In th e S u p re m e Co u rt o f Ge o rg ia

De c id e d: Ap ril 2 6 , 2 0 16

S1 5 G1 8 8 5 . Mc KINNEY e t a l. v . F U CIARELLI.

THOMP S O N, Ch ie f Ju stic e

.

We g ra nte d a writ o f c e rtio ra ri to th e Co u rt o f A p p e a ls i n F u c i a r e lli v

.

Mc Kin n e y

, 3 3 3 G a

. Ap p

. 5 7 7 (7 7 3 S E2 d 8 5 2) (2 0 1 5 ), to d e te rm in e wh e th e r it

c o rre c tly h e ld th a t th e Ge o rg ia Ta xp a y e r P ro te c tio n Ag a in st F a lse Cla im s Ac t,

OCGA § 2 3 -3 -1 20 e t se q

. , d o e s n o t re q u ire th e Atto rn e y G e n e ra l to a p p ro v e

ta x p ay e r re ta lia tio n c la im s bro u g h t u n d e r su b se c tio n (l) o f th e Ac t. Be c a u se th e

p la in la n g u a g e o f th e sta tu te re q uire s th e Atto rn e y Ge n e ra l to a p pro v e a ta x p ay e r

re ta lia tio n c la im p rio r to filin g su it

, w e r e v e r s e th e ju d g m e n t o f th e Co u rt o f

Ap p e a ls.

P la in tiff A lfre d F u c ia re lli is a t e n u re d fa c u lty m e m b e r a t Va ld o sta S ta te

Un iv e rsity (“ VS U” ). F u c ia re lli w a s a t o n e tim e a lso a ssista n t v ic e p re sid e n t fo r

re se a rc h a n d a d e a

n o f th e g r a d u a te sc h o o l. Afte r h e c o m p la in e d, ho we ve r,

a b o u t VS U’s “ no n c o m

p lia n c e with la ws, ru le s a n d re g u la tio n s

, ” VS U

te rm in a te d F u c ia re lli’s c on tra c t to se rv e a s a n a ssista n t v ic e p re sid e nt an d d e a n

.Th e te rm in a tio n b ro u g h t Fu c ia re lli’s a dm in istra tiv e d utie s to a n e n d a n d

,

a lth ou g h F u c ia re lli re m a in e d a s a m e m b e r o f th e fa c ulty

, his sa la ry a nd b e n e fits

we re re d u c e d

. F u c ia re lli a p p e a le d h is te rm in a tio n to th e B o ard o f Re g e n ts

wh ic h a ffirm e d VS U’s d e c isio n

.

Th e re a fte r

, F u c i a re lli file d su it a g a in st th e Bo a rd of Re ge n ts, Willia m

Mc Kin n e y

, in d iv id ua lly a n d in h is o ffic ia l c a pa c ity a s p r e s i d e n t o f VS U, a n d

Ka r l a H u ll, in d iv id u a lly a n d in h e r o ffic ia l c a p a c ity a s a fo rm e r a c tin g v ic e

p re sid e n t o f VS U

, se e k in g d a m a g e s u n d e r bo th th e P u b l i c Em p lo y e e

Wh istle b lo we r Re ta li a tio n Ac t, OCGA § 4 5-1 -4

, an d th e T a x p a y e r P ro te c tio n

Ag a in st F a lse Cla im s Ac t (“ T P AF CA” ), OCGA § 2 3-3 -1 20 e t se q

. Th e tria l

c o u rt d e nie d d e fe n d a nts’ m o tio n to d ism iss th e p u b lic e m p lo y e e wh istle b lo we r

re ta lia tio n c la im

, b u t g ra n te d d e fe n d a n ts’ m o tio n to d ism iss th e ta x p ay e r

re ta lia tio n c la im o n th e g ro u n d th a t Fu c ia re lli fa ile d to o b ta in th e a p p ro v a l o f th e

Atto rn e y Ge n e ra l b e fo re filin g su it. 1

Afte r g ra n tin g d e fe n d a n ts’ a p p lic a tio n fo r re v ie w, a m a jo rity o f th e Co urt

o f Ap pe a ls a ffirm e d

, in pa rt, a n d re v e rse d

, in p a rt, h o ld in g, first, th a t th e tria l

1 The trial court did not reach def endants’ argum ent that Fuciarelli was not entitled

to sue under the TPAFCA. S e e OCGA § 23-3-122 (i). W e also d o n o t a d d r e s s that

argum ent.

