I N T H E SUPR EM E C O UR T O F M I SS I SS I PPI NO. 2 0 0 7 - EC - 0 0 9 8 6 - S CT CA RL W . YOU NG
v. R. D. “ DICK I E” S T EV EN S
D A T E O F JU D G M E N T : 06/ 11/ 2007 T RI AL J UDGE : HON. BI L L Y J OE L ANDR UM COURT F ROM W HI CH APP EAL ED: HUM P HREYS COUNTY CI RCUI T COURT ATTO RN EY FO R A PP ELLAN T: SAM UEL L. BEG LEY A T T O R N E Y F O R A P P E L L E E : W IL L IE G R IF F IN N A TU RE O F TH E C A SE: CI V I L - ELE CT I O N CO N TEST D I SPO SI T I O N : A FFIRM E D - 06/ 15/ 2007 M A N D A T E I SSU E D : 06/ 15/ 2007
EN BA NC. CAR LS ON , J UST I CE, FOR TH E COU RT: ¶1. A ggr i eved by the Speci al J udge’ s or derdecl ar i ng hi m t o be di s qual i f i ed t o s eek the pos i t i on of

B eatT w o S upervi s ori n H um phr eys C ounty, C ar l W
. Y oung s eeks r el i ef f r om us vi a a Bi l l of

E xcept i ons fi l ed on June 13, 2007. B y orde rent er ed on the s ame day, i n l i ght of the l oom i ng deadl i nes f orf i nal i zi ng the bal l ot s , and pur s uantt o M i s s . C ode A nn. § 23- 15- 9 6 1 (6 ) (R e v . 2 0 0 1 ), th is C o u rt h a s e x p e d ited th is a p p e a l. F in d in g th e S p e c ial J u d g e ’s d u ly
e n te re d O p in io n a n d O rd e r t o b e s u p p o rt e d b y th e e v id e n c e a n d th e la w , w e a ff ir m .

### 2 F ACT S AND P ROCE ED I NGS I N T HE T RI AL COURT ¶2
. C ar l W
. Young q ua l i f i e d t o run i n the Democr a t i c Pa r ty pr i mary f orthe of f i ce of Supervi s orf

orB eatT w o i n H um phr eys C ount y. R
. D
. “D i cki e” St evens , the i ncumbent
s upervi s orf

orB eatT w o, f

i l ed an obj ect i on t o Y oung’ s candi dacy. St evens al l eged that Y oung i s nota re s i dentof B eatT w o and i s ther ef or e notqual i f

i ed t o run. T he H um phr eys C ounty D emocr at i c Execut i ve C om m i t t ee c ert i f i e d Y oung as a qual i f

i ed ca ndi dat e. Pur s uant t o M i s s . C ode A nn. § 23- 15- 961, St evens s oughtj udi ci al r evi ew of the Com mi tt e e ’ s de c i s i on, and the C hi ef

J us t i ce, pur s uantt o s ect i on 23- 15- 961( 5) , pr om pt l y appoint ed C i r cui tJ udge B i l l y J oe Landrum f

r om the Ei ght eenth J udi ci al D i s tr i cta s the s peci al j udge t o hearthi s cas e. A f t era hea r i ng conduct ed on J une 8, 2007, the spe ci al j udge ent er ed hi s O pi ni on and O r der of the C our tdecl ar i ng thatY oung w as nota re s i dentof BeatT w o i n H um phr eys C ounty and di r ect i ng Y oung’ s name t o be r emoved f r om the bal l ot . W e now cons i derthi s expedi t ed appea l bas ed on Y oung’ s B i l l of E xcept i ons , St evens ’ s A m ended Bi l l of Except i ons , the tr i al
courtcl erk’ s paper s, the courtr eport er ’ s tr ans cr i ptof the tr i al courtpr ocee di ngs , and the bri efs of the p art i es. DI S CU S S I ON ¶3. H avi ng m et i cul ous l y r evi ew ed the r ecor d, w e f i nd J udge L andrum ’ s f

i ndi ngs of

f act t o b e w ho l l y sup po rt ed b y the r ecord, and w e thu s setou there verbat i m tho se f i nd i ng s: T he Pet i t i oner , [ R
. D
. “D i cki e”] St evens , i s a ca ndi dat e f orthe pos i t i on of S u p erv isor, B ea t 2, H u m p h rey s C o u n ty, M ississip p i. T h e R esp o n d en t, C arl W . Y o u n g (“ Y o u n g ” ) h a s b e e n q u a lified b y th e H u m p h re y s C o u n ty D em o cra ti c E x ec u ti v e C o m m itt e e a s a c a n d id a te f o r th e p o sitio n o f S u p erv isor, B e a t 2 , H u m p h re y s C o u n ty , M iss iss ip p i.

