Court Opinion

ID: 9854676
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-24 06:11:19.986637+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:23:13.281484
License: Public Domain

On Motion for Rehearing.
On motion for rehearing, the appellee takes issue with our statement in Division 1 to the effect that the filing of a motion to set aside does not extend the time for filing a notice of appeal, quoting the Supreme Court’s decision in Johnson v. Barnes, 237 Ga. 502 (229 SE2d 70) (1976), as follows: “There is, however, at least one motion not enumerated in [OCGA § 5-6-38 (a) (Code Ann. § 6-803)] which has the effect of extending the time for filing a notice of appeal, to wit: a motion to set aside a judgment.” In fact, Johnson v. Barnes contains no such language. The language which the appellee purports to quote actually reads as follows: “There is, however, at least one motion not enumerated in [OCGA § 5-6-38 (a) (Code Ann. § 6-803)] which is itself, when overruled, appealable, to wit: a motion to set aside a judgment.” Id. at 503-504. (Emphasis supplied.)
The type of motion to set aside to which this language refers is one made pursuant to OCGA § 9-11-60 (d) (Code Ann. § 81A-160). Such a motion to set aside must be based either on a nonamendable defect apparent on the face of the record or pleadings or on a lack of personal or subject matter jurisdiction. Unlike a motion for new trial, motion in arrest of judgment, or motion for judgment notwithstanding the verdict, it need not be brought within 30 days of entry of the judgment complained of. A motion to set aside based on a nonamendable defect may be brought at any time within three years of the entry of the judgment complained of, and a motion to set aside based on lack of jurisdiction over the person or subject matter is subject to no time limitation at all. See OCGA § 9-11-60 (f) (Code Ann. § 81A-160).
The “motion for rehearing” filed by the county in the trial court did not purport to be based either on a nonamendable defect or on a lack of jurisdiction but was simply a request for the trial court to reconsider its decision. The denial of such a motion is not appealable in its own right pursuant to OCGA § 9-11-60 (d) (Code Ann. § *17181 A-160), and we reiterate that the filing of such a motion does not extend the time for filing a notice of appeal. See Anton v. Garvey, 160 Ga. App. 157 (286 SE2d 493) (1981).