On 27 October 2026, Judge Sara L. Doyle of the Georgia Court of Appeals threw out a $186,000 default judgment that had been awarded to homeowner Jionel E. Pierre against contractor Juan Ramirez and Big Sky Remodel and Construction, LLC in a Powder Springs renovation dispute.
The case began in September 2021 when Ramirez and Big Sky signed a renovation agreement with Cadenas Ventures, a local real‑estate firm. Cadenas later passed its legal rights to Pierre, a 45‑year‑old teacher from Powder Springs, who filed a breach‑of‑contract suit on 17 May 2022, seeking damages for faulty workmanship. Neither defendant filed a timely defense, leading the trial court to enter a default judgment in Pierre’s favor.
Judge Doyle found that the trial court had failed to serve Big Sky in person, violating O.C.G.A. §9‑11‑4(e)(1)(A). The summons was not delivered to an authorized corporate agent, meaning the court never gained personal jurisdiction over the company, rendering the judgment void.
The court also ruled that the trial judge prematurely awarded damages to Ramirez, who was alleged to share joint liability with Big Sky. Because the court had not first established jurisdiction over the co‑defendant, it could not lawfully impose a final monetary judgment on Ramirez. Moreover, the suit involved unliquidated damages, so the plaintiff was required to present concrete evidence at an evidentiary hearing—a step the trial court omitted.
Ramirez and Big Sky’s attempt to dismiss the case on standing failed when Judge Doyle noted that the assignment of rights from Cadenas to Pierre was signed on 1 May 2022, two weeks before the lawsuit was filed, giving Pierre valid standing.
The appeals panel has remanded the case to the trial judge, who must now properly serve the parties, hold an evidentiary hearing, and, if jurisdiction is established, consider a new judgment.