Carter v. Spiegel, May, Stern Co.

174 S.E. 381, 49 Ga. App. 95, 1934 Ga. App. LEXIS 276
Court of Appeals of Georgia·Decided April 6, 1934·No. 23594·Published

Opinion

Broyles, C. J.

The bill of exceptions in this casé contains the following recitals: “On May 26, 1933, in the case of James E. [96] Carter, plaintiff in certiorari, vs. Spiegel, May, Stern Co., defendant in certiorari, pending in the superior court of said county, the issue formed upon the answer of the judge of the municipal court of Savannah to the petition for certiorari and the traverse thereto filed by the plaintiff in certiorari was tried in the superior court of Chatham county, Georgia, before Judge A. J. McDonald of the Cordele judicial circuit of Georgia, then presiding by appointment in the superior court of Chatham county, and a jury in said last-named court. The jury returned a verdict against the traverse, and upon this verdict said presiding judge overruled the petition for certiorari. Within the time allowed by law the plaintiff in certiorari filed a motion for a new trial, and Judge McDonald, still presiding in Chatham superior court when said motion was filed, granted a rule nisi, making the same returnable before him at Fitzgerald in said Cordele circuit on the 10th day of June, 1933. Said rule nisi was granted on the 29th day of May, 1933, and on said last-stated date, but after the granting of said rule, Judge McDonald’s term of appointment to preside in Chatham superior court expired.

“On June 10, 1933, Honorable P. W. Meldrim, judge of the superior court of Chatham county, wherein said case, including said motion for a new trial, was pending, granted the following order : 'In the superior court of Chatham county, Georgia, March term, 1933. James E. Carter, plaintiff in certiorari, vs. Spiegel, May, Stern Co., defendant in certiorari. Certiorari from the municipal court of Savannah. Traverse of answer. Verdict and judgment against traverse. It appearing in the matter of the motion for a new trial filed in the above-stated case that the rule to show cause, issued by A. J. McDonald, judge of the Cordele circuit of Georgia, then presiding in the superior court of Chatham county, Georgia, was made returnable before said judge of said Cordele circuit on the 10th day of June, 1933, at 10 o’clock a. m.; that the term of which said judge of said Cordele circuit was appointed to serve in the stead of Judge P. W. Meldrim, judge of the superior court of Chatham county, ended May 29th, 1933, on which day said rule nisi was issued (prior to the adjournment of the superior court of Chatham county for the March term, 1933); and it further appearing that, by reason of the termination of his term of appointment as judge in the superior court of Chatham county, the said [97] Judge A. J. McDonald; judge of the Cordele circuit, has no jurisdiction to hear and determine the said motion for a new trial filed May 29, 1933, in said Chatham superior court, it is ordered that the said rule be and the same is hereby modified and amended, and be and the same is hereby made returnable before me on the 3d of July, 1933, at 10 o’clock, a. m. It is further ordered that the movant have until said hearing to prepare and present a brief of the evidence in said case, and amend his said motion. Further ordered that a copy of this order be served upon the respondent. This June 10th, 1933. P. W. Meldrim, Judge Superior Court Eastern Judicial Circuit.’ F. A. Tuten, attorney of record for defendant in certiorari, acknowledged service of the foregoing order. On July 18, 1933, the following order was filed in the office of the clerk of the superior court of Chatham county* Carter vs. Spiegel, May, Stern Co. Chatham superior court. Certiorari from municipal court. Judgment for defendant in certiorari. Motion for new trial. The movant failing to appear, either in person or by attorney to prosecute said motion, it is considered, ordered, and adjudged that said motion for a new trial be and the same is hereby dismissed for want of prosecution. Let this order be entered on the minutes of Chat-ham superior court. This June 10, 1933. A. J. McDonald, Judge Superior Courts, Cordele Circuit, presiding.’ The foregoing order of Judge McDonald, dismissing the motion for a new trial, was passed by him while he was presiding in his own circuit, and after his term of appointment for service in Chatham superior court had expired. On August 3, 1933, said motion for new trial was called for a hearing in the superior court of Chatham county before P. W. Meldrim, judge of said court (the hearing of said motion having been, by proper orders of said court, continued until said last stated date, with the right of movant to present brief of evidence for approval and filing, and right to amend said motion preserved). Movant duly presented a brief of evidence given on the issue of traverse for approval and also an amendment of said motion for a new trial. The court refused to approve the brief and refused to approve and allow the amendment, on the ground that he did not try the case and was not familiar with the facts and ruling of the court trying the case. Counsel for movant then suggested and requested that the brief and amendment be referred to Judge McDonald for approval, and that the hearing of the motion for a new [98] trial be continued, pending the action of Judge McDonald on said brief and amendment. The court refused to submit the brief and amendment to Judge McDonald, and passed the following order: ‘It appearing that this motion was dismissed by Judge McDonald on the 10th day of June, 1933, I must decline to take jurisdiction of the motion. All orders heretofore granted by me were without knowledge that Judge McDonald had dismissed the motion. August 3, 1933. (Signed) P. W. Meldrim, Judge/ The movant then excepted and now excepts to said ruling of the judge of the superior court of Chatham county refusing to take jurisdiction and hear said motion for a new trial, and avers that said ruling was equivalent to a denial of said motion for a new trial, and was and is error, because said superior court of Chatham county did have jurisdiction over said motion then pending therein, and Judge McDonald had no jurisdiction over or right to hear said motion or dismiss the same while he was presiding in his own circuit.”

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Carter v. Spiegel, May, Stern Co., 174 S.E. 381, 49 Ga. App. 95, 1934 Ga. App. LEXIS 276 (Ga. Ct. App. 1934).

174 S.E. 381 (Carter v. Spiegel, May, Stern Co.) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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