FI RST DI VI SI ON DOYLE, C. J.

, A NDREWS and RA

Y, 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

Febr uar y 17, 2017



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 6 A1 66 8 . COURTNEY v . THE STATE. DO-0 5 7

D O Y LE , Ch ief J ud g e.

Ch ri st o p h er Co u rt n ey was ch arg ed wi t h s ex u al ex p l o i t at i o n o f ch i l d ren by

d i s t ri b u t i n g ch il d p o rn o grap h y fro m h i s c o m p u t er. 1 W e g ran t ed Co u rt n ey ’ s

ap p li cat io n fo r i n t erl o c u t o r y ap p eal t o co n si d er w h et h er t h e t ri al co u rt erred by

d en y i n g h i s m ot i o n t o su p pres s i d en ti fy i n g i n t ern et s u b s cri b er i n fo rm at i o n o b t ai n ed

b y p o l i ce p u rs u an t t o an ad m i n i st rat i v e s u bp o en a i s su ed u n d er OCGA § 1 6 -9 -1 0 8 (a).

Becau s e Co u rt n ey l ack s s t a n d i n g t o ch al len g e t h e s earch o f h i s i n tern et p ro v i d er

(“ IP”) fo r i d en t ify i ng i n fo rm at i o n , we affi rm

.

1 OCGA § 1 6 -1 2-1 00 (b ) (1 ) (5 ).“ ‘ On ap p el l at e r e v i e w o f a ru l in g o n a m ot i on t o s u p pres s , t h e t ri al co urt ’ s

fi nd i ng s on d i s pu t ed fact s wi l l b e u p h el d u n l es s cl earl y erro n eo u s , an d i t s ap p l i cat i o n

o f t h e l aw t o u nd i s p u t ed fact s i s s u b ject t o d e n o vo rev i ew.’ ” 2

H e r e , t h e rel ev an t fact s are u n d i s p u t ed

. A d et ect i v e wi t h th e Li b ert y Co u n t y

Sh eri ff’ s Offi ce m o n i t o rs t h e i n t ern et fo r ch i l d p o rn o g rap h y act i v i ty

. Aft er n o t i ci n g

an i n creas e i n act i v i t y fro m a cert ai n IP ad d res s , t h e d et ect i v e u s ed an “ ad m in i s t rat i v e

s u b p oen a,” i s s ued b y t he d i s t ri ct at t o rn ey ’ s o ffi ce, t o o bt ai n id en t i fy i n g i n fo rm at i o n

fro m th e IP

– Cen t u ry Tel / Cen t ury Li n k (“ Cen t u ry ”)

– in cl ud i n g t h e p h y si cal ad d res s

as s o ci at ed wi th t h e IP ad dres s

. 3 On ce Cen t u r y p r o v id ed t h e p hy si cal ad d res s , t h e

d et ect i v e o b t ai ned a s u b p o en a fro m t h e m ag i s t rat e co u rt an d s earch ed co m p u t ers at

t h e res i d en ce. Th at s earch l ed t o Co urt n ey ’ s arres t

.

Co u rt n ey m o v ed t o s up p res s t h e i n fo rm at i o n o bt ai ned fro m Cen t u ry , arg u i n g

t h at t h e det ect i v e’ s u s e o f an ad m i n i s t rat i v e s u b p o en a p u rs u an t t o OCGA § 1 6 -9 -1 0 8

2 S t a t e v. W

a l ker

, 2 9 5 Ga. 8 8 8

, n

. 1 (7 6 4 SE2 d 8 04 ) (2 0 1 4 ), q u o ti n g Reg i s t e v. S t a t e , 2 9 2 Ga. 1 54 , 1 5 5 -1 5 6 (7 3 4 SE2 d 1 9) (2 01 2 ).

