Court of Appeals of the State of Georgia ATLANTA,____________________ March 21, 2018 The Court of Appeals hereby passes the following order: A18D0343. TONY L. WARE v. PINE STATE MORTGAGE CORP. et al.

Tony L. Ware filed a dispossessory action in magistrate court against defendants Pine State Mortgage Corp., MidFirst Bank, and Mortgage Electronics Registration System, Inc. The magistrate court dismissed the action, and Ware filed a de novo appeal in the superior court. In superior court, Ware filed a motion for default judgment, which was denied. Ware thereafter filed this application for discretionary review. We, however, lack jurisdiction.

The denial of a motion for default judgment is an interlocutory ruling.

Rolleston v. Estate of Sims, 280 Ga. 32, 32 (1) (622 SE2d 849) (2005); Ware v. Handy Storage, 222 Ga. App. 339, 339 (474 SE2d 240) (1996). And the superior court’s order denying Ware’s motion for default judgment was not otherwise designated as a final order under OCGA § 9-11-54 (b). Accordingly, the case is still pending below, and Ware was required to follow the interlocutory appeal procedures set forth in OCGA § 5-6-34 (b). See Bailey v. Bailey, 266 Ga. 832, 832-833 (471 SE2d 213) (1996); Scruggs v. Ga. Dept. of Human Resources, 261 Ga. 587, 588-589 (1) (408 SE2d 103) (1991). Although Ware filed a discretionary application, “[t]he discretionary appeal statute does not excuse a party seeking appellate review of an interlocutory order from complying with the additional requirements of OCGA § 5- 6- 34 (b).” Bailey, 266 Ga. at 833.

Ware’s failure to follow the proper appellate procedures deprives us of jurisdiction over this premature application, which is hereby DISMISSED. See id. Court of Appeals of the State of Georgia Clerk’s Office, Atlanta,____________________ 03/21/2018 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.