FOURTH D I VI SI ON

DI L LA RD, P. J.

, M ERCI ER and PI N SON, JJ.

N O T IC E : M otions for r e c ons i de r a tion m us t be ph y sic a l ly r e ce iv ed i n our c le r k ’s offic e w ithin te n da y s of the da te of de c is ion to be de e m ed tim e ly file d.

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Septem ber 29, 2021



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A2 1 A1 04 7 . STOCKERT v . ROGERS.

P I N S O N
, J u d g e.

A co l l eg e s tu d en t ri d i ng a m o t o ri zed s kat eb o ard co l l i d ed wi t h a cy cl i s t

, g ot

h u r t

, an d s u ed t h e cy cl i s t

. Befo re t ri al

, th e t ri al co u rt ex cl u d ed ev i d en ce t h at t h e

s k at eb o ard er w as n o t w e a ri n g a h el m et at t h e t i m e o f t he co l l is i on

. Bu t t h e co u rt

g ro u nd ed t h i s ru l i n g o n ly i n a p u rp o rt ed “ p u b l i c p o l icy ” th at t h e co u rt “ i m p o r t e d ”

fro m s t at e st at u t es th at d o n o t co v er m o t o ri zed s k at eb o ard s. Th i s i s n o t a v al i d l eg al

b as i s fo r ex cl u d i n g ev i d en ce, s o we rev ers e t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s ev i d en t i ary ru l i n g

.

Ba ck g ro und

Th i s cas e a r i s e s o u t o f t h e co l l i s i o n o f t wo Geo rg i a T ech s t ud en t s, Bry d an

Ro g ers an d J o s ep h St o ck ert

. Fo r o u r p u rp o s es , t h e d et ai l s m os t l y d o n ’ t m at t er, b u t fo r

co n tex t : Ro g e r s w a s ri d i n g h i s m o t o ri zed s k at eb o ard (a “ Bo o st ed Bo ard V2 Du alPl u s ”) o n cam p u s

. As h e ap p ro a c h e d a n i n t ers ect i o n , h e s p ed u p t o b eat a y el l o w

l i gh t

. St ock ert

, wh o was ri di n g h i s b i cy cl e t hro u g h t h e s am e i n t ers ect i o n , say s h e d id

n o t s ee Ro g ers co m i n g i n hi s d irect io n

. Th ey cras h ed i n t o each o t her i n t h e m i d d l e o f

t h e i n t ers ect io n , an d Ro g ers s u ffered s k ul l an d faci al fract ures as wel l as cu t s a n d

s carri n g o n h i s face an d fo reh ead

.

Ro g ers s u ed St o c k e r t i n t o rt t o reco v er fo r h i s in ju ri es

. Befo re t ri al

, Ro g ers

m o ved t o ex cl u de ev i d e n c e t h a t h e w as no t weari n g a h el m et at t h e t i m e o f t h e

co l l i s i o n

. Aft er an ev i d en t i ary h eari n g , t he t ri al co u rt gran t ed t h e m o t i o n . Th e co u rt

n o t ed t wo s t at e s t at u t es t h at req u i re cy cl i s t s u n d er t h e ag e o f 16 an d ri d ers o f el ect ri c

b i cy cl es t o wear h el m et s , an d each p recl u d e u s i n g t h e v i ol at i o n of t ho s e req ui rem en t s

as ev i d en ce o f n eg l i g en ce o r l i ab i l i t y , s ee O CGA § § 4 0 -6 -2 9 6 (d ) (2 ) (cy cl i s t s u n d er

1 6 ), 4 0 -6 -3 0 3 (c) (5 ) (el ect ri c bi cy cl es ). Ack n owl ed gi n g t h a t t h o se s tat u t es d o n ot

co v er m o t o ri zed s k a t e bo ard s , t h e co u rt “ i m p o rt [ed ] t h e p ub l i c p ol icy fro m ” t h o s e

s t at u tes an d “ ap p l [i ed ] th at p u b l i c po l icy t o [Ro g ers ’ ] m ot ori zed s k at eb o ard .” W e

g ran t ed St o ck ert ’ s ap p l icat i o n fo r i n t erl o cu t o ry ap p eal fro m t hat ru l i ng

.

