THI RD DI VI SI ON

ELLI NGTON, P. J.

, DI LLA RD and M C FA DDEN, 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

October 23, 2015



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 5 A1 61 3

. DOW DELL v

. FITZGIBBON, CHIEF APPRAISER

FOR THE FULTON C O U N T Y BOARD OF TAX

ASSESSORS, FULTON COUNTY, GEORGIA. DI-0 7 8

D I LLA R D , J u dg e.

In t h i s d i s cret i o n ary ap p eal

, M ark D o wd el l ap p eal s fro m t he Su p eri o r Co u rt o f

Fu l t o n Co u n t y ’ s rev ers al o f a d eci s i o n b y t h e Fu l t o n Co u nt y

Pers o n n el Bo ard (“ t h e

Bo ard ”) t o s u s pen d h i s em p l o y m en t wi t h t h e Fu l to n Co u n t y Bo ard o f T ax As s es s o rs

rat h er t h an t erm in at e h i m

. Do wd el l arg u es o n ap p eal th at t h e s u p eri o r co u rt erred in

(1 ) co n cl u d i n g t hat t h e Bo ard h ad m ad e an “ i n d i rect ” fi n di n g as t o h i s v i o l at i o n o f t h e

p ers o n n el reg u l at io n at i s s u e, (2 ) h o l d in g t h at t h e Bo ard l ack ed t h e au t ho ri t y t o red uce

a t erm i n at i o n t o a s u s pen s i o n

, a n d (3 ) h o l d i n g t h at t h e Bo ard lack ed d i s cret i o n to

red u ce t h e s ev eri t y o f th e rem ed y fo r t h e v i ol at i o n at is s u e. Bu t b ecau s e n ei t h er t h ereco rd b efo re u s n o r t he reco rd b efo re t h e s u p eri o r c o u r t c o nt ai ns p ro p erl y p ro v ed

p ers o n n el reg u l at io n s , we are co n s t rai n ed t o rev ers e wi t ho u t reach i n g t h e m eri t s.

Th e reco rd refl ect s t h at Do wd el l was t erm in at ed fro m h i s em p l o y m en t wi t h t h e

Fu l t o n Co u n t y Bo ard o f Tax As s es s o rs aft er a m eet i n g wi th hi s i m m ed i at e s up erv i s o r

an d wi t h t h e d ep u t y ch i ef ap p rai s er wh o s up erv i s es t h e en t i re res i d e n t i a l s t aff,

i n cl u d i n g Do w d el l an d h i s i m m ed i at e s u p erv i s o r. Du ri n g t h e m eet in g

, D o wd el l was

as k ed ab o u t h i s m i s h a n d l i n g o f fi l es t h at were l eft i n a h al l way o u ts i de o f h i s

s u p erv i s o r’ s d o o r. Do w d el l b ecam e d efen s i v e an d s t o o d u p o v er h i s s u p e rv i s o r,

y el li n g at h er. T h e d ep ut y ch i ef ap p rai s er t o l d Do wd el l t o s i t do wn s ev eral t i m es

, b ut

h e o n l y co m

pl i ed wi t h th i s d i rect i v e aft er t h e dep u ty ch i ef ap p rai s er t h reat en ed t o cal l

s ecu ri t y

.

Dav i d Fi t zg i b b o n

, t h e ch i ef ap p rai s er, i n ves t i g at ed t h e i n ci d en t an d co n cl u d ed

t h at Do wd el l v i o l at ed t h ree Fu l t o n Co u n t y p ers o n n el reg u l at i o n s an d on e Fu l t o n

Co u n t y p o l i cy. E v e n t u al l y

, Fi t zg i b b o n t erm i n at ed D o wd el l

, wh o ap p eal ed t o t h e

Bo ard

.

Aft er i ts rev i ew, t he Bo ard co n cl u d ed t h at t h ere was i n s uffi ci en t ev i d en ce an d

t es t i m o ny t o u p h o l d t he d i s ci p l i n e i n co n n ect i o n wi t h t wo o f th e th ree reg u l at i o n s an d

wi t h t h e co u n t y p o l i cy ; h o wev er, i t co n cl u d ed th at t h e ev i d en ce warran t ed s us p en s i o n

2rat h er t h an di sm i s s al fo r Do wd e l l ’s v i o l at i o n of t h e rem ai n i n g reg u l at i on

— i

. e.

