Smith v. Gwinnett County

Carley, Justice.

When C.W. and Grady Smith and Smith’s Lake Corporation (the Smiths) began to develop their property without obtaining the requisite permits, Gwinnett County brought suit to enjoin them from further construction activity. The trial court entered a preliminary injunction. After subsequently finding that the Smiths were in criminal contempt of that order, the trial court took control of the property pursuant to its equitable powers and ordered the County to restore the property to its original condition, with the reasonable costs of that restoration to be assessed against the…