Court Opinion

ID: 9846294
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-24 03:38:48.671544+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:16:55.020825
License: Public Domain

Hall, Presiding Judge,
concurring specially. I concur with the holding that the trial court did not err in denying the motion for summary judgment for the reason that there is a genuine issue of whether the principal defendant received the letter.
I do not concur with the other language in the opinion td the effect that an affidavit must formally recite that it was made on personal knowledge. This is contrary to the holding in Wakefield v. A. R. Winter Co., 121 Ga. App. 259, 264 (174 SE2d 178): "The defendant also contends that the licensed architect’s affidavit is hearsay because it does not formally recite that it was made on personal knowledge. Code Ann. § 81A-156 (e). 'This does not mean that the affidavit must contain a statement in those words. "A statement in the jurat to the effect that the affidavit is made upon *183personal knowledge is generally sufficient” to comply with the Act, . . . but the requirement of personal knowledge may be met by other material in evidence, at least when no objection to the form of the affidavit was made in the trial court. Holland v. Sanfax Corp., 106 Ga. App. 1, 5 (126 SE2d 442); Lawson v. American Motorists Ins. Corp., 217 F2d 724, 726 (5th Cir. 1954); Chambers v. United States, 357 F2d 224, 228 (8th Cir. 1966).’ Nevels v. Detroiter Mobile Homes, Inc., 120 Ga. App. 60, 62 (169 SE2d 716), cert. den. 120 Ga. App. 886; Central Chevrolet, Inc. v. Lawhorn, 120 Ga. App. 650 (2) (171 SE2d 774). As to the service and time of filing of the affidavit, there is no showing of any objection being made in the trial court or any harm to the defendant. See Simmons v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 111 Ga. App. 738 (143 SE2d 55); Harrington v. Frye, 116 Ga. App. 755, 757 (159 SE2d 84); Wood v. Brunswick Pulp &c. Co., 119 Ga. App. 880, supra. Malone v. Ottinger, 118 Ga. App. 778 (165 SE2d 660), is not a binding precedent for the reason it was only a two-judge opinion.” In Wakefield, supra, we held that it affirmatively appeared that the affiant was competent to testify as to the customary practice in the construction business by virtue of the fact he stated he was a licensed architect. In Nevels, supra, we held that it affirmatively appeared that the affiant was competent to testify as to what action the company had taken with respect to certain facts by virtue of the fact he stated he was the general manager of the company. Here the affiant stated that he was the plaintiff’s collection manager.
As Justice Cardozo said many years ago we should never "exalt form above substance.” People v. Defore, 242 N. Y. 13, 23 (150 NE 585).