,

Pers o n nel Reg u l at i o n 1 8 0 0 , Art i cl e 1 1 (B) – In su b o rd i n at i o n . Fi t zg i b b on t h en fi l ed

a p et i t io n fo r a wri t o f cert i o rari i n t h e s up eri or co u rt

.

Th e s u p eri o r co u rt rev ers ed t h e Bo ard

, co n cl u d i ng t h at t h e Bo ard erred as a

m at t er o f l a w b y i m

po s i n g i t s o wn l es s s ev ere d i s ci p l i n e d es p i t e d et erm i n i n g,

i n d i rect l y

, th at Do wd el l v i o l at ed Pers o n nel Reg u l at i on 1 8 0 0

, Art i cl e 1 1 (B), wh i ch

was h i s t h i rd o ffen s e in l es s t han t wo y ears

. An d acco rd i ng t o th e s u p eri o r co u rt

, t h e

reg u l at i o n req ui red d i s m i s s al fo r a t h i rd vi o l at i o n. Do wd el l th en fi l ed an ap p l i cat i o n

fo r d i s cret i o n ary ap p eal

, s eek i n g rev i ew o f t h e s u p eri or co u rt ’ s d e c i s i o n, wh i ch we

g ran t ed . Th i s ap p eal fo l l o w s

.

I n i t i al l y

, we n ot e t h at t h e ap p ro p ri at e s t an d ard o f rev i ew t o b e ap p l i ed t o

“ i s s u es o f fact on w ri t o f cert i orari t o t h e s u p eri or co u rt i s wh et h er t he d eci s i o n b el o w

was s up p o rt ed b y an y

ev i d en ce.” 1 Th en , o n ap peal t o t h i s Co u rt

, ou r du t y i s “ n ot to

rev i ew wh et h er t h e reco rd s u pp o rt s t h e s u p eri o r co u r t ’s d e c is i on b u t w h et h er t h e

reco rd su p po rt s t h e i n it ial deci s i o n o f t h e l o cal g o v ern i n g bo d y or ad m in i s t rat i v e

1 Ta x Co mm’r o

f F u l t o n Ct y. v. W i l li a ms

, 2 67 G a. A p p

. 1 3 9

, 13 9 (5 9 8 SE2 d

8 6 2 ) (2 00 4 ) (p un ct u at i o n o m i t t ed ); a cco r d Co wet a Ct y. v. Hen d

er s o n

, 2 7 0 G a. Ap p.

1 5 3 , 1 5 4 (6 0 6 SE2 d 7) (2 00 4 ).

3ag en cy .” 2 Bu t i n t h e cas e s u b j ud i ce

, we are req u i red t o rev ers e wi t h o u t reach i n g t h e

m eri t s o f t h i s ap p eal b ecau s e n ei t h er t h e reco rd b efo re th i s Co u rt n o r th e reco rd

b efo re t h e s u p eri o r co u rt co nt ai n ed p ro p erl y pro v ed co p i es o f t h e reg ul at i o n s at i s s ue.

In d eed

, i n s u p p l em en t al b ri efs

— wh i ch t h i s Co u rt i n v i t ed t h e p art i es t o fi l e i n o rd er

t o ad d res s th i s i ss ue—

b o t h p art i es ag ree t h at t h e reco rd d o es n ot co n t ai n a cert i fi ed

co p y o f t h e rel ev an t p ers o n nel reg u l at i o n s

.

