Court Opinion

ID: 9607194
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 02:56:16.30132+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:02:37.532421
License: Public Domain

Guntfr, Justice,
dissenting.
I would reverse the judgment below and direct the *466trial court to determine the issue presented: Whether the child of the parties had been emancipated or not.
As I view the amended complaint of the appellant in this case, he sought a declaratory judgment as to whether the child of the parties had been emancipated or not. If emancipation had occurred, the appellant, pursuant to the terms of the former judgment, was not liable for child-support payments after emancipation. If emancipation had not occurred, the appellant was still liable for child-support payments. As I read this record the appellant contended that emancipation had taken place, and the appellee contended that the emancipation had not taken place. This issue amounted to an "actual controversy” between the parties within the meaning of Georgia’s Declaratory Judgments Statute, Code Ann. § 110-1101.
The former judgment by which the parties were bound provided that child-support payments would be made until emancipation occurred. That former judgment is plain and clear, and it does not need to be construed. The issue for determination was one of fact: Whether emancipation had actually occurred or not. One party contended that it had, and the other party contended that it had not.
Our Declaratory Judgments Statute provides as follows: "(a) In cases of actual controversy the respective superior courts of the State of Georgia shall have power upon petition, or other appropriate pleading, to declare rights, and other legal relations of any interested party petitioning for such declaration, whether or not further relief is or could be prayed, and such declaration shall have the force and effect of a final judgment or decree and be reviewable as such, (b) In addition to the cases specified in paragraph (a) of this section, the respective superior courts of the State of Georgia shall have power upon petition, or other appropriate pleading, to declare rights and other legal relations of any interested party petitioning for such declaration, whether or not further relief is or could be prayed, in any civil case in which it appears to the court that the ends of justice require that such declaration should be made, and such declarations *467should have the force and effect of a final judgment or decree and be reviewable as such.”
The appellant’s complaint in this case was dismissed by the trial court without deciding the actual controversy, a fact issue, raised by the complaint. I am of the opinion that the trial court had to decide the issue, and its failure to do so was erroneous. I would reverse the judgment below and direct that this issue be decided in the trial court.
I agree that the complaint did not state a claim for the modification of the former judgment, and I agree that the judgment awarding attorney fees to the former wife was erroneous.
I respectfully dissent.
I am authorized to state that Justices Ingram and Hall join in this dissent.