Court Opinion

ID: 9571231
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 20:30:01.9724+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T12:29:57.142402
License: Public Domain

Gregory, Justice,
dissenting.
I respectfully dissent to the interpretation the majority opinion has given OCGA § 9-11-45 (b). The majority opinion holds that under this code section “an out-of-state resident cannot be compelled to come to Georgia for the purpose of taking a deposition.” (Majority p. 622) Such a rule removes all discretion from the trial court to control discovery in a pending lawsuit, and therefore I cannot agree with it.
Suppose an Hawaii resident files a frivolous lawsuit against an Atlanta resident in Fulton County. Under the rule laid down by the majority opinion, the Georgia resident cannot compel the Hawaii resident to come to Georgia to be deposed. Under the majority rule, even if the Georgia resident were willing to pay travel expenses in order to bring the Hawaii resident to Georgia to be deposed, the trial court would have no authority to permit this. I cannot agree with the majority that this is the result the legislature intended when it enacted OCGA § 9-11-45 (b). Down the road, in the right case, the majority opinion will have to be reconsidered and overruled.
I would hold that under OCGA § 9-11-45 (b) the trial court has a discretion to control discovery which would allow the court to fashion a proper remedy under OCGA § 9-11-26 (c) if the party deponent seeks a protective order when noticed for deposition. In some circumstances it may be the just and proper remedy to require use of methods of discovery other than depositions. Perhaps a deposition can be delayed until very near trial to require the non-resident to make but one trip to Georgia. There are many different circumstances calling for carefully tailored rules pursuant to OCGA § 9-11-26 (c) in each case just as the trial judge provided in this case. This court ought not lay down per se rules which interfere with the trial court’s discretion in this regard.
I further point out that the majority opinion necessitates the overruling of Milholland v. Oglesby, 114 Ga. App. 745 (1) (152 SE2d 761) (1966), reversed on other grounds in 223 Ga. 230 (154 SE2d 194) (1967), and Bicknell v. CBT Factors Corp., 171 Ga. App. 897 (321 SE2d 383) (1984), both of which affirmed the trial court’s discretion to control discovery of a non-resident party deponent under OCGA § 9-11-45 (b).