### 3

P e tit io n e r, S tev e n s, filed h is a p p e a l o f th e H u m p h re y s C o u n ty D e m o c ra tic E x ec u ti v e C o m m ittee’s d ec isi o n to qu al i fy the R espon den t , Y ou ng , in the form o f a P e tit io n fo r J u d icia l R e v iew , a n d th is C o u rt w a s, th e re a fte r, ap p o in ted to hears ame. T he R es pondent , Y oung, l i ved i n H um phr eys C ounty as a chi l d and unt i l the t i m e of hi s entry i nt o J acks on St at e U ni ver s i ty i n 1980, atw hi ch t i m e he r el ocat ed t o J acks on, M i s s i s s i ppi butcont i nued t o us e hi s par ent s ’ r es i dence addr es s as hi s ow n. B e tw e e n th e tim e in 1 9 8 0 th a t th e R e sp o n d e n t, Y o u n g , atte n d e d Ja c k so n S tate U ni ver s i ty and the pr es entt i m e, he has pur chase d s ever al hom es out s i de of H um phr eys C ounty, al l of w hi ch have been l ocat ed i n H i nds C ounty. T he R es pondent , Y oung, r egi s t er ed t o vot e i n H i nds C ounty ats om e poi nt a fte r 1 9 8 0 . In 1 9 9 5 , Y o u n g a p p a re n tly c h a n g e d h is v o ter r e g istra tio n to H um phr eys C ounty and w as pur ged f r om the vot err ol l s i n thatcounty i n 2002, aft er i tcam e t o the att en ti o n o f p ers on s unk no w n to the C ou rtthat he w as a n o n -re sid e n t o f H u m p h re y s C o u n ty . S o m e tim e th e re a fte r, Y o u n g v o ted in H um phr eys C ounty by af f i davi tbal l ot , and hi s name w as add ed back t o the v o terro lls in th a t co u n ty fo r re a so n s u n k n o w n to th e C o u rt. I n 1996, the R es pondent , Y oung, pur chas ed a home at8 55 C herry R i dge, C l i nt on, H i nds C ounty, M i s s i s s i ppi , M S, w her e he l i ved unt i l he and hi s exw i f e s epar at ed on oraboutFebruary 1, 1996. R es pondent ’ s di vor ced ( s i c) w as f i l ed and gr ant ed i n H i nds C ounty. S in c e 1 9 9 6 , R e sp o n d e n t, Y o u n g , h a s p u rc h a se d tw o o r th re e o th e r h o m e s in H in d s C o u n ty , a n d a s re c e n tly a s J a n u a ry , 2 0 0 7 , Y o u n g p u rc h a se d a v e h icle ta g in H in d s C o u n ty , c o n tin u in g to s h o w th e C lin to n , M S , a d d re s s . I n Dec e mber , 20 01 , Y ou ng pu r c ha s e d aho me a t12 11 W i nt e rvi e w D r i ve , Ja c k so n , H in d s C o u n ty , M S , w h e re h e a d m itt e d , u n d e r o a th , h e c o n tin u e s to r es i de w i th hi s w i f

e and thr ee chi l dr en. A ddi t i onal l y, Y oung’ s chi l dr en att end a pr i vat e s chool i n H i nds C ounty. In Ja n u a ry , 2 0 0 7 , Y o u n g c h a n g e d th e a d d re ss o n h is d riv e r’s lice n se to h is par ent s ’ r es i dence addr es s i n H um phr eys C ounty, and i n A pr i l of 2007, he had the ut i l i t i es athi s par ent s ’ hom e tr ans f err ed i nt o hi s name.

