From Casetext: Smarter Legal Research

American Southern Insurance Company v. Kirkland

Court of Appeals of Georgia
Jul 15, 1968
162 S.E.2d 862 (Ga. Ct. App. 1968)

Opinion

43781.

ARGUED JULY 2, 1968.

DECIDED JULY 15, 1968.

Declaratory judgment. Tattnall Superior Court. Before Judge Caswell.

Doremus Karsman, William Green, Ogden Doremus, for appellant.

William T. Darby, Sr., John P. Rabun, B. Daniel Dubberly, Jr., for appellees.


A petition should not be dismissed for failure to state a claim unless it appears beyond doubt that the plaintiff can prove no set of facts in support of his claim which would entitle him to relief.

ARGUED JULY 2, 1968 — DECIDED JULY 15, 1968.


The insurer appeals from an order of the trial court dismissing its petition for declaratory relief upon the ground that the "complaint failed to state a cause of action [claim for relief] against the defendants upon which the relief sought might be granted."


The appellees rely upon Pennsylvania Threshermen c. Cas. Co. v. Gardner, 107 Ga. App. 472 ( 130 S.E.2d 507), and Hatcher v. Georgia Farm Bureau Mut. Ins. Co., 112 Ga. App. 711 ( 146 S.E.2d 535). These cases are inapposite for the reason they were decided under the old strict rules of pleading. A claim for relief under Code Ann. § 81A-108 "should not be dismissed for failure to state a claim unless it appears beyond doubt that the plaintiff can prove no set of facts in support of his claim which would entitle him to relief." Conley v. Gibson, 355 U.S. 41, 45-46 ( 78 SC 99, 2 L.Ed.2d 80). See also Harper v. DeFreitas, 117 Ga. App. 236 (1) ( 160 S.E.2d 260).

The trial court erred in dismissing the petition. St. Paul Fire c. Ins. Co. v. Johnson, 216 Ga. 437 ( 117 S.E.2d 459); Ditmyer v. American Liberty Ins. Co., 117 Ga. App. 512 (1) ( 160 S.E.2d 844).

Judgment reversed. Bell, P. J., and Quillian, J., concur.


Summaries of

American Southern Insurance Company v. Kirkland

Court of Appeals of Georgia
Jul 15, 1968
162 S.E.2d 862 (Ga. Ct. App. 1968)
Case details for

American Southern Insurance Company v. Kirkland

Case Details

Full title:AMERICAN SOUTHERN INSURANCE COMPANY v. KIRKLAND et al

Court:Court of Appeals of Georgia

Date published: Jul 15, 1968

Citations

162 S.E.2d 862 (Ga. Ct. App. 1968)
162 S.E.2d 862

Citing Cases

Southeastern c. Co. v. State Farm c. Co.

The original petition which was then the first count amply meets the notice requirements of the new practice…

Whitley v. Whitley Construction Company

Held: 1. On motion to dismiss, a complaint should be construed in a light most favorable to the complainant…