Court Opinion

ID: 9568285
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 20:02:12.582261+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T10:24:33.473523
License: Public Domain

Eberhardt, Presiding Judge,
dissenting.
The issue decided by the majority is whether coverage vel non under an insurance policy affords the basis for a declaratory judgment action. It has been held that it does in Mensinger v. Standard Acc. Ins. Co., 202 Ga. 258 (42 SE2d 628); St. Paul Fire &c. Ins. Co. v. Johnson, 216 Ga. 437, 438 (117 SE2d 459); Georgia Cas. &c. Co. v. Turner, 86 Ga. App. 418 (71 SE2d 773); Darling v. Jones, 88 Ga. App. 812 (78 SE2d 94); Griffin v. Hardware Mut. Ins. Co., 93 Ga. App. 801 (92 SE2d 871); Buffington v. New Hampshire Fire Ins. Co., 104 Ga. App. 139 (121 SE2d 270); Dearhart v. Reserve Ins. Co., 108 Ga. App. 347 (132 SE2d 809), reversed on other grounds in 219 Ga. 699 (135 SE2d 378); Mock v. Darby, 109 Ga. App. 620 (137 SE2d 81); Nationwide Mut. Ins. Co. v. Peek, 112 Ga. App. 260 (145 SE2d 50); Ditmyer v. American Liberty Ins. Co., 117 Ga. App. 512 (160 SE2d 844); Stubbs v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 120 Ga. App. 750 (172 SE2d 441); Finney v. Pan-American Fire & Cas. Co., 123 Ga. App. 250 (180 SE2d 253); LaSalle National Ins. Co. v. Popham, 125 Ga. App. 724 (188 SE2d 870); Coleman v. Dairyland Ins. Co., 130 Ga. App. 228 (202 SE2d 698); and Haley v. State Farm &c. Ins. Co., 130 Ga. App. 258 (202 SE2d 838).
This issue was not presented or ruled upon in this case by the trial court, nor is it made the subject matter of any enumeration of error. There was a motion to dismiss in the trial court which might have raised it, but that was never ruled on. There is no cross appeal as to any ruling or failing to rule on the issue. It is simply not before the court. See Hess Oil & Chemical Corp. v. Nash, 226 Ga. 706, 709 (177 SE2d 70) holding that this court has no authority to manufacture grounds of error for use in disposing of a case.
Issue is properly made as to the matter of coverage, which I think we should proceed to pass on, for this must be done before the case can be finally disposed of.
I am authorized to state that Chief Judge Bell and Judge Clark join in this dissent.