### Article 6 , Sectio n 1 70 , Mississip pi Co nstitutionof 189 0 p rov ides th at “[e]ach co unty 1 

### shall b e div idedinto five d istricts, a resident freeho lder o f each district sh all be selected , in thema nner pre sc ribed by l aw, and the f iveso chosen shallcons titut e the b oard of 4 Y oung i s empl oyed w i th I nf orm at i on T echnol ogy Syst ems i n J acks on, H i nds C ounty, and hi s w i f

e i s empl oyed i n R i dgel and, M adi s on C ounty. In 200 6, Y ou ng at t em pted t o fi l e ho m est ead ex em pti on usi ng his parent s’ re sid e n c e a d d re ss ; sa id h o m e ste a d e x e m p tio n a p p lica tio n w a s d e n ie d , a s h is m otherhad al r eady c l ai m ed the exe m pt i on on the pr operty. Y o u n g c laim s th a t h e h a s liv e d in a sm a ll “c o ttag e ” o r “ sh e d ” n e x t to h is p a re n ts’ h o u se b u t ad m itt e d u n d e r o a th th a t th e “ c o ttag e ” o r “ sh e d ” is c u rre n tly u n in h a b itab le . Y o u n g c la im s h e h a s a lw a y s c o n s id e re d H u m p h re y s C o u n ty h is hom e and thathe s t i l l ha s many s oci al c onnect i ons ther e and ha s contr i but ed fin a n c ially to a c h u rc h th e re . Y o u n g a lso c laim s th a t h e o w n s s o m e p ro p e rty i n H um phr eys C ounty, al though the C our tdoes notbel i eve thi s i s a f actthat w as p rov en in the h ea ri n g o f th is m att er. ¶ 4
. In a c a n d id a te qu a lifica tio n c h a llen g e , th e sta n d a rd o f rev iew fo r qu e stio n s o f law is d e n o v o . L adn er v. N

ecais e , 771 So. 2d 353, 355 ( M i s s . 2000) ( ci t i ng Saliba v. Saliba , 753 So. 2d 1095, 1098 ( M i s s . 2000) )
. Fur ther , w e r evi ew f i ndi ngs of f

actby a tr i al j udge s i t t i ng
w i thouta j ury f

orm ani f es terr or , i ncl udi ng w hetherthe f i nd i ng s w er e the pr oductof p re ju d ic e , b ia s , o r f

ra u d , o r m a n if

e s tly a g a in s t th e w e ig h t o f th e c re d ib le e v id e n c e . B oyd v. T is h o min g o Co . De mo c r a tic E x e c . Co mm. , 912 S o. 2d 124, 128 ( M i s s . 2005) ( ci t i ng Miss. D ep’t of T r ansp. v. Johnson , 8 7 3 S o . 2 d 1 0 8 , 1 1 1 (M iss. 2 0 0 4 )). ¶5. A r t i cl e 6, Sec t i on 176 of the M i s s i s s i ppi C ons t i tut i on of 1890 s et s out the r es i dency
re q u ire m e n ts fo r a m e m b e r o f a c o u n ty b o a rd o f su p e rv iso rs. S e c tio n 1 7 6 p ro v id e s th a t in
or dert o be el i gi bl e f

orthatof f i ce, a per s on m us tbe a r es i dentof the di s tr i ctw hi ch he ors he
r epr es ent s . Si m i l ar l y, M i s s . Code A nn. § 19- 3- 3 ( R ev. 2003) r equi r es r es i dency w i thi n the

1

### sup erviso rs of th e county , a majorityof who m may tran sact bu siness.” 5 county s upervi s or ’ s di s tr i ct . M i s s . C ode A nn. § 23-15- 299( 7) ( Supp. 2006) m andat es that the pr operexec ut i ve com m i t t ees of the pol i t i cal par t i es shal l det erm i ne the qual i f i cat i ons of t he c a nd i da t e s s e e ki ng o f f i c e . The p r i mary qu a l i f i c a t i on r e qu i r e menti s “ w he the reac h candi dat e i s a qual i f

i ed el ect orof

the s t at e, st at e di s tr i ct , county or county di s tr i ctw hi ch they [ s i c] s eek t o s erve. . . . ” I n maki ng the qual i f i cat i on de t erm i nat i on, the comm i t t ee i s r equi r ed t o f i nd thatthe candi dat e i s a r es i dentof the di s tr i ctorhas s how n by “abs ol ut e pr oof thathe
w i l l , s ubj ectt o no cont i ngenci es , meeta l l qua l i f i cat i ons on orbe f

or e the dat e of

the gene r al
ors peci al e l ect i on a tw hi ch he coul d be e l ect ed t o of f i ce. ” Id
. See a l

so M is s . C o d e A n n . § 2 3 -15 -35 9 (9) (S u p p . 2 0 0 6 ). ¶6. In M i ssi ssi pp i , res i den ce and do m i ci l e are s yn on ym ou s forel ect i on pu rposes. H inds Count y E lection Com m 'n v. B r inston , 6 7 1 S o . 2 d 6 6 7 , 6 6 8 (M iss. 1 9 9 6 ). A p erso n ’s dom i ci l e i n el ect i on m att er s i s the pl ace :
w her e he has hi s true, f

