THI RD DI VI SI ON

M I LLER, P. J.

, M CFA DDEN and M CM I LLI A N, 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.

http://w w w .ga a ppe a l s .us /r ule s

Nov em ber 9, 2016



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 6 A1 44 0 . COFFEY v

. STATE OF GEORGIA.

M C M ILLI A N , J u dg e.

In t h is i n rem fo rfei tu re act i o n

, Sh an n o n Co ffey ap p eal s fro m t h e ju d g m en t an d

o rd er o f fo rfei t u re en t ered b y t h e G wi n n et t Co u n t y Su p eri or Co urt aft er t h e co u rt

s t ru ck h is an s wer fo r fai l u re to co m p l y wi th t h e s t at u t o ry req u i rem en t s fo r an i n rem

fo rfei t u re an s wer. In h i s s o l e en u m erat i on o f erro r, Co ffey as sert s t h at t he tri al co u rt

erred b ecau s e h i s an swer was l eg al l y s u ffi ci en t. Fo r t h e reas o n s t hat fo l l o w, we fi n d

n o erro r an d affi rm

.

Th e reco rd s h ows t h at o n Sep t em b er 2 2

, 2 0 1 5

, fo l l o wi ng a t raffi c s t o p b y a

Gwi n n et t Co u n t y Sh eri ff’ s Dep art m en t dep u t y

, Co ffey was arres t ed an d ch arg ed wi th

m u lt i p l e v i o l at i o n s o f OCGA § 1 6 -1 3 -3 0

, i n cl u d i n g p o s s es s i on o f m et h am p h et am i n e

wi t h i n t en t t o d i s t ri b ut e, p o s s es s i o n o f o xy co d on e, p o ss es s i o n of h y d ro co d o n e, an dp o s s es s i o n o f b u p ren o rp h i n e. At t h at t i m e, Co ffey was al s o in p o s s es s i o n o f d i g i t al

s cal es

, d ru g p ack ag i n g m at eri al s

, two h an d g u ns

, an d U.S. cu rren cy in t h e am o u nt o f

$ 5 3 ,6 4 8 .0 0 (t h e “ Cu rren cy ”). Offi cers s ei zed t h e Cu rren cy

, an d o n Oct o b er 1 6

, 2 0 1 5,

t h e St at e fi l ed i t s co m

p l ai n t fo r fo rfei t u re p u rs uan t t o OCGA § 9 -1 6-1

. 1 On No v em b er

2 5

, 2 0 1 5

, Co ffey fi l e d a n a ns wer cl ai m i ng own ers h i p o f t h e Cu rren cy

. Co n t en d i n g

t h at t h e an s wer fai l ed to co m p l y wi t h t h e s t at u t o ry req u i rem en t s o f O CGA § 9 -1 6 -1 2

(c) (1 ), t h e St at e fi l ed a m o t i o n fo r a m o re d efi n it e s t at em en t

. Th e tri al co u rt g ran t ed

t h e m o t io n an d o rd ered Co ffey t o am en d h i s an s wer t o co m p l y wi t h OCGA § 9 -1 6 -1 2

(c) (1 ).

Co ffey fi led an am en d ed an s wer cl ai m i n g o wn ers h ip o f $ 4 9

, 80 0 o f t h e

Cu rren cy

, b u t t h e St at e th ereaft er fi l ed a m o t i o n t o s t ri k e, as s ert i n g t hat t he am en d ed

an s wer rem ai n ed i n ad eq u at e b ecau s e i t (1 ) di d n o t i ncl u d e t he cl ai m an t ’ s ad d res s at

wh i ch h e res i d ed ; (2 ) reci t ed i n ap p l icab le s ect i o n s o f t h e rel ev an t s t at u t e; (3 ) d i d n ot

i n cl u d e s u ffi ci en t fact s s up p o rt i n g t h e cl ai m th at t h e s ei zed m o n ey was n ot s u b ject to

fo rfei t u re; an d (4 ) i n cl u d ed a v eri fi cat i o n th at di d n ot i n d i cat e i t was m ad e u n d er

1 Th e St at e id en t i fi ed t wo o t h er p art i es as p o ten t i al l y hav i n g an i n t eres t i n t h e

Cu rren cy , b u t n ei t h er i s a p art y t o t h i s ap p eal

.

2p en al t y

o f perju ry

. 2 W i t ho u t s p ec i f yi n g wh at i n ad eq u aci es rem ai n ed

, th e tri al co u rt

fo u n d t hat t h e an s wer was “ n o t am en d ed acco rd in g t o l aw” an d g ran t e d t h e m o t i o n

t o s t ri k e an d o rd ered t h e sei zed Cu rren cy fo rfei t ed wi t h t i tl e an d o wn ers hi p t o v es t

i n t he Gwi n n et t Co u n ty

Sh eri ff’ s Dep art m en t. Th is ap p eal fo ll o wed

.

