Court Opinion

ID: 9560558
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 17:51:18.661295+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:12:58.851881
License: Public Domain

Evans, Judge,
concurring specially. The complaint in this case alleges in paragraphs 8 and 9 that Southern Bell Telephone & Telegraph Company and/or Georgia Power Company owned and maintained the pole in question. The term "and/or” is dealt with fully in Shadden v. Cowan, 213 Ga. *2129 (2) (96 SE2d 608) where it is held that the term may be attacked in various ways, including summary proceedings. Also see Ralls v. E. R. Taylor Auto Co., 202 Ga. 107, 108 (42 SE2d 446). The Ralls case states: "It is thus made plain that the expression is equivocal, uncertain, and not positive.” P. 109. Despite the recent change in our law as to pleadings, which is that we are now under "notice pleadings,” and the law as to summary judgments, which is that all doubts must be construed against the movant, still the complaint in the case sub judice fails to allege with certainty that Georgia Power Company owned or maintained the pole which gave rise to the present litigation. If a pleading does not "state a claim upon which relief can be granted” (Code Ann. § 81A-112 (b) (6)) it may be taken advantage of by motion for summary judgment. The motion for summary judgment in this case proceeds on the contention by Georgia Power Company that it has shown by evidence that it did not own or maintain the pole in question. This contention is aided by the language used in the complaint in paragraphs 8 and 9 as pointed out above.
I, therefore, reach the same result as is set forth in the majority opinion, to wit, that Georgia Power Company’s motion for summary judgment was properly sustained by the lower court, and I feel that said result is reinforced by plaintiff’s use of "and/or” in his complaint wherein he sought to allege Georgia Power Company’s ownership and maintenance of the pole in question.