THI RD DI VI SI ON

M C FA DDEN, C. J.

, D OYLE, P. J.

, and HODGES, J.

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.

P le a s e r e fe r to the S upr e m e C our t of G e or gia Judic ia l

E m e r ge nc y Or de r o f M a r c h 1 4

, 2 0 2 0 for fur the r

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. ga a ppe a ls .us /r ule s ).

M ay 26, 2020



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A2 0 A0 62 1 . HAYES v . THE STATE.

H O D G E S , J u d g e.

Th o m as Ed g ar H ay es ap p eal s fro m t h e d e n i a l o f h is m o t io n t o s eal arres t

reco rd s an d rel at ed reco rd s i n t h e p o s s es si o n o f t h e C l e r k o f t h e Su peri o r Co u rt o f

Pau ld i n g Co un t y

, t he Pau l d i n g Co u n t y Sh eri ff’ s D ep art m en t

, an d t h e Geo rg i a St at e

Pat ro l

. Hay es co nt en d s t hat t h e t ri al co u rt erred i n d en y i ng hi s m ot i on b y fi n d i n g t h at

t h e h arm t o h i s p ri v acy d i d n o t o u t wei gh p u b li c i n t eres t i n t he reco rd s

. Fo r t h e reas on s

t h at fo ll o w, we affi rm

.

Hay es

, a m ajo r wi t h t h e Co b b Co u n t y Po l i c e Dep art m en t

, av ers t h at h e was

i n d i ct ed i n 20 1 7 fo r t wo co u n ts o f h o m i ci d e b y v eh i cl e in t h e s eco n d d eg ree, s p eed i n g

i n a co ns t ru ct i on zo n e, an d d ri v i n g t o o fas t fo r co n d i t i o n s

. Aft er t h e St at e d et erm i n ed

t h at i t co u l d n o t p ro v e t h at H ay es ’ s p eed in g cau s ed t h e d eat h o f th e v i ct i m

, wh o h adr u n a s t o p s i g n

, th e t ri al co u rt ap p aren t l y en t ered an o rd er o f n ol l e p ro s eq u i o n t h e

o ri g i nal i n d i c t m e nt

. In 2 0 1 9

, H ay es was ch arg ed un d er a n ew accu s at io n wi t h an

am en d ed ch arg e o f s p eed i n g i n a co n s tru ct i o n zo n e, fo r d ri v i n g 4 1 m i l es -p er-h o u r in

a 3 5 m i l es -p er-h o ur zo n e. Hay es en t ered a neg ot iat ed g u i l t y p l ea an d was s en t en ced

t o

, am on g o t her th i n g s

, a fi n e as a t erm o f p ro b at io n

, an d fees

, t o g et h er t o t al i n g

$ 1 ,3 1 5

, wh i ch i t is u n d is p u t ed t h at h e p ai d

. Th e tri al co u rt g ran t ed Hay es ’ c o n s en t

m o ti o n t o h av e h i s s en t en ce m o d i fi ed an d en tered u n der th e Fi rs t Offen d er Act

. Hay es

t h en m o v ed t o seal t h e reco rd

, as o u t l i n ed ab o v e. Fo l l o wi n g a b ri ef h eari n g

, t h e t ri al

co u rt d en i ed t h e m o t i o n an d Hay es ap p eal ed

.

In a s i n g l e en u m erat i on

, Hay es co n t en d s t hat t h e tri al co u rt erred in d en y i n g h i s

m o ti o n t o s eal t h e reco rd s by fi n d i n g t hat h i s p ri v acy d o es n ot o u t wei g h t h e p u b l i c

i n t eres t . W e fi n d n o erro r.

As Hay es p oi n t s o u t

, wh en a co u rt accep t s a p lea u n d er t h e Fi rs t Offen d er Act

,

t h e d efen d an t i s ex o n erat ed o f gu i l t an d d i s ch arg ed as a m at ter o f l aw on ce t h e t erm s

o f t h e s en t en ce are co m

p l et e. OCGA § 4 2 -8 -6 0 (e) (1 ). Th e tri al co u rt t h en m u s t l i m i t

acces s t o cert ai n i nfo rm at io n

, as p ro v i d ed i n OCGA § 4 2 -8 -6 2 .1 (d )

- (f), b ut o n l y i f

i t fi n d s b y a pr ep o n d

er a n ce o f t h e evi den ce t h at t he h arm t o t h e d efen d an t’ s p ri v acy

2o u t wei gh s t h e p u b l i c i n t eres t i n t h e i n fo rm at i o n

. OCGA § 42 -8 -6 2.1 (d ). In d en y i n g

Hay es ’ m o t i o n

, t h e t ri al co u rt fo u nd t h at i t

reco gn i ze[d ] t h e re a s o n a b l e pu b l ic i n t eres t i n t hi s cas e an d wi ll n o t

b l o ck m ed i a o r p u b l i c acces s t o t h e fi le. Th e [c] o u rt d oes n ot fi n d b y a

p rep on d eran ce o f t h e ev i d en ce t h at t h e harm o t h erwi s e res u lt i n g t o th e

p ri v acy o f t h e [d ] efen d an t o u t wei gh s t h e p u bl ic i n t eres t s i n th e cri m i nal

h i s t o ry reco rd i n fo rm at i o n b ei n g p u b l icl y av ai l ab l e.

