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

M ar ch 16, 2016



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 5 A2 08 1

. CALLOW AY et al

. v

. CITY OF W A RNER ROBINS et
al

.

M C F A D D E N , J u d g e.

Th e ap p e a l i n t h i s wro n g fu l d eat h act io n i s fro m t he g ran t o f s u m m ary

ju d g m en t t o a ci ty an d ci ty cl erk o n s o v erei g n im m un i t y gro u n d s. Becau se t h ere ex i s t

n o g en u in e i s s u es o f m at eri al fact as t o t h e ap p l i cab i li t y o f t h e d o ct ri n e o f so v erei g n

i m m u ni t y , we affi rm

.

“ Su m m ary ju d g m en t i s ap p ro p ri at e wh en n o gen u in e i ss u es o f m a t e r i a l fact

rem ai n an d t h e m o v i n g p art y i s en t i t led t o ju d g m en t as a m at t er o f l aw.” S t en n et t e v.

Mi l l er , 3 16 Ga. Ap p

. 4 2 5, 4 2 6 (7 2 9 SE2 d 5 5 9 ) (2 0 1 2 ) (ci t at i o n o m i t t ed ). On ap p eal

,

we rev i ew a t ri al co u rt ’ s g ran t o r den i al o f s u m m ary ju d g m en t d e no v o , c o n s t ru i n g

t h e ev i d en ce an d al l reas o n ab le i n feren ces t h erefro m in t h e l i g ht m o s t fav o rab l e t o t h en o n m o v i n g p art y

. S KC, In c. v. eMa g S

o l ut i o ns , 3 26 G a. Ap p

. 7 9 8 (7 5 5 SE 2 d 2 9 8 )

(2 0 1 4).

So v i ewed

, t h e ev i d en ce s h o ws t h at t h e Ci t y o f W arn er Ro b i n s i s s u ed a

b u s i n es s l i cen s e / o ccu p at i o n t ax perm i t t o Sh ei l a Hen d ers on , au th o ri zi n g h er to

o p erat e a ch il d d ay care s erv i ce. On Ju l y 3 1

, 2 01 1

, t h ree-y ear-o l d An drew Cal l o way

was at t h e d ay care faci l i t y wh en h e d i e d o f h e a t s t ro k e. He h ad b een left i n s i d e an

au t o m ob i l e fo r sev eral ho u rs

. An drew an d Bri t t an y Cal l o way , t h e ch i l d ’ s p aren t s ,

fi led a wro n g fu l d eat h act io n ag a i n s t H en d ers o n , an d d ay care wo rk ers M art h a

An d rews an d J o h n n i e M ae Gray er - as wel l as t h e Ci t y o f W arn er Ro b in s , an d Ci t y

Cl erk Al to n M at t ox

.

W i t h reg ard t o t h e c i t y an d M at t o x , t he co m p l ai nt al l eg ed t h at t h ey h ad

n eg li g en t l y i s su ed t he b u s i n es s l i cen s e t o Hen d ers on wi th o u t fo l l o wi n g cert ai n

p ro ced ures

. Th e ci t y an d th e ci t y cl er k m o v e d f o r s um m ary ju d g m en t, an d t h e t ri al

co u rt g ran t ed t h e m o t i o n o n t h e g ro u n d s t hat t he cl ai m s ag ai ns t t h em are barred b y t h e

d o ct ri n e o f s o v erei g n i m

m u n it y an d t h at th ei r co n d u ct d id no t p ro x i m at el y cau s e t h e

ch i l d ’ s d eat h . Th e Cal l o w ay s ap p eal

.

1

. S o ver ei g n i mmu ni ty.

2Th e Cal l o way s co n t en d t h at t he t ri al co u rt erred i n fi n di ng t h at b o t h t h e Ci t y

o f W arn er Ro b i n s an d th e ci t y cl erk are im m un e fro m s u i t u n d er t h e d o ct ri n e o f

s o v erei g n i m

m u n i t y . W e d i s ag ree.

As o ur Su prem e Co u rt h as ex p l ai n ed

, t h e q u es t i on o f s o v eri g n i m m u n i t y t u rn s ,

i n t hi s co n t ex t

, o n t h e d is t in ct i o n b et ween m i n i s t eri al d u t ies an d go v ern m en t al

fu n ct i o n s

.

Un d er G e o r g i a l aw, m u n i ci p al co rp orat i on s are p ro t ect ed b y

s o v erei gn i m

m u n it y p u r s u a n t no t t o Art i cl e I o f t h e Co n s t i t u t i on b u t

rat h er Art i cl e IX, S e c t i o n II, Parag rap h IX, u n les s t h at i m m u n it y i s wai v ed by th e Gen eral As s em b l y

. W i th p art i cu l ar reg ard t o m u n i ci pal

co rp orat i o n s , o u r Gen eral As s em bl y h as en act ed OCGA § 36 -3 3 -1

wh i ch rei t erat es t h at ‘ i t is t h e p u b li c p ol i cy of t h e St at e o f Geo rg i a t hat

t h ere is n o wai v er o f t h e s o verei g n i m m u n i t y o f m

u n i ci p al co rp o rat i o n s

o f t h e s tat e an d s u ch m

u n i ci p a l c o rp o rat i o n s s h al l b e i m m u n e fro m l i a b i l i t y fro m d am ag es

