FOURTH D I VI SI ON

ELLI NGTON, P. J.

, BRA N CH and M ERCI ER, 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

A u gust 3, 2016



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 6 A 08 0 4

. LEM CON USA CORPORATION v

. ICON

TECHNOLOGY CONSULTING, INC. J E-0 3 0

E LLI N G T O N , Pres i d i n g J ud g e.

Lem co n USA Co rp o ra t i o n ap p eal s fro m an o rd er d en y i n g i t s m o t i o n t o s et

as i d e a fo rei g n j u d gm en t t h at th e ju d g m en t cred i t o r, Ico n Tech no l o g y Co n s u l t i n g,

In c., fi l ed i n t h e St at e Co u rt o f Fu l t o n Co u n t y

. Fo r t h e reas o n s ex p lai n ed b el o w, we

d i s m i s s t hi s ap p eal

.

1 . As a t hres h o l d m at t er, we n o t e t h at Lem co n fi l ed a n o t i ce o f d i rect ap p eal ;

i t d i d n o t fo l lo w t h e p ro ced u re fo r fi l i ng an ap p l i cat i on fo r a d i scret i o n ary a p p eal

,

wh i ch i s req u i red wh ere t h e ju d g m en t ap p e a l e d i s an o rd er d en y i n g a m o t io n t o s et

as i d e p u rs u an t t o O CGA § 9 -1 1 -6 0 (d ). 1 Lem co n co n t en d s t h at

, al t h o u g h i t m o v ed to

1 See No a ha , LLC v. Vi s t a An t i q u es & Per s i a n Ru g s

, In c. , 3 0 6 Ga. Ap p . 3 2 3,

3 2 6 (1 ) (7 0 2 SE2 d 66 0 ) (2 0 1 0) (“ [T] h e d i s cret i on ary ap p eal p ro ced u res are req u i reds et as i d e t h e d efau l t ju d g m en t p u rs u an t t o O CGA § 9 -1 1 -6 0 (d ), i t a l so m o v ed i n t h e

al t ern at i v e t o s et as i d e t h e ju d g m en t p u rs u an t t o t h e i n h eren t p o wer o f a t ri al ju d ge,

i n t h e ex erci s e o f h is o r h er d is cret i o n, t o v acat e a ju d g m en t d uri n g t h e s am e t erm o f

co u rt i n wh i ch t h e ju d g m en t is en t ered

. 2 Lem co n co n t en d s f u rt h er t h at it fi l ed i t s

t o ap p eal t h e d en i al o f a m o t i o n t o s et as i d e a ju d g m en t fi l ed p u rs u an t t o O CGA § 9

-

1 1 -6 0 (d ).”) (ci tat i o n an d pu n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed ); OCGA § 5 -6 -3 5 (a) ( 8 )

, ( b )

, (f)

(“ Ap p eal s fro m ord ers u n d er s u b sect i o n (d ) of C o d e Sect i o n 9 -1 1 -6 0 d en y i ng a

m o ti o n t o s et as i d e a ju d g m en t ” s h a l l b e “ b y ap p li cat i o n i n t he n at u re o f a p et i t i o n

en u m erat i n g t h e erro rs t o b e u rg ed o n ap p eal [,] ” an d t he ap p el l at e co u rt “ sh al l i s s u e

an o rd er g ran t in g o r d en y i n g [l eav e t o p u rs ue] s u ch an ap p eal [.] ”).

2 Ci t i n g Geo r

g i a Recei va b l es

, In c. v. Mu r r a y

, 2 4 0 Ga. A p p

. 67 6

, 6 76 -6 7 7 (5 2 4

SE2 d 5 1 8 ) (1 9 9 9 ) (“ A t ri al co u rt m ay ex erci se d i s cre t i o n i n s et t in g as i d e a d efau l t

ju d g m en t wi t h i n th e sam e t erm o f co u rt

. Bu t aft er ex p i rat io n o f t h e t erm o f co u rt i n

wh i ch a d efau lt j u d g m en t is en t ered

, t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s di s cret io n i n s et t i n g as i d e t h e

