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# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 6 A0 52 6

. GEORGIA D EPARTM ENT OF J UVENILE J USTICE

v . DANIEL LEE ELLER.

R I C K M A N , J u d g e.

Th e Dep a r t m e n t o f J u ven i l e Ju s t ice (“ DJ J ”), t h o ug h a n o n -p art y t o t h e

p ro ceed in g s b el o w, 1 ap p eal s fro m a s u p eri or co u rt o rd er d i rect i ng DJ J t o h o l d i n i t s

cu s t o d y Dan i el Lee El l er, a cri m i n al d efen d an t p ro secu t ed as an ad u l t fo r a cri m e h e

co m m i t t ed as a ju v en i l e, u n ti l h e t u rn s 2 1 y ears o ld

. DJ J co n t en ds th at

, co nt rary t o t h e

1 DJ J h as s t an d i n g t o ap p eal t h e s u p eri o r co u rt ’ s ord er p u rs u an t t o O CGA § 5

-

7 -1 (a) (6 ) (“ An ap p eal m ay b e t ak en b y an d on b eh al f o f t h e St at e o f Geo rg i a

. . . [f] ro m an o rd er, d eci s i o n

, o r j u d g m en t of a co u rt wh ere t h e co u r t d o es n o t h av e

ju ri s d i ct i o n o r t h e o rd er i s o t h erwi s e v o i d u n d er t h e Co n s ti t u t i on o r l aws o f t h i s

s t at e.”). See al s o O CGA § 5

- 6

- 3 4 (1 ); Da rd en v. R a va n

, 2 3 2 G a. 7 5 6

, 7 5 8 (1 ) (2 0 8

SE 2 d 8 4 6 ) (1 9 7 4 ) (“ A ju d g m en t ren d ered s u a s p o n t e b y th e s u peri o r co u rt wh i ch

m an d at es act io n s an d wh i ch , i f v al i d , wo u l d au t h o ri ze t h e co u rt t o h o l d t h e p ers on s

n am ed i n s u ch ju d g m en t i n co nt em p t o f co u rt i s an ap p eal ab l e ju d gm en t .”)s u p eri o r co u rt ’ s d i rect i ve, t h e p l ai n l an g u ag e o f OCGA § 1 7 -1 0-1 4 (a) m an d at es t h at

El l er b e t ran s ferred t o t h e Dep art m en t o f Co rrect io n s up o n h i s s ev en t een th bi rt h d ay

.

W e ag ree an d rev ers e.

Th e reco rd s ho ws t hat i n 2 0 13 , El l er en t ered a n eg o t i at ed g u i lt y p lea t o ch i ld

m o les t at i o n an d b urg lary i n t h e Su p eri o r Co u rt o f Hal l Co u n t y

. E l l er was 1 5 -y ears o ld

at t h e t i m e o f t he cri m e, an d was p ro s ecu t ed as an ad u l t i n th e s u peri o r co u rt

. He

recei v ed a 4 0 -y ear s en ten ce, wi t h 1 5 y ears t o b e s erv ed i n co n fi n em en t.

Du ri n g t h e s en t en ci n g h eari ng

, d e fen s e co u n s el req u es t ed t h e ju d g e t o d i rect

t h at El l er rem ai n i n t h e cu s t o d y o f DJ J u n t i l h e t u rn ed 2 1 y ears o l d

, a n d t h e S t at e

i n d i cat ed i t h ad no o b

ject i on t o t h e req u es t

. Al t h o u g h t h e j u d ge ex p res sl y q u es t i o n ed

h er au th o ri t y t o i m

p o s e t h at s p eci f

i c co n d it i on o n El l er’ s s en t en ce, s he u l t i m at el y

ag reed t o i t aft er b o t h p art i es t o o k t h e p o si ti o n t h at s h e was au t h o ri zed t o d o s o

.

In J an u ary 2 0 1 4

, wh en El l er t u rn ed 1 7 y ears o l d, t h e D ep art m ent o f Co rrect i on s

at t em p t ed t o t a ke El l er in to i ts cu s t o dy p u rs uan t to OCGA § 1 7 -1 0 -1 4 (a). Th e

s u p eri o r co u rt co n d uct ed a sen ten ce rev iew h eari ng

, 2 aft er wh i ch it o rd ered t h at El l er

2 Th e h e a r i n g w a s co n d u ct ed p u rs u an t t o OCGA § 4 9 -4 A-9 (e), as d i s cu s s ed

b el o w.

