309 Ga. App. 475
Ga. Ct. App.2011Background
- 3400 Partners, LLC owned a 60-unit condominium and retail complex at 3400 Malone Drive, Atlanta.
- MGP, Inc. hired Parra Construction (Chavez) as a concrete and painting subcontractor after executing the contract with the owner.
- Parra timely filed a materialmen's lien under OCGA § 44-14-361.1 after nonpayment of its bills.
- The lien described the property as 3400 Malone Drive and stated it applied to all buildings and improvements, with Exhibit A describing Unit No. 311 and related plat drawings.
- A consent judgment for $185,746.25 was entered in Parra’s favor as a condition precedent to enforcing the lien.
- The sole appellate issue was whether the lien’s property description was defective because it appeared to limit to a single unit, rather than the entire complex.
Issues
| Issue | Plaintiff's Argument | Defendant's Argument | Held |
|---|---|---|---|
| Is Parra's lien valid despite referencing Unit 311 only? | Parra | 3400 Partners | Lien enforceable |
Key Cases Cited
- Deljoo v. SunTrust Mortgage, Inc., 284 Ga. 438 (2008) (describes when a property description is sufficiently identifying)
- North v. Waffle House, Inc., 177 Ga. App. 162 (1985) (enforcement despite surplusage in description)
- Love v. Hockenhull, 91 Ga. App. 877 (1955) (surplusage in description acceptable)
- Southwire Co. v. Metal Equipment Co., 129 Ga. App. 49 (1973) (description may omit details yet suffice)
- Grubb v. Woodglenn Properties, 220 Ga. App. 902 (1996) (incorrect plat book page number not fatal)
- Bollers v. Noir Enterprises, 297 Ga. App. 435 (2009) (three property descriptions flagged; distinguishable from current case)
- CDM Custom Homes v. Windham, 280 Ga. App. 728 (2006) (extrinsic evidence can cure description gaps)
- Mull v. Mickey's Lumber & Supply Co., 218 Ga. App. 343 (1995) (description sufficiency is a question of law)