FI FTH DI VI SI ON

M CFA DDEN, C. J.

, R I CKM A N, P. J.

, and SENI OR A PPELA TE JUDGE PHI PPS

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.

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

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H I S

C O U R T. A LL FILIN G S M U ST B E S U B M I TTE D WITH IN

TH E TIM E S S E T B Y

O U R C O U R T R U LE S

.

M ar ch 25, 2021



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A2 1 A0 36 7

. N ANCE et al

. v

. HOUSTON CO U N TY SCHOOL

DISTRICT et al

.

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

Sh er r i Nan ce fi l ed s ui t ag ai n s t t he Ho u s to n Co u n ty Sch o ol Di st ri ct an d i t s

s u p eri n t en d en t

, Dr. M ark Sco t t

, as s ert in g t h at h er ch i ld ren h ad been im p ro p erl y d i s

en ro l l ed fro m t h e s ch o o l d i s tri ct fo r al l eg ed n o n-res i d en cy

. Nan ce s ou g h t m an d am u s

rel i ef, a w ri t o f p ro h i b i t io n, a t em p o rary res trai n i n g ord er, t em p o rary an d p erm an en t

i n ju n ct i v e rel i ef, an d/ o r d ecl arat o ry rel i ef. Th e fo l l o wi n g d ay

, Nan ce fi l ed a “ M o t i o n

fo r Em erg en cy

Heari n g” s eek i ng i m

m ed i at e rel ief o n h er p et i t i o n

.Du e t o t h e St at ewi d e J u d i ci al Em erg en cy d ecl ared o n M arch 14

, 20 2 0

, 1 t h e t ri al

co u rt d i d n o t co nd u ct t h e h eari n g u n t i l M ay 2 0 2 0. On J u n e 1 7

, 2 0 2 0

, th e tri al co u rt

en t ered an o rd er i n wh i ch i t : (1 ) d en i ed em erg en cy m an d am us rel ief o n t h e b as i s t h at

a ju ry m us t d eci d e q ues ti o n s o f fact rel at ed t o Nan ce’ s res i d en cy ; (2 ) fo u nd t h e s ch o ol

b o ard di d n o t co n s ti t u t e a l o w er t ri b u n al fo r p u rp o s e s o f t h e i s s u an ce o f a wri t o f

p ro h ib i t i on ; (3 ) fo un d t h e r e qu es t fo r a t em p orary res t rai ni n g o rd er was m o o t ; (4 )

fo u n d t he req u es t fo r a t em p o rary i n ju n ct i o n was m oo t ; ( 5 ) f

o u n d i t w as p ro h i b i t ed

fro m ru l i n g o n t he p erm an en t i n ju n ct i o n; an d (6 ) fo u n d t hat Nan ce was n o t en t i t l ed

t o d ecl arat o ry rel i ef. N a n c e f i l ed a d i rect ap peal fro m t h i s ru l i n g. Th e cru x o f h er

arg u m en t i s t h at t h e t ri al co u rt erred i n fi n d i n g s h e was n o t a res i den t of Ho u s t o n

Co u n t y

.

“ [I] t i s i ncu m

b en t u p on th i s Co u rt t o i n qu i re i n t o i t s own ju ri s d i ct i on .” MS M

Po l y, LLC v. Text i l e Ru b b er & Ch em. Co

. , 3 5 3 Ga. Ap p . 5 3 8 , 5 3 9 (1 ) (8 3 9 SE2 d 4 )

(2 0 2 0). As a g en eral ru l e, a di rect ap p eal req u i res t h at t h e ju d g m en t o r o rd er ap p eal ed

b e fi n al , wh i ch m ean s t h e cas e i s n o l o n g er p en d in g i n t h e co u rt bel o w. See Fei n v.

1 Becau s e o f t h e Co v id -1 9 p an d em i c, o n M arch 1 4

, 20 2 0, t h e Geo rg ia Su p rem e

Co u rt en t ered an “ Ord er Decl ari n g St at ewi d e J u d i ci al Em e rg en cy .” Th e O rd er was

ex t en d ed o n Ap ri l 6 , M ay 1 1 , an d J u n e 1 2 , 2 02 0

.

2Ch en a u lt

, 3 3 0 Ga. Ap p

. 2 2 2

, 2 2 7 (7 6 7 SE2 d 7 6 6 ) (2 0 1 4 )

. Wh en a di rect ap p eal i s

fi led fro m a n o n-fi n al o rd er, we g en eral l y l ack ju ri s d i ct i o n t o co n si der th e ap p eal

. See

i d

. Here, t h e t ri al co u rt fo u n d t h at i s s u es o f fact rem ai n reg ard i n g N an ce’ s res i d en cy

,

an d i t den i ed Nan ce’ s req ues t fo r em erg en cy m an d am u s rel i ef p en d i n g a ju ry t ri al

.

Th e t ri al co u rt al s o ex p res s l y s t at ed i n i t s ord er t h at

, “ [t ] h e h eari n g was d em an d ed by

t h e p l ai n t i ff an d was n o t fo rm al l y n ot i c e d o r c o n s en t ed t o as a fi n al h eari n g o n an y

cl ai m .” Th i s cas e i s t h u s n o t fi n al

.

