Court Opinion

ID: 9560976
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 18:00:34.190174+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:13:27.131267
License: Public Domain

Benham, Judge,
concurring specially.
Although I concur fully with the majority opinion, I am compelled to write separately to comment on the contrast between the *184effect of releasing one of several contractually liable joint obligors and that of releasing one of several joint tortfeasors. In Posey v. Med. Center-West, 257 Ga. 55 (354 SE2d 417) (1987), the Supreme Court traced the common law origin of the rule that release of one joint tortfeasor releases all, then held that the rule would no longer be followed in Georgia. The essential difference between Posey and the present case is that Posey dealt with a common law rule, susceptible to alteration by the courts, while we are dealing with a statutory rule, susceptible to alteration only by the General Assembly. If the legislature were to repeal OCGA § 13-4-80, the anomalous treatment of different classes of defendants (the contractually obligated versus those liable in tort) would be eliminated. Justice would be the beneficiary of that change.
Decided June 19, 1989
Rehearing denied July 10, 1989
Ronald J. Doeve, James E. Tramel III, for appellant.
Zoe M. Hicks, for appellees.
I am authorized to state that Presiding Judge Deen joins in this opinion.