. ’ OCGA § 3 6 -3 3 -1 (a). Th e s am e s t at u t e, h o wev er, al s o p ro v i d es fo r a n arro w wai v er o f a m u n i ci p al co rp o rat i o n ’ s

s o v erei gn i m

m u ni t y , ex p res s l y p ro vi d i n g i n su b s ect i o n (b ) t hat

‘ m u n i ci p al co rp orat i o n s s h al l n o t b e l iab l e fo r fai l u re t o perfo rm o r fo r

erro rs i n p erfo rm i ng t h ei r l eg i s l at i v e o r ju d i ci al p o wers

. Fo r n eg l ect t o

p erfo rm o r fo r i m

p r o p er o r u ns k i l l fu l p erfo rm an ce o f t h ei r m i n i s t eri al

d u t i es , t hey s h al l b e l i ab l e.’ OCGA § 3 6 -3 3 -1 (b ). T h i s p ro v i s io n h as fo r

m o re t h an a cen t u ry b een i n t erp ret ed t o m ean t h at m u n i ci pal

co rp orat i o n s are i m

m u n e fro m l iab i l i t y fo r act s t ak en i n p erfo rm an ce o f

a g o v ern m en t al fu n ct i o n b u t m ay b e li ab l e fo r t h e neg l i g en t p erfo rm an ce

o f t h ei r m i n i s t eri al d ut i es

. Th e p r o p r i e t y o f t he t ri al co urt ’ s ru l i n g o n [t he] m o t i on [fo r s u m

m ary ju d g m en t ] t h u s t u rn s on wh et h er [t h e ci t y an d

t h e cl erk ’ s i s s u an ce o f a b u s i n es s l i cen s e] i nv o l v ed a g o v ern m e n t a l

fu n ct i o n .”

3Ci t

y o f At l a nt a v. Mi tch a m , 2 9 6 Ga. 5 7 6

, 5 7 7-5 7 8 (1 ) (7 6 9 S E 2 d 3 2 0) (2 0 1 5 )

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

a. Ci t y o f W a r ner Ro b in s

.

As t h e t ri al co u rt co rrect l y fo u n d

, a m u n i ci p al i t y ’ s “ i s su an ce o f a p erm i t o r

l i cen se i s a g o v ern m en t al fu n ct i o n [.] ” Bo at wr ig h t v. Fl emi n g to n , 1 8 9 Ga. A p p

. 6 7 6,

6 7 7 (3 ) (3 7 7 SE2 d 1 ) (1 9 8 8 ), rev ers ed o n o t her g ro u n d s b y Fl emi n g t on v. Bo a t wr i g h t

,

2 5 9 Ga. 1 7 5 (3 7 7 SE2 d 84 3 ) (1 9 8 9 ). See al s o Ci t y o f Th o ms o n v. Da vi s , 9 2 G a. Ap p.

2 1 6

, 2 1 8 -2 1 9 (1 ) (8 8 SE2 d 3 0 0 ) (1 9 5 5 ) (m u n i ci p a l i t y ’ s act o f gran t i n g or rev o k i n g

a b u s i n es s l icen s e co n s t i t u t es a g o v ern m en t al fu n ct i o n ). Th u s, ev en as s u m i n g , as

al l eg ed i n t h e co m

p l ai n t

, t h at t h e Ci t y of W arn e r Ro b i n s n eg l ig en t l y i s s u ed t h e

b u s i n es s l i cen s e t o Hen d ers o n , t h e ci t y i s s ti l l i m m u n e fro m s u it fo r t h e n eg l i g en t

ex erci s e o f t h at g o v ern m en tal fu n ct i o n

. Un d er t he d oct ri n e o f so v erei g n i m m u n i t y ,

a “ m u n i ci p al it y i s ex em

p t fro m l i ab i l i ty fo r an i n ju ry res u l t i n g fro m t he fai l u re to

ex erci s e [g ov ern m en t al fu n ct i o ns ] o r fro m t h ei r i m p ro p er o r n eg li g en t ex erci s e.” Ci t y

o f At l a n t a , s u p ra at 5 79 (2 ) (ci t at i o n o m i t t ed ). See al s o Hu r l ey v. Ci t y o f At l a n t a , 2 0 8

Ga. 4 57

, 4 5 8 (6 7 SE2 d 5 7 1 ) (1 9 5 1 ) ( c i t y n o t l i ab l e fo r n eg l i gen t p erfo rm an ce o f

g o v ern m en t al fu n ct io n ). An d b ecau s e t h ere i s n o ev i d en ce o f a “ wai v er o f t h e [c] i t y ’ s

s o v erei g n i m

m u n it y i n t h i s cas e, [t h e Cal l o way s are] p recl u d ed fro m p urs u i n g [t h ei r]

4n eg li g en ce cl ai m s ag ai n s t

. . . t he Ci t y [o f W arn er Ro b in s .] ” Ci t y o f At l a nt a , s u p ra at

5 8 3 (3 ) (ci tat i o n s o m i t t ed ).

b

. Ci t y Cl er k Ma t to x.

