Court Opinion

ID: 9602187
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 01:52:23.849366+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:02:01.320347
License: Public Domain

Pannell, Judge,
dissenting.
I agree with that portion of the judgment which affirms the trial court’s denial of the motion to dismiss the complaint, but I dissent from that portion which reverses the grant of the motion for mistrial and grants a new trial.
The erroneous grant of a mistrial because of statements of opposing counsel suggesting the action was premature is not, and cannot be, a ground for granting a new trial, as the grant of the mistrial has already left the case pending for a new trial in the court below. A new trial necessarily follows from such action. "This court will in no case undertake to pass upon questions presented by a bill of exceptions, when it affirmatively appears that, even if the judgment of the court below were reversed, the plaintiff in error would derive no benefit from the adjudication.” Davis v. Mayor &c. of Jasper, 119 Ga. 57 (1) (45 SE 724); Benton & Bro. v. Singleton, 114 Ga. 548 (4) (40 SE 811); Smith v. Robinson, 212 Ga. 761 (2) (95 SE2d 798). See also Central of Ga. R. Co. v. Bridwell, 34 Ga. App. 77, 82 (128 SE 238).
While the legal question on the motion to dismiss the complaint, the overruling of which is affirmed, is the same legal question involved in granting of the motion for mistrial, and while I might agree with what is said in the opinion with respect to its error, I must dissent from the judgment of reversal on the grounds stated above. As stated by the majority, "It is too late now to pick *314up the broken fragments of that trial and continue with it.” It follows that "Since any damage done as a result of,” the grant of the mistrial "has already been done, and a reversal would not undo such damage, such judgment will not be reversed.” Smith v. Smith, 224 Ga. 689, 693 (164 SE2d 225).
I would affirm on the enumeration of error as to granting of the mistrial for the reasons above given.
I am authorized to state that Chief Judge Bell and Judges Deen and Quillian concur in this dissent.