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2018 Georgia Code 9-11-70 | Car Wreck Lawyer

TITLE 9 CIVIL PRACTICE

Section 11. Civil Practice Act, 9-11-1 through 9-11-133.

ARTICLE 8 PROVISIONAL AND FINAL REMEDIES AND SPECIAL PROCEEDINGS

9-11-70. Judgment for specific acts; vesting title.

A decree for specific performance shall operate as a deed to convey land or other property without any conveyance being executed by the vendor. The decree, certified by the clerk, shall be recorded in the registry of deeds in the county where the land lies and shall stand in the place of a deed. In all other cases where a judgment directs a party to perform other specific acts and the party fails to comply within the time specified, the court may direct the acts to be done at the cost of the disobedient party by some other person appointed by the court; and acts when so done have like effect as if done by the party. The court may also in proper cases adjudge the party in contempt. If real or personal property is within the state, the court in lieu of directing a conveyance thereof may enter a judgment divesting the title of any party and vesting it in others; and the judgment has the effect of a conveyance executed in due form of law. When any order or judgment is for the delivery of possession, the party in whose favor it is entered is entitled to a writ of execution upon oral or written application to the clerk.

(Ga. L. 1966, p. 609, § 70.)

U.S. Code.

- For provisions of Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, Rule 70, and annotations pertaining thereto, see 28 U.S.C.

JUDICIAL DECISIONS

Divorce decree placing title to property in wife is just as valid as deed from husband would have been. Elrod v. Elrod, 231 Ga. 222, 200 S.E.2d 885 (1973).

Decree granting a life estate in property took precedence over quitclaim deed.

- Husband's quitclaim deed of property to his second wife did not take priority over a recorded divorce decree stating that the husband had only a life estate in the property with his two children from his first marriage as remaindermen. Price v. Price, 286 Ga. 753, 692 S.E.2d 601 (2010).

Definite description of property required.

- Decree for specific performance operates as a deed and should therefore contain a description as definite as that required to support a deed. Plantation Land Co. v. Bradshaw, 232 Ga. 435, 207 S.E.2d 49 (1974); Scheinfeld v. Murray, 267 Ga. 622, 481 S.E.2d 194 (1997).

Because there was no clear identification of the land to be conveyed in a parents' divorce settlement, their son was not entitled to a decree of specific performance under O.C.G.A. § 9-11-70. Haffner v. Davis, 290 Ga. 753, 725 S.E.2d 286 (2012).

Suit for specific performance is prematurely brought when time for performance has not yet arrived. Kirkland v. Morris, 233 Ga. 597, 212 S.E.2d 781 (1975).

Superior court order reconveying land to a vendor under an option to repurchase is not one of specific performance and does not act as a deed to convey when the order makes the reconveyance of the land contingent on a sum of money being paid into the court registry. The court's order does not become a decree of specific performance until the contingency is met. Nelson v. Smothers, 168 Ga. App. 120, 308 S.E.2d 239 (1983).

Cited in McMichael Realty & Ins. Agency, Inc. v. Tysinger, 155 Ga. App. 131, 270 S.E.2d 88 (1980); Bootery, Inc. v. Cumberland Creek Properties, Inc., 271 Ga. 271, 517 S.E.2d 68 (1999).

RESEARCH REFERENCES

Am. Jur. 2d.

- 71 Am. Jur. 2d, Specific Performance, § 134 et seq.

C.J.S.

- 35B C.J.S., Federal Civil Procedure, §§ 1307, 1309. 81A C.J.S., Specific Performance, §§ 1 et seq., 128 et seq.

ALR.

- Rights and remedies respecting improvements made in reliance on a decree or order as to title or possession of real property which is subsequently reversed, 30 A.L.R. 936.

Reversal as affecting purchase of property involved in suit, pending appeal without supersedeas, 36 A.L.R. 421.

Inability to comply with judgment or order as defense to charge of contempt, 120 A.L.R. 703.

Judgment in replevin as implying a direction for return of property, 144 A.L.R. 1149.

Cases Citing O.C.G.A. § 9-11-70

Total Results: 5  |  Sort by: Relevance  |  Newest First

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Davis v. Deutsche Bank Nat'l Trust Co., 673 S.E.2d 221 (Ga. 2009).

Cited 17 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Feb 9, 2009 | 285 Ga. 22, 2009 Fulton County D. Rep. 416

...On July 15, 2005, Deutsche Bank National Trust Company ("Deutsche Bank"), as assignee of Ameriquest, filed a complaint against Sondra Davis and Ronda Davis on the loan, sought judicial foreclosure on the property, a decree of specific performance vesting title in Deutsche Bank under OCGA § 9-11-70, and damages for bad faith....
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Scheinfeld v. Murray, 481 S.E.2d 194 (Ga. 1997).

Cited 13 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Jan 21, 1997 | 267 Ga. 622, 97 Fulton County D. Rep. 202

..."The contract must identify the land to be sold with reasonable definiteness ... [by describing] the particular tract or furnish[ing] a key by which it may be located with the aid of extrinsic evidence." Pindar, Ga. Real Est. Law, § 18-11, p. 26 (4th ed.). Because a decree for specific performance operates as a deed (OCGA § 9-11-70), the description in the decree should be as definite as that required for a deed....
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Haffner v. Davis, 725 S.E.2d 286 (Ga. 2012).

Cited 12 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Mar 23, 2012 | 290 Ga. 753, 2012 Fulton County D. Rep. 1099

...Haffner next contends that his parents' divorce decree constituted a muniment of title and the trial court should have enforced the decree by specific performance. "A decree for specific performance shall operate as a deed to convey land or other property without any conveyance being executed by the vendor." OCGA § 9-11-70....
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Bootery, Inc. v. Cumberland Creek Props., Inc., 517 S.E.2d 68 (Ga. 1999).

Cited 9 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Jun 1, 1999 | 271 Ga. 271, 99 Fulton County D. Rep. 2066

..."A court of equity will not decree the cancellation of a written instrument as a matter of course in the absence of a statutory provision therefor. [Cit.]" Collins v. Storer Broadcasting Co., 217 Ga. 41, 51(2)(b), 120 S.E.2d 764 (1961). Although Appellees rely on OCGA § 9-11-70, that Code section applies only after a judgment directing a party to perform specific acts is properly entered and the party has failed to comply within the time specified....
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Price v. Price, 692 S.E.2d 601 (Ga. 2010).

Cited 5 times | Published | Supreme Court of Georgia | Mar 22, 2010 | 286 Ga. 753, 2010 Fulton County D. Rep. 869

...A final divorce decree which conveys property has the same force and effect as a deed and establishes title, whether or not the decree is recorded. Elrod v. Elrod, 231 Ga. 222(1), 200 S.E.2d 885 (1973); Richardson v. Park Avenue Bank, 173 Ga.App. 43, 325 S.E.2d 455 (1984); OCGA § 9-11-70....