STEVEN T. SAUNDERS v. MARTIN R. MOREIRA
Docket A26A1231
Court of record · Indexed in NoticeRegistry archive · AI-enriched for research
- Filed
- Jurisdiction
- Georgia
- Court
- Court of Appeals of Georgia
- Type
- Opinion
- Case type
- Civil
- Disposition
- Dismissed
- Docket
- A26A1231
Appeal to the Georgia Court of Appeals where the appellant failed to file an enumeration of errors and brief after docketing and after a court-ordered deadline.
Summary
The Georgia Court of Appeals dismissed the appeal in A26A1231 because the appellant failed to comply with the Court's docketing notice and Court of Appeals Rule 23(a) by not filing an enumeration of errors and brief within the required time. The court had given a specific deadline of March 27, 2026, after an earlier order on March 17, 2026, but the appellant did not file the required documents. For these procedural violations, the Court concluded the appeal was abandoned and ordered it dismissed.
Issues Decided
- Whether the appellant's failure to file an enumeration of errors and brief within the time required by the Court of Appeals' docketing notice and Rule 23(a) warranted dismissal of the appeal.
- Whether the appellant's noncompliance with a court order dated March 17, 2026, providing a deadline of March 27, 2026, justified treating the appeal as abandoned.
Court's Reasoning
The Court relied on its rules governing timely filing of an enumeration of errors and brief and the authority to dismiss appeals when appellants fail to comply. The appellant did not meet the March 27, 2026 deadline set by the Court and also failed to respond to the original docketing notice, demonstrating abandonment of the appeal. Because the procedural noncompliance prevented meaningful appellate review, dismissal was appropriate under the Court's rules.
Authorities Cited
- Court of Appeals Rule 23(a)
- Court of Appeals Rule 7
- Court of Appeals Rule 13
Parties
- Appellant
- Steven T. Saunders et al
- Appellee
- Martin R. Moreira et al
- Judge
- Court of Appeals of the State of Georgia (Clerk)
Key Dates
- Court order setting deadline to file enumeration and brief
- 2026-03-17
- Deadline to file enumeration and brief
- 2026-03-27
- Court dismissal order date
- 2026-04-06
What You Should Do Next
- 1
Consult appellate counsel immediately
An attorney can evaluate whether grounds exist to file a motion to reinstate or for reconsideration and can prepare any required filings promptly.
- 2
Prepare a motion to reinstate or to set aside dismissal
If there is a valid excuse (for example, excusable neglect or other good cause), draft a motion explaining the failure to comply and attach supporting evidence; file it as soon as possible under the Court's rules.
- 3
Review and comply with court rules and deadlines
Ensure any future filings strictly follow the Court of Appeals' rules on docketing, enumerations, and briefs to avoid procedural dismissal.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does this decision mean?
- The appeal has been dismissed because the appellant failed to file required appellate documents and missed a court-ordered deadline, so the appellate court will not consider the appeal on its merits.
- Who is affected by this order?
- The appellants, Steven T. Saunders and others, are directly affected because their appeal is dismissed; the appellees are no longer subject to this appeal.
- Can the appellant still revive the appeal?
- The order does not state relief; typically, an appellant may seek reinstatement or file a motion for reconsideration or to reopen the appeal, but success depends on court rules and showing excusable neglect.
- What were the legal grounds for dismissal?
- Dismissal was based on noncompliance with the Court of Appeals' docketing notice and Rules 7, 13, and 23(a), and failure to comply with a specific court deadline.
The above suggestions and answers are AI-generated for informational purposes only. They may contain errors. NoticeRegistry assumes no responsibility for their accuracy. Consult a qualified attorney before relying on them.
Full Filing Text
Court of Appeals
of the State of Georgia
ATLANTA, April 06, 2026
The Court of Appeals hereby passes the following order
A26A1231. STEVEN T. SAUNDERS et al v. MARTIN R. MOREIRA et al.
The appellant in this case failed to comply with the notice of docketing mailed by this
Court and with Court of Appeals Rule 23 (a), regarding the filing of an enumeration of errors
and brief within twenty days after the appeal was docketed. See also Court of Appeals Rule 13.
On March 17, 2026, this Court ordered the appellant to file an enumeration of errors and
a brief no later than March 27, 2026. As of the date of this order, the appellant's enumeration of
errors and brief still have not been filed. Accordingly, this appeal is deemed abandoned and is
hereby ordered DISMISSED. Court of Appeals Rules 7, 23 (a).
Court of Appeals of the State of Georgia
Clerk's Office, Atlanta, April 06, 2026.
I certify that the above is a true extract from the minutes
of the Court of Appeals of Georgia.
Witness my signature and the seal of said court hereto
affixed the day and year last above written.
, Clerk.