2was t o rem ai n i n t h e cu s to d y o f DJ J u n t i l hi s t wen t y -fi rs t b i rt h d ay

. DJ J ap p eal s

,

arg u i n g t h at t h e s up eri o r co u rt ’ s o rd er v i o lat es Geo rg ia l aw.

As as s ert ed b y t h e DJ J

, OCGA § 1 7 -1 0 -1 4 (a) m an d at ed a tran s fer o f El l er to

t h e Dep art m en t o f Co rrect i o n s u p o n El l er’ s s ev en t een t h b i rt hd ay :

[W h en ] a p ers o n u nd er t h e ag e o f 1 7 y ears i s co n v i ct ed o f a fel on y an d

s en t en ced as an ad u l t

. . . t o a cert ai n t erm o f i m pri s o n m en t

, s u ch p ers o n

s h al l b e co m

m i t t ed t o t h e Dep art m en t o f Ju v en i l e J u s t i ce to s erv e s u ch

s en t en ce i n a d et en t i o n cen t er o f su ch d ep art m en t u n t i l s u ch p ers o n i s 1 7

y ears o f ag e at wh i ch t i m e s u c h pers o n s ha l l b e t ran s ferred t o th e

Dep art m en t o f Co rrect i o n s t o s erv e t he rem ai n der o f t h e s en t en ce. . . .

(Em p h as i s s u p p li ed .)

No t wi t h s t an d i n g t h e fo reg o i n g s tat u to ry m an d at e, El l er as s ert s t h at h i s

ret en t i o n i n DJ J cu s to d y i s au t h ori zed b y OCGA § 4 9 -4 A -9 (e). T h at s t at u t e p ro v i d es

t h a t w h e n a ch i l d u n der t he ag e o f 1 7 y ears wh o w as co n v i ct ed o f a fel o n y an d

s en t en ced i n t h e s up eri o r co u rt as an ad u l t ap pro ach es t h e ag e o f 1 7, t he DJ J

s h al l n o t i fy t h e co urt th at a fu rt h er d i s p o s i t i o n o f t h e ch i l d i s n eces sary

.

. . . Th e co u rt s h al l rev i ew t h e cas e an d d et erm i n e i f t h e ch i l d

, u p o n

b e c o m in g 1 7 y ears o f ag e, sh o u l d b e p laced o n p ro bat i on

, h av e h i s o r

h er s en t en ce re d u ced

, be t ran sferred t o t h e Dep art m en t o f Co rrect i o n s

fo r t h e rem ai n d er o f t h e o ri g in al s e n t e n c e

, o r b e s u b j ect t o a n y o t h er

d et er mi na t i o n a u t h o ri

z ed b y l a w

.

3(Em

p h as i s s u p p l i ed .) El ler m ai n t a i n s th at b y d irect i n g DJ J t o ret ai n cu s to d y o f h i m

u n t i l h e t u rn s 21 y ears o l d

, t h e s up eri o r co u rt l awfu l l y e x e r c i s e d i t s au t h o ri t y to

s u b ject h i m t o “ an y o t her d et erm i nat i o n

. ” 3

W h en read t o g et h er, we reject El l er’ s co n t en t io n th at OC GA § 4 9 -4 A-9 (e)

au t h o ri zed t h e s u p eri o r co urt to d i sreg ard th e m an d at e s o f O C G A § 1 7 -1 0 -1 4 (a)

u n d er t h e ci rcu m s t an ces p res en t ed i n t h i s cas e. It i s ax io m at i c th at “ [wh en ] t h e

l an g u ag e o f a s t a t u t e i s p l ai n an d s u s cep t i b l e t o o n l y o n e nat u ral an d reas o n ab l e

constr uc tion, co u rt s m

u s t co n s t ru e t h e s t at u te acco rd i n g l y .” (Ci t at io n an d pu n ct u at i o n

o m it t ed .) Ho u g h v. S t a t e

, 2 7 9 G a. 7 1 1

, 7 16 (2 ) (a) (6 2 0 SE2 d 3 80 ) (2 00 5 ); s ee

Mu l li n s v. Fi rs t Gen er a l In s

. Co

. , 2 5 3 Ga. 48 6

, 4 8 7 (3 2 2 SE2 d 26 5 ) (1 9 8 4). In fact

,

ju d i ci al co n s t ru ct i o n o f t h e l an gu ag e o f an u n am b i g u o us st at ut e “ i s n o t o n l y

u n n eces sary b ut fo rb i d d en .” (Ci t at i o n an d p u nct u at i o n o m i t t ed .) Ho u g h

