2022 Georgia Code
Title 9 - Civil Practice
Chapter 11 - Civil Practice Act
Article 7 - Judgment
§ 9-11-60. Relief From Judgments

1. Collateral attack.    A judgment void on its face may be attacked in any court by any person. In all other instances, judgments shall be subject to attack only by a direct proceeding brought for that purpose in one of the methods prescribed in this Code section.
2. Methods of direct attack.    A judgment may be attacked by motion for a new trial or motion to set aside. Judgments may be attacked by motion only in the court of rendition.
3. Motion for new trial.    A motion for new trial must be predicated upon some intrinsic defect which does not appear upon the face of the record or pleadings.
4. Motion to set aside.    A motion to set aside may be brought to set aside a judgment based upon:
   1. Lack of jurisdiction over the person or the subject matter;
   2. Fraud, accident, or mistake or the acts of the adverse party unmixed with the negligence or fault of the movant; or
   3. A nonamendable defect which appears upon the face of the record or pleadings. Under this paragraph, it is not sufficient that the complaint or other pleading fails to state a claim upon which relief can be granted, but the pleadings must affirmatively show no claim in fact existed.
5. Complaint in equity.    The use of a complaint in equity to set aside a judgment is prohibited.
6. Procedure; time of relief.    Reasonable notice shall be afforded the parties on all motions. Motions to set aside judgments may be served by any means by which an original complaint may be legally served if it cannot be legally served as any other motion. A judgment void because of lack of jurisdiction of the person or subject matter may be attacked at any time. Motions for new trial must be brought within the time prescribed by law. In all other instances, all motions to set aside judgments shall be brought within three years from entry of the judgment complained of.
7. Clerical mistakes.    Clerical mistakes in judgments, orders, or other parts of the record and errors therein arising from oversight or omission may be corrected by the court at any time of its own initiative or on the motion of any party and after such notice, if any, as the court orders.
8. Law of the case rule.    The law of the case rule is abolished; but generally judgments and orders shall not be set aside or modified without just cause and, in setting aside or otherwise modifying judgments and orders, the court shall consider whether rights have vested thereunder and whether or not innocent parties would be injured thereby; provided, however, that any ruling by the Supreme Court or the Court of Appeals in a case shall be binding in all subsequent proceedings in that case in the lower court and in the Supreme Court or the Court of Appeals as the case may be.

History. Ga. L. 1966, p. 609, § 60; Ga. L. 1967, p. 226, §§ 26, 27, 30; Ga. L. 1974, p. 1138, § 1; Ga. L. 1984, p. 22, § 9; Ga. L. 1986, p. 294, § 1; Ga. L. 1987, p. 564, § 1.

Cross references.

Ground for new trial generally, § 5-5-20 et seq.

Annulling of conveyances for fraud and relief against awards, judgments, and decrees obtained by imposition, § 23-2-60 .

U.S. Code.

For provisions of Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, Rule 60, and annotations pertaining thereto, see 28 U.S.C.

Law reviews.

For note discussing reluctance of the courts of this state to grant appeals when an overruled motion for new trial is not enumerated as error, in light of Hill v. Willis, 224 Ga. 263 , 161 S.E.2d 281 (1968), appearing below, see 5 Ga St. B.J. 269 (1968).

For note, “Default Judgments Under the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and the Georgia Civil Practice Act,” see 7 Ga. St. B.J. 385 (1971).

For article discussing collateral attack on contempt sanctions based upon constitutionally invalid injunctions, see 7 Ga. L. Rev. 246 (1973).

For article examining waiver of objections to venue and lack of personal jurisdiction by default, see 12 Ga. L. Rev. 181 (1978).

For article as to prevention of malpractice claims and litigation, see 16 Ga. St. B.J. 68 (1979).

For comment on Marsh v. Northland Ins. Co., 242 Ga. 490 , 249 S.E.2d 205 (1978), appearing below, see 31 Mercer L. Rev. 359 (1979).

For article, “Insuring a Party’s Second Chance,” see 16 Ga. St. B.J. 177 (1980).

For survey article citing developments in Georgia trial practice and procedure from mid-1980 through mid-1981, see 33 Mercer L. Rev. 275 (1981).

For survey article on domestic relations, see 34 Mercer L. Rev. 113 (1982).

For survey article on trial practice and procedure, see 34 Mercer L. Rev. 299 (1982).

For survey article on wills, trusts, and administration of estates, see 34 Mercer L. Rev. 323 (1982).

For annual survey of appellate practice and procedure, see 36 Mercer L. Rev. 79 (1984).

For annual survey of recent developments, see 38 Mercer L. Rev. 473 (1986).

For note, “Dismissal with Prejudice for Failure to Prosecute: Visiting the Sins of the Attorney upon the Client,” see 22 Ga. L. Rev. 195 (1987).

For annual survey of appellate practice and procedure, see 43 Mercer L. Rev. 73 (1991).

For article, “Trial Practice and Procedure,” see 53 Mercer L. Rev. 475 (2001).

For annual survey article on legal ethics, see 56 Mercer L. Rev. 315 (2004).

For annual survey of Administrative Law, see 57 Mercer L. Rev. 1 (2005).

For annual survey on workers’ compensation, see 59 Mercer L. Rev. 463 (2007).

For annual survey of law on insurance, see 62 Mercer L. Rev. 139 (2010).

For article, “Appellate Practice and Procedure,” see 63 Mercer L. Rev. 67 (2011).

For annual survey on business associations, see 70 Mercer L. Rev. 19 (2018).

For annual survey on wills, trusts, guardianships, and fiduciary administration, see 71 Mercer L. Rev. 327 (2019).

For article with annual survey on domestic relations, see 73 Mercer L. Rev. 89 (2021).