i l Act i o n Fi l e No . 1 7 CV7 56 7 -6

3 Th e reco rd rev eal s th at t h e tri al co urt s et a h eari n g f o r E m o r y’ s m o t i o n to

s t ri k e W en t z’ s d i sm i s s al wi t h o u t preju d ice o n Ju l y 1 7

, 20 1 7

. Ho wev er, t h ere i s n o

t ran s cri p t o f a h eari n g i n t h e reco rd

.

3o p erat i o n o f l aw, t h e earl i er d i s m i s s al o f t h e act i o n was wi t h p reju di c e

, a n d t h e

ren ewal act i o n i s b arred b y t he d o ct ri n e o f r es j u di ca t a .” Th is ap p eal fo l l o wed

.

1

. W en t z fi rs t co n t en d s t h at t h e t ri al co u rt erred i n i t s o rd er d i s m i ss i n g h i s

o r i g i n al s u i t wi t h p reju d i ce fo r fai l u re t o am en d t h e ex p ert affi dav i t

. W en t z a r g u e s

t h at t h is d i s m i s s al wi t h ou t p reju d i ce w as a m at t er o f r i g h t

, a n d fu rt her, o nce

d i s m i s s ed , t h e t ri al co u rt h ad n o p o wer t o co n vert o r m o di fy i t. W e ag ree.

OCGA § 9 -1 1 -9 .1 (e) p ro v i d es :

If a p l ai n t i ff fi l es an affi d av i t wh i ch i s al l eg ed l y d efect i v e,

an d t h e defen d an t t o w h o m i t p ert ai n s al l eg es

, w i t h

s p eci fi ci t y

, b y m o t i o n t o d i s m i ss fi l ed o n o r b efo re th e

cl o se o f di s co v ery

, t h at s ai d affi d av i t i s d e f ect iv e, th e

p lai n t i ff’ s co m

p l ai n t s h al l b e s u b

ject t o d is m i ss al f

or f a ilur e

t o s t at e a cl ai m

, ex cep t th at t h e p l ai n t i ff m ay cu re th e

a l l eg ed d efect b y am en d m en t p u rs u an t t o Co d e Se c t i o n

9 -1 1-1 5 wi t h i n 3 0 d ay s o f s erv i ce of t h e m ot i o n al l eg i n g

t h at t h e affi d av i t is defect iv e

. Th e t ri al co u rt m ay

, i n th e

ex erci s e o f i t s d i s cret i o n

, ex t en d t h e t i m e fo r fi l i n g s ai d

am en d m en t o r res p o n s e t o t h e m ot i o n

, o r b o t h, as i t sh al l

d et erm i ne ju s t i ce req u i res

.

4Per t h e s t at u t e, W en t z h ad u nt i l Ap ri l 2 7

, 2 01 7

, t o am en d t h e al leg ed d efect in

t h e affi d av i t

, o r h i s co m

p l ai n t co u l d b e s u b

ject to d is m is s al fo r fai l u re t o s t at e a cl ai m

.

S ee Jo r d a n

, Jo n es & Go u l di n g v. Ba l f o u r Bea t t y Co ns t r

. In c.

, 2 4 6 Ga. Ap p

. 9 3

, 9 3 (1 )

(5 3 9 SE2 d 8 28 ) (2 0 0 0 ) (“ A d i s m i s s al fo r fai l u re to s t at e a cl ai m i s a di s m i s s al o n t h e

m eri t s an d i s wi t h p r e

j u d i ce.”). It i s u n di s p u t ed fro m t h e reco rd t h at W en t z d i d n ot

am en d th e affi d av i t wi t h i n 3 0 d ay s

, an d th u s

, h i s s u it was i n jeo p ard y o f a d i s m i s s al

o n t h e m eri t s

. It i s al so u n di s pu t ed fro m t h e reco rd t h at t h e t ri al co u rt t o o k n o act i o n

aft er t h e 3 0 d ay s ex p i red

. Th e t ri al co u r t n e i t h e r e x t en d ed th e t i m e fo r fi l i n g t h e

am en d m en t

, n o r d i d i t g ran t E m o ry ’ s m ot io n t o d i s m i s s fo r fai l ure t o s t a t e a cl ai m

.

Ho wev er, i n an t i ci pat i o n of an o rd er g ran ti ng E m o ry ’ s m o t i o n

, W en t z v o l u n t ari l y

d i s m i s s ed hi s cas e, an d as a m at t er of l aw, co n cl u d ed th e m at t er. S ee Mi t ch el l v.

W ya t t

, 1 92 G a. Ap p

. 1 2 7, 1 2 9 (3 8 4 SE2 d 2 2 7) (1 9 8 9 ) (s t at i ng th a t a v o l u n t a ry

d i s m i s s al u n der OCGA § 9 -1 1 -4 1 (a) t erm i nat es an act i o n ).

