Court Opinion

ID: 9579701
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 21:57:41.469056+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:35:42.359678
License: Public Domain

Felton, Justice,
dissenting. The record shows that the trial judge overruled two motions presented to the court for determination. I dissent from the judgment transferring this case to the Court of Appeals for the reason that if the court ruled on a motion invoking a ruling of the court on the constitutionality of a statute, whether it had been “tendered” to the court or actually filed at the time of the ruling or not the ruling would be appeal-able. If the trial judge overruled any motion because it had not been tendered or filed he should have so informed counsel for appellant, otherwise it would be presumed that the merits were passed on. It is my opinion that, in the interest of justice and the truth, this court should obtain from the trial court information as to what the merits of the two overruled motions were, so that this court may know whether it has jurisdiction of the appeal or not. It seems to me that if there is any reasonable action this court can take to ascertain the true facts it should use every available means to do so before depriving a party of the constitutional right to appeal from an adverse ruling on a constitutional question. Such an available means is provided by Code Ann. § 6-809(b) (Ga. L. 1965, pp. 18, 29; as amended, Ga. L. 1968, pp. 1072, 1073, 1074), which provides, in part: “At any stage of the proceedings, either before or after argument, the court shall by order, either with or without motion, provide for all necessary amendments, require the trial court to make corrections in the record or transcript or certify what transpired below which does not appear from the record on appeal, require that additional portions of the record or transcript of proceedings be sent up, or require that a complete transcript of evidence and proceedings be prepared and sent up, or take any other action to perfect the appeal and record so that the appellate court can and will pass upon the appeal and not dismiss it.” (Emphasis supplied.) My proposed course of action comports with the intent of the Appellate Practice Act, as expressed in Code Ann. *763§ 6-905 (Ga. L. 1965, pp. 18, 40), i. e.: “. . . this law shall be liberally construed so as to bring about a decision on the merits of every case appealed, and to avoid dismissal of any case or refusal to consider any points raised therein, except as may be specifically referred to herein.” (Emphasis supplied.)'