, 2 7 9 Ga. 7 1 6

(2 ) (a); s ee Fl emi n g v. S t a t e

, 2 7 1 Ga. 5 8 7, 5 8 9 (5 2 3 SE2 d 31 5 ) (1 9 9 9 ). “ Th e d o ct ri n e

o f s ep arat i on o f p o wers i s a n i m m u t ab l e co n s t i t u t i o n al p ri nci p l e wh i ch m u s t b e

s t ri ct l y e n fo rced

. Un d er t hat d o ct ri n e, s tat u t o ry co n s tru ct i on b el o n g s t o t h e co u rt s

,

3 A ft er b ei ng in vi t ed b y t h i s Co u rt t o fi l e a n a p p e l l at e b ri ef, t h e St at e fi l ed a

b ri ef i n wh i ch i t g en eral l y ag reed wi t h El l er’ s i n t erp ret at i o n o f t h e s tat u t o ry l aw.

4l eg i s lat i o n t o t h e l eg i sl at u re. W e can n o t ad d a l i n e t o th e l aw.” (Ci t at i o n an d

p u n ct u at i o n o m it t ed .) S t at e v. Fi el d en , 2 8 0 Ga. 4 4 4 , 4 4 8 (6 2 9 SE2 d 2 5 2 ) (2 0 0 6 ).

OCGA § 1 7 -1 0 -1 4 (a) ex p l i ci t l y an d u n eq u i v o cal l y p ro vi d es th at

, up o n t u rn i n g

1 7 y e a rs o ld

, a ju ven i l e i n D J J cu s to d y wh o was s en t en ced i n s u p eri o r co u rt as an

ad u lt “ s h a l l b e t ran s ferred t o t h e Dep art m en t o f C o r r e c t i o n s to s erv e t h e rem ai n d er

o f t h e s en t en ce.” In pas si n g OCGA § 4 9 -4 A-9 (e), t h e Geo rg i a L eg i s l at u re au t h o ri zed

t h e s en ten ci n g co u rt t o rev iew an d reas s es s a ju v en i l e’ s cas e as h i s or h er t ran s fer d at e

ap p ro ach es i n o rd er t o co n s i d er wh et h er t o i m p o s e an al t ern at i v e d i s p o s i t i o n.

Pu rs u an t t o t h e ex p res s l an gu ag e o f t h at s t at u t e, t o t h e ex t en t t h at t he s u p eri o r co u rt

rev i ewed El l er’ s cas e an d d et erm i n ed t h at an al t ern at i v e d is p o si t i o n w as warran t ed

,

t h e ju dg e was au t h ori zed t o : p l ace h i m o n pro b at i o n

, red u ce h i s s en ten ce, al l o w h i s

t ran s fer t o t h e D ep art m en t o f Co rrect i o n s

, o r fas h io n “ an y ot h er d et erm i n at i o n

a u t h o r i z ed b y l a w .” O rd eri n g t h at El le r r e m a in i n DJ J cu s t od y u n ti l h e reach es 2 1

y ears o f ag e, h o wev er, was n ei t h er au th o ri zed b y OCGA § 4 9-4 A-9 (e) o r an y o t h er

p ro v is i o n o f Geo rg i a l aw.

W ere w e t o co n s t ru e OCGA § 49 -4 A-9 (e) i n t h e m an n er pro p o s ed b y El l er, i t

wo u l d ren d er m ean i ng l es s t h e ex p res s s tat u t o ry req u i rem en t t h at an y a l t e r n at i v e

d et erm i n at i o n i m

p o s ed by t h e s en t en ci ng co u rt o t h erwi s e b e “ au t h o ri zed b y l aw.”

5Th i s we can n o t do

. See Ch a t ma n v. F i n dl ey

, 27 4 Ga. 5 4

, 5 5 (5 4 8 SE2 d 5 ) (2 0 0 1 );

Ra mo s -S i l va v. S t a te Fa r m Mu t

. In s

. C o

. , 3 0 0 G a. Ap p

. 6 9 9

, 7 0 1 (6 8 6 SE2 d 3 4 5 )

(2 0 0 9). Ou r co n cl us i on i s fu rt her b ut t res s ed by t h e fact t h at w h en p as s i n g t h e J u v en i l e

Co d e, t h e l eg i s l at ure ex p res s l y p ro v i d ed th at a ch i ld ad ju d i cat ed i n ju v en i l e co u rt to

h av in g co m

m i tt ed a s i m i l ar fel o n i o u s act co u l d be d et ai n ed i n DJ J cu s t o dy u n t i l t h e

ag e o f 2 1. See O CGA § 1 5 -1 1 -6 0 2 (g ). “ W e m us t as su m e, i n t h e ab sen ce o f ev i d en ce

t o t h e co n t rary

, t h at th es e d i st i n ct i o n s are i n ten d ed b y t h e Gen eral As sem b l y

, an d

constr ue t h em as wri t t en

. ” (Fo o t n o t e o m i t t ed .) S t a t e Et hi cs Co mmr

. v. Mo o r e

, 2 1 4 Ga.