3 Th e s u b p o en a s p eci fi cal l y referen ces OCGA § § 1 6 -9 -1 0 8

, 4 5-1 5 -1 0, an d 4 5

- 1 5 -1 7. OCGA § § 4 5-1 5 -1 0 an d 4 5 -1 5 -7 0

, wh i ch g ran t th e At t o rn ey Gen eral au t h o ri t y

t o p ro s ecu t e an d i n v es t i g at e m at t ers in v o lv i n g St at e affai rs , d o n o t ap p l y t o t h i s cas e, wh i ch i n v o l v es an al l eg ed v i o l at i o n o f OCGA § 1 6 -1 2 -1 0 0 (b ) an d a s u b p oen a i s s u ed

b y an as s i s t an t d i s t ri ct at t orn ey , n o t t h e At t o rn ey Gen eral

.

2(a), rat h er t h an a s earch warran t o r co u rt o rd er p u rs u an t t o OCGA § 16 -9 -1 0 9 (b ), was

i l leg al b ecau s e t he l at t er s tat u t e p ro v i d es t h e ex cl u s iv e m ech an i sm t h ro u g h w h i ch an

IP m ay be co m

p el l ed t o d i s c l o s e s u b s cri b er i n fo rm at i o n. Th e t ri al co u rt d en i ed t h e

m o t i o n b u t cert i fi ed i ts ru l i ng fo r i m m ed i at e rev i ew. Th i s ap pl i cat i o n an d ap p eal

fo l l o w ed

.

Befo re we can co n s i d er Co u rt n ey ’ s ch al l en g e t o t h e l eg al i t y o f t h e s earch o f h i s

s u b s cri b er i n fo rm at i o n fro m Cen tu ry , we m u s t co n s id er wh et h er Co u rt n ey h a s

s t an d i n g t o ch al l en g e t h at s earch

. “ [D] em o n s trat i n g s t an d i n g i s a t h res h o l d b u rd en fo r

s u p p res s i o n o f t h e ev i den ce.” 4 “ In o rd er t o cl ai m th e p ro t e c t i o n o f t h e Fo u rt h

Am en d m en t ag ai n s t u n reas o n ab l e search an d s ei zu re, a d efen d an t m u s t d em o n s t rat e

t h at h e p ers o n al ly h as an ex p ect at i o n o f p ri vacy in t h e pl ace s ear c h e d

, an d t h at h i s

ex p ect at i o n i s reas o n ab l e.” 5

T h i s C o u r t p rev i o u s l y h as h el d t h at an i nt ern et serv i ce cu s t o m er h as n o

reas on ab l e ex p ect at i o n o f p ri v acy i n s u bs cri b er i n fo rm at i o n th at h e v o l u n t ari l y

co n vey s t o an IP, n o t i n g “ t h at t h e Un i t ed St at es Su p rem e Co u rt an d Geo rg i a ap p el l at e

4 Ha mp t o n v. S t a t e , 2 9 5 Ga. 6 6 5 , 6 6 9 (2 ) (7 63 SE2 d 4 6 7 ) (2 0 1 4 ), ci t i n g Ra ka s v. Il l i n o i s , 4 3 9 U. S. 1 2 8 , 1 3 0, n .1 (9 9 SCt 4 2 1

, 5 8 LE2 d 3 8 7 ) (1 9 7 8 ).

5 ( P u n ct u at io n o m i tt ed .) En s l ey v. S t a te

, 33 0 Ga. Ap p

. 2 5 8 (7 6 5 SE2 d 3 7 4 ) (2 0 1 4), q u ot i ng S

m i t h v. S t a t e , 2 8 4 Ga. 1 7 , 2 1 (3 ) (6 6 3 SE2 d 1 4 2 ) (2 0 0 8 ).

3co u rt s h av e h el d t h at a p ers o n h as n o reas o n ab l e ex p ect at i o n o f p ri v acy i n i n fo rm at i o n

v o l u n t ari l y co n v ey ed to an o t h er.” 6 A c c o r d i n g ly

, u n d er En s l ey , Co u rt n ey l ack ed

s t an d i n g t o b ri n g a Fo u rt h Am e n d m e n t ch al l en g e t o t h e search o f Cen t u ry fo r h i s

s u b s cri b er i n fo rm at i o n

.

