Court Opinion

ID: 9597517
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 00:59:45.240971+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T11:28:46.680898
License: Public Domain

Jordan, Justice,
dissenting.
In my opinion this case is controlled by our recent decision in Kirk v. First Ga. Invest. Corp., 239 Ga. 171 (236 SE2d 254) (1977).
In that case we reiterated the age-old maxim that to receive equity one must do equity. Code Ann. § 37-104. Based on that maxim we made it clear that a party seeking specific performance of a contract, as a condition precedent to his obtaining a remedy, must show that he has done or offered to do, or is ready and willing to do, all the material acts required of him by the contract. And, further, that "the party seeking specific performance must not only show that he has complied with the terms of the contract at the commencement of the suit, but also that he is able, ready and willing to do those other future acts which are required of him under the contract.” Kirk, supra, p. 174. Application of these broad equitable principles to the facts of this case lead to the inevitable conclusion that the trial court did not err in granting the defendant’s motion for summary judgment.
It is clear that the undisputed pleadings in this case show that the plaintiff was not in default at the time of the commencement of his suit; however, at that time he had failed to submit a correct deed to the defendant and was not then entitled to have it executed by the defendant. It is equally clear that after the commencement of the suit the plaintiff defaulted under the express terms of the contract and has made no proffer or tender that he was ready, willing and able to perform under the contract as required of him. And further, that at the time the trial court entered the order it was clear that the plaintiff had not complied with the principles laid down by this court in the Kirk opinion.
Applying the Kirk principles to the instant case, the *369plaintiff was not entitled to specific performance at the time the decree was entered and the trial court did not err in so holding. Neither did the court err in granting appellee’s motion for summary judgment.
I respectfully dissent.