Court Opinion

ID: 9575826
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 21:17:37.360622+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T12:50:10.843994
License: Public Domain

Beasley, Judge,
dissenting.
It is inappropriate on appeal to reach the merits of appellant’s claim of a violation of OCGA § 15-12-133. The record shows that following the question, the court sua sponte stated that the question was improper and would not be allowed. Defense counsel lodged no objection whatsoever. In fact, counsel thanked the court and moved on to another question. Defense counsel did not make any protest about the disallowance at any time during the remainder of voir dire, to put the court on notice that defendant disputed the ruling of impropriety. He passively indicated acceptance and made no issue of the court’s direction.
“To raise an issue as to error in the conducting of the voir dire, objection must be made in the trial court to preserve the issue for appeal. [Cit.]” State v. Graham, 246 Ga. 341, 343 (271 SE2d 627) (1980). Moreover, “ ‘(a) litigant cannot submit to a ruling, acquiesce *378in the ruling, and still complain of same. He is required to stand his ground and fight in order to successfully enumerate as error an (alleged) erroneous ruling by the trial judge. Acquiescence completely deprives him of the right to complain further; he has agreed that the trial court’s ruling was correct by submitting to it. (Cit.)’ [Cit.]” Sanders v. State, 181 Ga. App. 117, 120 (2) (351 SE2d 666) (1986).
Decided July 9, 1991.
Jon Gary Branan, for appellant.
Dupont K. Cheney, District Attorney, Charles D. Howard, Assistant District Attorney, for appellee.
I am authorized to state that Presiding Judge McMurray, Presiding Judge Banke, and Judge Cooper join in this dissent.