d efau l t ju d g m en t is li m i t ed t o t he cri t eri a s et fo rt h i n OCGA § 9 -1 1 -6 0 (d ).”) (ci t at i o n

o m it t ed ); Pi

g g ly W i g g l y S o u t h er n v. McCo o k

, 2 1 6 Ga. A p p

. 3 3 5, 3 3 7 (1 ) (4 5 4 SE2 d

2 0 3 ) (1 9 9 5 ) (“ It h a s a l wa y s b e e n t h e ru l e i n t hi s St at e t h at wh ere a ju d g m en t i s n ot

b as ed on t h e v erd i ct o f a ju ry

, b u t i s t h e act o f t h e j u d ge, it i s i n t h e b reas t o f t h e co u rt

d u ri n g t h e t erm i n wh i ch i t i s ren d ered

, an d i n t h e ex erci s e o f a so u nd d i s cret i o n [ ] t h e

ju d g e m ay s et i t as i d e. Th u s

, wh at ev er l i m i t at i o n s m ay ex i s t in OCGA § 9 -1 1 -6 0 (d )

fo r p o s t -t erm m o t i o n s t o s et as id e, a tri al j u d ge h as t h e p o w er d uri n g t h e s am e t erm

o f co u rt at wh i ch a ju d g m en t i s ren d ered t o rev ers e, co rrect

, rev o k e, m o d ify or v acat e

t h e ju d g m en t i n t h e ex e r c i s e o f h i s [o r h er] d i s cret i o n .”) (ci t at i o ns an d pu n ct u at i o n

o m it t ed ). See al so Po

p e v. Po p e

, 2 7 7 Ga. 3 3 3

, 3 3 4 (5 8 8 SE2 d 7 36 ) (2 0 0 3) (“ Du ri n g

t h e t erm in wh i ch a ju d g m en t i s en t ered

, a t ri al co u rt h as p l en ary co n t ro l o v er i t an d

h as t h e d i s cret i o n t o s et as i d e t h e ju d g m en t fo r i rreg u lari t y

, or b ecau se i t was

i m p ro v id en t l y o r i n ad vert en t l y en t ered an d fo r t h e p u rp o s e o f p ro m o t i n g ju s t i ce. A

t ri al co u rt ’ s d i s cret i o n in set t in g as i d e a ju dg m en t wi l l n o t b e d i s t u r b e d u n l es s

m an i fes t l y ab u s ed

. Ho wev er, a t ri al co u rt ’ s d i scret i o n t o s et as i d e a ju dg m en t d u ri n g

t h e term i t was e n t e r e d i s n o t wi t h o u t l i m i t s

, an d sh o ul d b e ex erci s ed fo r s o m e

2m o ti o n t o s et as i d e t h e d efau l t j u d g m e n t in t he s am e t erm o f co u rt i n wh i ch t h e

ju d g m en t was ren dered an d t hat t h e d en i al o f th e m o t i o n t o s et as i d e o n t h at b as i s i s

a di rect l y ap p eal ab l e fi n al ju d g m en t. To d et erm i n e wh et her we h av e ju ri s di ct i o n o v er

Lem co n ’ s ap p eal

, t herefo re, we m u s t d et erm i n e wh et h er L em co n fi l ed i t s m o t i o n to

s et as i de t h e d efau lt ju dg m en t i n t h e s am e t erm o f co urt i n wh i ch t h e ju d g m en t was

ren d ered

.

Th e reco rd s h o ws t h e fo l l o wi n g r e l ev an t fact s

. Ico n fi l ed an act i o n ag ai n s t

Lem co n fo r b reach o f a co n t ract fo r p ro fes s i o n al s erv i ces in t h e Ci rcu i t Co urt o f St

.