2c o u rt p ro p e rly d ism isse d th e TP AF CA c la i m a g a i n st th e Bo a rd

, a s we ll a s

Mc Kin n e y a n d Hu ll in th e ir o ffic ia l c a p a c itie s, b e c a

u se th e TP AF CA do e s n o t

wa iv e t h e g o v e rn m e nt’s imm u n ity fro m su it; a n d

, se c o n d

, th a t th e tria l c o urt

e rre d in d ism issin g th e TP A F CA c la im a g a i n s t H u ll an d M c Kin n e y

, in th e ir

in d iv id u a l c a

p a c itie s, b e c a

u se F u c ia re lli fa ile d to ob ta in th e Atto rn e y G e n e ra l’s

a p p ro v a l p rio r to b rin gin g th is a c tio n

. Ou r c o n c e rn in gra ntin g c e r t i o r a r i l i e s

wi th th e se c o n d d iv isio n o f th e Co u rt of Ap p e a ls’ d e c isio n

, i.e

., wh e th e r th e

Co u rt o f Ap p e a ls fa ith fu lly fo llo we d th e p la in te x t o f th e sta tu te

.

“ Wh e n a sta tu te c o nta in s c le a r a n d u n a m b ig u o u s la n g u a ge

, su c h la n g u a g e

will b e g iv e n its p la in m e a n in g a n d will b e a p p lie d a c c ord in g ly .” Op e n sid e d

MRI of Atla n ta

, LLC v

. Ch a n d le r, 2 8 7 Ga

. 40 6, 4 0 7 (6 9 6 S E2 d 6 4 0 (2 0 1 0 ). Th e

p la in m e a n in g o f t h e wo rd s c a n be fo u n d in “‘th e ir o rd in a ry

, lo g ic a l a n d

c o m m o n m e a n in g s,’ u n le ss a c le a r in d ic a tio n o f so m e o th e r m e a nin g a p p e a rs.

Ju d ic ia l Co u n c il o f Ga

. v

. B ro w n & G a llo

, 2 8 8 Ga

. 2 9 4

, 2 9 7 (7 02 SE2 d 8 9 4 )

(2 0 1 0 ).” Da

n ie l Co rp . v . Re e d , 2 91 Ga . 5 9 6 , 5 9 7 (7 3 2 S E2 d 6 1 ) (2 0 1 2 ).

OCGA § 2 3

- 3

- 1 2 0 e t se q

., a lso k n o wn a s th e TP AF CA, a u th o riz e s th e

S ta te o f Ge o rg ia to re c o v e r m o n ie s th a t th e Sta te o r a lo c a l g o v e rn m e n t lo st a s

a re su lt o f fa lse o r fra ud u le n t c la im s fo r pu blic fu n d s. Th e Ac t p re sc rib e s a c iv il

3p e n a lty o f n o t le ss th a n $ 5 ,5 0 0 a n d n o t m o r e th a n $ 1 1 ,0 0 0 fo r e a c h fa lse o r

fra u d u le n t c la im in a d d itio n to trip le th e a m ou n t o f da m a g e s su sta in e d b y th e

S ta te o r lo c a l g o v e rn m e n t. 2 Th e se mo n ie s a re to b e re c o up e d in a c iv il a c tio n

b ro u g h t by th e Sta te

, th ro u g h th e Atto rn e y Ge n e ra l o r a d e sig n e e

. Th e y c a n a lso

b e re c o v e re d in a su it b ro ug h t b y a p riv a te p e rso n o n b e h a lf o f th e go ve rn m e n t

with go v e rn m e nt a

p p ro v a l. In th is re g a rd

, OCGA § 2 3-3 -1 2 2 (b ) (1 ) p ro v id e s:

S u b je c t to th e e x c lu sio n s se t fo rth in th is Co d e se c tio n

, a c iv il a c tio n

u n d e r t his a rtic le m a y a lso b e b ro u g h t by a priv a te p e rso n u p o n

writte n a p p ro v a l b y th e Atto rn e y Ge n e r a l. A c iv il a c tio n sh a ll b e

b ro u g h t in th e na m e o f th e S ta te of Ge o rg ia o r lo c a l g o v e rn m e nt, a s

a p p lic a b le

. Th e c iv il a c tio n m a y b e d ism isse d o n ly if th e A tto rn e y

Ge n e ra l g iv e s writte n c o n s e n t to th e d ism issa l sta tin g th e re a so n s

fo r c o n se n tin g to su c h d ism issa l an d th e c ou rt e n te rs a n o rd e r

a p p ro v in g th e d ism issa l.

