Full Opinion

Court of Appeals of the State of Georgia ATLANTA,____________________ September 22, 2026 The Court of Appeals hereby passes the following order: A27A0394. JEANNA STEVENS, SURVIVING SPOUSE OF RICHARD STEVENS et al. v. SHAQILLE KWAME BAKER et al. Plaintiff Jeanna Stevens, as surviving spouse of Richard Stevens and executor of his estate, filed this action for equitable rescission and related claims against four defendants. The trial court subsequently granted Jeanna’s motion to add Rebecca Kay Sapp and the Rebecca Kay Sapp Law Firm, LLC (the “Sapp Defendants”) as additional defendants, and Jeanna filed an amended complaint adding distinct claims against those defendants. Jeanna later filed a motion to dismiss the Sapp Defendants from the action. The record on appeal, however, contains no order disposing of that motion. On August 18, 2026, the trial court granted a motion to dismiss the claims against the initial four defendants.1 Jeanna then filed this direct appeal. We lack jurisdiction. Under OCGA § 5-6-34(a)(1)(B), appeals generally may be taken from “[a]ll final judgments, that is to say, where the case is no longer pending in the court below.” In a case involving multiple parties or multiple claims, a decision adjudicating fewer than all the claims or the rights and liabilities of fewer than all the parties is not a final judgment. Johnson v. Hosp. Corp. of Am., 192 Ga. App. 628, 629 (385 SE2d 731) (1989). For a party to obtain appellate review under such circumstances, there must 1 The dismissal order on appeal states, without elaboration, that the Sapp Defendants “have been dismissed.” As stated above, however, no order dismissing those defendants appears in the record on appeal. And by its terms, the dismissal order on appeal addresses the claims against only the initial four defendants. be either an express determination by the trial court that there is no just reason for delay under OCGA § 9-11-54(b) or compliance with the interlocutory appeal requirements of OCGA § 5-6-34(b). See id. Where neither code section is followed, the appeal is premature and must be dismissed. Id. Here, the trial court did not direct the entry of judgment under OCGA § 9-11-54(b), and the record contains no order disposing of the claims against the Sapp Defendants. Consequently, because no final judgment has been entered, Jeanna was required to follow the interlocutory appeal procedures — including obtaining a certificate of immediate review from the trial court — to appeal the order dismissing her claims against the initial four defendants. See OCGA § 5-6-34(b); Boyd v. State, 191 Ga. App. 435, 435 (383 SE2d 906) (1989). Her failure to do so deprives us of jurisdiction over this direct appeal, which is hereby DISMISSED. See Bailey v. Bailey, 266 Ga. 832, 833 (471 SE2d 213) (1996). Court of Appeals of the State of Georgia Clerk’s Office, Atlanta,____________________ 09/22/2026 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.