Court Opinion

ID: 9584236
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 22:45:46.287931+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T15:07:14.509939
License: Public Domain

Evans, Judge,
concurring specially. I concur in the judgment in this case, but I do not agree with the holding in Headnote 1 that in order for a defendant to prevail in a motion for summary judgment "the undisputed facts as'disclosed by the pleadings and proof must negate some essential element of plaintiff’s claim . . .” (Emphasis supplied.) I hold to the proposition that in order for a defendant to show he is entitled to a summary judgment, the pleadings and proof must "negate all (not some) essential elements of plaintiff’s claim.”
The majority opinion cites as authority Mion Constr. Co. v. Rutledge, 123 Ga. App. 777, supra, which case in turn cites Watkins v. Nationwide Mut. Fire Ins. Co., 113 Ga. App. 801 (149 SE2d 749) and Standard Oil Co. v. State Neon Co., 120 Ga. App. 660 (1) (171 SE2d 777), as authority. In the Watkins case, supra, at page 802, it is held: "To warrant its [summary judgment] entry, the facts conceded by the plaintiff, or demonstrated beyond reasonable question to exist, should show the right of the defendant to a judgment with such clarity as to leave no room for controversy, and they should show affirmatively that the plaintiff would not be entitled to recover under any discernible circumstances ... In order to pierce allegations of material fact contained in the plaintiff’s petition, the evidence offered by defendant on motion for summary judgment must unequivocally refute those allegations and must clearly show what is the truth of the matter alleged.” (Emphasis supplied.) In the Standard Oil Co. case, 120 Ga. App. 660 (1), supra, it is held that: "While a defendant, as the movant for a summary judgment, must demonstrate that there is nothing to be tried because the truth of a single issue essential to recovery as admitted or proved is adverse to the plaintiff . . .” (Emphasis supplied.)
*420It seems that these authorities leave it beyond peradventure that all (and not just some) essential element of plaintiff’s claim must be negated, or that a single issue, essential to recovery must be negated, before defendant is entitled to a summary judgment against a plaintiff.
In the case of Werbin & Tenenbaum, Inc. v. Heard, 121 Ga. App. 147 (2) (173 SE2d 114), it is held that the defendant must conclusively negate "at least one essential element entitling plaintiff to a recovery under every theory fairly drawn from the pleadings and the evidence. Saunders v. Vikers, 116 Ga. App. 733 (2) (158 SE2d 324); Calhoun v. Eaves, 114 Ga. App. 756, 759 (152 SE2d 805).” (Emphasis supplied.)
• Thus, it seems to be the law, that all issues of fact in plaintiff’s complaint must be negated by defendant, or one fact essential to a recovery must be negated, before defendant can be entitled to a summary judgment against plaintiff. See Scales v. Peevy, 103 Ga. App. 42 (3) (118 SE2d 193).