2 9 7 Ga . 3 18

F INAL COP Y

S 1 5 A0 1 0 3 . EVANS v . GEORGIA BUREAU OF INVES TIGATION.

HINES , P re sid in g Ju stic e

.

Ch risto p h e r A. Ev a n s a

p p e a ls fro m th e o rd e r o f th e Su p e rio r Co u rt o f

De Ka lb C ou n ty d e n y i n g h is p e titio n fo r a writ o f m an d a m u s. F o r th e re a so n s

th a t fo llo w, we a ffirm

.

Ev a n s se rv e d a s Dire c to r o f Op e ra tio n s fo r th e Ge org ia Ele c tro n ic De sig n

Ce n te r a t th e Ge o rg ia In stitu te o f T e c hn olo g y. On S e p te m b e r 2 4, 2 0 1 0

, th e

Ge o r g i a Bu re a

u o f In v e stig a tio n (“ GBI” ) o b ta in e d two a rre st w a rra n ts fo r

Ev a n s, b a se d on a lle g a tio n s th a t h e wa s p a rt o f a ra c k e te e rin g e n te rp rise ; a rre st

wa rra n ts we re a lso o b ta in e d fo r two o th e r p e rso ns a s p art o f th e sa m e su sp e c te d

ra c k e te e rin g a c tiv ity

. Th e in v e stig a tio n o f th e a lle g e d ra c ke te e rin g e n te rp rise

,

a n d a ll th re e o f th e p e rso ns su sp e c te d to b e in v o lv e d

, tre a te d th e a lle g e d a c tiv ity

a s a sin g le u n d e rta k in g ; o n e c a se nu m b e r wa s a ssig n e d t o t h e c o m b in e d

in v e stig a tio n o f Ev a n s a n d th e o th e r two in d iv id u a ls, a n d o n e in v e stig a to ry file

m a in ta in e d

. On Ja n u a

ry 1 9 , 2 0 1 2 , th e two a rre st wa rra n ts a ga in st Ev a n s we re

d ism isse d

, a n d n o i n d i c tm e nt h a d b e e n so u g h t a g a in st h im a s o f th e tim e h isp e titio n fo r a

writ o f m a n d a m

u s wa s d e n ie d

.

On Ju ly 2 3

, 2 0 1 3

, Ev a ns su bm itte d a re q u e st to th e GBI u n d e r th e Op e n

Re c o rd s Ac t, O CGA § 50 -1 8 -7 0 e t se q ., fo r m a te ria ls fro m its in ve stig a tiv e file

th a t p e rta in e d to h im

. Th e GBI d e c lin e d to p ro du c e th e m a te ria ls, c itin g a n

e x e m p tio n fo r p e n d in g in ve stig a tio n s. S e e OCGA § 5 0-1 8 -7 2 (a ) (4 ). 1 Ev an s

th e n so u g h t a writ o f m a n d a m u s to c om p e l th e GBI to p ro d u c e th e se m a te ria ls.

Afte r a h e a rin g , t h e t r i a l c o u rt fo u n d th a t Ev an s wa s n o t e ntitle d to th e

m a te ria ls h e se e ks b e c a

use th e Op e n Re c o r d s A c t e x e m p ts fro m disc lo su re

re c o rd s o f “ la w e nfo rc e m e nt, p ro se c u tio n , o r re g u la to ry a g e n c ie s in a n y p e n d in g

in v e stig a tio n

. . . . [A] n in ve stig a tio n o r p ro se c u tio n sh a ll n o lo n g e r b e d e e m e d

to b e p e n d in g wh e n a ll d ire c t litig a tio n in v o lv in g su c h in v e stig a tio n a n d

1 At the time of the trial court’s order, OCGA § 50-18-72 (a) read in pertinent part:

(a) Public disclosure shall not be required for records that are:

. . .

(4) Records o f law e n forcement, p rosecution, or reg ulatory

ag encies in any pending investig ation or prosecution of c riminal o r unlawful activity

, other th a n initial police arrest reports and initial
incident r eports; provided, h o w e v e r, that an investig ation o r prosecution shall no long er be deemed to be p ending when all direct litig ation involvin g such investig ation and prosecution h as become
final or otherwise terminated; and provided, further, t h at this

parag raph shall not app l y t o r ecords in the possession of an ag ency that is the subject of the pending investig ation or prosecution[ .]

. . .

2p ro se c u tio n h a s be c o m e fin a l o r o th e rwise te rm in a te d .” OCGA § 5 0 -1 8 -7 2 (a )

(4 ). An d, th e tria l c o urt n o te d

, w h i l e th e wa rra n ts ha d b e e n d ism isse d a g a in st

Ev a n s, t h e w ar ra n ts a ga in st th e o th e r two in d iv id u a ls h a d n ot b e e n d ism isse d

a n d re m a in e d p e n d in g , th u s d isc lo su re wa s n o t m a n d a te d

.

