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Supreme Court Seal
South Carolina
Judicial Department
Court of Appeals Published Opinions - January 2014

Note: Beginning in June 2012, opinions will be posted as Adobe PDFs. You can download a free copy of Adobe Reader here.

The summary following each opinion is prepared to offer lawyers and the public a general overview of what a particular opinion decides. The summary is not necessarily a full description of the issues discussed in an opinion.


1-2-2014 - Opinions

5186 - Holland v. Morbark, Inc.

In this products liability action, the court of appeals upholds the circuit court's decision to deny appellant's motion to amend his complaint based on prejudice to respondent. In addition, the court finds the circuit court properly granted summary judgment on appellant's claims for design defect and failure to warn.

5187 - State v. Green

Richard Avon Green appeals his conviction of the common law charge of attempted burglary. He contends that because attempted burglary is not a lesser included offense of first degree burglary, the trial court erred in submitting the claim of attempted first degree burglary to the jury after it granted a directed verdict in his favor on the charge of first degree burglary. We affirm.

1-8-2014 - Opinions

5188 - Teseniar v. Professional Plastering

In this civil appeal arising out of the defective construction of an apartment complex. Professional Plastering & Stucco, Inc. (Professional) appeals the jury's verdict in favor of Mark F. Teseniar and Nan M. Teseniar, on behalf of themselves and other similarly situated, and Twelve Oaks at Fenwick Property Owners Association, Inc. (POA) (collectively referred to as Respondents) on the claims of negligence and breach of warranty of workmanlike service. Professional asserts the trial court committed reversible error by (1) failing to qualify Chris Dawkins as an expert witness, (2) failing to admit Professional's stucco-only estimate, (3) denying Professional's motion for set-off and motion for a new trail remittitur, (4) including the settlement amount received by Respondents on the verdict form and in its jury charge, (5) giving improper jury instructions, and (6) denying Professional's motion for a directed verdict and judgment notwithstanding the verdict (JNOV) on the claim of breach of warranty of workmanlike service. Professional also appeals the trial court's grant of summary judgment in its cross-claim against APS Unlimited, Inc. (APS). We reverse.

1-15-2014 - Opinions

5189 - Burgess v. Burgess

In this appeal from the family court, William Burgess (Husband) appeals the court's final order in his divorce from Natalie Burgess (Wife), arguing the court erred in: (1) imputing income to Husband; (2) dividing the marital estate; (3) awarding alimony to Wife; and (4) awarding attorney's fees to Wife.

1-29-2014 - Opinions

5190 - Sullivan v. State

Morris Antonio Sullivan shot and killed Jervis Powers, and a jury convicted Sullivan of voluntary manslaughter, possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime, and possession of a pistol under the age of twenty-one. Sullivan filed an application for post-conviction relief (PCR) alleging his trial counsel was ineffective for not making a sufficient request to the trial court to include language from State v. Burriss, 334 S.C. 256, 513 S.E.2d 104 (1999), in its jury charge on involuntary manslaughter. Because there is no evidence that Sullivan shot Powers unintentionally, we find Sullivan was not entitled to an involuntary manslaughter charge, and thus was not prejudiced by any alleged error of his trial counsel. We affirm.

5192 - Kinard v. Richardson

Appellant Larry E. Kinard challenges an order of the Master-in-Equity declining to enjoin Respondents Douglas S. Richardson and Julie D. Richardson from leasing their property to a third party for the purpose of horse grazing.