Court Opinion

ID: 9959637
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2024-04-12 14:04:55.112761+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T08:18:44.560715
License: Public Domain

Court of Appeals
of the State of Georgia

                                         ATLANTA,____________________
                                                  April 12, 2024

The Court of Appeals hereby passes the following order:

A24A1213. SIMPLY THE BEST GRADING, LLC v. WHITE ANCHOR
    EQUESTRIAN, LLC.

      Simply the Best Grading, LLC filed an action in magistrate court against White
Anchor Equestrian to collect for work performed, and White Anchor counterclaimed
for $35,000 to repair Simply’s work. The magistrate court entered judgment in favor
of Simply, and did not consider White Anchor’s counterclaim.1 White Anchor
appealed to the superior court. Following a bench trial, the superior court awarded
$3,500 to Simply, but also awarded $27,560 to White Anchor on its counterclaim, and
Simply filed this appeal. We lack jurisdiction.
      Because the superior court’s order disposes of a de novo appeal from a
magistrate court decision, Simply was required to follow the discretionary appeal
procedure. See OCGA § 5-6-35 (a) (1); cf. Handler v. Hulsey, 199 Ga. App. 751, 751
(406 SE2d 225) (1991) (appeal from magistrate court to state court). This is true even
in cases, such as this one, in which the appeal was expanded in superior court to
include matters not considered initially in the magistrate court. Bullock v. Sand, 260
Ga. App. 874, 875 (581 SE2d 333) (2003); see Handler, 199 Ga. App. at 752-753
(where issues raised in counterclaim were directly related to the issues raised in
magistrate court, they were properly considered part of the de novo proceeding, such
that application was required).

      1
        See OCGA § 15-10-2 (a) (5) (providing that magistrate court has jurisdiction
over civil claims that do not exceed $15,000).
      “Compliance with the discretionary appeals procedure is jurisdictional.”
Smoak v. Dept. of Human Resources, 221 Ga. App. 257, 257 (471 SE2d 60) (1996).
Simply’s failure to follow the discretionary appeal procedure deprives us of
jurisdiction over this appeal, which is hereby DISMISSED. See Bullock, 260 Ga. App.
at 875; Handler, 199 Ga. App. at 752-753.

                                      Court of Appeals of the State of Georgia
                                        Clerk’s Office, Atlanta,____________________
                                                                    04/12/2024
                                                 I certify that the above is a true extract from
                                      the minutes of the Court of Appeals of Georgia.
                                                Witness my signature and the seal of said court
                                      hereto affixed the day and year last above written.

                                                                                        , Clerk.