By its p la in te rm s th e n, su b se c tio n (b ) (1 ) is a p p lic a b le to a n y c iv il a c tio n

b r o u g h t b y a p riv a te p e rso n “u n d e r th is a rtic le ,” i.e

., Artic le 6 o f Ch a p te r 3 o f

Title 2 3

. Be c a

u se th e su b se c tio n a llo win g f o r t a x p a y e r re ta lia tio n c la im s,

OCGA § 2 3 -3 -1 22 (l), 3 lie s with in “ th i s a r t i cle ” th e re c a n b e o n ly o n e

2 OCGA § 23-3-121 (a).

3 This subsection provides:

(1) Any em

ploy e e, c ontractor, or a gent shall be entitled to all r elief necessary

to m a ke that em

ploy ee, c ontractor, or a g ent whole if that em ploy ee, contractor,

or agent i s discharged, dem oted, s uspended, threatened, h arassed, or i n any

4c o n c lu sio n

– th e Atto rn e y Ge n e ra l’s a p p ro v a l is re q u ire d b e f

o r e a ta x p ay e r

re ta lia tio n c la im is file d

. Afte r a ll, th e wo rd s “ th is artic le ” c an on ly m e a n “ th is

a rtic le ,” wh ic h in c lu d e s OCGA § 2 3-3 -1 2 2 (l).

Th e Co u rt o f Ap p e a ls c o n c l u d e d th a t th e G e n e ra l Asse m b ly m ust h a v e

u se d th e wo r d s “ t h i s a

rtic le ” in OCGA § 2 3 -3 -1 2 2 (b ) (1 ) b y m ista k e

. S e e

g e n e ra lly Hu m th le tt v . Re e v e s, 2 1 1 Ga

. 2 1 0

, 2 1 9 (8 5 S E2 d 2 5 ) (1 9 5 4 ) (wh e re

th e in te n t o f th e le g isla tu re is m a n ife st, a mi s t ak e in a sta tu te w ill b e d e e m e d

su rp lu sa g e to g iv e e ffe c t to th e le g isla tiv e in te n t). In th is re g a rd

, th e a p p e lla te

c o u rt re a so ne d th a t th e “ c iv il a c tio n ” re fe re n c e d i n t ha t su b se c tio n c a n o n ly

m e a n a c a se b ro u gh t in th e n a m e o f th e S ta t e o r a lo c a l g o v e rn m e n t; th a t a

other m anner discrim i nated against in the term s a nd conditions of em ploy m ent

because of lawf

u l acts d one by the em

p loy ee, contractor, agent, or a ssociated

others in f urtherance of a civil action under this Code section or other e f f o rts

to stop one or m ore violations of this article.

(2) Relief under paragraph (1) o f t his subsection shall i nclude reinstatem ent

with the sam e seniority status th a t t h e em ploy ee, contractor, or agent w ould

have had but f

or the discrim ination, two tim es the am ount of back pay

, interest

o n t he back pay

, and c om pensation f

or a ny special dam a ges sustained as a

result of the discrim ination, including litigation costs and reason a ble attorney ' s

f ees. An action under this subsection m ay be brought i n t h e a p propriate

superior court of

this state f

or the relief

provided in this subsection.

( 3) A civil action under this subsection shall not b e brought m ore than three

y ears af ter the date when the discrim ination occurred.

5ta x p ay e r r e ta lia tio n c la im is p e rso n a l to th e p la in tiff; a n d th a t, th e re fo re

,

Atto rn e y Ge n e ra l a

p p ro v a l c a n no t b e re qu ire d fo r a ta x p a y e r re ta lia tio n c la im

.

To ru le d iffe re n tly

, th e Co u rt o f A p p e a l s d e c la re d ,“ wo u ld le a d to a b su rd

re su lts.” F u c ia re lli, su p ra a t 5 8 2.

Wh a t is th e te st o f a

b su rd ity ? Th e c on tra d ic tio n o f re a so n, it m ay b e

sa id

, a n d to m a k e a n im m e d i a te a p p lic a tio n to le g isla tio n

, th e

c o n tra d ic tio n o f th e re a so n wh ic h g ro ws o ut o f th e su b je c t m a tte r o f

th e le g isla tio n a n d th e pu rp o se o f th e le gisla to rs. Bu t a ll le g isla tio n

is no t sim p le n o r its c on se q u e n c e s ob v io u s o r to b e c on tro lle d

