THI RD DI VI SI ON

BA RNES, P. J.

, BOGGS and BRA NCH, 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 ls .us /r ule s /

M ar ch 30, 2015



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 4 A2 15 8 . W H ITE v . RAINES.

B O G G S , J u d g e.

W i l l i am J o hn W hi t e ap p eal s fro m th e t ri al co u rt ’ s o rd er co n t i n u i n g an ex p art e

t em p o rary p ro t ect i v e o r d er (“ TPO”) en t ered ag ai n s t h i m

. Becau s e t h e t ri al co u rt

l ack ed au t h o ri t y

t o ex t en d t h e TPO, we rev ers e.

Th e reco rd sh o w s t h at o n Ap ri l 1 7

, 2 01 4

, W h i t e’ s ex -wi fe, Su s an Rai n es

, fi l ed

a “ Pet it i o n fo r St al k i n g Tem p o rary Pr o t e ct i ve Ord er” ag ai n s t W h i t e p u rs u an t to

OCGA § 1 6 -5 -9 4

. Al l eg i n g t h at W h i t e h ad

, am o ng o t h er t h i n g s, fl o o d ed h e r wi th

u n wan t ed t e le phone c al l s an d t ex t m es s ag es

, acces s ed h er b an k acco u n t

, an d fo l l o wed

h er, Rai n es cl ai m ed t h at W h i t e’ s act i o n s p laced h er i n reas o n ab l e fear fo r h er an d h er

fam i l y ’ s s afet y

. Th e pet i t i o n req ues t ed a h eari n g an d en t ry o f a t wel v e-m o n th

p ro t ect i v e o rd er.On t h e s am e d ay

, t h e t ri al co urt en t ered an ex p art e T PO en jo i n i n g W h i t e fro m

h aras s i n g

, co nt act i ng

, o r a p p ro ach i n g wi th i n 5 00 y ard s o f Rai nes o r h er i m m ed i at e

fam i l y

. Th e o rd er al s o d i rect ed W h i t e t o ap p ear b efo re t h e co urt o n M ay 9

, 2 0 1 4

, to

“ s h o w w h y t h e dem an d s of [Rai n es ] s h o u ld no t b e g ran t ed .” Sh o rt l y aft er t h e t ri al

co u rt i s s u ed t h e ex p art e o rd er, Rai n es rep o rt ed t o po l ice t h at W hi t e had v i o l at ed t h e

TPO, an d W h i te was arres t ed fo r ag grav at ed s t al ki n g.

B o t h p art i es ap p eared at t h e M ay 9

, 2 0 1 4 h eari n g

. T he t ri al co u rt b eg an b y

as k i n g Rai n es

, wh o was p ro ceed i n g p ro se, ab o ut W h i t e’ s arres t

. Co u n s el fo r W h i t e

i n t erject ed t h at t h e p art i es were t h ere “ o n t h e ex p art e TPO,” n o t t h e arres t warran t

.

As s ert i n g th at t he warran t was “ p art o f t h e ev i d en ce,” t h e co u rt q u es t i o ned Rai n es

ab o ut t h e ci rcu m s t an ces l ead i n g t o t h e arres t

. Th e co u rt t h e n a s k ed h er g en eral l y

ab o ut t h e al l eg at io n s u nd erl y i n g h er p et i t i o n

. Rai n es d es cri b ed t h e co n d u ct b y W h i t e

t h at s h e fo un d o b

ject i o nab l e, i ncl u d i n g h is co n s t an t effo rt t o co m m u ni cat e wi t h h er.

W h i t e’ s co u ns el res p o n ded t h at W h i t e an d Rai n es had en jo y ed co n s en s u al

co m m u n icat io n s i n ce t h ei r d i v o rce, wi th bo t h p art i es co n t act i n g each o t h er an d

s p en di n g t i m e t o g et h er.