Di s cus s i o n

W e rev i ew ru l i n g s o n m o t i o n s in l i m i n e f o r ab u s e o f d i s cret i o n

. Ma r k v.

Ag er t er , 3 3 2 Ga. Ap p

. 8 79

, 8 7 9 (7 75 SE2 d 2 3 5 ) (2 0 1 5 ). An d an ab u s e o f d i s cret i o n

2o ccu rs wh en t h e t ri al co u rt co m m i t s a s i g n i fi can t l eg al erro r th at affect s t h e ex erci s e

o f d i s cret i o n

. Ro c k

d a l e Ho s p

. v. Eva n s , 3 06 Ga. 8 4 7

, 8 5 1 (2 ) (b ) (8 3 4 SE2 d 7 7 )

(2 0 1 9).

On ap p eal

, St o ck ert arg u es t h at t h e tri al co u rt ab us ed i t s d i s cret i o n by

ex cl u d i n g ev i d en ce b as ed o n l y o n t h e “ p u bl i c p o l i cy ” b eh in d s t at u t o ry e x c lus i o n s t h at

d o n o t ap p l y

t o ri ders o f m o t o ri zed s k at eb oard s . W e ag ree.

Ev i d en ce i s p ro p erl y ex cl u d ed o n o n e of t wo g ro u nd s : ei t h er t h e ev i d en ce i s n ot

rel ev an t

, o r a s peci fi c ex cl u s i o n ary ru l e ap p l i es

. OCGA § 2 4-4 -4 0 2; s ee S t a t e v. Or r ,

3 0 5 Ga. 7 2 9

, 73 6 (3 ) (8 2 7 SE2 d 8 9 2 ) (2 01 9 ) (“ [R] el ev an t ev i d e n c e i s ad m i s s i b l e

u n l es s a s p eci fi c ex cep t i o n ap pl i es .” (ci t i ng OCGA § 2 4 -4 -4 02 )). Here, t h e t ri al co u rt

d i d n o t ad d res s rel ev an ce, s o i t s d e c i s i o n t o ex cl u d e t h e n o -h el m et ev id en ce s t an d s

o r fal ls o n wh et her a s p eci fi c ex cl u s i o n ary ru le ap pl i es

.

Th e u n i v e r s e o f s peci fi c ex cl u s i o nary ru les i s l i m it ed by s t at u te. Fi rs t

,

Geo rg i a’ s Ru l e 4 0 2 ex p l ai n s t h at o t h erwi s e rel ev an t ev i d en ce m ay b e ex cl u ded b as ed

o n ru l es g ro u n d ed i n “ co n s t it u t i o n al o r s t at ut o ry au t ho ri t y .” O CGA § 24 -4 -4 0 2

. Th e

Ev i d en ce Co d e’ s “ s p eci fi c an d d et ai l ed ex cl u s io n ary ru l es ” are t h e ob v i o u s ex am p l e.

Or r , 3 0 5 Ga. at 7 3 8 (8 2 7 SE2 d 8 9 2 ) (2 0 1 9 ); s ee, e. g ., OCGA §§ 2 4 -4 -4 0 3

, -4 0 7

3t h ro u g h -4 1 2

. 1 Seco n d

, O CGA § 2 4 -1 -2 (e) g ran d fat h ers i n o l d co m m o n l aw

ex cl u s i o n ary ru l es

— t h o s e ru les wh i ch p red at e Geo rg i a’ s cu rren t Ev i d en ce Co d e— in

t h e rare in s t an ces (i f t h e r e a r e a n y) wh en s u ch ru les h av en ’ t b een “ m o d i fi ed by

s t at u te.” See Ch rys l er Gr o u p

, LLC v. W

a l d en , 3 0 3 Ga. 3 5 8

, 36 4 (1 1 ) (8 12 SE2 d 2 4 4 )

(2 0 1 8) (reject i n g th e o l d p art y -weal t h -ev i d en c e ru l e as ab ro g at ed b y t h e n ew

