O.C.G.A.
Code text and O.C.G.A. statutory annotations on this page reflect the 2019 Official Code of Georgia Annotated (Public.Resource.Org Release 73, 2019-08-21; public domain per Georgia v. Public.Resource.Org, 2020). The Syfert case-law annotations in Notes of Decisions, below, are current.
The duties heretofore performed by a master in the superior court shall be performed by an auditor.
History
Ga. L. 1894, p. 123, § 3; Ga. L. 1895, p. 47, § 1; Civil Code 1895, § 4581; Civil Code 1910, § 5127; Code 1933, § 10-101.
Annotations
Cross references. Appointment and powers of special master in superior court for determina-
tion of just and adequate compensation in eminent domain proceeding, § 22-2-100 et seq. Law reviews. For annual survey of law on trial practice and procedure, see 62 Mercer L. Rev. 339 (2010).
JUDICIAL DECISIONS Masters in equity cases, both special and standing, have been abolished since the approval of Ga. L. 1894, p. 123. Sengstacke v. American Missionary Ass’n, 196 Ga. 539, 26 S.E.2d 891, 1943 Ga. LEXIS 376 (1943). Appointment improper. - In an action for judicial dissolution of an LLC, breach of contract, and breach of fiduciary duty, the trial court abused the court’s discretion in appointing the special master/auditor under Ga. Unif. Super. Ct. R. 46 and O.C.G.A. § 9-7-1 et seq., since the appointed person was performing an impermissible combination of roles by acting as an investigator, witness, and judge of fact and law, which were at odds with the role of special master. A&M Hospitalities, LLC v. Alimchandani, 359 Ga. App. 271, 856 S.E.2d 704, 2021 Ga. App. LEXIS 180 (2021). Form of order. - Trial court did not
err by issuing an order because the court did not actually name and appoint an auditor and/or special master but, rather, the order simply granted the request for an auditor and directed the parties to submit the names of three possible auditors from whom the trial court could eventually make an appointment; thus, the matters mandated under Ga. Unif. Super. Ct. R. 46 did not have to be followed. Potts v. Rueda, 345 Ga. App. 389, 813 S.E.2d 412, 2018 Ga. App. LEXIS 120 (2018), cert. denied, No. S18C1081, 2018 Ga. LEXIS 721 (Ga. Oct. 22, 2018). Appeal from review of auditor’s report. - Where the auditor did not submit a final report containing separate findings of fact and conclusions of law for the superior court’s review, the judgment of the court was directly appealable. McCaughey v. Murphy, 267 Ga. 64, 473 S.E.2d 762.
RESEARCH REFERENCES Am. Jur. 2d. 27A Am. Jur. 2d, Equity, §§ 194 et seq., 207 et seq. ALR. Conclusiveness of or weight attached to
findings of fact of master in chancery, 33 A.L.R. 745.
Notes of Decisions
E. I. DuPont De Nemours & Co. v. Waters, 681 S.E.2d 651 (Ga. Ct. App. 2009).
· cites it 20× “We conclude *844 that although the superior court had the authority to appoint a special master to rule on issues of fact and law in pretrial discovery under OCGA § 9-7-1 et seq., the superior court’s order contains provisions which are not consistent with that statutory scheme.”
E. I. Dupont De Nemours & Co. v. Waters, 695 S.E.2d 265 (Ga. 2010).
· cites it 6× “1 The Court of Appeals further found, however, that the order appointing the special master contained provisions which were inconsistent with the statutory scheme, and it remanded the case to the trial court for this reason. We granted certiorari to examine the propriety of the…”
Alston & Bird LLP v. Mellon Ventures II, L.P., 706 S.E.2d 652 (Ga. Ct. App. 2010).
· cites it 2× “” 4 Under OCGA § 9-7-1, the duties previously performed by a “master” in the superior court are now performed by an “auditor,” 5 although Uniform Superior Court Rule (“USCR”) 46, which was adopted effective June 4, 2009, permits the trial court to appoint a special master to…”
Camp Cherokee, Inc. v. Marina Lane, LLC, 729 S.E.2d 510 (Ga. Ct. App. 2012).
· cites it 2× “The case was referred to an auditor pursuant to OCGA § 9-7-1 et seq. Following an evidentiary hearing, the auditor issued a report with findings in favor of Marina Lane.”
Arthur Andersen & Co. v. Wilson, 353 S.E.2d 466 (Ga. 1987).
· cites it 4× “The trial court ultimately appointed Haynes Clement, a partner in Arthur Andersen, to be a special auditor, pursuant to OCGA § 9-7-1 et seq., for the purpose of determining the proper value of the stock.”
Petrakopoulos v. Vranas, 750 S.E.2d 779 (Ga. Ct. App. 2013).
· cites it 2× “And [u]nder OCGA § 9-7-1, the duties previously performed by a “master” in the superior court are now performed by an “auditor,” although Uniform Superior Court Rule (“USCR”) 46, which was adopted effective June 4, 2009, permits the trial court to appoint a special master to…”
A&M Hospitalities, LLC v. Alimchandani, 828 S.E.2d 615 (Ga. Ct. App. 2019).
· cites it 2× “And under OCGA § 9-7-1, the duties previously performed by a "master" in the superior court are now performed by an "auditor," although Uniform Superior Court Rule ("USCR") 46, which was adopted effective June 4, 2009, permits the trial court to appoint a special master to…”
Franklin v. Franklin, 475 S.E.2d 890 (Ga. 1996).
· cites it 4× “On the eve of trial, the trial court referred the case to an auditor, OCGA § 9-7-1 et seq., noting that appellant was not represented by counsel.”
Nix v. 230 Kirkwood Homes, LLC, 793 S.E.2d 402 (Ga. 2016).
· cites it 2× “See OCGA § 9-7-1 (“[t]he duties heretofore performed by a master in the superior court shall be performed by an auditor”).”
Interfinancial Midtown, Inc. v. Choate Constr. Co., 806 S.E.2d 255 (Ga. Ct. App. 2017).
· cites it 2× “While the court's order, prepared by Choate, referred to the appointment of a special master, the substance of the court's order shows that it should be considered as the appointment of an auditor under OCGA §§ 9-7-1 and 9-7-2. See In the Interest of B.”
McCaughey v. Murphy, 473 S.E.2d 762 (Ga. 1996).
· cites it 2× “We granted McCaughey’s petition for certiorari to consider what standards appellate courts should apply in determining whether a judgment entered by a supe *65 rior court on an auditor’s report is subject to the application procedures of OCGA § 5-6-35 or is directly appealable.”
Davis v. Harpagon Co., LLC, 686 S.E.2d 259 (Ga. Ct. App. 2009).
· cites it 2× “3 See OCGA § 9-7-1 (“[t]he duties heretofore performed by a master in the superior court shall be performed by an auditor”).”
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