Court Opinion

ID: 9918375
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2024-01-12 19:02:26.383062+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T08:03:04.972698
License: Public Domain

Court of Appeals
of the State of Georgia

                                           ATLANTA,____________________
                                                    January 12, 2024

The Court of Appeals hereby passes the following order:

A24D0202. PHILLIP JONES v. JOSEPH YOUNGLINCOLN

       This case arises out of a boundary dispute between Phillip Jones and Joseph
YoungLincoln, who own adjoining parcels of real property in Fulton County. At the
trial of the case, the jury returned a verdict in favor of YoungLincoln on his claims for
interference with enjoyment of property, continuing trespass, conversion, punitive
damages, and attorney fees and costs. The trial court entered judgment on the verdict,
and Jones filed a timely notice of appeal. After Jones failed to pay for or file a
transcript, YoungLincoln moved to dismiss Jones’s notice of appeal. The trial court
granted that motion on December 22, 2023. Jones then filed this timely application for
discretionary appeal, seeking review of the dismissal order.
       “A trial court’s order dismissing a properly filed direct appeal is itself subject
to a direct appeal.” Sotter v. Stephens, 291 Ga. 79, 81 (1) (727 SE2d 484) (2012)
(punctuation omitted). And because Jones had a right of direct appeal from the order
of final judgment, his notice of appeal was proper. See OCGA § 5-6-34 (a).
Accordingly, Jones has a right of direct appeal from the order dismissing his appeal.
See American Medical Security Group v. Parker, 284 Ga. 102, 103 (2) (663 SE2d 697)
(2008).
       We will grant a timely application for discretionary appeal if the lower court’s
order is subject to direct appeal. See OCGA § 5-6-35 (j). Accordingly, this application
is hereby GRANTED. Jones shall have ten days from the date of this order to file a
notice of appeal with the trial court. If he has already filed a notice of appeal in the trial
court, he need not file a second notice. See Wannamaker v. Carr, 257 Ga. 634, 635 (1)
(362 SE2d 53) (1987). The clerk of the trial court is DIRECTED to include a copy of
this order in the record transmitted to the Court of Appeals.
                                       Court of Appeals of the State of Georgia
                                         Clerk’s Office, Atlanta,____________________
                                                                     01/12/2024
                                                  I certify that the above is a true extract from
                                       the minutes of the Court of Appeals of Georgia.
                                                 Witness my signature and the seal of said court
                                       hereto affixed the day and year last above written.

                                                                                         , Clerk.