Court Opinion

ID: 9854502
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-24 06:08:25.757747+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:23:07.034561
License: Public Domain

*528Benham, Judge,
dissenting.
Being unable to agree with either the majority opinion or the special concurrence, I must not only join Presiding Judge McMurray in his dissent, but must also register my own. While I agree with Presiding Judge McMurray that an order which deprives a litigant of his chosen counsel is of such a material nature as to require a direct rather than a discretionary appeal, I am compelled to file a separate dissent raising certain procedural questions of grave concern to me.
Because of the unusual course of events in this case, I see a need to set out a detailed statement of facts in my dissent. Jack Hargrove, Jr., Ruth Hargrove Adams, Sherrilyn Ann Hargrove, and James R. Hargrove retained the law firm of Bowles & Bowles to represent them in matters pertaining to the estate of Jack Hargrove, Jr. For reasons not contained in the record, the Bowles firm withdrew from representation, and two family members, Jack Hargrove, Jr., and Ruth Hargrove Adams, consulted the firm of C. B. King & Associates for representation. Pursuant to that contact, C. B. King & Associates filed on November 16,1986, the following appearance in the Superior Court of Randolph County:

“ENTRY OF APPEARANCE

“NOW COMES undersigned counsel pursuant to U.S.C.R., Rule 4.2 and 4.6, to notify this Honorable Court of his retention and entry of record in the above-entitled matter, on behalf of the Defendants.”
After receiving several documents pertaining to the case, the King firm on February 27, 1987, notified James Hargrove, Jr. and the court that it was withdrawing from representation of James Hargrove, Jr., because of a possible conflict of interest. On March 4, 1987, Judge Lowrey S. Stone of the Pataula Judicial Circuit, sua sponte, issued an order barring the King firm from representing any of the defendants, Jack Hargrove, Jr., Ruth Hargrove Adams, Sherrilyn Ann Hargrove, and James R. Hargrove.
Immediately after receiving the court order of disqualification, the King firm filed a motion for reconsideration, with affidavits attached, on behalf of Jack Hargrove, Jr. and Ruth Hargrove Adams. The trial court for the first time held a hearing on the motion for reconsideration as to the disqualification issue. At that hearing attorney C. B. King, Jack Hargrove, Jr., Ruth Hargrove Adams and James R. Hargrove testified. Although the testimony was equivocal as to whom the King firm represented at the time it filed the “notice of appearance,” James Hargrove testified that he had no objection to the King firm representing Jack Hargrove, Jr. and Ruth Hargrove Adams, and Jack Hargrove, Jr. and Ruth Hargrove Adams testified that they desired for the King firm to represent them. Evidence adduced from *529the King firm at the hearing showed that the firm was attempting to maintain the status quo by filing the appearance. The court took the matter under consideration and on May 29,1987 issued another order confirming the disqualification of March 4, 1987 and, in addition, sua sponte held attorney King in contempt for filing the appearance on behalf of all the defendants in November 1986 and imposed a $500 fine pursuant to OCGA § 15-19-9. The King firm filed a notice of appeal from the May 29, 1987 order on behalf of Jack Hargrove, Jr. and Ruth Hargrove Adams.
Decided March 7, 1988
Rehearing dismissed March 24, 1988.
Appellants enumerate as error (1) the trial court’s sua sponte order barring the King firm from representing any of the defendants and (2) the court’s sua sponte order holding C. B. King in contempt and imposing the maximum fine of $500.
In dismissing the appeal, the majority relies on Smith v. Gwinnett County, 182 Ga. App. 875 (357 SE2d 316) (1987), which states in essence that only the real party in interest can bring an action. Judge Beasley bases her special concurrence on the failure to file an interlocutory appeal since the order lacked the finality requirements of OCGA § 5-6-34.1 dissent also to call attention to OCGA § 9-11-17 (a), which sets out the role of the real party in interest: “Every action shall be prosecuted in the name of the real party in interest. . . [No] action shall be dismissed on the ground that it is not prosecuted in the name of the real party in interest until a reasonable time has been allowed after objection for ratification of commencement of the action by, or joinder or substitution of, the real party in interest; and such ratification, joinder, or substitution shall have the same effect as if the action had been commenced in the name of the real party in interest.”
Since the injured party in the contempt finding was the attorney, the direct appeal should have been brought in his name and not the name of the parties to the main lawsuit. Therefore, under the authority of S. D. H. Co. v. Stewart, 135 Ga. App. 505 (218 SE2d 268) (1975), which interprets OCGA § 9-11-17 (a), I would remand the case to the trial court with direction that the attorney be allowed under OCGA § 9-11-21 to join the appeal so that the matters of vital interest to all parties can be considered. Said joinder would be permitted within 20 days of receipt of the remittitur and further appellate rights would be preserved.
I am authorized to state that Presiding Judge Deen, Presiding Judge McMurray, and Judge Pope join in this dissent.
*530Carl A. Bryant, for appellants.
James E. Friese, David A. Kendrick, for appellee.