, e v e n

if o b v io u s. Wh e th e r th e re sh o u ld b e a n y le g isla tio n a t a ll a n d its

e x te n t an d fo rm m a y b e m a tte rs o f d isp u te . Its c o n se q ue n c e s m a y

b e v ie we d with fa v o r o r with a la rm ; so m e re g re tte d b u t a c c e pte d a s

in e v i t a b le

-- a c c e p te d a s th e sh a d o w sid e o f th e go od

. In su c h

situ a tio n it is fo r th e le g isla tu re to d e te rm in e , an d it is v e ry c e rta in

th a t th e ju d ic ia ry sh o u ld n o t re fu se to e x e cu t e th a t d e te rm in a tio n

f r o m its v ie w o f so m e c o n se q u e n c e wh ic h (to u se th e th o u g h t a n d

n e a rly th e wo rd s o f Ch ie f Ju stic e Ma rsh a ll) m a y h a v e b e e n

c o n te m p la te d a n d a

p p re c ia te d wh e n th e a c t wa s p a sse d, a n d

c o n sid e re d a s o v e rb a la n c e d b y th e p artic u la r a d v a n ta g e s th e a c t wa s

c a lc u la te d to p ro d u c e

. [Cit.] Th e re fo re th e so u n d ru le e x p re sse d in

S tu rg is v. Cro wn in sh ie ld

, 4 Wh e a t. 2 0 2 : “ It wo uld b e d a n g e ro u s in

t h e e x tre m e

, to in fe r fro m e x trin sic c irc u m sta n c e s, th a t a c a se fo r

wh ic h th e w o rd s o f a

n in stru m e n t e x p re ss ly p ro vid e

, sh a ll b e

e x e m p te d fro m its o pe ra tio n

. Wh e re w o rd s c o n flic t with e a c h

o th e r, wh e re th e diffe re n t c la u se s of a n in stru m e n t b e a r u po n e a c h

o th e r, a n d wo u ld b e in c o n siste n t u n le ss th e n a tu ra l a n d c o m m o n

im p o rt o f wo rd s b e v a rie d , c o n stru c tio n b e c o m e s n e c e ssa ry

, a n d a

d e p a rtu re fro m th e o b v io u s m e a nin g o f wo rd s is ju stifia b le

. Bu t, if

in a n y c a se

, th e p la in m e an in g o f a p ro v isio n

, n o t c o n t r a d i c te d b y

a n y o th e r p ro v isio n in th e sa m e in s t r u me n t, is to b e d isre g a rd e d

, b e c a u se we be lie v e th e fra m e rs of th a t in stru m e nt c o u ld n o t in te n d

6wh a t th e y sa y

, it m u st b e o n e in wh ic h th e a

b su rd ity a n d in

ju stic e o f

a p p ly in g th e p ro v isio n to th e c a se

, wo u ld be so mo n s tro u s th a t a ll

m a n k in d wo u ld

, with o u t h e sita ti o n

, u n ite in re je c tin g th e

a p p lic a tio n .”

P irie v

. Ch ic a g o Title & Tru st Co

., 1 8 2 U.S

. 4 3 8

, 4 5 1 -4 52 (2 1 S Ct 9 0 6

, 4 5 L E d

1 1 7 1) (1 9 0 1 ). S e e a lso Ez e k ie l v . Dix o n, 3 Ga . 1 4 6 , 1 5 4 (1 8 4 7 ).

Th e Co u rt o f A

p p e a l s’ p ro n o u n c e m e n t n o twith sta n d in g

, th is c a se d o e s n o t

m e e t th e a

b su rd ity te st. On th e c o n tra ry

, a lth ou g h re a so n a b le le gisla to rs m a y

h a v e writte n th e TP AF C A d iffe re n tly

, it is n o t “ so m o n stro u s th a t a ll m a n k in d

wo u ld , with o u t h e sita tio n , u n ite in re je c tin g th e a

p p lic a tio n .” Id

.

F u c ia re lli a sse rts th e le g isla tu re c o u ld n o t p o ssib ly i n t en d to re q u ire

Atto rn e y Ge n e ra l a

p p ro v a l o f a ta x p a y e r re ta lia tio n c la im b e c a u se to d o so p u ts

th e Atto rn e y G e n e r a l i n a p o sitio n o f c o nflic t

– a p p ro v in g or d isa

p p ro v in g a n

a c tio n to b e b ro u g ht a g a in st th e S ta te . Bu t th is is a p o lic y qu e stio n b e st le ft to

t h e l e g i sla tu re

, n o t o u r c o u rts. If th e le g isla tu re w a n te d to e x e m pt ta x p ay e r

re ta lia t i o n c l a im s fro m th e Atto rn e y G e n e ra l a p p ro v a l re q u ire m e n t, it c o u ld h a v e

d o n e so

. In fa c t, a lth o u g h th e le g isla tu re s e t th e sta tu te o f lim ita tio n s fo r