At t h at p oi nt

, t h e t ri al co u rt h al t ed th e p ro ceed in g s

. Rat her th a n ad d res s i n g

Rai n es ’ s p et it i on , t h e co u rt co nt i n u ed t h e h eari n g , s t at in g:

2Here’ s m y so l ut io n : I’ m g o i n g t o co n t i n u e t h i s h eari n g t o d ay

. [W h i t e]

cl earl y ig n o red t h e o rd er t h at w as i s s ued as fi l ed o n Ap ri l 1 7

, t o th e

ex t en t t h at t h e p o l i ce fo u n d pro b ab l e cau se t o arres t h i m fo r ag g rav at ed

[s t al ki n g ]

. Bu t I’ m g o i ng t o c o n t i n ue t h i s h eari ng t o d ay

, l eav in g th e

o rd er in p l ace, an d t hen w e’ l l co m e b a c k i n 6 0 d ay s an d d ep en d i n g o n

wh at h i s co n d u ct an d b eh av io r i s in t h e n ex t 6 0 d ay s

, I’ l l m ak e a

d et erm i nat i o n t o ei t h er ex t en d t h e o rd er o r d is m i ss t h e p et i t i o n

.

In a wri t t en o rd er, t he t ri al co u rt res ch ed ul ed t h e h eari n g t o J u ly 1 1, 2 0 1 4

, an d

ex t en d ed t h e TPO t h ro u g h t h a t d at e. At W h i te’ s req u es t

, th e tri al co u rt i s s u ed a

cert ifi cat e o f im

m ed i at e rev i ew. W e s u bs eq uen t l y g ran t ed W h i t e’ s i n t erl o c u t o ry

ap p eal ap p l i cat i o n , an d t h i s ap peal fo l l o wed

. 1

1

. W h i t e arg u es t h at t h e t ri al co u rt erred i n co n t i nu i n g t h e ex p art e T PO wi t h o ut

ad d res s i n g t h e m eri t s o f Rai n es ’ s al l eg at i o ns . W e ag ree.

1 Al t ho u g h t h e ex part e TPO was o n ly ex t en d ed t h ro u g h J u l y 11

, 2 0 1 4

, an d t hu s

en d ed m o n t h s ag o

, t h i s ap p eal is n o t m o o t. As we h av e ex p l ai n ed

, wh en an ap p el l at e

i s su e “ i s cap ab l e o f rep et i t i on y et ev ad es rev i ew, we d o n o t v i ew t h at i s su e as m o o t .”

(Ci t at i o n s an d p un ct u at i on om it t ed .) El g i n v. S wa n n

, 31 5 Ga. Ap p

. 8 0 9, 8 1 0 (1 ) (7 2 8

SE2 d 3 2 8) (2 0 1 2). Th e i s s u e i n t h i s ap p eal

– t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s au t h o ri t y t o ex t en d an

ex p art e TPO

– m ay ari s e i n o t h er s t a l k i n g c a s es

. An d gi v en t h e s h o rt d u rat i o n o f

s t al k in g p ro t ect i v e o rd ers

, as w el l as t h e t i m e co n s trai n t s o f ap p el l at e co u r t s

, i t i s

l i kel y t o ev ad e rev i ew. See i d

. (al t h o u gh s t al k i ng p ro tect i v e o rd er ex p i red b efo re

ap p eal was res o lv ed , t h e ap p el lat e i s s u es were n o t m o o t b ecau s e th ey were cap ab l e

o f rep et i ti o n an d ev ad ed rev i ew).