In t h e o rd er g i v i n g r i s e t o t h i s ap peal

, t h e tri al co u rt co n cl u d ed

, an d Em o ry

arg u es i n i t s b ri ef, t h at o n ce t h e 3 0 -d ay wi n do w h ad p as s ed fo r W en t z t o am en d h i s

ex p ert affi d av i t

, t h e d efect b ecam e i n cu rab l e, an d t h us

, t he s u i t co u l d n o t b e s av ed by

a di s m i s sal wi t h o u t p reju d i ce an d refi l i n g o f t h e act i o n

. Th i s co n cl us i o n i s n ot

s u p p ort ed b y OCGA § 9 -1 1 -9 .1 (e) o r Ch a t ha m Or t h o p a e d i c

, t h e cas e o n wh i ch

5Em o ry an d t h e t ri al co u rt h eav i l y rel y

. 2 6 2 Ga. A p p

. 3 53 (5 8 5 SE2 d 7 00 ) (2 0 0 3 )

o v erru l ed o n o th er g ro u n d s b y Ber r yh i l l v. Geo r

g i a Cmt y. S u p p o r t & S o ls

., In c.

, 2 8 1

Ga. 4 3 9 (6 3 8 SE2 d 2 7 8) (2 00 6 ).

Fi rs t

, OCGA § 9 -1 1 -9 .1 (e) i n d i c a t es th at i f a p lai n t i ff fi l es an al l eg ed l y

d e f e c t i ve affi d av it an d fai l s to am en d t h e al l eg ed d efect wi t h i n 3 0 day s

, t h en t h e

co m p l ai n t s h al l b e “s u b

j ect t o d is m i s s al fo r fai l u re t o s tat e a c l a i m .” OCGA § 9

-

1 1 .9 .1 (e) (em

p h as i s s u p p l i ed ). Bas ed o n o u r rev i ew of t h e p l ai n an d o rd i n ary

m ean i n g 4 o f th e tex t

, OCGA § 9-1 1 -9 .1 (e) u n d o u b ted l y pro v i d es th e t ri al co u rt wi th

d i s cret i o n to d is m i s s a p l ai n t i ff’ s co m p lai n t fo r fai l ure t o s t at e a cl ai m if h e fai l s to

am en d a d efect i v e affi d av i t wi t h i n 3 0 day s

. Th i s d i s cret i o n

, h o wev er, i s no t ab s o l u t e.

Th at i s , i t req u i res t h e t ri al co u rt t o t ak e act io n wh i l e t h e cas e i s s t il l p en d i n g

.

Here, al th o u g h W en t z fai l e d t o am en d h i s affi d av i t w it hi n th e s t at u t o ri l y

p res cri bed 3 0 d ay s

, h e v o lu nt ari l y di s m i ss ed h i s co m p l ai n t b efo re t h e t ri al co u rt

g ran t ed Em o ry ’ s m ot i o n t o d i s m i s s o r o th erwi se ru l ed i n t h e cas e, “ t h ereb y av o i d i n g

4 W h en ex am i n i n g t h i s s t at u t e, “ we m u s t affo rd t h e s t at u to ry t ex t i t s p l ai n an d

o rd i n ary m ean i n g, w e m

us t v i ew t h e s t at u t o ry t ex t in t h e co n t ex t i n wh ich i t ap p ears

,

an d we m

u s t read t h e s t at u t o ry t ex t i n i t s m o s t nat u ral an d reas o n ab l e way

, as an

o rd i n ary s p eak er o f t h e En g l i s h l an g u ag e wo ul d .” G eo r g ia Ca r r y.Or g

, In c., et a l

. v.

At l a n t a B o ta ni ca l Ga r den

, In c.

, 3 4 5 G a

. Ap p

. 1 6 0

, 1 6 1-6 2 (8 1 2 SE2 d 5 2 7) (2 0 1 8 )

(ci t at i o n s o m i t t ed ).

6a d eci s i o n o f t h e m eri t s o f [h i s ] co m p lai n t an d al s o

. . . p ro v i d in g fo r ren ewal u n d er

OCGA 9 -2 -6 1 (a).” Ro ber so n

, 3 0 2 Ga. Ap p

. at 4 0 7

. 5 Th erefo re, t h e tri al co u rt h ad n o

p o wer t o m o d i fy , ch an g e, o r co n v ert wh at was a cl o sed cas e.

M o reo v er, w e are u n p e rs u ad ed b y t h e arg u m en t t h at Ch a t ha m O r t h o p a ed i c

i n s t ru ct s t h i s Co u rt t o fi n d t hat i f a p l ai n t i ff fai l s t o am en d a d efect i v e affi d av i t wi t h in

t h e 3 0 d ay ti m e p eri od p res cri b ed i n OCGA § 9 -1 1 -9 .1 (e), t h en s u ch d efect s b eco m e

i n cu rab l e, an d t h e p l ai n ti ff can n o l o n g er v o lu nt ari l y d i sm i s s h i s cas e wi t h o ut

p reju d i ce. Ch a t ha m Or t h o p a ed i c is d i s t i ng u is h ab le f r o m t he cas e at b ar an d

u l t i m at el y

d em o n st rat es wh y t h i s en u m erat i o n m u s t fai l

.