Here, h o wev er, Co u rt n ey co n t en d s t h at OCGA § 1 6

- 9 -1 0 9 (b ) g ran t s h i m a

reas on ab l e ex p ect at i o n of pr iva c y in the inf or m at i o n l i s t ed t h erei n , in cl u d i n g hi s n am e

a n d a d d r e ss , b ecau s e i t d efi n es t h e ci rcu m st an ces u n d er wh ich an IP m ay b e

co m p el l ed t o d i s cl o s e t h at i nfo rm at i on t o a law en fo rcem en t ag en cy

. Th i s arg u m en t

i s wi t h ou t m e r i t b ecau s e, as ex p l ai n ed bel o w, OCGA § 1 6 -9 -1 09 (b ) ad d res s es t h e

d i s cl os u re o b l i g at i o n s o f t h i rd -p art y IPs , n o t i n d i v i d u al cri m in al d efen d an t s

.

Ti t l e 1 6

, Ch ap t er 9

, A rt i cl e 6 i s t h e “ Geo rg i a Co m pu t er Sys t e m s P r o t ect i o n

Act ” (“ th e Act ”). 7 Part 3 o f t h e Act i s en t i t l ed “ In v es t i g at i o n o f Vi o l at io n s .” OCGA

§ 1 6 -9 -1 0 8 (a) p ro v i d es t hat i n an y i n v es t i g at io n o f cert ai n s t a t u t o ry vi o l at i o n s ,

i n cl u d i n g t h e o n e Co u rt n ey i s ch arg ed wi th v i o l at i n g – OCGA § 1 6 -1 2 -1 0 0

–

t h e A t to rn ey Gen eral o r an y d i s t ri ct at t o rn ey s h al l h av e th e p o w e r t o

ad m i n i s te r o at h s ; t o cal l an y p art y t o t es t i fy u n d er o at h at s u ch

6 En s l ey , 3 3 0 Ga. Ap p . at 2 5 8 -2 5 9 (co l l ect i n g cas es ), ci t i n g Ha t ch er v. S t a t e , 3 1 4 Ga. Ap p . 8 3 6 , 8 3 7 -8 3 9 (1 ) (7 2 6 SE2 d 1 1 7) (2 01 2 ) (p h y s i cal p reced en t o n l y ).

7 OCGA § 1 6 -9 -9 0

.

4i n v es t i gat i o n ; t o req u i re t h e at t en d an ce o f w i t nes s es an d t he p ro d uct i o n

o f b o o ks

, reco rd s , an d pap ers ; an d t o t ak e t h e d ep o s i t i o n s o f wi t n es s es

. Th e A t t o rn ey G en eral or an y s u ch di s t ri ct at t o rn ey is au t h o ri zed t o i s s ue

a s u b p o en a fo r an y wi tn es s o r a s u b po en a t o co m p el t h e p ro d u ct i o n o f

an y b o ok s , reco rd s , o r p ap ers

.

OCGA § 1 6 -9 -1 0 9

, w h i ch i s m ore n arro w, ad d res s es o nl y d is cl o s u res b y IPs

.