3A p ers on wh o cl ai m s t o h av e b een s t a l k e d m a y p et it i on t h e t ri al co u rt fo r a

res t rai n i n g o rd er ag ai n s t t he al l eg ed s t al k er. See OCGA § 1 6 -5 -9 4 ( a); s ee al s o

OCGA § 1 6 -5 -9 0 (a) (d efi n i n g t h e o ffen s e o f s t al k i n g ). Bas ed o n t h e al l eg at i o n s in

t h e p et i t i on

, t h e co u rt “ m ay o rd er s u ch t em p o rary rel i ef ex p art e as i t d eem s n eces s ary

t o p ro t ect t h e p et i t io ner.” OCGA § 1 6 -5 -9 4 (c). Mere al l eg at i o n s a l on e, h o wev er,

can n ot s u s t ai n co nt i n u i n g rel i ef. Aft er en t ry o f an ex p art e T PO, th e t ri al co u rt m u s t

co n du ct an ev i d en t i ary h eari n g i n acco rd an ce wi t h t h e p ro ced u res g o v ern i ng fam i l y

v i o l en ce res trai n i ng o rd ers , wh i ch p ro v i d e:

W i t h i n ten d ay s o f t h e fi l i n g o f t he p et it i o n

. . . o r a s s o o n as p ract i cal

t h e r e a f t er, b u t i n n o cas e l at er t han 3 0 day s aft er t h e fi l i n g o f th e

p et i t i o n

, a heari n g s h al l b e h el d at wh i ch t h e p et i t i o n er m u s t p ro v e th e

al l eg at i o n s o f t h e p et it i o n b y a p rep o n d eran ce o f t h e ev i d en ce as i n o t h er

ci v i l cas es

. In t h e ev en t a h eari n g can n o t b e s ch ed u l ed wi t h i n t h e co u n t y

wh ere t h e cas e i s p en d i n g wi t h i n t h e 3 0 d ay p eri o d t h e s am e sh al l be

s ch ed u l ed an d h eard w i t hi n an y o t h er co un t y o f t h at ci rcu i t

. If a h eari n g

i s n o t hel d w i t hi n 3 0 d ay s

, t h e pet i t i o n s h al l st an d d i s m i s s ed u nl es s th e

p art i es o t h erwi s e ag ree.

OCGA § 1 9 -1 3 -3 (c). See al s o O CGA § 16 -5 -9 4 (e) (“ Th e pro v i s i o n s o f s u b s ect i on s

(c) an d ( d ) o f C o d e Sect i on 19 -1 3 -3

. . . rel at i n g t o fam i l y v i o l en ce p et it i on s

, s h al l

ap p ly t o p et i t i o n s fi l ed p u rs u an t t o t h i s Co d e s ect i o n .”).

4Th e s t at u t o ry s ch em e i s cl e a r

. A t ri al co u rt mu s t as s es s th e m eri t s o f a

p et i t i o n er’ s s t al k i n g al l eg at i o n s wi t h i n 3 0 d ay s aft er t he pet i t i on i s fi l ed

. See OCGA

§ 1 9 -1 3 -3 (c); P er lma n v. P er lma n

, 3 1 8 Ga. Ap p

. 7 3 1

, 7 3 4 (2 ) (7 34 SE2 d 5 6 0 ) (2 0 1 2 )

(“ [W ] i t h i n 3 0 d ay s aft er t h e fi l i n g o f t h e p et i t i o n, a h eari n g m us t b e h el d at wh i ch t h e

p et i t i o n er ‘ m

u s t pro v e t h e al l eg at i o n s o f t h e pet i t i o n b y a p rep on d e ran ce o f t h e

ev i d en ce.’ ”) (Pu n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed .). Th i s 30 -d ay d ead l i n e can n o t b e i g n ored

. In fact

,

i t i s s o i m p o rt an t t h at i f a t i m el y h eari n g can n o t b e s ch ed u l ed i n t h e co u n t y wh ere t h e

p et i t i o n was fi l ed

, a h eari n g “ sh al l b e sch ed u l ed ” i n an o t h er co u n t y wi t h i n t h e ci rcu i t

.

OCGA § 1 9 -1 3 -3 (c). Ab s en t a t i m el y h eari ng , t h e p et i t i o n s t an d s d i s m i s s ed . Id

.