Lo u is Co u n t y, M i s s o u ri

. Th e Mi s s o u ri co u rt en t ered a d efau l t ju d g m en t i n Ico n ’ s

fav o r o n J an u ary

2 7

, 2 0 1 5

. On M ay 7

, 2 0 1 5, Ico n fi l ed i n t h e St at e Co u rt o f Fu l t o n

Co u n t y a “ Su i t fo r [En fo rcem en t ] o f Fo rei g n J ud g m en t ,” at t ach i n g a “ No t i ce o f Fi l i n g

m eri t o ri o u s reas o n

. In th i s reg ard

, a t ri al co u rt is g ran ted t h e d i s cret i o n t o d et erm i n e

wh at i s a m eri t o ri o u s reas on fo r s et ti n g as i d e o n e o f i t s ju d g m en t s

, an d an ap p el l at e

co u rt m ay rev ers e t h at d i s cret i on o n l y i f i t i s m an i fes tl y

ab u s ed .”) (p un ct u at i o n an d

f o otn ot es o m i t t ed ); G a. G ov e rnm e nt T ranspare nc

y & C am paign F inanc e C o m m ission

v. S t a t e Mu t u a l In s

. Co

. , 3 2 1 G a

. A p p

. 4 80

, 4 8 3 (7 4 0 SE2 d 4 19 ) (2 0 1 3 ) (p h y s i cal

p reced en t o n l y ) (“ W here [a ju d g m en t i s ] no t b as ed o n a ju ry v erd i ct

, a t ri al co u rt h as

i n h ere n t p o w er, u n ch an g ed by t h e Ci v i l Pract i ce Act

, t o ch an ge i t s fi n al ju d g m en t

d u ri n g t h e t e r m o f co u rt i n w h i ch i t i s ren d ered .”) (ci t at i o n s o m i t t ed ); G r i f f i n v.

Ru t l a n d

, 2 5 9 Ga. Ap p

. 8 4 6

, 8 4 8 (2 ) (5 7 8 SE2 d 5 40 ) (2 0 0 3) (“ [I] t is wel l es t ab l i s h ed

t h at a t ri al co u rt h a s t h e i n h eren t p o wer t o am en d o r s et as i d e a j u d gm en t fo r an y

m eri t o ri o u s reas on

, p ro v i d ed th e m o t i o n t o s et as i d e i s fi l ed d u ri n g t h e t erm i n wh i ch

t h e ju dg m en t was ren d ered .”) (ci t at i o n an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed ).

3o f Fo rei gn J ud g m en t ” an d an “ Affi d av i t o f Fo rei g n J u d g m e n t ” e x e c u t ed b y an

ex ecu t i v e o f Ico n

. Th e no t i ce i n d i cat ed t h at t h e M i s s o u ri ju d g m en t h ad b een en t ered

i n th e reco rd s o f t h e St at e Co u rt o f Fu l to n Co u n t y “ pu rs u an t t o t h e Un i fo rm

E n f o r c e m en t o f Fo rei g n J u d g m en t [Law]

, OCGA § 9 -1 2 -1 3 0 et s eq .” Th e cl erk o f

co u rt veri fi ed t hat t h e at t ach m en t s t o t h e s u i t co m p l i ed “ wi t h t h e l aw as reg ard s t o t h e

[en fo rcem en t ] o f fo rei gn ju d g m en t s p u rs uan t t o t h e pro v i si o n s o f

. . . OCGA § 9 -1 2

-

1 3 2 .” O n J u l y 3

, 2 0 15

, Lem co n fi l ed a m o t io n to s et as i d e t h e d efau l t ju d g m en t

,

arg u i n g

, i n t er al i a, t h at it s m o t i o n was fi l e d i n t h e s a m e term o f co u rt i n wh i ch t h e

ju d g m en t was ren d ered an d t h at i t was t h er e f o r e w i t h i n t h e i n h eren t p o wer o f t h e

St at e Co u rt o f Fu l to n Co u n ty

, i n t h e ex erci s e o f t h e t ri al ju dg e’ s d i s cret i o n

, t o v acat e

t h e ju dg m en t

.