W e rev i ew a t ri al co u rt ’ s ru l i n g o n a m ot i o n to st ri ke fo r an ab u s e o f d i s cret i o n.

See Lo vel es s v. S t a t e o

f Ga

. , 3 3 7 G a. Ap p

. 2 5 0

, 2 5 1 (1 ) (7 86 SE2 d 89 9 ) (2 0 1 6 ).

“ Ho wev er, we co n d u ct a d e n o v o rev i ew o f t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s ap p li cat i o n o f t h e l aw to

u n d i s p u t ed fact s

, o we n o d eferen ce wh at s o ev er t o th e t ri al co u rt ’ s co n cl u s i o n s o f l aw,

an d are free t o ap pl y

an ew t h e l eg al p ri nci p l es t o t h e fact s .” (Ci t at i o n o m i t t ed .) Id

.

It i s wel l es t ab l is h ed t h at t h e Gen eral A s s em b l y m ay im

po s e p l ea d i n g

req u i rem en t s i n s peci al st at u to ry p ro ceed in g s i n ad d i t i o n t o t h os e fo u n d in o u r Ci v i l

Pract i ce Act

. S t a t e of Ga

. v. Al f o r d

, 2 64 Ga. 2 4 3

, 2 4 5 (2 ) (a) (4 4 4 SE2 d 7 6 ) (1 9 9 4 ).

An d wh ere o u r l eg is l at u re d o es s o

, t h e s u ffi ci en cy o f a p l ea d i n g m u s t b e ju d g ed in

l i gh t o f t h o s e s p eci fi c s t at u t o ry req u i rem en t s

. Id

. “ In a ci v i l i n rem fo rfei t u re act i o n,

a cl ai m an t ’ s an s wer m

u s t b e i n s t ri ct co m

p l i an ce w i th th e s p eci al p l ead i n g

2 On ap p eal

, t he St at e co n ced es t h at Co ffey ’ s veri fi cat i o n was l eg al l y su ffi ci en t

p u rs u an t t o Dea ri n g v. S t a t e o f Ga

. , 2 4 3 G a. Ap p. 1 9 8 (5 3 2 SE2 d 7 5 1 ) (2 00 0 ), an d

we d o n o t reach t h i s i s s u e h ere.

3req u i rem en t s o f OCGA § [9 -1 6 -1 2 ( c ) (1 )] .” 3 (Ci t at i o n an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed .)

Lo vel es s

, 3 3 7 G a. Ap p

. at 2 51 (1 ). Th u s

, “ t h e fai l ure t o ti m el y fi l e an an s wer i n s t ri ct

co m p l ian ce wi th th e s p eci fi c p l ead i n g req ui rem en t s o f t h e fo rfei t u re s t at u t e res u l t s in

d i s m i s s al o f t h e an s wer.” (Ci t at i o n a n d p u n ct u at io n o m i t t ed .) Id

. OCGA § 9 -1 6 -1 2

(c) (1 ) req u i res t h at an an s wer s t at i n g a cl ai m t o pro p ert y s u b j ect t o fo rfei t u re s at i s fy

n o t o n ly t h e g en eral p l ead i n g ru l es ap p l i cab l e t o al l ci v i l act i o n s , b u t al s o “ s h al l s et

fo rt h”:

(A) Th e n am e o f t h e cl ai m an t ;

(B) Th e ad dres s at wh i ch t h e cl ai m an t res i d es ;

(C) A d es cri p t io n o f t h e cl ai m an t ’ s i n t eres t i n t h e p ro p ert y ;

(D) A d es cri p ti o n o f t h e ci rcu m s t an ces o f t h e c l a im an t ’ s o b tai n in g an

i n t eres t i n t h e pro pert y an d

, t o t he b es t o f t h e cl ai m an t ’ s k n owl ed g e, th e

d at e t he c l a i m a n t o b t ai n ed t h e i n t eres t an d t h e n am e of t he pers o n o r

en t i t y t h at t ran s ferred t h e i n t eres t t o t h e cl ai m an t ;

(E) Th e n at u re o f t h e rel at i o n sh i p b et ween t h e cl ai m an t an d th e p ers o n

wh o p o s s es s ed t he p ro p ert y at t h e t i m e o f t h e s ei zu re;

3 T h e fo rm er ci v i l in rem fo rfei t u re st at ut e fo u nd at OCGA § 1 6 -1 3-4 9 was

rep eal ed an d rep l aced wi th OCGA § 9-1 6 -1 2 effect i v e J u l y 1

, 2 01 5

. Ga. L. 2 0 1 5

, p.