Ev i d en ce Co de). 2 Th at ’ s it : t h at ’ s t h e l i s t

. U n d er ou r Ev i d en ce Co d e, t h es e are t h e

o n l y p os s i b l e s o u rces o f s p eci fi c ex cl u s i o n ary ru l es

. See Or r , 3 05 Ga. at 7 3 8

– 3 9 (3 );

s ee a l s o Un i t ed S t a tes v. Lo wer y , 1 6 6 F.3 d 1 11 9

, 1 1 2 5 (1 1 ) (1 1 t h Ci r. 1 9 9 9 )

(ex p l ai n i n g t h at t he ex cep t i on s i n Fed eral Ru l e 4 02 are “ an ex cl u s i v e l i st o f t h e

s o u rces o f au t ho ri t y fo r ex cl us i o n o f ev i d en c e i n fed eral co u rt ”); St a t e v. Al ma n z a ,

3 0 4 Ga. 5 5 3

, 5 5 6 (2 ) (8 2 0 SE2 d 1 ) (2 0 1 8) (“ i f a ru l e i n t h e new Ev i d en ce Co d e i s

m at eri al l y

i d en t i cal t o a Fed eral Ru l e o f Ev i d en ce, we l o o k t o fed eral cas e l aw”).

1 St at u t ory ex cl u s io n ary ru l e s m ay al so b e fo u nd o u ts i d e t h e E vi d en ce Co de. See, e. g ., OCGA § 4 0 -8 -7 6 .1 (d ) (fai l u re to wear a s eat b el t in a m o t o r veh i cl e i s n ot
ad m i s s i b l e as ev i d en ce o f n eg l ig en ce, cau s at i o n o r to d i m i n i s h reco v ery fo r d am ag es i n an y ci v i l act i on ).

2 Bu t s ee Or r , 3 0 5 Ga. at 7 3 5

– 36 (ex p res s in g d ou b t t h at t h e Su prem e Co u rt o f

Geo rg i a h ad t h e po wer “ p ro m u l g at e

... ex cl u si on ary ev i d en ce ru l es at al l

, at l eas t aft er 1 9 8 3 ” (ci t i n g G a. Co ns t

. o f 1 9 8 3

, Art

. VI, Sec. I, Par. IX (“ Al l ru les o f ev i den ce s h al l

b e as p res cri b ed b y

l aw.”))).

4No t e wh at i s n ot o n t h at li s t : “ ju d ge-m ad e ex cl u s i o n ary ru l es t h at l ack ev en t h e

b ack in g o f c o m m o n -l aw au t ho ri t y .” Or r , 3 0 5 Ga. at 7 38 (3 ). Li k e i t s fed eral

co u nt erp art

, Geo rg ia’ s Ru l e 4 0 2 ch o s e co ns t i t u ti o n al an d s t at u t o ry tex t o v er t h e

ju d i ci al i m ag in at i o n as t he t o u ch s t o n e fo r ad m i s s ib i l i t y d eci s i o n s g oi n g fo rward

. See

i d

. Un l i k e ex cl u s i o n ary ru l es wi t h co n s t i tu t i o n al

, s t at u t o ry , o r co m m o n l aw

p ro v en an ce, n ew ju d g e-m ad e ru l es are nev er v al i d g ro un d s fo r ex cl ud i n g ev i d en ce.

Yet s u ch a ru le was t h e o n l y b as i s fo r t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s ru li n g h ere. In ex cl u d i n g

ev i d en ce t h at Ro gers was n o t weari n g a hel m et wh en h e co l l i d ed wi t h St ock ert , t h e

co u rt i d en t i fi ed t wo s tat u t es t h at p recl u de u s i n g cert ai n cy cl i s t s ’ fai l ure to wear a

h el m et as ev id en ce o f n eg l i g en ce o r l i ab i l i t y

. See OCGA § § 4 0-6 -2 9 6 (d ) (5 ) (cy cl i s t s

u n d er 16 ), 4 0-6 -3 03 (c) (5 ) (el ect ri c b i cy cl es ). Bu t ev ery o n e, t h e t ri al co u rt i n cl u d ed

