MARK GUISE v. JANET BETH LEONI

CourtCourt of Appeals of Georgia
DecidedFebruary 6, 2023
DocketA22A1579
StatusPublished

This text of MARK GUISE v. JANET BETH LEONI (MARK GUISE v. JANET BETH LEONI) 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
MARK GUISE v. JANET BETH LEONI, (Ga. Ct. App. 2023).

Opinion

FIRST DIVISION BARNES, P. J., BROWN and HODGES, JJ.

NOTICE: Motions for reconsideration must be physically received in our clerk’s office within ten days of the date of decision to be deemed timely filed. https://www.gaappeals.us/rules

February 6, 2023

In the Court of Appeals of Georgia A22A1579. GUISE et al v. LEONI.

HODGES, Judge.

Mark Guise, individually and d/b/a All Types Painting, Roofing, Remodeling

(“Guise”), sued his ex-girlfriend, Janet Beth Leoni, for multiple causes of action

following the end of their relationship. The claims stemmed from Guise’s contention

that Leoni owed him compensation for work he performed on her home, that Leoni

retained possession of his business cell phone number and a computer which Guise

purchased that had his business files on it, and that Leoni used his credit card without

authorization. The trial court granted summary judgment to Leoni on all of Guise’s

claims, and he appeals. For the reasons that follow, we reverse the grant of summary

judgment as to seven of Guise’s claims, affirm as to the others, and remand the case

to the trial court for further proceedings consistent with this opinion. “We apply a de novo standard of review to an appeal from a grant of summary

judgment and view the evidence, and all reasonable conclusions and inferences drawn

from it, in the light most favorable to the nonmovant. A defendant may obtain

summary judgment by showing an absence of evidence supporting at least one

essential element of the plaintiff’s claim.” (Citation omitted.) Saik v. Brown, 355 Ga.

App. 849, 850 (846 SE2d 132) (2020).

So viewed, the evidence shows that Guise and Leoni were in a romantic

relationship and he moved into her home in 2011. Guise contends he helped Leoni

pay expenses for the house and that they discussed eventually selling her house and

jointly buying one together. Guise, who is a contractor by trade, made renovations to

Leoni’s home during their relationship. According to Guise, in late 2020 and early

2021 the relationship began changing, and Leoni agreed that Guise would be

reimbursed for the labor and expenses he incurred from that time forward in making

improvements to the home to prepare it for sale. In May 2021, Leoni listed her house

for sale.

2 In June 2021, Leoni asked Guise to move out of her house.1 It is undisputed

that Leoni did not pay Guise for any work he performed on her house, though she

claims to have purchased some of the items for which he seeks reimbursement. At the

time he left, Guise’s business cell phone number was on Leoni’s cell phone plan and

it remained on that plan for some time after they broke up. In Leoni’s home was a

computer which Guise contends he purchased and which he claims has important

documents relating to his business on it. Guise also claims that Leoni continued to use

a credit card of his after he removed her authorization to use it.

Guise sued Leoni on multiple claims. For the money he claimed he was owed

for the work performed on Leoni’s home, Guise alleged breach of an oral contract

1 At the time he moved out, Guise signed a document which purportedly released some of the claims he may have had against Leoni. Although both parties discuss the effect of this document on appeal, Leoni did not argue in the trial court that this document released any of the claims Guise asserted in his lawsuit. Accordingly, any argument that these claims have been released was waived. Pferrman v. BPS of Tifton, Inc., 364 Ga. App. 624, 629 (2) (876 SE2d 6) (2022) (“It is axiomatic that issues presented for the first time on appeal furnish nothing for us to review, for this is a court for correction of errors of law committed by the trial court where proper exception is taken. Nor may a plaintiff alter the course of [her] arguments mid-stream, raising issues on appeal that were not raised before the trial court.”) (citation omitted).

3 and, alternatively, quantum meruit, unjust enrichment, and promissory estoppel.

Guise also claimed fraud on the basis that Leoni promised to pay him to perform work

on her house knowing she had no intention of paying him. He brought claims for

conversion and tortious interference with business opportunities for Leoni’s alleged

failure to return his cell phone number and the computer to him. Guise, however, did

not allege he was unable to receive phone calls or otherwise use his business phone

number during the time it remained on Leoni’s plan. He also brought a claim

regarding Leoni’s allegedly unauthorized use of his credit card. Guise sought

equitable and injunctive relief to require Leoni to “release” his cell phone number,

return the computer, and cease making charges on his credit card.

The procedural history of this case following service of the complaint is

somewhat unusual. Along with her answer, Leoni filed a document which purported

to be a motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim or a motion for summary

judgment. The motion did not argue any law concerning summary judgment and

documents required to be filed with a motion for summary judgment were not

included. Guise responded to this motion and filed an affidavit supporting his claims.

Leoni retained new counsel, who, prior to a hearing on the motion filed by

original counsel, filed a brief called “Response to Brief of Plaintiff Mark Guise in

4 Opposition to Defendant Janet Beth Leoni’s Motion to Dismiss or in the Alternative

for Summary Judgment”, along with a theory of recovery, statement of material facts

as to which there is no dispute, and an affidavit of Leoni. This pleading claimed that

there were no issues of material fact as to Guise’s claims for conversion, tortious

interference with business opportunities, or request for equitable relief. Leoni

requested summary judgment as to those counts and specifically requested the case

proceed as to the remaining claims. The trial court held a hearing at which Leoni’s

counsel reiterated that her motion was for partial summary judgment, and at which

she withdrew the motion to dismiss. The trial court subsequently formally recognized

the voluntary dismissal of that motion in an order. Guise requested that the trial court

postpone the hearing, claiming that Leoni’s opposition brief was actually the first

time Leoni properly moved for summary judgment; the trial court agreed and

postponed the hearing, though a new hearing was never requested or held.

Guise filed a supplemental brief in response to Leoni’s opposition brief,

through which he argued factual disputes precluded summary judgment. Leoni then

filed a response to Guise’s supplemental brief wherein she also claimed a lack of

factual disputes as to Guise’s claims for breach of oral contract, quantum meruit,

unjust enrichment, and promissory estoppel. At some point after filing this pleading,

5 Leoni switched counsel again, back to her original counsel. The record does not

demonstrate how it came to be that Leoni’s original counsel submitted a proposed

order, but ultimately the trial court entered an order drafted by Leoni’s original

counsel which granted summary judgment to Leoni as to all of Guise’s claims. Guise

timely appealed.

Addressing Guise’s enumerations collectively, Guise contends the trial court

erred in granting summary judgment because material factual disputes remain and

because the trial court granted summary judgment as to all claims when Leoni only

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MARK GUISE v. JANET BETH LEONI, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mark-guise-v-janet-beth-leoni-gactapp-2023.