i xed, perm anenthom e and pr i nci pal es t abl i s hm ent , and to w h ic h w h e n e v e r h e i s a b s e n t, h e h a s th e in te n tio n o f r e tu rn in g . . . . A dom i ci l e cont i nues unt i l anotheri s acqui r ed; bef or e a domi ci l e ca n be cons i der ed l os torchange d, a new dom i ci l e mustbe acqui r ed by r emoval t o a new l ocal i ty w i th i nt entt o r emai n ther e, and the ol d dom i ci l e mustbe abandone d w i thouti nt entt o r eturn ther et o. Sm it h v. D eere , 19 5 M iss. 5 0 2 , 5 0 5 -06 , 1 6 S o . 2 d 3 3 , 3 4 (19 4 3 ) (i n terna l ci tat ion s o m itted). ¶7. A f

t err evi ew i ng al l of the evidence, w e fi nd thatY ou ng’s r es i dence f or el ect i on q u a lifica tio n p u rp o se s is h is h o m e in Ja c k so n . H e a n d h is w ife w o rk in th e Ja c k so n a re a . H is ch il d ren att en d sch o o l i n Jac k so n . H e h as re g ist ere d v eh icl es in H ind s C o u n ty. U n ti l very

### 6

r ece nt l y, hi s dr i ver ’ s l i cens e l i s t ed a J acks on addr es s . T hough Y oung gre w up i n H um phr eys C ounty, cl ai m s ow ner s hi p of pr operty i n I s ol a, regular l y vi s i t s hi s m otherther e, has
r egi s t er ed t o vot e and has i n fa ctvot ed i n H um phr eys C ounty, and has othercont act s t o the county, w e f

i nd thatt he pr oof

does notshow t hathe m ai nt ai ns a per m anentr es i dence ther e. W e fi nd that the spec i al j ud ge w as not m anif est l y w ron g in d eterm i ning that Y ou ng i s a H in d s C o u n ty re sid e n t. ¶ 8
. Y o u n g c laim s th a t th e sp e c ial ju d g e fa iled to g iv e a d e q u a te w e ig h t to h is d e c isio n to fo re g o h o m e ste a d o n th e h o u se s h e h a s o w n e d in H in d s C o u n ty . T h e g e n e ra l ru le in th is s tate is th a t th e re is a re b u ttab le p re s u m p tio n th a t o n e ’s d o m icile a n d re sid e n c e a re w h e re h is h o m e s te a d e x e m p tio n is fi le d
. See H inds Count

y E lection Com m ’n v. B r inston , 671 So. 2d 6 6 7 (M iss . 1 9 9 6 ). Y o u n g ’s a ttem p t to file f o r h o m e ste a d o n th e sh e d in H u m p h re y s C o u n ty
w as r ej ect ed. T her e i s no pr es um pt i on of r es i dency i n H um phr eys C ounty. Y oung now
ar gues thats i nce he neverf i l ed homest ead i n H i nds Count y, he ther ef or e has notes t abl i s hed
re sid e n c y in H in d s C o u n ty . T h is C o u rt re c e n tly h e ld th a t a p o ten tial c a n d id a te’ s d e c isio n to f or ego homest ead e xempt i on i n the county of hi s appar entr es i dence i s notdef i ni t i ve f or purpos es of

det erm i ni ng h i s l egal r es i dence
. I n G ar nerv. State D em ocr atic E xecuti ve Co mm . , 2 0 0 7 M iss. L E X IS 3 2 7 (M iss. 2 0 0 7 ) ( m andat e is s ued , J une 14, 2007) , w e hel d that
e v e n th o u g h a c a n d id a te h a d d e c lin e d to file fo r h o m e ste a d in H in d s C o u n ty , h e w a s s til l a
res i den tof H i nd s C ou nty, given the o verw helm i ng p roof of his actual l i ving arr ang em ents . T hi s Courtha s ne verhe l d thata deci s i on t o f or ego homest ead ne gat es the otherw i s e obvi ous
es t abl i s hm entof

a domi ci l e. W e dec l i ne t o do s o t oday.