It i s wel l es t ab li sh ed t h at n ei t h er t h i s Co urt

, n o r t h e s u p eri o r co u rt s, m ay t ak e

ju d i ci al n o t i ce o f ci t y o r co un t y o rd i n an ces

, wh i ch i n s t e a d m u s t b e al l eg ed an d

p ro v ed

. 3 An d l i k ewi s e, “ ru l es an d reg u l at i o n s o f a s t at e ag en cy

, co u n ty

, m u n i ci p al i t y

,

o r p ri v at e ag en cy

, u n l es s p u b l i sh ed b y au t h o ri ty

, can n o t b e ju d i ci al l y no t iced .” 4 Th e

2 W i l l i a ms

, 26 7 G a. Ap p

. at 1 3 9 (p u n ct u at i o n om i t t ed ); a cco r d Hen d er s o n

, 2 7 0

Ga. Ap p . at 1 5 4

.

3 S ee Ch il d er s v. Ri ch mo n d Ct

y.

, 2 6 6 Ga. 2 7 6, 2 7 7 (4 67 SE2 d 1 76 ) (1 99 6 ) (“ [I] t

i s wel l es t ab l i s h ed b y nu m ero u s d eci s io n s o f t hi s co urt th at ju d i ci al no t i ce can n o t b e

t ak en b y t h e s u p eri o r co urt o r t h i s co u rt o f ci t y or co u n t y o rd in an ces , b u t t h ey m u s t

b e al l eg ed an d p ro v ed .” (p u n ct u at i on o m i t t ed )); s ee a l s o Mo r r o w v

. An gka wi

j a n a,

LLC , 3 2 7 Ga. Ap p. 1 , 5 (1 ) (7 5 5 SE2 d 5 6 1 ) (2 0 1 4) (“ [W ] e are u n ab l e t o rev i ew t h e

m eri t s o f t h e [ap pel l an t ’ s ] arg u m en t s in t h i s reg ard b ecau s e t h ey h av e fai l ed t o p ro v e

t h e Gwi n n e t t Co u n t y reg u l at i o n s u p o n wh i ch t h ey rel y t o s up p o rt t hei r cl ai m

. Th e

[ap p el l an t s ] fai l t o ci t e u s to an y cert i fi ed co p y i n t h e reco rd o f t he Gwi n n et t Co u n t y

reg u l at i o n s , an d we h av e fo u n d n o n e.”).

4 O u t d o o r S ys

., In c. v. Ch er okee Ct

y

., 2 43 G a. Ap p

. 4 0 6

, 4 0 7 ( 1 ) (5 3 3 SE2 d

4 4 6 ) (2 0 0 0 ).

4p ro p er m et h o d o f p ro v i n g a co u n t y reg u l at i o n i s b y p ro d u ct i o n of t he o ri g i n al o r o f

a pro p erl y cert i fi ed c o p y

. 5 An d h ere, al t h ou g h co p i es o f th e rel ev an t reg u l at i on s

ap p ear i n t h e cert i fi ed co py o f t h e p r o ceed i n g s b efo r e t h e Bo ard

, wh i ch were t h en

t ran s m i t t ed t o t h e su p eri or co urt

, a cert i fi ed co p y o f t he r eg u la t i o n s was n ei t h er fi l ed

wi t h n or t en d ered t o th e s u p eri o r co u rt

. Th u s

, becau s e t h e reco rd co n t ai n s “ no p ro p er

p ro o f o f t h e [rel ev an t p ers o n n el reg u l at i o n s ] , we can n o t co n s i d er i t s l an g uag e.” 6

Th e s u p eri o r co u rt ’ s o rd er refl ect s th at i t fo u n d “ th at t h ere w a s s u f f i ci en t

ev i d en ce t o s u p p o rt t he

. . . Bo ard ’ s fi n d i n g o f in s u bo rd i n at io n u n d er Pers o n n el

