62365 | Ga. Ct. App. | Sep 8, 1981
The plaintiff appeals from an order dismissing his complaint. Held:
The trial judge in the order appealed from further recited: “the defendants’ counter-claim against the plaintiff remains viable and is still pending against the plaintiff.”
“An appeal from an order dismissing the plaintiffs claim is premature when there is a counterclaim pending in the court below.” Butler Auction Co. v. Hosch, 119 Ga. App. 562" court="Ga. Ct. App." date_filed="1969-04-22" href="https://app.midpage.ai/document/padula-v-state-1324502?utm_source=webapp" opinion_id="1324502">119 Ga. App. 562 (167 S.E.2d 684" court="Ga. Ct. App." date_filed="1969-04-21" href="https://app.midpage.ai/document/butler-auction-company-v-hosch-1324587?utm_source=webapp" opinion_id="1324587">167 SE2d 684). Accord, Campbell v. George, 129 Ga. App. 644" court="Ga. Ct. App." date_filed="1973-09-14" href="https://app.midpage.ai/document/singleton-v-state-1212938?utm_source=webapp" opinion_id="1212938">129 Ga. App. 644 (200 S.E.2d 503" court="Ga. Ct. App." date_filed="1973-09-14" href="https://app.midpage.ai/document/campbell-v-george-1212887?utm_source=webapp" opinion_id="1212887">200 SE2d 503). Here, as in Patterson v. Professional Resources, 242 Ga. 459 (la) (249 SE2d 248) the pendency of the counterclaim plus the absence of a determination by the trial judge that there was no just reason for delay and express direction for entry of judgment under CPA § 54 (b) (Code Ann. § 81A-154 (b); Ga. L. 1966, pp. 609, 658; 1976, pp. 1047, 1049) prevented the order from being final and appealable. This, coupled with the appellant’s failure to follow the applicable procedure for review under Code Ann. § 6-701 (a) (2) (Ga. L. 1965, p. 18; 1968, pp. 1072, 1073; 1975, pp. 757, 758; 1979, pp. 619, 620),
Appeal dismissed.