Court Opinion

ID: 9581857
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 22:19:41.198384+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:37:17.929713
License: Public Domain

Eldridge, Judge,
concurring and concurring specially.
I concur fully with the majority and write to emphasize the different due diligence required when there is a pro forma service by publication under the uninsured motorist provisions of OCGA § 33-7-11 (e) and personal jurisdiction is not expected to result to satisfy the necessity of a judgment to satisfy the condition precedent for the insurer to be liable and due diligence that must be exercised when service is perfected after the statute of limitation has run for personal jurisdiction. See Wilson v. State Farm &c. Ins. Co., 239 Ga. App. 168 (520 SE2d 917) (1999).
The confusion occurs where plaintiff’s counsel seeks to obtain both personal jurisdiction for liability purposes and service by publication to satisfy UM coverage if the uninsured motorist cannot be identified or served. Seeking to do both or to do either in the alternative leads to confusion with the trial court’s application of the different standards for both types of service; due diligence has different standards for each. Wilson v. State Farm &c. Ins. Co., supra. Where the suit was filed prior to the running of the statute of limitation and service was perfected after the statute has run for the relation back of service to the time of filing and to avoid laches, the plaintiff must exercise due diligence in seeking to perfect service, and if the service is challenged as a defense, plaintiff is “obligated to exercise, not due *179diligence, but the greatest possible diligence to ensure proper and timely service.” (Punctuation and footnote omitted.) Ingraham v. Marr, 246 Ga. App. 445, 447 (2) (540 SE2d 652) (2000); see also Patterson v. Johnson, 226 Ga. App. 396, 398 (486 SE2d 660) (1997). To make service by publication for purposes of UM coverage, which lacks personal jurisdiction, the due diligence involves only sufficient effort to produce evidence that establishes that the uninsured motorist left the state, is avoiding service and is hiding, or cannot be found to perfect personal service. See Wilson v. State Farm <fee. Ins. Co., supra. However, some effort must be made to locate the uninsured motorist before service by publication will be permitted, which was absent in this case. Swanson v. State Farm &c. Ins. Co., 242 Ga. App. 616 (530 SE2d 516) (2000); Brown v. State Farm &c. Ins. Co., 242 Ga. App. 313, 314 (529 SE2d 439) (2000). Thus, a failure to exercise any due diligence necessary to produce some evidence that the uninsured motorist has left the state, is hiding from service, or cannot be found will allow the UM carrier to escape liability on lack of service grounds. Id.
Decided October 26, 2001.
Carter & Tate, Mark A. Tate, Charles A. Mathis, Jr., Linda G. Bass, for appellant.
Mabry & McClelland, James T. Budd, Timothy S. McConnell, Claxton & Claxton, William P. Claxton, Leslie H. Claxton, Kelley C. Herrin, for appellees.