Th e part i es i n t h i s cas e ap p eared fo r a h eari n g wi th i n 3 0 d ay s aft er Rai n es fi l ed

h er p et i t i o n

. Th at h eari n g

, h o wev er, d i d n ot co m p l y w i t h OCGA § 1 9 -1 3 -3 (c) i n an y

s u b s t an t i ve way

. Th e t ri al co u rt q u es t i o n ed Rai n es b ri efl y

, b u t sh e was n ot s wo rn in

as a wi t n es s

, an d W h i te di d n o t h av e an o p p o rt u n i t y t o cro s s -ex am i n e h er. No o t h er

w itne sse s te stif

ie d. M o r e o ev er, al t h o u g h b o th p a r tie s pr e se nte d doc um e nta

r y e vide nc e

t o th e t r i a l c o u rt

, t h ey d i d so o n l y aft er t h e co urt h ad d eci d ed t o co n t i n u e t h e

p ro ceed in g

, an d t h ere i s no in d i cat i o n t h at t h e co u rt co ns i d ered th e ev i d en ce. Si m p l y

p u t

, t h e t ri al co urt d i d n o t ad d res s t h e m eri t s of Rai n es ’ s p e t i t i o n o r req u ire h er to

p ro v e h er al l eg at io ns by a p rep o n d eran ce of t h e ev i d en ce wi t h i n 30 d ay s aft er t h e

5p et i t i o n was fi led

, as m an d at ed b y t he s t at u t e. 2 It i n st ead m ai n tai n ed t h e “ s t at u s q u o,”

ex t en d i n g t h e ex p art e TPO s o t h at i t c o u l d as s es s h o w W hi t e b eh av ed o v er t h e

en s u in g 6 0 d ay s

.

G i v e n t h es e ci rcu m s t an ces

, t h e t ri al co u rt fai l ed t o m eet t h e 3 0 -d ay h eari n g

req u i rem en t i n OCGA § 1 9 -1 3 -3 (c). T h e pet i t i on an d ex p art e TPO, t herefo re, were

d i s m i s s ed by o p erat io n o f l aw. See OCGA § 1 9-1 3 -3 (c); Peeb l es v. Cl a xt o n

, 3 2 6 Ga.

Ap p

. 5 3

, 55 (1 ) (7 5 5 SE2 d 8 6 1 ) (2 0 1 4 ) (s t al k i n g p et i t i o n an d ex p art e TPO d i s m i s s ed

b y o p erat i o n o f law wh ere t ri al co u rt co n t in u ed TPO h eari n g an d left TPO “ i n fu l l

effect ” p as t 3 0 -d ay d ead li ne) (p h y s i cal p reced en t on l y ). It fo l l o ws t h at t h e t ri al co u rt

l ack ed au t h o ri t y

t o ex t en d t h e TPO t h ro u g h J u l y 1 1, 2 0 14

.

2

. Gi v en o ur h o l d i ng i n Di v i s i o n 1

, w e n eed n o t ad d res s W h it e’ s rem ai n i n g

cl ai m s o f erro r.

Ju d g m e n t r ever

sed

. Br a n ch

, J., co n cu r

s a n d Ba r n es

, P. J., co n cu r s i n t h e

j u d g men t o n l y

.

2 In fact

, t he t ri al co u rt ap p aren t l y b el i ev ed t h e bu rd en res t ed o n W h i t e t o s h o w

wh y Rai n es ’ p et i t io n s ho u l d n o t b e gran t ed

. Rai n es

, h o wev er, cl earl y bo re t he b u rd en

o f p ro o f. See O CGA § 1 6 -5 -9 4 (a); OCGA § 1 9 -1 3-3 (c); Pi l ch er v. S t r i b li n g

, 2 8 2 Ga.

1 6 6

, 1 6 7 (6 4 7 SE2 d 8 ) (2 0 0 7 ) (“ In o rd er to o b t ai n a p ro t e c t i v e o r d e r b as ed o n

s t al k in g

, t h e p et i t i o n er m

u s t es t ab l i sh t h e el em en t s o f t h e offen se b y a p rep o n d eran ce

o f t h e ev i d en ce.”).

6