A n ew t erm o f co u rt fo r t h e St at e Co u rt o f Fu l to n Co u n t y beg i n s o n t h e fi rs t

M o n day i n J an uary

, March

, M ay

, J u l y

, Sep t em b er, an d No v em

ber. OCGA § 1 5 -7 -4 0

(t erm s of s t at e co u rt s are p r e s c ri b ed i n l o cal l aws ); Ga. Laws 1 9 8 3

, § 1

, p p

. 4 5 0 1,

4 5 0 2 (“ T h e St at e Co u rt o f Fu l t on Co u n t y s h al l h av e s i x t erm s each y ear b eg i nn i n g o n

t h e fi rs t M o n d ay s i n J an u ary

, M a r c h

, M ay

, J ul y

, Sep t em b er, an d No v em

b er.”). See

al s o OCGA § 1 5-6 -3 (3 ) (t erm s o f Su peri o r Co urt o f Fu l t o n Co u n ty ). T h e d efau l t

ju d g m en t was ren d ered (b y t h e M i s s o u ri co u rt ) o n J an u ary 2 7

, 2 01 5 ; b y

s t at u t e, t h e

4J an u ary t e r m of co u rt fo r t he St at e Co u rt o f Fu l t o n Co u n t y en d ed wh en a n ew t erm

o f co urt b eg an o n t he fi rs t M o n d ay i n March (M arch 2

, 2 0 1 5 ); Lem co n fi l ed i t s

m o ti o n t o s et as i d e o n Ju l y 3, 2 0 1 5

. Th u s

, Lem co n d i d no t fi l e it s m o ti o n w i t h i n t h e

s am e t erm

o f co u rt as t h e t erm i n wh i ch t h e s ub ject ju d g m en t was ren dered

.

L e m c on di s p ut es t h i s co n cl u s i o n

, arg u i n g th at t h e d efa ult j udgm e nt w a s e nte r e d

o n M ay 7

, 20 1 5

, d u ri n g t h e M ay t erm o f co u rt fo r t h e St at e Co u rt o f Fu l t on Co u n t y

,

wh en t h e M i ss ou ri d efau l t ju d g m en t was “ en t ered o f reco rd ” i n t h e Geo rg i a co u rt

. As

ad o p t ed i n Geo rg ia, t h e Un i fo rm En fo rcem en t of Fo rei g n Ju d gm en t Law, OCGA §

9 -1 2 -1 3 0 et seq

., p ro vi des t h at

, wh en t h e s tat u t o ry p ro ced u re i s fo l l owed

, a ju d g m en t

t h at was en t ered i n a s i s t er s t at e wi l l h av e t he s am e effect as i f th e ju d g m en t h ad b een

o ri g i nal ly en t ered i n th e Geo rg i a co u rt i n wh ich i t i s fi l ed

. Ar r o wh ea d Al t er n a t o r

, In c.

v. CIT Co m mu n i ca t i o ns Fi n a n c e C o r p.

, 2 6 8 Ga. Ap p

. 4 6 4, 4 6 5 (6 0 2 SE2 d 2 3 1 )

(2 0 0 4). 3 Th i s d o es n o t m ean , h o wev er, t h at t h e ju d g m en t i s d eem ed t o b e “ en t ered ”

3 See OCGA § 9 -1 2 -1 3 2 (Aft er a fo rei g n j u d gm en t i s fi l ed in a Geo rg i a co u rt

,

“ [t ] h e cl erk s h al l t reat t h e fo rei g n ju d g m en t in t he sam e m an ner as a j u d gm en t o f t h e

co u rt i n wh i ch t h e fo rei g n ju d g m en t i s fi l ed . A fi l ed fo rei g n ju d g m en t has t h e s am e

effect an d i s s u b

j ect t o t h e sam e p ro ced u res

, d efen s es

, an d p ro ceed in g s fo r reo p en i n g,

v acat i n g

, s t a yi n g

, en fo rci n g

, o r s at i s fy i n g as a ju d g m en t o f t h e co u rt i n wh i ch i t i s

fi led [.] ”); E. Ho wa r d S t

. Cl a i r & As s o ci a t es

, In c. v. No r t h wes t Ca r p et s

, In c.

, 2 3 7 Ga.