Su b s ect io n (a) of t h at Co d e s e c t i o n p ro v i d es t h at l aw en fo rcem en t u n i t s an d

p ro s ecu to rs m ay req u i re IPs t o di s cl o s e t h e co n t en ts o f el ect ro n i c co m m u n i cat i o n s i f

t h ey o b t ai n a s earch warran t fro m an ap p ro p ri at e co urt

. Su b s ect io n (b ) p ro vi d es t h at :

(1 ) An y law en fo rcem en t u n i t [ o r pro s ecu t or] m ay req u i re [an IP] t o

d i s cl o s e a reco rd o r o t her i n fo rm at i o n pert ai n i n g t o a s u b s cri b e r t o o r

cu s t om er of s u ch s erv i ce, ex cl u si v e o f t h e co n t en t s o f co m m u n i cat i o ns ,

o n l y w h en an y l aw en fo rcem en t u n i t

, t he At t o rn ey Gen eral

, o r an y

d i s t ri ct at t o rn ey : (A) Ob tai n s a s earch warran t as p ro v i ded i n Art i cl e 2

o f Ch ap t er 5 o f T i t l e 1 7 ; (B) Ob tai n s a co u rt o rd er fo r s u ch d is c l o su re

u n d er s ub sect i o n (c) o f t h i s Co d e s ect i o n ; o r (C) Has t h e co n s en t o f th e

s u b s cri b er o r cu st o m er t o s u ch d i s cl o s ure.

( 2 ) A pr ov i d er of el ect ro n i c co m m u n i cat i o n s erv i ce or re m ote c om puting

s erv ice s h al l d i s cl o s e to an y l aw en fo rcem en t u n it

, t h e At t o rn ey Gen eral

,

o r an y d i s t ri ct at t o rn ey t h e: (A) Nam e; (B) Ad d res s ; (C) Lo cal an d l o n g

d i s t an ce t el ep h o n e co n n ect i o n reco rd s , o r reco rd s o f s es s i on t i m es an d

d u rat i o n s ; (D) Len g t h o f s erv ice, in cl ud i ng t h e s t ar t d a t e , a nd t y p es o f

s erv ice u t i l i zed ; (E) Tel ep h o n e o r i n s t ru m en t nu m b er o r o t h er s u b s cri b er

5num

be r or i den t i t y , i n cl u d i n g an y t em p o rari ly as s i g n ed n et wo rk a ddr e ss;

an d (F) M ea n s a n d s o urce o f p ay m en t fo r s uch s erv i ce, i n cl u di n g an y

cred it card or b an k ac c o u n t n u m b er o f a s u bs cri ber t o o r cu s t o m er o f

s u ch s erv ice w h en an y l aw en fo rcem en t u n i t u s es a s u bp o en a au t h ori zed

b y Co d e Sect i o n 1 6 -9 -1 0 8

, 3 5 -3 -4 .1

, 5

- 1 5

- 1 7 o r a gran d ju ry o r t ri al

s u b p o en a w h en an y law en fo rcem en t un i t co m p l ies wi t h p arag rap h

(1 ) o f t h i s s u b sect io n

.

Th u s , OCGA § 1 6 -9 -1 09 (b ) s et s fo rt h t h e p ro ces s b y w h i ch a d i s tri ct at t o rn ey

“ m ay r eq u i r e [an IP]

. . . to d is cl o s e [cert ai n s u bs cri b er i n fo rm at i o n ]

. ” 8 No t hi n g i n t h i s

Co d e sect i o n p r o hi bi t

s t h e IP fro m d i s cl o s in g t h e i n fo rm at i o n t o t h e d i s t ri ct at t o rn ey ,

l aw en fo rcem en t, th e At to rn ey Gen eral

, o r fo r th at m at ter, an y o n e el se. OCGA § 1 6

-

9 -1 0 9 (b ) d o es n o t gran t Co u rt n ey a reas o nab l e ex p ect at i o n o f p ri v acy i n s u b s cri b er

i n fo rm at i o n h e v o lu n t ari l y co n v ey ed t o t h e IP. Acco rd i n g ly

, h e d o es n o t h a v e

s t an d i n g t o ch al l en g e t h e s earch

, an d we affi rm t he t ri al co u rt ’ s d en i al of h i s m o t i o n

t o s u p p res s

.

Ju d g men t a f f i r m ed . An d

r ews a nd Ra y, JJ., co n cu r

.

8 (Em p h as i s s u p pl i ed .)

6