Hatcher v. Georgia Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance

146 S.E.2d 535, 112 Ga. App. 711, 1965 Ga. App. LEXIS 819
CourtCourt of Appeals of Georgia
DecidedNovember 23, 1965
Docket41500, 41527
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 146 S.E.2d 535 (Hatcher v. Georgia Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Georgia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Hatcher v. Georgia Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance, 146 S.E.2d 535, 112 Ga. App. 711, 1965 Ga. App. LEXIS 819 (Ga. Ct. App. 1965).

Opinions

Eberhakdt, Judge.

The motion to quash process. The process annexed to the petition for declaratory judgment was in full conformity with the provisions of Code Ann. § 81-201, requiring answer to be made within 30' days from the date of service. The suit was filed April 8 and copies of the petition, process and court order in connection therewith were delivered that day to the sheriff or his deputy for service. On the same day the deputy sheriff delivered a copy of the petition, process and order to each of the named defendants personally, and entered on the original petition a return of personal service as to all of them.

Mrs. Hatcher moved to quash the process because the deputy did not, at the time of service, enter on the copy delivered to her a notation, as provided in Code Ann. § 81-202, showing the date of service and sign it.

Immediately following the provision for this notation in the Code section it is asserted: “Provided, however, that the failure of the copy served on the defendant to show thereon a date of service signed by the officer serving shall not invalidate any service otherwise legally made.” This is sufficient basis for sustaining the dismissal of the motion to quash, for it is not contended that the service was not “otherwise legally made.” Moreover, when she demurred generally to the petition on April 30 without raising any question as to the jurisdiction of the court over her person by reason of any failure of or defect in the service, she waived any defect or irregularity in the process,'—even a lack of process, and the service thereof. Code § 81-209; Savannah, F. &c. R. Co. v. Atkinson, 94 Ga. 780 (2) (21 SE 1010); Southern R. Co. v. Cook, 106 Ga. 450 (3) (32 SE 585). It is to be noted that she insisted upon the sustaining of these demurrers in the trial court and excepts to the overruling of them here.

[715]*715The special plea and motion to vacate the consent order. In this special plea Mrs. Hatcher urges that she is a widow, unskilled in the conduct of lawsuits and that although she did employ the attorneys who entered into the consent order on her behalf, they did it without her knowledge and without specific authority from her to do so. For that reason she asked the court to vacate the order which continued in effect the temporary restraining order against prosecution or defense of the damage action until the declaratory judgment action could be concluded.

“Attorneys have authority to- bind their clients in any action or proceeding, by any agreement in relation to the cause, made in writing, and in signing judgments, entering appeals, and by an entry of such matters, when permissible, on the dockets of the court; and attorneys, who are otherwise authorized by law to take affidavits and administer oaths, shall not be disqualified to take affidavits required of their clients in any matter or proceeding of any nature whatsoever.” Code Ann. § 9-605.

No fraud is charged against her counsel by Mrs. Hatcher, and no facts were pleaded by which any fraud could be shown. It is well settled that an attorney may consent and bind his client in a situation of this kind. Adkins v. Bryant, 133 Ga. 465 (66 SE 21, 134 ASR 211); Brannan v. Mobley, 169 Ga. 243 (6) (150 SE 76); Elliott v. Elliott, 184 Ga. 417 (191 SE 465); Howell v. Howell, 188 Ga. 803 (4 SE2d 835); Petty v. Complete Auto Transit, Inc., 215 Ga. 66 (1) (108 SE2d 697); Rooke v. Day, 46 Ga. App. 379 (1) (167 SE 762).

The general demurrers filed April SO. These demurrers, all general, were filed by Mrs. Hatcher’s original counsel and were overruled June 26, after the new attorney came into the case invoking a hearing on all her motions, demurrers and plea. She now urges that the overruling of these demurrers was error and that they should have been sustained. We agree.

The petition for declaratory judgment, brought under the Declaratory Judgments Act (Code Ann. Ch. 110-11), quotes the pleadings in the damage action against the policyholder, alleges that the son, as well as Mrs. Hatcher, was a named insured under the terms of the policy and that Mrs. Hatcher, the policy[716]*716holder, has called upon the petitioner to defend the damage suit, alleges the terms of the exclusion clause of the policy, “This policy does not apply under Part I: . . . (k) to bodily injury or property damage arising from or caused by the insured’s attempt ... to resist arrest or flee from justice,” and alleges as a fact that on the occurrence in question the driver of the insured car was “attempting to resist arrest for speeding and reckless driving,” and that by reason thereof the exclusion clause precludes any liability on the part of petitioner for any damages arising therefrom, and there is no obligation on the part of petitioner to defend the damage action under the terms of its policy. It is further alleged that because of the filing of the damage suit and the “facts hereinabove alleged” petitioner “is in a position of uncertainty and insecurity because of the dispute relative to coverage under its insurance policy.” It is nowhere alleged that there is any dispute between the parties as to the meaning of the contract of insurance in any particular, or that there is any uncertainty in the meaning of any portion of the contract of insurance; there is no allegation that the facts are in dispute on which the operation of the exclusion clause depends, and there is no prayer for a determination of disputed facts, and there is no allegation that Mrs. Hatcher takes the position that her son was neither resisting arrest nor fleeing from justice. As we view the case and the application of the unambiguous exclusion clause to the undisputed facts alleged (which must be taken as true on demurrer), the petitioner is not entitled to a declaratory judgment under the ruling in Pennsylvania Threshermen &c. Ins. Co. v. Wilkins, 106 Ga. App. 570 (127 SE2d 693). In our opinion, the rights of the petitioner under the facts alleged are not uncertain or in doubt, and therefore any controversy which might exist between the insurer and the insured by reason of the demand that the insurer defend the damage suit is not substantial and there is no room for a reasonable question as to the rights of the parties. As was stated in Pennsylvania Threshermen &c. Ins. Co. v. Wilkins, 106 Ga. App. 570, 574, supra, “Under these allegations, any controversy which might exist between the insurer, the insureds, and the driver was not substantial nor could it have the reality neces[717]*717sary under the Declaratory Judgments Act. ‘It has been said that the declaratory-judgment law permits one who is walking-in the dark to turn on a light to ascertain where he is and where he is going. . . However, one walking in full daylight, who knows where- he is going and is confident of the course he is pursuing, has no need either of artificial light or judicial advice.’ Venable v. Dallas, 212 Ga. 595 (94 SE2d 416). See also Bankers Life &c. Co. v. Cravey, 90 Ga. App. 113, 123 (82 SE2d 150). ‘A declaratory judgment cannot be obtained where there is no room for a reasonable question as to- the rights of the parties.’ 26 CJS 98, Declaratory Judgments, § 25; and Brown v. Lawrence, 204 Ga. 788 (51 SE2d 651).” See also Loftin v. U. S. Fire Ins. Co., 106 Ga. App. 287, 291 (127 SE2d 53). The only controversy alleged in the petition for declaratory judgment is that Mrs.

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Bluebook (online)
146 S.E.2d 535, 112 Ga. App. 711, 1965 Ga. App. LEXIS 819, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/hatcher-v-georgia-farm-bureau-mutual-insurance-gactapp-1965.