,

ag rees th at t h o s e s t at u tes reg u l at e o n l y “ b i cy cl es ” an d “ el ect ri c b icy cl es ” an d d o n ot

ap p ly i n an y way t o m o t o ri zed s k at eb o ard s

. 3 An d t h e tri al co u r t d i d n o t p u rp o rt to

3 Nei t h er s t at u t e d efi n es “ b i cy cl e,” b u t i t co u ld p ro b ab l y go wi t h o u t s ay i n g t h at

a s k at eb o ard i s n ot a b icy cl e. In an y ev en t

, Merri am -We b s t e r t e l l s us t hat a b i cy cl e i s “ a v eh icl e t h at h as t wo wh eel s o n e b eh in d t h e o t h er, a s t eeri ng han dl e, an d a s ad d l e

s eat o r s eat s an d i s u s u al l y p ro p el l ed b y t he act i o n o f t h e ri d er’ s feet u p o n p ed al s .”

B i c y c l e , M e r r i a m

- W e b s t e r ’ s U n a b r i d g e d D i c t i o n a r y, M e r r i a m

- W e b s t e r , https://unab ri d g ed .m erri am -web s t er.co m /u n ab ri dg ed /b i cy cl e. Li k e m ost ska te boa r ds

we are fam i l i ar wi t h

, Ro g ers ’ m o t o ri zed s k at eb o ard had fo u r wh eel s an d n o “ s t eeri n g h an dl e” “ s ad d l e s eat ,” o r “ p ed al s .”

5ex cl u d e n o -h el m et ev i den ce un d er an y o t her s tat u t o ry ex cl u s io n ary ru l e (l i k e Ru l e

4 0 3

, fo r ex am

p l e), or ev en u n d er an o l d co m m on l aw ru l e. In s t ead

, t h e co u rt s i m p l y

“ i m p o rt [ed ] ” an u n st at ed “ p u b li c p o l i cy ” fro m t h e b i cy cl e st at u t es an d “ ap p l [i ed ] ” i t

t o th e m ot o ri zed s k at eb o ard

. A b s en t co n s ti t u t i on al or s t at u t ory au t h o ri ty fo r t h i s n ew

m o to ri zed -s k at eb o ard -s peci fi c ex cl u s i o n ary ru l e— an d n ei th er Ro g ers ’ b ri efi n g n o r

o u r o wn rev i ew t u rn s up an y s uch au t h ori t y

— it i s n o t a v al i d g ro u n d fo r ex cl u d i n g

an y ev i d en ce i n t h i s cas e.

Th i s i s n o t t o s ay t h at n o -h el m et -o n -m o to ri zed -s k at eb o ard ev i d en ce i s al way s

ad m i s s i b l e, o r ev en t h at t h e ev i d en ce at is s u e h ere m u st co m e in

. Su ch ev i den ce m ay

o r m ay n o t b e rel ev a n t u n d e r t h e ci rcu m s t an ces o f a g i v en cas e, an d a s p eci fi c

ex cl u s i o n ary ru l e m ay o r m ay n o t ap p l y

. W e h o ld o n l y t h at i t w a s e r r o r t o ex cl u d e

ev i d en ce t h at Ro g ers was n o t weari n g a h el m e t h ere b as ed o n ly o n a n ew ru l e n ot

g ro u nd ed i n co n st i tu ti o n al o r s tat u t o ry t ex t

. 4

Ju d g men t r ever sed . Di l l a r d

, P. J., a n d

Mer ci er , J., co ncu r

.

4 Th e part i es arg u e o n ap p eal ab ou t w h et h er ev i d en ce o f Ro g ers ’ h el m et u s e i s rel ev an t

. Bu t t h e t ri al co u rt ex cl u d ed t hat ev i d en ce w i t ho u t ad d res si n g rel ev an ce, an d

l i k e a l l ap p el l at e co u rt s , “ we are a co u rt o f rev i ew, n o t o f fi rs t v iew.” Cu t t er v. W i l ki n s o n , 5 4 4 U. S. 7 09 , 7 1 9 (I) (B), n. 7 (1 2 5 SCt 2 1 13

, 1 6 1 LE2 d 1 0 2 0 ) (2 0 0 5 ).

Th e p art i es m ay , o f co u rs e, p res en t t h o s e arg u m en t s t o t h e t ri al co u rt o n rem an d

.

6