Court Opinion

ID: 9613158
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 04:14:37.18404+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:03:25.847543
License: Public Domain

McMurray, Presiding Judge,
dissenting.
I respectfully dissent, as it is my view that genuine issues of material fact remain as to the Leichts’ liability for failing to protect Driver against the aggressions of a person they knew or should have known was likely to commit a violent act against Driver upon their premises.
“The duty of a proprietor to protect a customer or guest against the aggressions of third parties on the premises is that of the exercise of ordinary care in keeping the premises safe. No such duty arises until the owner has knowledge or by the exercise of such care could have discovered the hazard to the [guest’s] safety and thereafter fails to use reasonable care to eliminate it.” Veterans Organization of Ft. Oglethorpe v. Potter, 111 Ga. App. 201, 206 (141 SE2d 230).1
*696Decided December 1, 1994
Reconsideration denied December 19, 1994
McFarland & Associates, Robert P. McFarland, for appellant.
Chambers, Mabry, McClelland & Brooks, Lawrence J. Hogan, C. Gregory Ragsdale, for appellees.
In the case sub judice, Tim Leicht testified that he was aware of two volatile encounters between Lee and Driver before midnight on the night of the party. He also admitted hearing both men exchange harsh and threatening words. Tim Leicht further testified that he was aware of a violent attack by Driver against Lee a short time before the stabbing incident; that Driver’s combative nature was (in his observation) fueled by alcohol consumption and that violent outbursts by Driver were always preceded by exchanges of threatening words. Moreover, there is evidence that Lee openly threatened to physically injure Driver before the night was over; that Lee carried out this threat by initiating a brawl which resulted in mutilation of Driver’s face and that Tim Leicht did little, if anything, to head-off the inevitable violent encounter. Under these circumstances, I do not agree with the majority that the Leichts stood blameless for the stabbing incident that erupted at their party where guests were given free access to beer on tap. See Moon v. Homeowners’ Assn. of Sibley Forest, 202 Ga. App. 821, 822 (2), 823 (415 SE2d 654). Further, I do not agree with the majority’s new rule that liability stemming from any such negligence is cut-off by the intervening criminal acts of either Lee or Driver. “Even criminal acts, which normally are considered intervening causes, give rise to liability to those to whom such acts are foreseeable. Bradley Center v. Wessner, [250 Ga. 199, 202-203 (296 SE2d 693)].” Sutter v. Hutchings, 254 Ga. 194, 198, fn. 6 (327 SE2d 716). It is my view, that this case should be resolved by a jury, not by the trial court upon summary adjudication.

 This long-standing rule was most recently relied on by a majority of this court in Moon v. Homeowners’ Assn. of Sibley Forest, 202 Ga. App. 821, 822 (2), 823 (415 SE2d 654). Further, “[i]n Adamson v. Hand, 93 Ga. App. 5 (90 SE2d 669) a quarrel broke out between two *696customers of the defendant which was allowed to proceed unchecked for five or ten minutes and the plaintiff, another customer, was eventually shot by a stray bullet. Negligence was alleged in that no effort was made either to personally intervene or to call the police. Hall v. Davis, 75 Ga. App. 819 (44 SE2d 685) was also decided on demurrer, and again negligence was alleged on the part of the proprietor in admitting a drunk and quarrelsome customer, in allowing him to remain with knowledge of his condition, and in doing nothing after he had caused preliminary commotion and argument. “The same situation obtains in Moone v. Smith, 6 Ga. App. 649 (65 SE 712) where there had been a continuous brawl for 10 or 15 minutes without any intervention on the part of the defendant.” Veterans Organization of Ft. Oglethorpe, Ga. v. Potter, 111 Ga. App. 201, 203 (2), 206, supra.