LAKEMEA WILLIAMS v. SOUTHERN GENERAL INSURANCE COMPANY

• Court: Court of Appeals of Georgia
• Decided: May 7, 2026
• Docket: A26A1737
• Status: Published

Opinion

Court of Appeals of the State of Georgia

ATLANTA,____________________ May 07, 2026

The Court of Appeals hereby passes the following order:

A26A1737. LAKEMEA WILLIAMS et al v. SOUTHERN GENERAL INSURANCE COMPANY.

Lakemea Williams and Kingston Harvey (“Plaintiffs”) sued Kanisha Pettis for claims arising from a motor vehicle collision. Williams’s uninsured motorist carrier, Southern General Insurance Company, filed a special appearance answer and a motion to dismiss for improper service and expiration of the statute of limitations. On October 3, 2025, the superior court granted Southern General’s motion to dismiss. Plaintiffs then filed a motion for reconsideration, which the superior court denied on February 19, 2026. On March 6, 2026, Plaintiffs filed a notice of appeal, seeking to appeal the February 19, 2026 ruling as well as the underlying October 3, 2025 ruling. We, however, lack jurisdiction. A notice of appeal must be filed within 30 days of entry of the judgment or trial court order sought to be appealed. OCGA § 5-6-38(a). The proper and timely filing of a notice of appeal is an absolute requirement to confer jurisdiction upon this Court. Yanes v. Escobar, 362 Ga. App. 896, 898 (870 SE2d 506) (2022). Here, Plaintiffs filed their notice of appeal 154 days after entry of the October 3, 2025 order. Although they filed a motion for reconsideration in the interim, the filing of such a motion does not extend the time in which to file a notice of appeal, and the denial of a motion for reconsideration is not appealable in its own right. See Bell v. Cohran, 244 Ga. App. 510, 510 (536 SE2d 187) (2000). Accordingly, we lack jurisdiction to consider this direct appeal, which is hereby DISMISSED.

Court of Appeals of the State of Georgia Clerk’s Office, Atlanta,____________________ 05/07/2026 I certify that the above is a true extract from the minutes of the Court of Appeals of Georgia. Witness my signature and the seal of said court hereto affixed the day and year last above written.

, Clerk.