Court Opinion

ID: 9567852
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 19:58:24.979674+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T10:20:46.735205
License: Public Domain

Sears-Collins, Justice.
We agree with the Court of Appeals’ conclusion in this case and with that court’s construction of OCGA § 9-15-14, except that part where the court finds that a claim for litigation costs and attorney *797fees assessed for frivolous actions and defenses is available only to a “prevailing party.” Deavours v. Hog Mtn. Creations, 207 Ga. App. 557 (428 SE2d 388) (1993). OCGA § 9-15-14 does not limit recovery to a certain party, but permits any party to recover from another party who has “unnecessarily expanded the proceeding by . . . improper conduct, including, but not limited to, abuses of discovery.” OCGA § 9-15-14 (b).

Judgment affirmed.

Clarke, C. J., Hunt, P. J., Fletcher and Sears-Collins, JJ., concur; Benham, J., concurs in the judgment only; Hunstein, J., and Judge William H. Ison dissent. Carley, J., disqualified.