6 9 3 , § 1 -1

.

4(F) A co p y o f an y d o cu m en t at i o n i n t h e cl ai m an t ’ s p o s s e s s i o n

s u p p o rt i n g h i s o r h er an s wer; an d

(G) An y ad d i t i o n al fact s s u p p o rt i n g t h e cl ai m an t ’ s an s w er.

Aft er b ei n g g i v en a s eco n d ch an ce b y th e t ri al co u rt

, Co ffey al l eg ed i n h i s

am en d ed an s w er:

Cl ai m an t s h o ws t h at s ai d p ro p ert y h as a l eg i t im at e ori g i n an d i nt en d ed

u s e; i t was no t pro ceed s o f d ru g t ran s act i o ns an d was n o t i n t en ded t o be

u s ed fo r d ru g t ran s act i o n s o r o t her i l l eg al p u rp o s es

. T he U. S. Cu rren cy

was acq u ired l eg i ti m at el y

, p reced i n g t h e d at e o f i t s sei zu re, t hro u g h an

i n h eri t an ce f

r o m a j o i n t s afet y d ep o s it acco un t b o x lo cat ed at Ci t i zen s

Ban k & Tru s t Co

. o f Grai n g er Co u n t y

, T N

, w it h Cl ai m an t ’ s

Gran d m o t h er, Li l l i e No ra Sm i th (d eceas ed )[.] Cl ai m an t ’ s m ot h er,

Geo rg i a Ev et t e Co ffey was a wi t n es s t o t h e co n t en t s o f t h e j o i n t s afet y

d ep o s i t acco un t

, i n cl u di n g Fi ft y Th o u s an d Do l l ars ($ 5 0,0 0 0 ) i n U.S.

Cu rren cy

.

As arg u ed b y t h e St at e b el o w an d o n ap p eal

, Co ffey ’ s an swer was i n s u f f i c i e nt

b ecau s e h e d i d n ot p ro v i d e t h e dat e t h at h e o b t ai ned h i s i n teres t i n t h e Cu rren cy

, an y

d o cu m en t at i o n s u p po rt i n g h i s an s wer as req u i red b y OCGA § 9 -1 6-1 2 (c) (1 ) (D) an d

(F), n o r t he ad dres s at wh i ch h e res i d ed

.

5Al t h ou g h Co ffey es s en t i al l y co n ced es t h at h e d i d n o t ex p r e s s l y p ro v i d e t h e

ad d res s at wh i ch res id es i n ei t h er hi s i ni t ial an swer o r h i s a m e n d ed an s wer, Co ffey

arg u es t h at h e, i n es s en ce, p ro v id ed h i s ad d res s b y v i rt u e o f h i s res p on s e t o p arag rap h

fo u r o f t h e St at e’ s co m

p l ai n t

, w h i ch al l eg ed

, “ Sai d pro p ert y was s ei zed fro m Sh an n o n

To d d Co ffey

, wh o m ay b e s erv ed at t h e G wi nn et t Co u n t y J a i l o r at h is res i d en ce

l o cat ed at 1 4 3 Green V i ew Dr. W hi t es b u rg

, Tn

. 37 8 9 1 .” I n h i s a m en d ed an s wer, 4

Co ffey ad m i t t ed t h e Cu rren cy was s ei zed fro m h i m

, d en i ed t h at he co ul d s t i l l b e

s erv ed at t h e G wi nn et t Co u n t y J ai l

, bu t di d n ot sp eci fi cal l y ad m i t o r d en y t h e St at e’ s

al l eg at i o n reg ard i n g s erv ice a t h i s h o m e ad d res s

. Th us

, Co ffey as s ert s t h at b y n ot

d en y i n g t h at s p eci fi c po rt i on o f t h e St at e’ s al l eg at i o n s i n p arag rap h fo u r, h i s res p o n s e

co n st i t u t es an ad m i s s i on p u rs u an t t o OCGA § 9 -1 1 -8 (d ). 5

4 Co ffey o ffered t h e s am e res p o n s e i n h i s i n i t i al an s wer.

5 OCGA § 9 -1 1 -8 (d ) p ro v i d es :

A v erm en t s i n a p l ead i n g t o wh i ch a res p o n s iv e p l ead i n g i s req u i r e d

,

o t h er t h an t h os e as t o t h e am o u n t o f d am ag e, are ad m i t t ed w h en n o t

d en i ed i n t h e res p o n s i v e p l ead i n g. A v erm en t s i n a pl ead i n g t o wh ich n o

res p on s i v e pl ead i n g i s req u i red o r p erm i t t ed s h al l b e t ak en as d en i ed o r

av o i ded

.