### 7

¶ 9
. Y o u n g a d m its th a t he an d h is fa m ily d o n o t ph y sic a lly res id e in H u m p h re y s C o u n ty and thathe has notl i ved ther e s i nce appr oxi m at el y 1989. Y ethe c l ai m s thathe has al w ays
cons i der ed hi m s el f

t o be a r es i dentof H um phr eys C ounty and thathe has neveres t abl i s hed an of f i ci al r es i dence el s ew her e. T he pr oof c l ear l y s how s thatY oung has i n f actes t abl i s hed H i nds C ounty as hi s dom i ci l e and r es i dence
. H e has ow ned thr ee hous es i n H i nds C ounty. Pr i ort o that , he l i ved i n an apa r tm enti n H i nds C ounty. H e and hi s w i f e w ork i n the J acks on
ar ea. T hei rthr ee c hi l dr en l i ve and g o t o s chool i n J acks on. B ef or e he c hanged hi s vot er
r egi s tr at i on t o H um phr eys C ounty i n 1995, he w as r egi s t er ed i n H i nds C ounty. H e s i gned di vor ce paper s i n 1996 i n w hi ch he s w or e thathi s m ar i t al r es i dence w as i n H i nds C ounty. ¶10. T he C our tr ece nt l y cons i der ed a very s i m i l arr es i dency qual i f i cat i on c ont es ti n w hi ch the ca ndi dat e i n ques t i on cl ai m ed thatf orthe pr ece di ng tw o ye ar s , he had be en a r es i dentof
a H o lm e s C o u n ty leg isla tiv e d istric t d e sp ite o v e rw h e lm in g e v id e n c e th a t h e h a d a c tu a lly
re sid e d e lse w h e re . H e c laim e d th a t itw a s a lw a y s h is in ten t to re tu rn to th e d istric t. W e h e ld thatthe ca ndi dat e had nots how n thathe w as a r es i dentof the di s tr i ctand hi s candi dacy w as p ro h ib ite d
. Edw ar ds v. Ste v e ns , 2 0 0 7 M iss. L E X IS 3 1 4 (M iss. 2 0 0 7 ) ( m andat e is s ued , J une 6, 20 07 ). In the case s ub j udi ce , w e f i nd thatY oung’ s cl ai m s thathe has al w ays cons i der ed hi m s el f t o be a r es i dentof

H um phr eys C ounty ar e notsuff i ci entt o over come t he
overw hel m i ng pr oof

thathe l i ves i n J acks on, H i nds C ounty, M i s s i s s i ppi
. T he det erm i nat i on
o f a p erso n’s “perm anen thom e and pri ncipal est abli shm ent” turns on actual proof of a per s on’ s l i vi ng arr angement s . I ti s nots at i s f i ed w i th a si m pl e dec l ar at i on thatone i nt ends to b e a re sid e n t of

a p a rticu larco u n ty w h e n th e o v e rw h e lm in g p ro o f sh o w s th a t h e a c tu a lly

### 8

r es i des el s ew her e. I tis n otenough thatY oung cons i der s hi m s el f an of f i ci al r es i dentof H um phr eys C ounty. H e mustactual l y r es i de ther e perm anent l y. ¶1 1
. Y o u n g also claim s that, after h is fa th e r’s d e a th , h e o w n s an interest in h is m o ther’s hom es t ead pr operty thr ough des centand di s tr i but i on and thathe i s ent i t l ed t o the pr es um pt i on of

r es i dency i n H um phr eys C ounty on thatbasi s . T he homest ead s t atut es def i ne th e h o m e s te a d a s th e d w e llin g “ a c tu a lly o c c u p ie d a s th e p ri m a ry h o m e o f a fa m ily g ro u p .” M i s s . Code A nn. § 27- 33- 19 ( R ev. 2006)
. T he pr i m ary hom e ac tual l y occupi ed by Y oung and hi s f ami l y i s cl ear l y the J acks on hous e and notthe house w her e hi s m otherl i ves . A gai n,
w e f i nd thatY oung’ s true, f

i xed, pe rm anenthome and pr i nci pal es t abl i s hm entar e i n J acks on
w her e he r es i des w i th hi s w i f e and c hi l dr en, and noti n H um phr eys C ounty w her e hi s m other l i ves. ¶ 1 2
. F in a lly , Y o u n g c laim s th a t a s a n e m p lo y e e o f th e S tate o f M iss iss ip p i, h e is a p u b lic offi ce r an d thus ent i t l ed to cl ai m res i den cy in H um ph reys C ou nty. Y ou ng rel i es on M i ss. C od e A nn . § 2 5-1-61 (R ev. 20 06 ) w hich provides: A l l pu bli c off

