In December 1999, Equity Technologies Associates, Inc. sued PJ Services, Inc. and its owner, Corey Bernard Pitts collectively, “PJ Services”, for unjust enrichment, fraud, and conversion. After the trial court entered a judgment in favor of Equity Technologies and denied PJ Services’ motion for new trial, PJ Services timely filed a notice of appeal. More than seven months later, the trial court dismissed that appeal based on PJ Services’ failure to timely file transcripts pursuant to OCGA § 5-6-48 c. PJ Services now appeals that order, but we discern no error and affirm. Where there is a transcript of evidence and proceedings to be included in the record on appeal, “the appellant shall cause the transcript to be prepared and filed . . .within 30 days after filing of the notice of appeal.”1 Pursuant to OCGA § 5-6-48 c, a trial court may, after notice and opportunity for hearing, dismiss an appeal for failure to timely file a transcript when the delay is unreasonable, inexcusable, and caused by the party seeking the appeal. In reviewing a trial court’s dismissal of an appeal pursuant to OCGA § 5-6-48 c, this court will not disturb the trial court’s findings absent an abuse of discretion.2 In addition, we have recognized that “trial courts have very broad discretion when deciding whether to dismiss an appeal for delay” in filing a transcript.3
Here, PJ Services filed its notice of appeal on July 19, 2007, and therein requested the clerk of the trial court to transmit the entire record, including “all filed depositions and transcripts.” On July 26, 2007, the trial court clerk notified PJ Services that transcripts for hearings held on November 26, 2001, August 30, 2004, and June 11, 2007 had not yet been filed and directing it to promptly contact the court reporters for those hearings. On July 27, 2007, PJ Services’ counsel informed the trial court clerk that she was “endeavoring to contact” the court reporters regarding the transcripts.