Ev a n s n o te s th a t u n de r th e Op e n Re c ord s Ac t th e re is a p re su m p tio n th a t

p u b lic re c o rd s a r e t o b e m a d e a v a ilab le fo r p u b lic in sp e c tio n , a n d th a t th e

st a t u t o r y e x c e ptio n s to th a t pre su m p tio n are to b e in te rp re te d n a rro wly

. S e e

O C G A § 5 0

- 1 8

- 7 0 ( a ). 2 Ho w e v e r, “ [a ] th o u g h e x e m p tio n s fro m d isc lo su re u n d e r

2 OCGA § 50-18-70 reads: (a) The General Assembly finds and declares that the strong p ublic policy of
this state is in favor of open g overnment; that open g overnment is essential to a free,

open, and democra t i c s o c i e ty ; and that public access to public r e cords should be

e n c o u r aged to f

oster confidence in g overnment a nd so that the public can evaluat e the ex p enditure o f public funds and the efficient and proper functionin g o f i ts institutions. The G eneral Assembly f urther finds and declares that there is a strong presumption that public records should b e made availa b l e for public inspection
without delay

. This article shall be broadly construed to allow th e i n s p e ction of

g overnmental records. The ex ceptions set forth in this article, tog ether with any other

ex c eption located elsewhere in the Code, shall be interpret e d n ar r o w ly to ex clude only those portions of records addressed by such ex ception. (b) As used in this article, the term: (1) “Ag ency ” shall have the same meaning as in Code Section 5 0-14-1 a nd
shall a dditionally include any association, corporation, or other similar org aniz ation
that has a membership or ownership body composed primarily of counties, municipal corporations, or school districts of this state, their off i c ers, or any combination
thereof and derives more than 33 1/3 percent of its g e neral operating budg e t from

pay ments from such political subdivisions. (2) “Public record” means all documents, papers, letters, maps, books, tapes, photog r aphs, computer based or g enerated information, data, data fields, or similar
material prepared and maintained or received by an ag ency or by a p rivate person or entity in the p erfo r m an c e o f a service or function for or on behalf o f an ag ency or

3th e Op e n Re c ord s Ac t a re n a rro wly c o n stru e d

, th e A c t o b v io u sly sh o u ld n o t b e

c o n stru e d in d e ro g a tio n o f its e x p re ss te rm s.” Un ifie d Go v t. Of Ath e n s-Cla rk

e

Co u n ty v

. Ath e n s Ne w

sp a p e rs, L L C

, 2 84 Ga

. 1 9 2

, 1 9 5 (1 ) (6 33 S E2 d 2 4 8 )

(2 0 0 8 ) (Cita tio n a n d p u n c tu a tio n o m itte d .) Ag a in

, th e Ac t c on ta in s a n e x p re ss

e x e m p tio n fro m d isc lo su re fo r “ [r] e c o rd s o f la w e n fo rc e m e n t, p r o s e c u tio n , o r

re g u la to ry a g e n c ie s in a n y pe n d in g in ve stig a tio n o r p ro se c u tio n o f c rim in a l o r

u n la w fu l a c tiv ity

. . . .” OCGA § 5 0 -1 8 -7 2 (a ) (4 ). An d

, it is u nc o n tro v e rte d

th a t th e GBI is a la w e nfo rc e m e n t a g e n c y w ith in th e m e a n in g o f OCGA § 5 0 -1 8

-

7 2 (a ).

E v a n s a rg u e s th a t in o rd e r fo r th e GBI to a sse rt th e “p e n d in g

in v e stig a tio n ” e x e m

p tio n, it m

u st m e e t th e b u r d e n t o s h o w th a t a t le a st o n e o f

th e th re e p e rso n s wh o se a lle g e d a c tiv ity is a d d re sse d in th e file is fa c e d with a

p ro se c u tio n th a t “ is im m in e n t a n d o f a fin ite du ra tio n .” Pa rk e r v

. Le e , 2 5 9 Ga

.

1 9 5

, 1 9 8 (5 ) (3 7 8 S E2 d 6 7 7 ) (1 9 89 ). Ho we ve r, Pa rk e r , a n d th e p rin c ip le u p o n

wh ic h Ev a n s re lie s, c o n c e rn s OCGA § 5 0 -1 8 -7 2 (a ) (4 )’s “ p e n din g p ro se c u tio n ”

e x e m p tio n , n o t th e “p e n din g in ve stig a tio n” e x e m p tio n, a d istin c tio n th is Co urt

when such documents have been transferred to a private person or e ntity b y an
ag ency f or storag e or future g overnmental use.

4m a d e c le a r in Un ifie d Go v t.