i cers o f this st at e w ho are requir ed t o, o r w ho for of fi ci al reas on s, r emove f r om the county of

thei ractual househol d and r es i dence t o another c o u n ty o f th is s tate fo r th e p u rp o se o f p e rfo rm in g th e d u ties o f th e ir o ffic e sh a ll b e d e e m e d in law in a ll res p e c ts to b e h o u se h o ld e rs a n d res id e n ts o f th e c o u n ty f r om w hi ch they s o r emove, unl es s s uch of f i cerel ect s t o become an ac tual hous ehol derand r es i dentof the county t o w hi ch he r emo ved forof f i ci al causes. W e fi nd thatY ou ng is m erel y em ployed by the st at e an d is cl earl y n ot a s t at e off i cer. M i ss. C o d e A n n . § 5 -8 -3 (p ) a n d (q ) (R e v . 2 0 0 2 ) p ro v id e d e fin iti o n s fo r sta te o ffic ials a n d sta te
em ployees:

### 9

( p) "Publ i c empl oyee" m eans an i ndi vi dual appoi nt ed t o a pos i t i on, i ncl udi ng a pos i t i on cr eat ed by s t atut e, w het hercompensa t ed ornot , i n s t at e orl ocal g o v ern m en t and inclu d es a n y em p loy ee o f th e p u b lic em p loy ee . T h e term i ncl udes a mem berof

t he boar d of trus t ees , chanc el l or , vi ce- chanc el l ororthe equi val entther eof

i n the st at e uni ver s i ty s ys t em or the s t at e comm uni ty and j uni orcol l ege s ys t em, and a pr es i dentof a s t at e col l ege oruni ver s i ty. ( q) "Publ i c of

f i ci al " means an i ndi vi dual e l ect ed t o a s t at e orl ocal of f i ce, oran i ndi vi dual w ho i s appoi nt ed t o f i l l a vac ancy i n the of

f i ce. W h il e tho se d efinit ion s are p rov ided i n a ch ap ter o f th e co d e d ea li n g w ith lob b y ing refo rm and do notdi r ect l y r el at e t o el ect i on or r es i dence m att er s , w e f i nd the def

i ni t i ons t o be i ns truct i ve her e. Y oung i s nota publ i c of f i cerorof

f i ci al and i s notent i t l ed t o evade the
r es i dency r equi r ement s s i m pl y beca us e he w orks f orthe St at e. CO NC L US I ON ¶13. W e fi nd f

r om the re cor d bef

or e us t hat the spec i al j udge’ s f i ndi ngs of fa ct w er e not
m ani f es t l y i n err ori nas m uch as hi s f i ndi ngs w er e notthe pr oductof pr ej udi ce, bi as , orf

r aud,
o r m a n if e s tly a g a in s t th e w e ig h t o f t h e c re d ib le e v id e n c e . B oyd , 9 1 2 S o . 2 d a t1 2 8
. T h u s we
u n q u esti o n ab ly are co m p ell ed as a m att er of w ell -estab li sh ed l aw to affirm Ju d g e L an d rum ’s j udgm entf

i ndi ng C ar l W
. Y oung t o be di s qual i f i ed as a ca ndi dat e and di r ect i ng hi s name be
re m o v e d fro m th e b a llo t fo r S u p e rv iso r o f B e a t T w o in H u m p h re y s C o u n ty , M iss iss ip p i. ¶14. I n l i ghtof i m m i nentbal l otpri nt i ng deadl i nes , undert hi s C our t ’ s author i ty t o s us pend the rul es pur s uantt o M
. R
. A
. P. 2( c) , the C our tf i nds thatno m ot i on f

orr ehea r i ng w i l l be al l ow ed and thatthi s opi ni on s hal l be dee m ed f i nal i n al l r es pect s . T he C our tf i nds thatthe
m andat e i n thi s m att ers houl d i s s ue i m m edi at el y.

### 10

¶15. T he C our tfur t her fi nd s t hat the M oti on to S t ri ke B i l l of E xcept i ons f

i l ed by the
a p p e llee sh o u ld b e d ism iss e d a s m o o t. ¶16. AF F I RM ED . W AL LER AN D D I AZ, P. J J . , EA SLEY, G RA VE S, DI CK I NSO N, RA ND O LPH AN D L AMAR , J J . , CO NC UR . S M I T H, C. J . , NO T P AR T I CI P AT I NG .