Court Opinion

ID: 9573286
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 20:51:45.701838+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T12:39:25.854417
License: Public Domain

Carley, Judge,
concurring specially.
I concur fully in the affirming of summary judgment and in Division 2 of the majority opinion. However, I do not agree with the emphasis placed by the majority on the provisions of the Carmack Amendment to the Interstate Commerce Act, 49 USCA § 20 (11), as recognized in *196Outlaw v. Transit Homes, Inc., 145 Ga. App. 695, 697 (244 SE2d 633) (1978). As shown on the face of the opinion, the shipment herein involved was intrastate between Dublin and Bainbridge, Georgia. Because the shipment was intrastate, the carrier’s liability must be determined in accordance with the applicable state law as opposed to the provisions of the Carmack Amendment. Goliger Trading Co. v. Chicago & N. W. R. Co., 184 F2d 876 (4) (7th Cir. 1950).
My belief as to the inapplicability of federal law in this case is not diminished by the majority’s conclusion that "[t]he Georgia Public Service Commission has adopted Uniform Freight Classification 13, ICC 9, July 11, 1978 as the tariff to be followed on intrastate shipments by railroad common carriers in Georgia.” In this connection, no rule, regulation or order of the Public Service Commission was introduced into evidence in the court below. It follows that we cannot consider the action of the Georgia Public Service Commission unless the same can be judicially noticed.
Prior to the adoption of the Administrative Procedure Act of 1964, the courts could not take judicial notice of actions of administrative agencies. Clements v. Seaboard A. L. R. Co., 158 Ga. 764 (124 SE 516) (1924); Turner v. Brunswick Distributing Co., 95 Ga. App. 651 (98 SE2d 591) (1957); Davis v. General Gas Corp., 106 Ga. App. 317 (126 SE2d 820) (1962). The Administrative Procedure Act provided that "[t]he courts shall take judicial notice of any rule which has become effective pursuant to the provisions of this Chapter.” Ga. L. 1964, pp. 338, 346 (Code Ann. § 3A-108). A subsequent amendment placed the Public Service Commission under the Administrative Procedure Act as of January 1, 1976. Ga. L. 1975, pp. 404,407. However, until January 1,1976, the Public Service Commission was among those agencies to which the provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act were not applicable. Ga. L. 1964, pp. 338, 340; 1965, pp. 283-286; (Code Ann. § 3A-102 (a)). Therefore, any "rule” of the Public Service Commission which existed in May of 1973 — when the bill of lading in this case was issued — would not have "... become effective pursuant to the provisions of. . .” the Administrative Procedure Act.
*197Furthermore, the 1975 legislative enactment subjecting the Public Service Commission to the Administrative Procedure Act also provided: "Section 9. Nothing contained within this Act shall apply to any rate, charge, classification, service, hearing, procedure or matter which shall pertain to any motor contract carrier, motor common carrier or railroad.” Ga. L. 1975, pp. 404, 411.
Accordingly, the deficiencies of the record in this case cannot be supplied by exercise of judicial notice.
Nevertheless, the trial court was correct in granting summary judgment in view of the undisputed failure of the appellant to file a written claim within 9 months because this court and the Supreme Court have held that compliance with such a provision in a bill of lading is condition precedent to recovery. These cases include decisions cited by this court in Outlaw, i.e., Southern R. Co. v. Simpson, 20 Ga. App. 290 (1) (93 SE 47) (1917); Henderson v. Nat. Carloading Corp., 93 Ga. App. 716 (2) (92 SE2d 593) (1956). However, as stated, this court in Outlaw relied primarily on the Carmack Amendment. Such reliance was fully justified in that case because of the interstate nature of the transaction forming the subject of the litigation therein involved. Since the shipment in this case was between two cities in Georgia, Outlaw is distinguishable and federal law is inapplicable; but the same result is required under the law of this state. See also Southern R. Co. v. Bunch, 27 Ga. App. 689 (109 SE 523) (1921), and Post & Woodruff v. Atlantic C. L. R. Co., 138 Ga. 763 (3) (76 SE 45) (1912).
For the above reasons, I would affirm the grant of summary judgment on the basis of controlling Georgia authorities.