In Ch a t h am Or t h o

p a ed i c

, t h e p l ai n t i ff su rg eo ns fai l ed t o fi l e a wri t t en

v eri fi cat i o n wi t h th ei r co m p l ai n t as req u i red b y OCGA § 9 -1 1 -1 1 .1

, G eo rg i a’ s An t i

St rat eg i c Laws u i t s Ag ai n s t Pu b l i c Part i ci p a t i o n (“ An ti -SLAPP”) s t at u t e. 2 6 2 Ga.

Ap p

. at 3 5 4

. Th e p l ai n ti ffs al s o fai l ed t o v eri fy t h ei r co m p l ai nt wi t h in t h e s t at u t o ri l y

p res cri bed t en d ay s aft er t h e o m i s s i o n was b ro ug h t t o th ei r at t en t i o n. I d

. a t 3 5 7 -5 8.

Un d er t h e v ers i o n o f OCGA § 9-1 1 -1 1 .1 t h at was effect i v e at th e t im e of th e l aws u i t

,

5 W h i le t h e pl ai n t i ff i n Ro b er s o n d i d n o t at t ach an ex p ert affi d av i t t o t h e

co m p l ai n t

, t h e reas o n i n g i s i n s t ru ct i v e, an d t h u s

, w e ap p ly it here n ot in g t h at t h e o n l y

rem ed y av ai l ab le t o a p l ai n t i ff o u t si d e o f am en d i n g t h e a f f i d av it i s t o v o l u n t ari l y

d i s m i s s t he act i o n p ri o r t o t he t ri al co u rt g ran t i n g a d efen d an t ’ s m o t i o n t o d i s m i s s

.

7i f t h e p l ai n t i ffs fai l ed t o v eri fy t h ei r cl ai m w i t hi n t ho s e t en d ay s

, t h en t he cl ai m was

t o b e s t ri ck en

. OCGA § 9-1 1 -1 1 .1 (b ) (2 0 0 0 ) (“ If th e cl ai m i s n o t v eri fi ed as req u i red

b y th i s s u b s ect i o n, i t s h a l l b e s t r i cken u nl e s s i t i s v eri fi ed wi t h i n t en d ay s aft er t h e

o m is s i o n i s cal l ed t o t he at t en t i o n o f t h e p art y as s ert i n g t h e cl ai m .” (em p h as i s

s u p p li ed ) )

. Co n seq uen t l y

, th e p l ai n t i ffs “ fai lu re t o fi l e t im el y v eri fi cat i o n s o f t h ei r

[co m p lai n t ] co n s t i t u t ed a n on am en d ab l e d efect req u i ri n g d i s m i s s al o f t h e co m p l ai nt

wi t h p reju d i ce.” Id

.

Un l i ke th e s t ri ct req u irem en t s o f OCGA § 9-1 1 -1 1.1

, t he o p erat i v e s t at u t e h ere

i s OCGA § 9 -1 1-9

. 1 (e), wh i ch do es n o t m an d at e d i s m i s s a l o f a co m pl ai n t wi th

d efect i ve, n o n -am en d ed ex p ert affi dav i t s

. Rat h er, t he r e le va nt sta tute m e rel y p ro v i d es

t h e t ri al co u rt wi t h d i s cret i o n t o d i s m i s s t h e co m p lai n t fo r fai l u re t o s t at e a cl ai m

s h o u ld a p l ai n t i ff fai l t o am en d t h e ex p ert affi d av i t wi t h i n t h e p ro s cri b ed ti m e. Th e

s t at u te d o es n o t b ar a pl ai n t i ff fro m v o l u n tari l y d i s m i s s i n g an d refi l i n g t h ei r

co m p l ai n t

. Th u s

, E m or

y ’ s rel ian ce o n Ch a th a m O r t h op a ed i c i s m i s p l aced

. Th erefo re,

t h i s en u m erat i o n fai l s

.

2

. Fi n al l y

, W en t z co n t en d s t hat t h e t ri al co urt erred i n d is m i s s i n g h i s ren ewal

s u i t . W e ag ree.

8As d is cu s s ed i n D i v i s i o n 1

, s u p ra

, W en t z d is m i ss ed h i s o ri g i n al act i o n wi t h o ut

p reju d i ce p ri o r t o t h e t ri al co u rt ru li n g o n Em o ry ’ s m o t i o n t o di s m i s s

. S ee OCGA §

9

- 1 1

- 4 1 (a) (“ [A] n act i o n m ay b e d i sm i s s ed by t h e p l ai n t i ff, wi th o u t o rd er o r

p erm i s s i o n o f co u rt

. . . [b ] y fi l i n g a wri tt en n o t i ce of di s m i s s al at an y t i m e b efo re t h e

fi rs t wi t n es s i s s wo rn

. . . . A d i s m i s s al u nd er t h is s u b s ect i o n i s wi t h ou t p reju d i ce[.] ”).

As t h ere was n o fi n al ad

j u d icat i o n o n t h e m eri t s o f t h e o ri g in al co m p l ai n t

, W en t z’ s

cl ai m s are no t barred b y r es j u d i ca t a

, an d t h e co m p l ai n t m ay b e ren ewed p u rs u an t to

OCGA § 9 -2 -6 1

.

Ju d g men t r ever sed . El li ng t o n , P. J., a n d Go b ei l , J., co n cu r

.

9