If you believe that the trial court made a substantial error in a ruling on your case, the appeals process offers a chance to seek reversal. The appellate process is intricate and requires an attorney with specialized knowledge and a passion for appellate brief writing.
Julie Liberman represents clients on appeal of all types of civil cases in Georgia, with emphasis on real estate matters. She is a tireless advocate for her appellate clients, committed to superior legal reasoning, creative or novel argumentation, and impeccable brief writing.
An appeal to the Georgia Court of Appeals or the Supreme Court of Georgia will not afford an opportunity to raise evidence, facts or testimony that was not previously raised or introduced at the trial court level. Nor is it the venue for complaining about any perceived oversight by trial counsel. An appeal will not be valid only because you think the verdict was unfair. Instead, the Georgia appellant must only raise legal errors made by the trial court judge.
Appellate attorney Julie Liberman will help you identify such errors that have merit to pursue and will provide an honest assessment whether the case is eligible for appeal.
Gaddy v. Sherard, A25A0880, 2025 WL 3071575 (Ga. Ct. App. Nov. 3, 2025). In a case construing the recently enacted Superior and State Court Appellate Practice Act, the Georgia Court of Appeals affirmed the dismissal of the opposing party’s petition for review, upholding the judgment in our client’s favor. The Court agreed that the petitioner failed to comply with a clear court-ordered deadline to file proof of service, which required dismissal. This ruling leaves the original magistrate court judgment for our client in full force and effect. The opinion also confirms that Georgia courts will not automatically import Georgia Civil Practice Act case law into the Superior and State Court Appellate Practice Act, particularly where the new Act contains its own procedural rules and no cross-reference to the CPA.
Humble v. Opendoor Prop. J, LLC, 373 Ga. App. 210, 908 S.E.2d 57 (2024). This case concerned a dispute over the language of an agreement to loan money in exchange for a deed of property. The agreement stated, “loan is to be repaid by the lender,” and borrower argued that this meant there was no due date for repayment. The trial court granted summary judgment to the borrower. On appeal, Julie and co-counsel successfully achieved a reversal of the decision. The Court of Appeals agreed with our argument that the loan agreement had scrivener’s errors that precluded summary judgment. Thus, the case was allowed to return to the trial court for further proceedings.
Gyllstrom v. Blue Stone Condo. Ass'n, Inc., 371 Ga. App. 817, 903 S.E.2d 282 (2024). A condominium Board issued ad hoc rules against an owner, barring a family member from the premises without an escort. The unit owner sued to invalidate the rule. The trial court dismissed the case for the unit owner’s failure to follow the condominium’s governing documents concerning pre-suit dispute resolution procedures. The dismissal meant that the owners would have to abide by the rule, so the owners hired Julie to assist with briefing an appeal to the Georgia Court of Appeals. On appeal, Julie and co-counsel successfully achieved a reversal of the decision. The Court of Appeals agreed with our argument that the condominium Board waived the requirement in bylaws that residents request and attend a hearing before filing lawsuit. Thus, the case was allowed to return to the trial court for further proceedings, including a decision on the fairness of the rule at issue.
Simms v. Stewart, 369 Ga. App. 373, 893 S.E.2d 780 (2023). In this case concerning a dispute over a residential property deeded as a gift to our client, we were hired to appeal a verdict granting the property to the opponent. Julie prevailed on the appeal, arguing that the trial was fundamentally unfair as the jury was not advised that the grant of the property fell under gift law; the Court of Appeals agreed and granted the client a new trial.
Houston v. James, 358 Ga. App. 510, 855 S.E.2d 714 (2021). This matter involved a challenge to a grant of summary judgment on a claim of title by adverse possession. Julie successfully obtained a reversal of summary judgment. The court’s opinion clarifies that to prevail on adverse possession, the claimant must enter upon the land claiming in good faith the right to do so and cannot have reason to believe another has valid title; to enter upon the land without any honest claim of right to do so is but a trespass.
City Heights Condo. Association, Inc. v. Bombara, et al., 337 Ga. App. 679; 788 S.E.2d 563 (2016). Atlanta condominium unit owners filed suit against a condominium association in connection with mold damage in their unit. The association charged the unit owners with the association’s litigation fees and expenses, as an assessment under the “common expense” provision of the declaration of covenants. That provision stated, in essence, that any common expenses caused by the conduct of a unit owner could be charged to the unit owner. Yet using this provision to charge litigation defense costs was unprecedented. Julie prevailed in arguing on behalf of the unit owners that the association was not entitled to use that provision to charge its litigation expenses to the unit owners.
Marino v. Clary Lakes Homeowners Ass’n, Inc., 322 Ga. App. 839 (2013); Atlanta area homeowners were sued by their homeowners association concerning a restrictive covenant prohibiting them from using their garage for storage. Julie successfully argued on appeal that, because the association did not achieve 2/3 of the vote of the community when adopting the restriction, it could not enforce the restriction against homeowners who did not vote for the restriction or consent to it in writing.
Marino v. Clary Lakes Homeowners Ass’n, Inc., 331 Ga. App. 204, 770 SE2d 289 (2015). Upon a second appeal of the Marino case, Julie prevailed in a dispute over attorney fees owed to the homeowners.
Ellington v. Gallery Condominium Ass’n, Inc., 313 Ga. App. 424 (2011). Julie Liberman successfully represented a condominium association in a suit to recover unpaid condominium assessments, including utility charges. Upon the condominium owner’s appeal, she attained affirmance of the trial court’s order on behalf of the association, establishing precedent that utilities are part of a condominium’s assessments.
Contact Julie A. Liberman, LLC for more information about legal representation in a Georgia civil appeal. Based in the Atlanta area, Julie is an experienced attorney handling cases throughout metropolitan Atlanta and the State of Georgia.
Generally, 30 days from the date of the final judgment — but deadlines vary based on the type of order. If you miss the applicable deadline, you will likely lose the right to appeal. When you contact our firm about an appeal, our first questions will be: do you have the final order or judgment you wish to appeal, and what date was it filed?
Appellate courts do not take new evidence or call witnesses. Generally, the record at the trial court level is the record that the appellate court reviews. The appellate court determines whether the trial court committed legal errors that affected the outcome, warranting reversal. A motion for new trial asks the same court to try the case again because of errors, new evidence, or an unfair result. The best approach depends on your case’s posture and deadlines. We can help you determine which option preserves your rights and gives you the strongest path forward.
Each case is unique. Success depends on the strength of the legal issues preserved, the record, and the standard of review. We provide a candid evaluation before agreeing to represent clients on appeal. Whether that evaluation is performed as a courtesy or through a paid engagement depends on the complexity of the record. The firm is proud of its very strong success rate on appeal. There is also the possibility of penalties if an appeal is deemed frivolous, which we strive to avoid at all times. Thus, we won’t offer representation on an appeal unless we believe the chances of success are strong.
Costs depend on record size, issue complexity, and whether you are the appellant or appellee. Our firm offers flat fees for appellate briefs, the amount of which is set per case. The briefing costs do not include additional hard costs such as transcript preparation, record preparation and filing fees. You can help us determine the flat fee for your appeal by having all the trial court record documents complete, available and organized, and provide my office with an estimated page count.
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