On ap p eal

, Hay es co n t en d s t h at t h e t ri al co u rt erred in co n fu s i n g m ed i a i n t eres t

i n h i s reco rd s wi t h p u b l i c i n t eres t

. Th i s arg u m en t d oes n o t s u cceed

. 1 A t t he h eari n g,

t h e St at e i n d i cat ed it had recei v ed t wo Op en Reco rd s Act req u es t s

. Al t h o u gh t h e t ri al

co u rt ’ s o rd er s t at es t h at th es e were m ed i a req u es t s, n ot h i n g in t h e reco rd rev eal s t h e

i d en t i t y o f t h e req u es t er(s ). Fu rt h er, t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s o rd er b y i t s p l ai n lan g u ag e, as

q u o t ed ab o v e, cl earl y s t at es t h at b ecau s e it fo un d “ r ea s o n ab l e p u b l i c i n ter es t ” i n t h e

reco rd s , i t “ wi l l

n ot b l ock m ed ia o r

p u b l i c a cces s [.] ” (Em

p h as is s u p p l i ed .)

Hay es al s o arg u es

, co rrect l y

, t h at b ey on d s t at i n g t h at i t had recei v ed t wo Op en

Reco rd s Act req u es t s

, t h e St at e arg u ed o nl y t h at t h e m o t i o n t o s eal was u n t i m el y

u n d er O CGA § 4 2 -8 -6 2

. 1 (b ) (1 ). On ce Hay es co u n t ered t h at h e h ad fi l ed h i s m o t i o n

1 Hay es d o es n o t ex pl ai n h o w m ed i a i nt eres t m i gh t d i ffer fro m p u b l i c i n t eres t ;

o b v i o u s l y , t h e m ed i a’ s ro l e i s t o i n fo rm t he p u b l i c.

3u n d er a d i fferen t p o rt io n o f t h e s t at u te, s ee OCGA § 4 2 -8 -6 2 .1 (c) an d (d ), 2 t h e St at e

d i d n o t p u rs ue t h i s arg u m en t

. Th e t ri al co u rt di d no t ru le up o n i t

. Th e St at e d o es n ot

rai s e t h i s o n ap p eal , s o we d o n o t ad d res s i t fu rt h er.

OCGA § 4 2 -8 -6 2 .1 (c) p ro v i d es

, i n p ert i n en t p art , t h at

An i n d i v i d u al wh o h as been ex o n erat ed o f g u i l t an d d i s ch arg ed p u rs u an t

t o t h i s art i cl e

. . . m ay p et i t i o n th e co u rt t hat g ran t ed s u ch d i sch arg e fo r

an o r d e r to s eal an d m ak e u nav ai l ab l e t o th e p u b l i c t h e cri m i n al fi l e,

d o ck et b o o k s, cri m i n al m i n u t es

, fi n al re c o rd

, al l o t h er reco rd s o f th e

co u rt

, an d th e d efen d an t ’ s cri m in al h i s t o ry reco rd in fo rm at i o n i n th e

cu s t od y o f t h e cl erk o f co u rt , i ncl u d in g wi t h i n an y i n d ex

.

OCGA § 4 2 -8 -6 2 .1 (d ) p ro vi d es

, i n p ert i nen t p art

, t h at fo ll o wi n g a p et i t i o n

fi led pu rs u an t t o OCGA § 4 2 -8 -6 2 .1 (c), t h e t ri al co urt

s h al l o rd er t h e cri m i n al fi l e, d ock et b o ok s

, cri m i n al m i nu t es

, fi nal

reco rd

, al l o t h er reco rd s o f t h e co u rt

, an d t h e d efen d an t’ s cri m i nal

h i s t o ry reco rd i n fo rm at i o n in t h e cu s t o d y o f t h e cl erk o f co u rt

, i n cl u d i n g

wi t h in an y in d ex

, t o b e s eal ed an d m ad e u n av ai l ab l e t o t h e pu b l i c i f th e

co u r t fi n d s b y a p r ep o n d

er a n ce o f t h e evi d en ce t hat : (1 ) An ex on erat i o n

o f g u i lt an d d i sch arg e h as b een g ran t ed p u rs u an t t o t h i s art i cl e; an d (2 )

Th e h arm ot h erwi s e res u lt i n g to th e p ri v acy o f t h e i n d iv i d u al o u t wei g h s

2 S e e g en eral l y Au s t in v. S t a t e

, 3 4 3 Ga. A p p

. 1 1 8

, 1 2 3

, n

. 5 (8 0 7 S E 2 d 1 )

(2 0 1 7) (d i s cu s s i n g t h e d i fferen ce b et ween OCGA § 4 2 -8 -6 2 .1 (b ) an d (d )).

4t h e p u b l i c i n t eres t i n t h e cri m i n al h i s t o ry reco rd i n fo rm at io n b ei n g

p u b l i cl y av ai l ab l e. (Em

p h as i s s u p p l i ed ).

