Court Opinion

ID: 9581435
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 22:14:56.912243+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:36:57.139358
License: Public Domain

Sognier, Judge,
dissenting.
Appellee successfully resisted the State’s libel to condemn his funds under the provisions of OCGA § 16-13-49. The trial court’s order, valid on its face, dismissed the State’s action. While it is true, as the majority points out, that there is no requirement in the condemnation statute nor in the Appellate Procedure Act for the losing party to file the notice of appeal immediately upon the entry of judgment, neither is there a requirement in either statute that the prevailing party wait 30 days after entry of judgment to enforce it. OCGA § 9-11-62 (a). I agree that there was a violation of OCGA § 9-11-62 (a) in this case, in that the judgment dismissing the state’s libel was executed prior to the expiration of the 10-day period prescribed by that statute. However, I believe any violation of OCGA § 9-11-62 (a) is irrelevant to the decision in this case, as the notice of appeal was not filed until 28 days after entry of the order complained of. Thus, even had OCGA § 9-11-62 (a) not been violated, the State would be faced with the same problem it now faces.
It is apparent to me that the question here is not whether the appeal must be dismissed because of the State’s failure to obtain a supersedeas, but rather whether the appeal is now moot. I conclude that it is. It is not failure to obtain a stay which results in depriving the State of its right to appeal, but the nature of the action itself. It is for this reason that DeFee v. Williams, 114 Ga. App. 571 (151 SE2d 923) (1966) is also inapposite. The funds as they existed when seized and when in the possession of appellant are no longer identifiable. While it is true that cash is, in a sense, fungible and that other funds supplied by appellee would certainly satisfy the State should it appeal and win, that result would be permissible only if the State here sought an in personam judgment against Vurgess. It is clear that is not the case. Condemnation is an in rem proceeding. Lang v. State, 168 Ga. App. 693, 694 (2) (310 SE2d 276) (1983). The action was brought by the State against the seized funds, and judgment was sought for those funds. As those funds are no longer in existence, any appeal of the judgment against the funds is indeed moot. I fail to see what we can obtain by making an idle declaration in this matter. For these reasons and those stated by Judge Benham, I dissent.
I am authorized to state that Judge Benham joins in this dissent.
Benham, Judge, dissenting.
The issue here is not, as the majority asserts, whether an appeal must be dismissed because the State failed to obtain a supersedeas *548prior to the custodian’s paying out the money to appellee. The issue is whether voluntary compliance with a judgment renders an appeal from that judgment moot. There is nothing in the record or in the materials relating to the motion to dismiss which suggests that appellee did anything to enforce the trial court’s order. All we know is that the State complied with the trial court’s judgment without waiting for an appeal. That action renders an appeal from the judgment moot. St. Clair v. Robert A. McNeil Corp., 151 Ga. App. 876 (261 SE2d 782) (1979); Willis v. Century Fin. Co., 149 Ga. App. 859 (256 SE2d 152) (1979).
Decided March 20, 1987
Rehearing dismissed April 3, 1987.
Spencer Lawton, Jr., District Attorney, Gregory M. McConnell, Assistant District Attorney, for appellant.
John B. Achord, Bruce A. Howe, for appellee.
Since the majority denies appellee’s motion to dismiss the appeal and reaches the merits of the State’s appeal, I must dissent.
I am authorized to state that Judge Sognier joins in this dissent.