TP AF CA c la im s a t six y e a rs, se e OCGA § 2 3 -3 -1 2 3 , it e xp re ssly c a rv e d o u t a

th re e -y e a r l i m i t a t i o n p e r io d fo r ta xp a y e r re ta lia tio n c la im s b ro u g h t u nd e r OCGA

7§ 23 -3 -1 2 2 (l) (3 ). Th u s, t h e f u l l te x t o f th e TP AF CA d e m o n stra te s th a t th e

le g isla tu re k n e w h o w to e x e m p t ta xp ay e r re ta lia tio n c la im s fro m th e b ro a d e r

re q u ire m e n ts o f th e Ac t a n d d id so wh e n it wa s so in c lin e d

. 4

F u c ia re lli a lso a rg u e s th a t in e n a c tin g O CGA § 2 3 -3 -1 2 2 (l), th e

le g isla tu re lo o k e d to its fe d e ra l c o u n te rp a rt, 3 1 US CA § 37 30 (h ), fo r d ire c tio n ;

th a t, e x c e p t fo r th e pro v isio n re q u irin g Atto rn e y Ge n e ra l a p p ro v a l, th e sta tu te s

a re e x tre m e ly sim ila r; a nd th a t, th e re fo re

, th e le gisla tu re c o u ld n o t ha v e m e a n t

to sa d d le a ta x p a y e r re ta lia tio n c la im w ith a n Atto rn e y Ge n e ra l a p p ro v a l

re q u ire m e n t. We fin d th is a rg u me n t to b e m isg u id e d

. R a th e r th a n

d e m o n stra tin g a n in te nt on th e p art o f th e le g isla tu re to fo llo w th e fe de ra l sta tu te

a n d o m it la n g u a g e re q u irin g Atto rn e y Ge ne ra l a

p pro v a l, it is a

p p a re n t th a t th e

le g isla tu re sim

p ly use d th e fe de ra l la w a s a te m p la te a n d pu rp o se fu lly a dd e d th e

Atto rn e y Ge n e ra l a

pp ro v a l re q u ire m e n t.

F in a lly

, F u c ia re lli p osits th a t, wh e n c ou ple d w ith th e pla in la n g u a g e o f th e

TP AF CA, th e b ro a d c o n stru c tio n p ro v isio n o f th e A c t, OCGA § 23 -3 -1 2 6 (b ),

su p p o rts th e c o n c lu sio n th a t th e le g isla tu re use d th e p h ra se “ c iv il a c tio n s u n d e r

4 W e note, too, t h a t Georgia law af f ords public em

p loy ee whistleblowers like

Fuciarelli an alternative rem e dy

, OCGA § 45-1-4, which does not require Attorney General

approval and which, as noted above, Fuciarelli is pursuing in the trial court.

8th is a rtic le ,” to re qu ire A tto rn e y Ge ne ra l a p p ro v a l fo r a c ti o n s b ro u g h t to

v in d ic a t e g o ve rn m e n t in te re sts, b u t n o t th e in te re sts o f a wh istle b lo we r.

Ho we ve r, a s we p re v io u sly o b se rv e d

, th e w o rd s “ th is arti c le ” a re c le a r a n d

u n a m b ig u o u s. “Ab se n t c le a

r e v id e n c e th a t a c o n tra ry m e a n in g wa s in te n d e d b y

th e le g isla tu re ,” Ju d ic ia l Co u n c il o f Ga

. v

. B ro w n & G a llo

, su p ra

, th e y c a n o n ly

b e re a d to m e a n “ th is a r t i c l e ”

– a n d th a t in c lu d e s ta x p a y e r re ta lia tio n a c tio n s

b ro u g h t u n d e r OCGA § 2 3 -3 -1 2 2 (l).

Ou r ru lin g is n o t c o m

p lic a te d. It sim

p ly re q u ire s d e fe re n c e to th e

le g isla tiv e p re ro g a tiv e o f th e Ge n e ra l Asse mb l y a n d a d h e re n c e to th e p la in

la n g ua g e o f th e TP AF C A. Th e Co u rt o f Ap p e a ls e rre d in d o in g o th e rwise

.

Ju d g m e n t re ve rse d . All th e Ju stic e s c o n c u r.

9