Court Opinion

ID: 9616400
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 04:46:30.670542+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:14:03.886891
License: Public Domain

Sognier, Judge,
concurring specially.
I concur in the judgment, in Division 2, and in the result reached by the majority in Division 1. I write specially because I cannot agree with all that is said by the majority in Division 1.
I note initially that I understand fully the reasoning of the majority in light of the Supreme Court’s recent holdings in Centennial Ins. *600Co. v. Sandner, Inc., 259 Ga. 317 (380 SE2d 704) (1989) and McClure v. Gower, 259 Ga. 678 (385 SE2d 271) (1989) relying in part on OCGA § 5-6-37’s provision that “[a] 11 parties to the proceedings in the lower court shall be parties on appeal.” I must note, however, that although both the Supreme Court and the majority cite Munday v. Brissette, 113 Ga. App. 147, 150 (148 SE2d 55), rev’d Brissette v. Munday, 222 Ga. 162 (149 SE2d 110) (1966), to support their construction of the language in OCGA § 5-6-37 as mandatory, it is clear from the Supreme Court’s holding in Brissette, supra, specifically reversing that holding in Munday, that an exception exists, because “ ‘[i]t is well settled that where several are sued at law or in equity and a several decree or verdict is had, a new trial as to one will not disturb the other.’ [Cit.]” Id. at 163. See also Willingham v. Field, 65 Ga. 440, 444 (1880). Accordingly, in my view the scope of OCGA § 5-6-37 is not broad, all-encompassing, or without exception. Rather, it appears that a determination as to whether parties to the proceedings below are parties to an appeal (in the usual sense, rather than just in the sense of parties entitled to notice of the appeal) depends on the nature of their interest in the judgment below. More specifically, co-defendants against whom judgments have been entered which are entirely several, rather than joint, are not parties to the appeal of a co-defendant. I do not believe the recent Supreme Court decisions in Centennial Ins. Co. and McClure, supra, changed the law in this regard, as they dealt with questions different from that presented here, and in neither case was Brissette or Willingham overruled.
In Smiway, Inc. v. Dept. of Transp., 178 Ga. App. 414, 419 (7) (343 SE2d 497) (1986), a condemnation action in which the State sought to condemn property owned by one party and leased to another, only the lessee appealed from the judgment below awarding a sum certain to the owner alone. The owner argued that as to her the judgment was final and enforceable. This court did not agree, noting that although the general rule is that where multiple parties are sued and a several decree or verdict is had, a new trial as to one will not disturb the other, as set forth in Brissette and Willingham, supra, that rule was inapplicable because “the respective interests of [the lessee] and [the owner] are not several. ... A new trial as to [the lessee] cannot be had without affecting [the owner’s] right as lessor to compensation for the same piece of property.” Id.
I find the Smiway rationale applicable to this case. In the case at bar, Marsden, Marsh, and Futch each signed a separate Guaranty of Payment contract for the debt of Sunbelt, and it might appear at first blush that the judgments against them would be several rather than joint. However, if liable, each would be liable for the same debt and consequently the trial court, no doubt recognizing this, entered summary judgment against all three, jointly and severally. This was *601proper, as in this case were their liability entirely several, Marsh and Futch would not be parties to this appeal, and a reversal of the summary judgment against Marsden followed by a subsequent verdict in his favor at a trial would expose Marsh and Futch to possible liability for the entire amount, with no right of contribution from Marsden.
Decided November 20, 1989.
Curtis R. Boren, for appellant.
Moore & Rogers, Robert D. Ingram, for appellee.
Accordingly, under the specific facts in this case, in which the interests of the three co-defendants below are joint, as well as several, and reversal of the summary judgment as to Marsden followed by trial cannot be had without affecting the rights of Marsh and Futch, I agree that it is proper to allow Marsh and Futch to participate in this appeal despite the fact that they did not follow the proper procedure.