Ap p

. 5 3 7, 53 7 -5 3 8 (5 1 5 SE2 d 66 0 ) (1 9 99 ) (“ Un d er t h e fu l l fai t h an d cred i t cl au s e o f

t h e Un i ted St at es Co ns t i tu t i o n

, a ju d g m en t o f a fo rei g n co urt wi l l be en fo rced b y t h e

co u rt s o f t hi s St a t e

. Th e u n i fo rm l aw[,] OCGA § 9-1 2 -1 30 et s eq

. [,] p ro v i d es a

5o r “ ren dered ” o n t h e d at e t h at it i s fi l ed i n a G eo rg i a co u rt so t h at i t can b e en fo rced

i n G e o r g i a

. “ A G eo rg ia co u rt n eed n o t

, an d

, i n fact

, i s n o t au t h o ri zed t o

, en t er a

s eco n d o r d u p li cat e ju d g m en t .” (Ci t at i o n o m i tt ed

. ) No a h a

, LLC v. Vi s t a An t i q u es &

Per s i a n R u g s, In c. , 3 0 6 Ga. Ap p . at 3 2 5 (1 ).

Becau s e Lem co n fi led i t s m o t i o n t o v acat e t h e d efau l t ju d g m en t aft er t h e en d

o f t he term o f co u rt as t h e t erm i n w h i ch t h e ju dg m en t was ren d e r e d

, i t f a i l ed to

i n v o k e t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s i nh eren t p o w er t o s et as i d e t h e ju d g m en t fo r an y m eri t o ri ou s

reas on

. A cco rd i n g l y, w e m u s t co n s t ru e t he t ri al co u rt ’ s o rd er d en y i n g Lem co n ’ s

m o ti o n t o v acat e as ad d res s i n g t h e m eri t s o f Lem co n ’ s al t ern at i v e t h eo ry

, wh i ch

i n v o k ed th e t ri al co u rt ’ s m o re l i m i ted au t h ori t y t o s et as i d e t h e defau l t ju d g m en t

u n d er O CGA § 9 -1 1 -6 0 (d ). See Pi g g l y W i g g ly S ou t h er n v. McCo o k

, 2 1 6 Ga. Ap p.

3 3 5

, 3 36 (1 ) (4 5 4 SE2 d 2 03 ) (1 9 9 5 ) (co n tras ti n g l i m i t ed p ower t o ru l e on p o s t -t erm

m o ti o n s un d er OCGA § 9 -1 1 -6 0 (d ) wi t h i n h eren t d i s c ret i on d u ri n g sam e t erm o f

co u rt t o s et as i de ju d g m en t fo r an y m eri t o ri o u s reas on ).

2

. Becau s e t h e t ri al co u rt was au t ho ri zed o n l y t o a d d r e s s th e m eri t s o f

Lem co n ’ s m o t i o n t o set as i d e t h e d efau l t ju d g m en t u n d er OCGA § 9 -1 1 -6 0 (d ), an d

p ro ced ure fo r fi l i n g an d en fo rci n g fo rei g n ju d g m en t s i n t h i s s tat e.”) (p u n ct u at i o n an d

fo o t n o t e o m i tt ed ).

6b ecau s e Lem co n fai led t o fi l e an ap pl i cat i o n fo r d i s c r e t i o n ary ap p eal

, we co n cl u d e

t h at we l ack j u ri s d i ct io n t o co n s i d er t h i s d irect ap p eal

. No a ha

, LLC v. Vi s t a An t i q u es

& Per si a n Ru gs

, In c.

, 3 06 Ga. Ap p

. at 3 2 6 (1 ); Ar ro wh ea d Al t er n at o r

, In c. v. C

I T

Co mmu n i ca t i o n s Fi n a n ce Co r p.

, 2 6 8 Ga. Ap p

. at 4 6 6 ; Geo r g i a Recei va b l es

, In c. v.

Mu r r a y

, 2 4 0 Ga. Ap p

. a t 6 7 7 ; O CGA § 5 -6 -3 5 (a) (8 ). Acco rd i n g l y

, t h i s ap p eal i s

h ereb y DISM ISSED.

A p p ea l d is mi s sed

. Mer ci er

, J., co n cu r

s a n d Br a n ch

, J., co n cu r

s i n j ud g me n t

o n l y

.

7