Hay es co n t en d s th at

, g i v en t h e deart h o f arg u m en t o n t h e St at e’ s part

, t h e t ri al

co u rt fai led t o co rrect ly

wei g h an y p u b l i c i n t eres t v ers u s h arm t o Hay es

. In t h e t ri al

co u rt

, h o w ev er, Hay es p res en t ed n o arg u m en t as t o ho w h e wo u l d b e h arm ed

. At t h e

h eari n g

, h e co nt en d ed o n l y t h at t he m i s d em ean o r s p eed i n g arres t h e s eek s t o s eal

“ d o es n ’ t ap p ear t o [p res en t] an y g en eral i n t eres t as to wh y t h at ’ s s o o v erwh el m i n g o r

n eces s ary t h at t h e p u b l i c n eed s t o k eep an i n t eres t i n t h at .” L i k ewi s e, i n h i s m o t i o n

t o s eal

, h e co n t en ded o n l y th at h i s “ p ri v acy cl e a r l y o ut wei g h s t h e p u b l ic i n t eres t in

Defen d an t ’ s cri m i n al h i s t o ry reco rd i n fo rm at i o n b ei n g p u b l i cl y av ai lab l e[.] ”

Th e “ p rep o n d eran ce o f t h e ev i d en ce” s t an dard wh i c h a p p l i ed t o th e

l o wer co u rt ’ s det erm i n at i o n m ean s t hat su p eri o r wei g h t o f ev i d e n c e

u p o n th e i s s ues i nv o l v ed

, wh i ch

, wh i le n o t en ou g h t o free t h e m i n d

wh o ll y fro m a reas o n ab l e d o u b t

, i s y et su ffi ci en t t o i n cl i n e a reas o n ab l e

an d im p art i al m in d t o o n e s i de o f t h e i s su e rat h er t h an t o t h e o th er. T he

s t an dard req u i res o n l y t h at t h e fi n der o f fact b e i n cl i n ed b y th e ev i d en ce

t o ward o n e s i d e o r t h e o t h er.

(Ci t at i o n an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed .) Au s t i n

, 3 4 3 Ga. Ap p

. at 1 22

. In o u r v iew, t h ere

i s l i t t l e ev i d en ce o n ei t h er s i d e. Ho wev er, t h i s Co u rt i s n o t a fi n der o f fact

. “ As t o t h e

s u ffi ci en cy o f th e ev i d en ce, t hi s i s a co urt fo r t he co rrect i o n of erro rs

, an d o rd i n ari l y

5i t i s wi t h i n t h i s Co u rt ’ s pu rv i ew t o rev iew s u ch a d et erm in at io n fo r l eg al erro r o nce

m ad e b y t h e t ri al co u rt , n o t t o m ak e t h e d et erm i n at i o n i n t h e fi rs t p l ace.” (Ci t at i on s

o m it t ed .) Do e v. S t a te

, 3 4 7 Ga. Ap p

. 2 46

, 2 5 6 -2 5 7 (5 ) ( 8 1 9 SE2 d 5 8 ) (2 01 8 ). It i s

cl ear fro m

t h e l an g u ag e o f th e t ri al co u rt ’ s o rd er t h a t i t wei gh ed t h e s can t ev i d en ce

p res en t ed

– p u b li c in t eres t ex h ib i t ed i n t h e fo rm o f t wo Op en Reco rd s Act req u es t s

v ers u s Hay es ’ v ery g en eral s t at em en t t h at h e wo ul d be h arm ed

– an d “ [d i d ] n o t fi n d

b y a p rep o n d eran ce o f t he ev i d en ce t h at t h e harm ot h erwi s e res u l t i n g t o th e p ri v acy

o f t h e D efen dan t o u t wei g hs th e p u b l i c i n teres t s i n t h e cri m i n al h i s t o ry reco rd b ei n g

p u b l i cl y av ai lab l e.” (Em

p has i s i n o ri g i n al

. ) OCGA § 42 -8 -6 2.1 (d ) m ak es cl ear t h at

t h e d i scret i o n req u i red t o w ei gh wh at ev er ev i d en ce h as b een p res en t ed res t s s q u arel y

wi t h t h e t ri al co u rt

. See Au s t i n

, 3 4 3 Ga. Ap p

. at 1 2 2. See g en eral l y Do e v. St a t e

, No

.

A1 9 A2 37 8

, 2 0 2 0 Ga. Ap p

. L EXIS 1 7 4

, at * 3 (1 ) (M arch 1 1

, 2 02 0 ) (fi n d i n g n o ab u s e

o f d is cret i o n wh ere t ri al co u rt d en i ed m o t i o n to s eal reco rd s u nd er OCGA § 3 5 -3 -3 7

(m ) wh ere arres tee wh o h ad b een acq u i t ted al l eg ed

, wi t h o u t d et ai l or s u p p o rt i n g

d o cu m en t s

, t h at h e h ad b een d en i ed em pl o y m en t b ecau se o f arres t reco rd s ). W e fi n d

n o erro r.

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

d en , C. J., a nd

Do yl e, P. J., co n cu r

.

6