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BRENDA TATELMANv.SARA C. SMITH

CourtCourt of Appeals of Georgia
Docket No.A26A0921
DecidedSeptember 1, 2026
JudgesBarnes, P. J., Markle, and Hodges, JJ.
Tags
Civil ProcedureContemptDue ProcessReplevinAttorney Fees
Case Summary

Sara Smith’s bond after her arrest over a cat-rescue operation barred her from possessing animals but allowed her to transfer her Yorkshire terrier, Gypsy, to a friend or family member. Smith’s friend let Brenda Tatelman take the dog; Smith later sued to recover Gypsy and won summary judgment and a replevin order. The Court of Appeals upheld those rulings, but reversed contempt because the contempt proceeding denied Tatelman due process. It also reversed attorney fees awarded at the summary-judgment hearing, which did not authorize that award, and denied both parties’ requests for frivolous-appeal sanctions.

Opinion

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