Charles M. Cork, III

Mr. Cork has been employed to represent clients or to associate or consult with other lawyers in a broad range of civil practice matters. Such employment occurs on a broad range of hourly, fixed or contingent fees.

Published Texts and Articles

Reading Law in Georgia, available online at http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2520296 (SSRN, 2014).
Contributor to Macon Bar’s Professionalism Efforts, Georgia Bar Journal, December 1997, p. 74.
Compiler and publisher of a summary of recent cases in each edition of the Macon Bar newsletter since 1986.

Seminar Presentations

ERISA Reimbursement & Legal Ethics, Arizona Association for Justice, The Trial Lawyers' Annual Lien Seminar, January 28, 2011.
Professional and Ethical Dilemmas in Litigation, ICLE, September 24, 2010.
Senate Bill 20 and Other Efforts to Regulate “Ambulance Chasing,” GTLA “New Laws” Seminar, July 23, 1999.
Monthly mini-seminar (about 5 minutes) on some legal development of interest at Middle Georgia Trial Lawyer Meetings.

Representative Appellate Cases

Sanctions, Attorneys Fees and Contempt

Coen v. Aptean, Inc. 307 Ga. 826 (2020) (reversing the Court of Appeals and overturning prior case law that precluded plaintiffs in abusive litigation cases from recovering punitive damages).
Coen v. Aptean, Inc., 290 Ga. App. 453 (2008) (reversing contempt sanctions against attorney who zealously represented her client's interests in obtaining custody of a child, despite judge's objections to such custody by a lesbian).
Hall v. Christian Church of Ga., Inc., 280 Ga. App. 721 (2006) (reversing grant of $34,000 in attorney fees under OCGA Section 9-15-14).

Real Estate

Smith v. Tibbits, 359 Ga. App. 362 (2021) (holding that evidence could establish constructive delivery of a deed and validate gift of realty and personalty).
Second Refuge Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Inc. v. Lollar, 282 Ga. 721 (2008) (reversing quiet title ruling because of invalidity of deeds purporting to convey title to church property).
Byrd v. Shelley, 279 Ga. App. 886 (2006) (upholding verdict in land line dispute against claim thatadverse possession issue should have been submitted to jury).
Gambrell v. Buxton, 200 Ga. App. 641 (1991) (upholding summary judgment in land line dispute).

Settlements

Roberson v. Henderson Chemical Co., 171 Ga. App. 722 (1984) (reversing trial court's summary judgment based on plaintiff's signing a general release, when he only meant to release property damage claim).

Contract disputes

Cobb Beauty College, Inc. v. Scamihorn, 339 Ga. App. 751 (2016) (reversing judgment against employer, who fired employee for cause without following procedures specified in the employment contract).
Coleman v. Retina Consultants, P.C., 286 Ga. 317 (2009) (striking down noncompetition provisions in contract between employer and software developer).
Middle Georgia Bank v. Continental Real Estate & Associates, Inc., 168 Ga. App. 611 (1983) (upholding summary judgment for broker in bank's action by invoking parol evidence rule to prevent bank from proving oral agreement contrary to terms of check).

Domestic relations

Tadlock v. Tadlock, 290 Ga. App. 568 (2008) (establishing the rights of a non-dependent adult child to participate in the survival action under FELA due to injuries to his father, and the effect of a prenuptial agreement).
In re Hadaway, 290 Ga. App. 453 (2008) (reversing contempt sanctions against attorney who zealously represented her client's interests in obtaining custody of a child, despite judge's objections to such custody by a lesbian).

Esoterica

Bibb County v. Monroe County, 294 Ga. 730 (2014) (reversing trial judge who held that Secretary of State could be compelled by mandamus to accept county border line despite its flaws).
Kemp v. Monroe County, 298 Ga. 67 (2015) (reversing trial judge who held that Secretary of State could be compelled by mandamus to keep the record closed and prevent Bibb County from presenting evidence of the true county border).

General Civil Practice