Reg ul at io n 1 80 0

, Art i cl e 11 (B); ho wev er t h e Pers o nn el Bo ard m ad e an erro r o f l aw

wi t h reg ard t o t h e d is ci p l i n e im p o s ed fo r t h i s th i rd (3 rd ) i n st an ce o f i n s u b o rd i n at i o n

i n l es s t h an t wo y ears .” T h e s u p eri o r co u rt t h en l o o k ed t o th e rel ev an t Fu l to n Co u n t y

p ers o n n el reg u l at i o ns t o ev al uat e t h ei r d i s ci p l i n e s t ru ct u re an d t o reach i t s co n cl u s i o n

t h at t h e Bo ard erred as a m at t er o f l aw b y s u b s t i t u t i n g i t s own j u d gm en t t o d et erm i n e

t h e ap p ro p ri at e l ev el o f d i s ci p l in e. T h en

, on ce ag ai n

, t h e s u p eri or c our t c oncl u d ed t h at

t h e ev i d en ce s u p p ort ed t h e Bo ard ’ s co n cl u s i o n t h at Do wd el l h ad v i ol at ed t h e rel ev an t

5 Mo r r o w

, 3 2 7 Ga. Ap p

. at 5 (1 ); s ee a l s o Th o rs en v. S

a b er

, 28 8 Ga. 1 8

, 1 9 (1 )

(7 0 1 SE2 d 1 3 3 ) (2 0 1 0 ) (“ Th e p ro p er m e t h o d o f p ro v i n g a ci t y o rd i n an ce i s by

p ro d uct i o n o f t h e o ri gi n al o r o f a p ro p erl y cert i fi ed co p y .”).

6 Th o r s en , 2 8 8 Ga. at 1 9 (1 ) (p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed ).

5reg u l at i o n b ut

, acco rd i n g t o t h e co u rt

, t h e reg u l at io n i t sel f p ro v i d ed fo r t he m i n i m u m

l ev el o f d i s ci pl i n e i n t he i n st an ce o f a t h i rd v i o l at i o n

.

In l o o k i ng to t h e s u p eri o r co u rt ’ s o rd er an d t o t h e i n i t i al bri efs b y t h e p art i es

o n a p p e a l

, i t i s read i l y ap p aren t t h at t h e i s s ues fo cu s en t i rel y o n w h et h er t h er e i s

s u ffi ci en t ev i d en ce t o s u p p o rt t h e Bo ard ’ s d eci s i on as to wh et h er Do wd el l v i o l at ed

s p eci fi c co u n t y reg u l at i o n s an d

, i f s o

, wh et h er t h es e reg u l at i o n s m an d at e a p art i cu l ar

l ev el o f d i s ci p l i n e an d / o r i m p act an y d i s cret i o n th e Bo ard m ay h av e i n i m p o si n g s u ch

d i s ci pl i n e. Bu t b ecau s e co pi es of t h e reg u lat i o n s at i ss u e were n o t p ro p erl y b efo re t h e

s u p eri o r co u rt

, 7 t h e co urt erred i n b as in g i ts d eci s i o n o n t h o s e reg u l at i o ns

. 8

Acco rd i ng l y , fo r al l o f t h e fo reg oi n g reas o n s , we rev ers e.

Ju d g men t r ever sed . El li ng t o n , P. J., a n d McFa d d en , J., co n cu r

.

7 S ee, e.g

. , Ch i l d

er s

, 2 6 6 G a

. at 2 7 6 (“ It i s wel l es t ab l i sh ed b y nu m ero u s

d eci s i o n s o f t h i s co u rt t hat ju d i ci al n o t i ce can n ot b e t ak en b y t h e s u p eri o r co u r t o r

t h i s co u rt o f ci ty

o r co u n t y

o rd i n an ces , b ut t h ey

m u s t b e al l eg ed an d p ro v ed .”).

8 S ee Ba r ret t v. S

a n der s

, 2 6 2 Ga. Ap p

. 6 3

, 6 6 (2 ) (5 8 4 SE2 d 6 7 6 ) (2 0 0 3 )

(h o l d i n g t h at s up eri or co urt erred i n reach i n g co n cl u s i o n s b as ed up o n reg u l at i o n s t h at

were n o t p ro p e r l y b e f

o re th e co u rt ); s ee a l

s o Ch i l d er s

, 26 6 Ga. at 2 7 6 (“ [T] h e t ri al

co u rt erred i n o rd eri n g ap pel l an t s to c o m p l y w i t h t he t erm s o f an o rd i n an ce n ot

p ro p erl y b efo re t h e co urt .” (ci t at i o n s an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed )).

6