, su p ra

. An d

, in c la rify in g th a t distin c tio n , th is Co urt

sta te d th a t in a

p p ly in g th e “ p e n d in g in ve stig a tio n” e x e m p tio n , it wa s n o t

p o ssib le to “ sim

p ly a d o p t[ ] th e ju d ic ia l d e fin itio n o f th e ‘p e n d in g p ro se c u tio n ’

e x e m p tio n in Pa rk

e r

. ” Id

. Ra th e r, u n d e r th e “p e n d in g in v e st i g a t i o n ”

e x e m p tio n ,

a se e m in g ly in a c tiv e in v e stig a tio n w h ic h h a s n o t y e t re su lte d in a
p ro se c u tio n lo g ic a lly “ re m a in s un de c id e d

, ” a nd is t h e re fo re

“ p e n d in g ,” u n til it “ is c o n c lu d e d a n d th e file c lo s e d

. ” On l y a t th a t

p o in t h a s a n in v e stig a tio n , in th e a b se n c e o f a n y pro se c u t i o n ,
re a c h e d a d e c isio n with a h ig h le v e l o f fin a lity

, e ve n th ou gh it c o u ld

p o ssib ly b e re o p e ne d th e re a fte r.

Id . a t 1 9 6.

An d

, th e re is n o e v id e n c e th a t th e ra c k e te e rin g in v e stig a tio n is c o n c lu d e d

o r th a t th e file fro m wh i c h E v a n s re q ue ste d in fo rm a tio n c a n b e c o n sid e re d

c l o s e d

. E v e n a ssu m in g th a t th e d ism issa l of th e ra c k e te e rin g a rre st wa rra n ts

a g a in st Ev a n s e sta b lish e s th a t h e i s n o t th e su b je c t o f a p e n din g in v e stig a tio n ,

th e e v id e n c e p re se n te d in th e tria l c ou rt w a s t h a t th e two o th e r in d iv id u a ls

a rre ste d a t th e sa m e tim e a s Ev an s a re su sp e c te d o f b e in g e n g a g e d in a

ra c k e te e rin g sc h e m e w ith h im

, a nd t h o se in v e stig a tio n s a re still on g o in g

.

Alth ou g h Ev a n s c on te n d s th a t th e re c ord s th a t p ro mp t ed h is arre st c a n b e

5se p a ra te d fro m th ose o f th e o th e r two in d iv i d u a ls a lle g e d to b e in v o lv e d in

ra c k e te e rin g , a n d th a t a n y e v id e n c e a b o u t th e m c a n b e re d a c te d fro m th e re c o rd s

su p p lie d to h im , su c h wa s n o t th e e v id e n c e p re se nte d in th e tria l c o u rt, a n d

[t] h e fo c u s o f su bse c tio n (a ) (4 )

. . . is n o t u p o n th e sp e c ific ty p e o f
in fo rm a tio n c o n ta in e d in la w e n fo rc e m e n t a n d p ro se c u tio n re c o rd s. Th a t su b se c tio n b ro a d l y e x e m p ts fro m d isc lo su re th e e n tire ty o f

su c h re c o rd s to th e e x te n t th e y a re p a rt o f a “ p e n d in g in v e stig a tio n

o r p ro se c u tio n” a n d c a nn o t o th e rwise b e c h a ra c te riz e d a s th e in itia l

a rre st . . . o r in c id e n t re p o rt. [Cit.]

Id . a t 1 9 5 (Em

p h a sis su p p lie d .) Th e tria l c o urt d id n ot e rr in c o n c lu d in g th a t,

u n d e r th e c irc u m sta n c e s p re se n te d

, th e p e nd in g in v e stig a tio n e x e m p tio n o f

OCGA § 5 0 -1 8 -7 2 (a ) (4 ) re m o v e d fro m m a n d a to ry d isc lo su re th e m a te ria ls th a t

Ev a n s re q u e ste d

. 3

Ju d g m e n t a ffirm e d . All th e Ju stic e s c o nc u r.

3 The GB I asserts that the p ending investig ation ex e mption does not act in this case so as to

create a bar to the disclos u r e o f the requested records that is of indefinite duration. Rather, it
contends that the five-y ear statute of limitation for prosecution of racketeering c harg es, see OCGA § 1 6 -14-8, would serve as the outside limit of the p eriod of time that the investig ation c o u l d b e considered pending

. However, no such issue is before us; the trial court’s ruling was procured less
than five y ears after the last act of r ac k e t e e ring alleg e d in the a rrest warrants that appear in the
record.

6De c id e d Ju n e 1 5 , 2 0 1 5

.

Ma n d a m u s. D e Ka lb Su p e rio r Co u rt. Be fo re Ju d g e Ha rv e y , p ro h a c v ic e

.

Ha rriso n W. Ko h le r, fo r a p p e lla n t.

S a m u e l S

. Ole ns, Atto rn e y Ge n e ra l, P a tric ia B

. Atta wa y Bu rto n , De p u ty

Atto rn e y Ge n e ra l, Jo se p h J. Dro le t, S e n io r A ssista n t Atto rn e y Ge n e ra l, R e b e c c a

J. Do bra s, Assista n t Atto rn e y Ge n e ra l, fo r a

p pe lle e

.

7