Ap p

. 23 6

, 2 3 9 (4 4 7 SE2 d 6 8 7 ) (1 9 9 4 ). An d wh i l e we ag ree wi t h t h e d i s s en t t h at

OCGA § 4 9-4 A-9 (b ) p ro v i d es t h e s u p eri o r co u rt b ro ad d i s cret i o n t o m o d ify i t s o rd ers

fo r t h e wel fare o f “ an y ch i l d ” s u b ject t o i t s ju ri s d ict i o n

, t h e p l ai n l an g u ag e o f

s u b s ect i o n (e) l i m i t s t hat d i s cret i o n o n ce t hat ch i l d b eco m es 1 7 y ears o f ag e.

Ju d g men t r ever

sed

. Mi l l er

, P. J., El li n g t o n, P. J., Bo gg s

, Br a n ch

, McMi l l i a n,

a n d Mer ci er

, JJ., co n cu r

. Ba r n es , P. J., a n d McFa d d en , J., d i ss en t

.

6A1 6 A0 52 6

. GEORGIA DEPARTM ENT OF J UVENILE J USTICE

v . DANIEL LEE ELLER.

B A R N E S , Pres i d i n g J ud g e.

I res p ect fu l l y d i s s en t t o t h e m ajo ri t y ’ s o p i n i o n becau s e co n s t ru in g OCGA § 1 7

-

1 0 -1 4 t o rem o ve t h e s en t en ci n g co u rt ’ s d i s cret io n to ex erci s e ju ri s di ct i o n o v er El l er

u n t i l h e reach es ag e 2 1 wo u ld ren der OCGA § 4 9 -4 A-9 m ean in g l es s

. A card i n al ru l e

o f s t at ut o ry co n st ru ct i on is t h at “ t h e co u rt s s h al l lo o k d i l i g en t ly fo r t h e i n t en t i o n o f

t h e Gen eral A s s em

b l y .” OCGA § 1 -3 -1 (a). Th i s co u rt wi l l n o t co ns t ru e a s t at u t e s o

as t o ren d er an y po rt i o n o f i t m ean in g l es s

. Si kes v. S ta t e

, 2 6 8 Ga. 1 9

, 2 1 (2 ) (4 8 5

SE2 d 2 0 6 ) (1 9 9 7 ). “ Al l p a r t s o f a s t at u t e s h o u ld b e h arm o n i zed an d gi v en s en s i b l e

an d i n t el li g en t effect

, b ecau se it i s n o t p res u m ed t h at t h e l eg i sl at ure i n t en d ed t o en act

m ean i n g l es s l an g u ag e.”(Ci t at i o n s o m i t t ed .) J. Ki n so n Co o k, In c. v. W ea ver

, 2 5 2 Ga.

Ap p . 8 6 8 , 8 7 0 (5 5 6 SE2 d 8 3 1 ) (2 0 0 1 ).

OCGA § 1 7 -1 0 -1 4 (a) p ro v i d es t h at

i n an y cas e wh ere a p ers o n u n d er t h e ag e o f 1 7 ye a r s i s c o nv i ct ed o f a

fel o n y an d s en t en ced as an ad u lt t o l i fe i m p ri s o nm en t o r t o a c e r t a i nt erm o f i m p ri s o n m en t

, s u ch p ers o n s h al l b e co m m i tt ed t o th e

Dep art m en t o f J u ven i l e J u s t i ce t o s erv e su ch s en t en ce i n a d et en t i o n

cen t er o f su ch d ep art m en t u n t i l s u ch p ers o n i s 1 7 y ears o f ag e at wh ich

t i m e s u ch p ers o n sh a l l b e t ran s ferred t o t h e Dep art m en t o f Co rrect i o n s

t o s erv e t h e rem ai n d er o f t h e s en t en ce.

