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GLOVER v. DIMMOCK, trustee, et al.

Supreme Court of Georgia1904-03-04
119 Ga. 696

Summary

Holding. The court affirmed the dismissal of the petition to set aside the judgment, holding that the petitioner's allegations of attorney abandonment and her absence due to illness did not constitute sufficient grounds for setting aside a judgment, and that she failed to demonstrate that her presence or proper representation would have produced a different outcome.

A woman filed a petition to set aside a judgment rendered against her in an injunction case, arguing that she was absent due to her mother's serious illness and that her two attorneys had abandoned her by removing their names from the docket without her knowledge or consent. The trial court dismissed her petition by sustaining a demurrer. On appeal, the court held that her allegations did not justify setting aside the judgment. The court explained that attorneys cannot unilaterally terminate representation merely by removing their names from the docket; such action does not automatically end the attorney-client relationship. Additionally, the petitioner made no effort to notify the court of her inability to attend trial or to request a continuance.

The court further noted that even if the petitioner had been present and properly represented, the outcome likely would have been the same. In the underlying injunction case, she sought to prevent a foreclosure sale, claiming she did not owe the full amount demanded and that the loan contract involved usury. However, she admitted owing part of the amount, and the defendants agreed to accept a judgment for only what she conceded was due. Because her original petition for injunction contained no prayer to void the instrument as usurious, the court concluded that her presence or representation would not have changed the result.

Summary generated by law.co from the public-domain opinion. The opinion text itself is public domain.

Key issues

  • Whether an attorney can unilaterally terminate representation by removing their name from the docket
  • Whether absence from trial due to family illness excuses failure to seek a continuance or notify the court
  • Whether alleged attorney abandonment without notice justifies setting aside a judgment

Procedural posture

The trial court sustained a demurrer to the petitioner's bill seeking to set aside a judgment, and the petitioner appealed by bill of exceptions.

Authorities cited

No cited authorities resolved to law.co cases yet.

Opinion

majority opinion

Candler, J.

This was a proceeding in the nature of an equitable petition to set aside a judgment. A demurrer to the petition was sustained. The plaintiff, in her bill of exceptions to this court, “for cause of error says that she was not represented at the time of the rendition of the judgment sought to be set aside, and had a valid legal excuse for her absence,-as set out in her petition made to set aside the same.” On this point the petition alleges that at the time of the rendition of the judgment against her the petitioner was detained at home on account of the serious illness of her mother, who shortly afterwards died, that she had employed two attorneys to represent her, and that she afterwards learned that prior to the trial of-the case both of her attorneys caused their names to be erased from the docket, stating that they no longer represented her. She also alleged that she had no notice that her attorneys, or either of them, intended to abandon her cause, and did not learn, of it until long after the trial at which the judgment was rendered.

We are clear that these allegations were not sufficient to support an order setting aside the judgment. The action of plaintiff’s counsel in causing their names to be erased from the docket and stating that they nolonger represented her did not, ipso facto, terminate the relation of attorney and client between them and her. “An attorney can not, alone and of himself, terminate the relation to the injury of his client; although the client may end it at any time, without notice, and without showing any cause therefor.” 3 Am. & Eng. Ene. L. (2d ed.) 328, and cases cited in note; It is not made to appear that the plaintiff made any effort to notify any one connected with the case of her inability to be present at the trial, or that she took any steps to have the case postponed or continued. The petition sets up a good causé of action against the plaintiff’s attorneys for their gross negligence and wanton abandoment of her interests, but it shows no cause for setting aside the judgment already rendered. Phillips v. Taber, 83 Ga. 565.

The case in which the judgment sought to be set aside was rendered arose on a petition for injunction, filed by the plaintiff, to restrain the sale of certain land under a power of sale in an instrument conveying the land to the defendants as security for a debt. It appears from the petition in the present case that the petition for injunction “alleged that petitioner was not.indebted to [the defendants] the amount for which said land was -being advertised; that there was usury in the contract on which said paper was founded, and the same was not a conveyance of title.” It also appears that the defendants in their answer denied the allegations of usury, but averred their willingness to take a judgment for the amount which the plaintiff admitted to be due. They also prayed in their answer for a judgment for a special lien on the property in question, and the judgment sought to be set aside was framed on this answer. It does not appear from the present petition that in the original petition for injunction there was any prayer that the conveyance be set aside as. void for usury; indeed, it is presumable from the record that if the plaintiff had been present at the trial and represented by attorneys, no different result could have been reached. She admitted an indebtedness for a part of the sum claimed by the defendants, and they in their turn, while denying usury, agreed to take what she admitted to be due. In the absence of a prayer to set aside as usurious the instrument, be it deed or mortgage, which gave a special lien on the land, it is difficult to understand what effect upon her rights the presence or absence of herself or her counsel could have had.

Judgment affirmed.

All the Justices concur, except Simmons, O. J., absent.