Court Opinion

ID: 9587361
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 23:21:20.382642+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:37:43.127823
License: Public Domain

On Motion for Rehearing.
The plaintiff contends this court overlooked the affidavit of the trial court judge (pro hac vice) which stated that "he did not intend to sign said judgment and would not have signed said judgment, except for said mistake. Said judgment was and is contrary to the opinion the affiant entertains in this case.” Plaintiff argues, because of such mistake, Smith v. Smith, 230 Ga. 238 (196 SE2d 437) requires a different result. Smith turned on interpretation of Code Ann. § 81A-160 (g) (Ga. L. 1966, pp. 609, 662; 1967, pp. 226, 239, 240; 1974, p. 1138),. which provides: "Clerical mistakes in judgments, orders or other parts of the record and errors therein arising from oversight or omission may be corrected by the court at any time of its own initiative or on the motion of any party and after such notice, if any, as the court orders.” In Smith, both of the parties agreed that the judgment was in error where it awarded "the sum of $20 per week” for the support of the minor children. All parties agreed that it should have been "$20 per week per child” for a total of $40 per week and the Supreme Court permitted the correction approximately 20 months later — after the term had ended.
We find Smith inapposite for two reasons. There both parties agreed that the error as to the amount existed. There is no such agreement in the instant case.. Secondly, Code Ann. § 81A-160 (g) relates principally to "[cjlerical mistakes in judgments, orders or other parts of the record and errors therein arising from oversight or omission...” The omission of the words "per child” was a minor clerical error resulting from oversight or omission. In the instant case we are urged to find entry of judgment for the wrong party to be a "clerical mistake” or an "error arising from oversight or omission.”
In the absence of prior decisional reference of this state we turn for guidance to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure from which our CPA was patterned. Rule 60 (a) *406of the Federal Rules provides, in part: "Clerical mistakes in judgments, orders or other parts of the record and errors therein arising from oversight or omission may be corrected by the court at any time of its own initiative or on the motion of any party...” The two sections are almost identical. Rule 60 (b) relates to relief from final judgments for mistake, inadvertence, surprise, excusable neglect, fraud and other reasons. Rule 60 (a) is now contained in our Code Ann. § 81A-160 (g) and Rule 60 (b) is scattered among the remaining sections of Code Ann. § 81A-160.
Moore draws a fine distinction between "clerical” and "substantive” error dealt with in Rule 60. "All elements of society — the courts, the profession, litigants, and the public at large — have an interest in the stability of judgments. They also have an interest in seeing that judgments are clearically [sic] accurate, effect substantial justice, and do not become instruments of oppression and fraud. . . The problem breaks down into two parts: (1) the correction of clerical mistakes; and (2) the grant of substantial relief. The first problem which is dealt with by Rule 60 (a), need not detain us long. Equity Rule 72 furnished a precedent for Federal Rule 60 (a); and if the term "clerical mistakes” is confined to its plain meaning and not inflated to include matters of substance no one can seriously qontend that the stability of judgments is impaired. . .” 6A Moore’s Federal Practice 4042-4043, Relief from judgment or order ¶ 60.04[1]. Equity Rule 72 provided: "Clerical mistakes in decrees or decretal orders, or errors arising from any accidental slip or omission, may, at any time before the close of the term at which final decree is rendered, be corrected by order of the court or a judgment thereof, upon petition, without the form or expense of a rehearing.” Id. p. 4053, ¶ 60.05.
Accordingly, Federal Rule 60 (a) was used to correct clerical error and Rule 60 (b) was used to reach substantive error. The same is true of our Code Ann § 81A-160. Subsection (g) is used to reach "clerical error” and subsection (e) provides the specific remedy for the error asserted here. It provides: "Complaint in equity may be brought to set aside a judgment for fraud, accident or mistake. ..” The trial court stated that the judgment was entered because of "mistake.” Thus, our Code provides a *407specific remedy for this specific error — in the superior court. This action was in the state court. The term had ended in which judgment was rendered and the trial court lacked jurisdiction to make a "substantive” change — reversal of the former judgment. See Cagle v. Dixon, 234 Ga. 698 (217 SE2d 598).

Motion for rehearing denied.