6Al t h ou g h we are m i n d fu l t h at w e m ust inte r pr e t the s t ri ct p l ead i n g req ui rem en t s

o f OCGA § 9 -1 6 -1 2 reas on ab l y

, 6 we hav e s eri o u s co n cern s reg a r d i n g w h et h er

Co ffey ’ s fai l ure to res p o nd to t he St at e’ s al l eg at i o n reg ard i n g hi s ad d res s s at i s fi es t h e

u n a m b i g u o u s req ui rem en t t o affi rm at i v el y “ s et fo rt h

. . . [t ] h e ad d res s at wh i ch t h e

cl ai m an t res i d es .” 7 OCGA § 9 -1 6 -1 2 (c) (1 ) (B). Ho wev e r, p ret erm i t t i n g wh et h er

Co ffey ’ s fai l u re t o e x p res s l y p ro v id e t h e ad d res s ren d ers h i s an s wer fat al l y

i n s u ffi ci en t

, we fi n d t h at h i s fai lu re t o p ro v id e ev en a ti m e fram e i n wh i ch h e acq u i red

an in t eres t i n t he Cu rren cy su b j ect ed h i s an s wer to be s tri ck en

. See Ar r eo l a -S o t o v.

S t a t e o f G a

. , 3 1 4 Ga. A p p. 1 6 5

, 1 6 7 (1 ) (7 2 3 SE2 d 4 8 2 ) (2 0 1 2 ) (wh ere ex act d at e n ot

p ro v id ed

, t h e t i m e fram e o f t h e acq u i s it i o n o f t h e o wn ers h i p i nt eres t m ay s u ffi ce);

OCGA § 9 -1 6 -1 2 (c) (1 ) (D).

6 See Ha r r i s v. S t a te

, 2 2 2 Ga. Ap p

. 2 6 7

, 2 68 (4 74 SE2 d 2 0 1) (1 9 9 6 )

(“ Al t h ou g h co m

p li an ce wi t h t h e s t ri ct p l ead i n g req u irem en ts i s m an dat ed

, . . . t h es e

req u i rem en t s m

u s t b e i n t erp ret ed reas o n ab l y .”).

7 M o re v e r

, t h e fact s o f t h i s cas e h i g h l i g h t t h e p ract i cal d i ffi cu l t i es t h at co u ld

ari s e s h o ul d we d eem a n o n -res p o n s e t o an al l eg at i o n t o s at i s fy a cl ai m an t ’ s d u t y to

“ s et fo rt h ” hi s ad d res s

. W h en t h e St at e at tem p t ed t o h av e Co ffey serv ed at t h e ad d res s

h e h ad p ro v i d ed at t h e t i m e o f h i s arres t, wh i ch t h e St at e al l eg ed was Co ffey ’ s h o m e

a ddr es s

, th e Ham

b len Co u n t y

, Ten n es s ee l aw en fo rcem en t o ffi cer di s co v ered t ha t “ no

s u ch ad d res s o r ro ad ” ex i st ed

. Th e St at e u lt im at el y recei v ed p erm i s s i o n t o s erv e

Co ffey v i a p u b l i cat i o n

.

7Th e tri al co u rt act ed wel l wi t h i n i t s d i s cret i o n u n d er t h e ci rcu m s t an ces o f t h i s

c a s e w h e n Co ffey h ad t h e o p p o rt u n i t y t o co rrect t h i s erro r aft er t h e St at e, i n i t s

m o t io n fo r m o re d efi n i t e st at em en t

, s p eci fi cal l y n ot ed t h at Co ffey h ad fai l ed t o

p ro v id e a d at e o n wh i ch h e o b t ai n ed an i n t eres t i n t he Cu rren cy

, y et Co ffey ch o s e n ot

t o co rrect t he erro r i n h i s am en d ed an s w er. See Ho wa r d v. S t a t e o f Ga

. , 3 2 1 Ga. Ap p.

8 8 1

, 8 8 3 (7 4 3 SE2 d 5 4 0 ) ( 2 0 1 3 ) (n o ab us e o f d i s cret i o n i n s t ri ki n g an swers wh ere

cl ai m an t s were affo rd ed o p p ort u ni t y t o am en d t h ei r pl ead i n g s y et fai l ed t o d o s o ).

Acco rd in g ly

, we fi n d n o ab u s e of d i s cret i o n i n th e t ri al co u rt ’ s o rd er s t ri k i n g Co ffey ’ s

am en d ed an s w er.

Ju d g men t a f f i r m ed . Mi l l er

, P. J., a n d

McFa d d en , J., co n cu r

.

8