Th e Cal l o way s arg u e t h at Ci t y Cl erk M at t o x was s u ed i n hi s i n d i v i d u al

cap aci t y an d t h u s i s n o t en t it l ed t o t h e p ro t ect i o n o f s ov erei g n i m m u n i t y . Ho wev er,

a rev i ew o f th e co m

p l ai n t p l a i n l y c o n t rad i ct s t he arg u m en t an d rev eal s th at M at t o x

was s u ed o n l y i n h is o ff

i ci al cap aci t y

. Th e s t y l e o f t h e co m p l ai n t d o es n o t i n d i cat e,

as i t d i d wi t h o t h er n am ed d efen d an t s , t h at M at t o x was b ei n g s u ed i n h i s i n d i v i d u al

cap aci t y ; rat h er, i t n am ed M at t o x as a d efen d an t o n l y “ i n h i s Offi ci al Cap aci t y as Ci t y

C l e r k o f Ci t y o f W arn er Ro b i n s , Geo rg i a.” M oreo v er, t h e b od y of t h e co m p l a i n t

i d en t i fi ed M at to x as t h e ci t y cl erk an d av erred t h at h e “ serv ed i n t h is cap aci t y at al l

t i m es rel ev an t t o t he fact s un d e r l yi n g t h is l aws u it .” L ik ewi s e, t h e co m p l ai n t al s o

s t at ed t h at “ [a] t al l ti m es rel ev an t t o t h e fact s s et fo rt h i n t h i s Co m p l ai n t

, Defen d an t

M at to x was act i n g u n d er h i s au t h o ri ty a s t h e Ci ty Cl erk o f W arn er Ro b in s an d to

fu rt her t he b u s i n es s o f t h e Ci t y o f W arn er Ro b i n s .” Th u s, i t i s cl ear t hat M at t o x was

n o t s u ed i n h i s i n d i vi du al cap aci t y an d was i n s t ead s u ed o n l y i n hi s o ffi ci al cap aci t y

.

See Bo a r d o

f Co mmi s si o ner

s o f Gl yn n Co u n t

y v. Jo hn s on , 3 1 1 Ga. Ap p

. 8 6 7

, 8 7 1 -8 7 3

5(2 ) (7 1 7 SE2 d 2 7 2 ) ( 2 0 1 1 ) (co m p l ai n t cl earl y s h o wed t h at m em bers o f b o ard o f

co m m i s s io n ers were s u ed o n l y i n t h ei r o ffi ci al cap aci ti es ).

“ Su i t s ag ai n s t p u b l ic em

p l o y ees i n th ei r o ffi ci al cap aci t i es are i n real i t y s u i t s

ag ai n s t t h e s t at e an d

, t h erefo re, i n v o l v e s o v erei g n i m m u n it y .” Ca mer o n v. La n g , 2 7 4

Ga. 1 22

, 1 2 6 (3 ) (5 4 9 SE2 d 3 4 1 ) (2 0 0 1) (ci tat i on an d p u n c t u a t i o n o m i t ted ). Th e

Cal l o way s are t h erefo re precl ud ed fro m pu rs u in g t hei r n eg l i g en ce cl ai m s ag ai n s t

M at to x i n h i s o ffi ci al cap aci t y

. See Ci t y of At la n t a , s u p ra. A c co rd i n g l y , “ we affi rm

t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s [s u m

m ary ju d g m en t ] o rd er as t o [ the ] c l ai m s as s ert ed ag ai n s t [M at t o x ]

i n h i s offi ci al cap aci t y .” Jo b l i n g v. S h el t on , 3 3 4 Ga. Ap p

. 4 8 3

, 4 8 6 (1 ) (7 7 9 SE2 d

7 0 5 ) (2 0 1 5 ). See al s o C

a mp b el l v. Go od

e , 3 0 4 Ga. Ap p

. 47

, 5 0 (2 ) (6 95 SE2 d 4 4 )

(2 0 1 0) (cl ai m ag ai n s t a ci ty po l i ce o ffi cer i n h i s offi ci al cap aci ty was , i n real i t y , a s u i t

ag ai n s t t h e ci t y

an d was t h u s b arred b y

s o verei g n i m

m u n i t y ).

2

. Pr o xi m a te ca us e.

Becau s e o f o u r h o ld i n g s ab o v e affi rm i n g t h e g ran t o f s u m m ary ju d g m en t t o t h e

ci t y an d ci t y cl erk on s ov erei g n im m u n i ty g ro u n d s , we need n o t ad d res s “ t h e

al t ern at i v e g ro u n d [o f n o p ro x im at e cau s e] rel i ed u p o n b y th e t ri al co u rt .” Gwi n n et t

Pl a ce As s o ci a tes v. P h a r r E n g i n eer i ng , 2 1 5 Ga. Ap p

. 5 3

, 5 5 (2 ) (4 4 9 S E 2 d 8 8 9 )

(1 9 9 4).

6Ju d

g men t a f f i r m ed . El l i n g t o n , P. J., a n d Di ll a r d , J., co n cu r.

7