Yet OCGA § 4 9 -4 A-9 (e) au t h ori zes t h e s en t en ci n g co u rt t o rev iew t he cas e o n ce t h e

ch i l d i s 17 y ears of ag e an d det erm i n e i f th e c h i l d “ s h o u l d b e pl aced o n p ro b at i o n,

h av e hi s o r h er s en t en ce red u ced

, b e tran s ferred t o t h e Dep art m en t o f Co rrect i o n s fo r

t h e rem ai n d er o f t he o ri g i n al s en t en ce, o r b e s u b ject t o an y o t her d et erm i n at i o n

au t h o ri zed b y

l aw.” Li k ewi s e OCGA § § 4 9-4 A-9 (b ) p ro v id es t hat

[ a] n y f i na l o r d er o f j u dg men t b

y t h e co u r t i n t h e ca s e of a n y s u ch ch i l d

s h a l l b e s ub

j ect t o s u ch mo d i

f i ca t i o n f ro m t i me t o t i me a s th e co u rt m ay

co n s i d er t o b e f o r t h e wel f a r e o f s u ch ch il d

. No co m

m i t m en t o f an y ch i l d

t o an y i n s t i t u t i o n o r o t h er cu s t o d i al ag en cy s h al l d ep r i v e t he co u rt o f

ju ri s di ct i o n t o ch an ge th e fo rm o f t h e co m m i t m en t o r t r a n s f

e r th e

cu s t od y o f th e ch il d t o s o m e o t h er i n st it u t i o n o r ag en c y o n s u ch

co n d i t i o n s as t h e co u rt m a y s e e fi t t o im po s e, t h e d

u t y b ei n g co n s t a n t

u p o n t he co u r t to gi ve t o al l ch i l d r en su b ject t o i t s j u r i s d i ct i on s u ch

o ver si g h t an d co nt r ol i n t h e p r emi s es a s wi l l b e co n d

u ci ve t o t h e wel

f a r e

o f t h e ch i l d a n d t h e b es t i n t er es t

s o f t h e s t a t e

.

M o r e o ver, 4 9 -4 A-9 (c), p ro v i d es t hat t h e fi n al ju d g m en t is s ub ject to

m o di fi cat i o n an d t h at t h e s en t en ci n g co u rt s h al l “ s h a l l r evi ew t h e ca s e a n d ma ke s u ch

2o r d

er wi t h r es

pect t o t h e co n t i n u e d c o n f i n emen t o r r el ea s e o

f t h e ch i l d ba ck t o t h e

co mmi t ti n g

co ur t f o r f u r t h er d is p o s i t i o n a s t h e co u r t

d eems p r o p er .”

Th e m ajo ri t y p ro p o ses t h at t h e OCGA § 49 -4 A-9 (e) au t h ori zes th e s en t en ci n g

co u rt t o o n l y m ak e d et erm i n at i o n s “ a u t h o r i z ed b y l a w ” an d t h at r e m a i n i n g i n DJ J

cu s t o d y i s n o t a u t ho r i

z ed by l a w p er t h e ex p res s l an g u ag e i n OCGA § 1 7 -1 0 -1 4 (a)

m an d at i n g t h e au t o m a t i c t r a n s fer fro m DJ J cu st od y u p o n t u rn in g 1 7 y ears o l d

. Th e

m ajo ri ty

, h o wev er, fai l s t o reco n ci le w hy an y rev i ew b y t h e sen t en ci n g co u rt wo u ld

b e p erm it t ed p er OCGA § 4 9 -4 A-9 co u rt o n ce a ju v en il e t u rn ed 1 7 i f t ran s fer t o t h e

Dep art m en t o f Co rrect i o ns w as an u n eq ui v o cal o p erat io n of l aw. “ W e m us t p res u m e

t h at t h e Leg is l at u re’ s fai l u r e t o i n cl u d e

. . . l im it i ng l an g u ag e was a m at t er o f

co n si d ered ch o i ce.” Tr a n s p

. In s

. Co

. v. El Ch i co Res t a ur a n t s

, In c

., 2 7 1 Ga. 77 4

, 7 7 6

(5 2 4 SE2 d 4 86 ) (1 9 99 ) T h i s l eg i s l at io n cl earl y co n t em p lat es t h at a s en t en ci n g co u rt

m i g h t ret ai n ju ri s d i ct i o n o ver a ju v en i l e u n ti l t h e ag e o f 2 1

. See OCGA § 4 9 -4 A-8 (k ).

I wo u l d affi rm th e t ri al co u rt ’ s o rd er d i rect i n g t h at El ler rem ai n i n DJ J cu s t o dy

u n t i l t h e ag e o f 2 1 . Acco rd in gl y , I d i ss en t fro m t h e m ajo ri t y ’ s o p i n io n

.

I am au t h o ri zed t o s t at e t h at J u d g e M cFad d en h as jo i ned i n t h is d i s s en t

.

3