Court Opinion

ID: 9624622
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 07:11:55.278148+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:05:51.630848
License: Public Domain

Evans, Judge,
dissenting. The notice of appeal was docketed on May 21, 1971, and the enumeration of errors should have been filed not later than June 10, 1971. But appellant’s counsel was admitted to the Baldwin County Hospital on June 4, 1971, suffering from acute arthritis which required heavy sedation. She was still in the hospital and so suffering on June 12, 1971 (two days later than the expiration date on which enumeration of errors should have been filed). The enumeration of errors and an affidavit from Dr. Curtis Veal were both filed on June 17, 1971. Dr. Veal’s affidavit stated she was suffering from acute gout arthritis requiring heavy sedation from June 4, 1971. Under these circumstances, I believe the appellant shows providential cause, excusing the failure to file the enumeration of errors.
*825This case differs greatly from the case of Thomas v. State, 118 Ga. App. 748 (165 SE2d 477) cited in the majority opinion, for in that case the brief of appellant was timely filed (but not the enumeration of errors) and it was sought to excuse this delinquency by showing that "Hall and Hall” were not partners, and that one of them had filed the brief without authority. Code § 110-404, as amended (Ga. L. 1946, pp. 761, 778), allows defaults to be opened for providential cause, or for excusable neglect. There was no way in which appellant’s counsel, by exercise of ordinary diligence, could have avoided the attack of arthritis and the consequent hospitalization and heavy sedation.
It is noted that opposing counsel here agreed to the request for additional time to file the enumeration of errors.
I therefore dissent from the judgment dismissing the appeal.