Th e l aw, h o wev er, p erm i t s a d i rect ap p eal fro m cert ai n no n -fi n al o rd ers

. Un d er

OCGA § 5 -6 -3 4 (a) (7 ), a d i rect ap p eal is p erm i t t ed fro m “ [a] l l j u d gm en t s or o rd ers

g r a n t i n g o r refu s i n g t o g ran t m an d am u s o r an y ot h er ex trao rd i nary rem ed y

, ex c e p t

wi t h res p ect t o t em

p orary res t rai n i n g ord ers .” W e m u s t co n s i der w h et h er t h e t ri al

co u rt ’ s o rd er fal l s wi t h i n t h i s ex c e p t i o n

. In s o d o i n g

, we co n s t ru e t h e co u rt ’ s o rd er

acco rd i n g to it s su b s t an ce rat h er t h an i t s n om en cl at u re. See Fo r es t Ci t y Gu n Cl u b v.

Ch a t ha m Co u n t

y

, 2 8 0 Ga. Ap p

. 2 1 9

, 2 2 0 (6 3 3 SE2 d 6 2 3 ) (2 0 0 6 ). Al t h o u g h t h e t ri al

co u rt p u rp o rt ed t o d en y m an d am u s r el i ef, t h e ord er act u al l y res erv ed t h e i s s u e fo r

d et erm i n at i o n by a ju ry as req u i red b y O CGA § 9 -6 -2 7 (c). 2 Th e t r i a l c o u rt ’ s o rd er

2 W h ere a m an dam

u s p et i t i on i n v o lv es i ss u e s o f fact

, OCGA § 9 -6 -2 7 (c)

p ro v id es t h at t h e cas e “ m ay b e h eard b y t h e ju d g e u p o n t he co n s en t o f al l p art i es

. Ot h erwi s e, t h e cas e s h al l b e s et fo r t ri al u p o n t h e fi rs t d ay o f th e n ex t t erm o f t h e

3s t at ed t h at

, “ [Nan ce] h as d em an d ed a ju ry t ri al

. Aft er carefu l rev i ew, t he [t ri al co u rt ]

f i n d s

, co n t rary t o [Nan ce’ s] p o s i t i o n

, t h ere i s [a] q ues t i o n o f fact wh i ch m u s t b e

d et erm i n ed

. Th u s [t h e t ri al co u rt ] can n o t i s s u e t h e W ri t a s t h e r e i s a j u ry d em an d.”

Acco rd in g ly , t h e t ri al co u rt n ei t h er g ran t ed n o r refu s ed t o g ran t m an d am u s rel i ef i n

acco rd an ce w i th OCGA § 5 -6 -3 4 (a) (7 ). Th i s ex cep ti o n t h u s p ro vi d es n o b as i s fo r

d i rect ap p eal

.

W e al so do no t b el i ev e t h e o rd er m ay be ap p eal ed d i rect l y as t h e d en i al o f a

wr i t o f p ro h i b i t io n

. Th is wri t s erv es t o “ res trai n s u b o rd i n at e co u rt s an d i n feri o r

ju d i ci al t ri bu nal s fro m ex ceed in g t h ei r ju ri s di ct i o n wh ere n o o th er l e g al rem ed y o r

rel i ef i s g i v en .” OCGA § 9 -6 -4 0

. To t h e ex ten t th e s ch o o l d i s t ri ct m ay be co n s i d ered

a lo wer tri b u n al fo r p urp o s es o f t h i s ex t rao rd in ary wri t

, Nan ce w o u l d b e req u i red to

fi le a d i s cret i o n ary ap p l i cat i o n i n o rd er t o o b t ai n ap p el l at e rev i ew. See Gr een b er g v.

Gr i f f it h , 2 2 6 Ga. Ap p . 8 1 8 , 8 1 8 (4 8 7 SE2 d 4 1 1 ) (1 9 97 ).

Pu rs uan t t o OCGA § 5 -6 -3 4 (a) (4 ), a d i rect ap p eal m ay b e h ad f ro m “ [a] l l

ju d g m en t s o r o rd ers gran t i n g o r r e f u s i n g ap p l i cat i o n s

. . . fo r i n t erl o cu t ory o r fi n al

s u p eri o r co u rt as o t h er ju ry cas e s a r e t ri ed

. H o wev er, i f t h e co u rt h as a s ch ed u l ed

s es s i on fo r ju ry t ri al s wh i ch wi l l o ccu r befo re t h e n ex t t erm

, t h e cas e s h al l s t an d fo r

t ri al at t h e p res en t t e r m

. ” Here, t h ere i s n o i n d icat i o n i n t h e reco rd t hat t h e p art i es

co n sen t ed t o t h e ju d g e res o l v i n g t h e i s s u es o f fact

.

4i n

ju n ct i o n s .” Becau s e sch oo l was n o l o ng er i n s es s i o n wh en t h e Ju n e 2 0 2 0 o rd er was

i s su ed

, t h e t ri al co u rt d is m i ss ed t h e req u es t fo r i nt erl o cu t o ry i n ju n ct i o n as m o o t

. 3 Th e

t ri al co u rt d ecl i ned t o ru l e on t h e r e q u e s t fo r perm an en t i n ju n ct i o n

. Th e t ri al co u rt

s t at ed t h at “ [a] s t h ere w a s n o a g r e e m en t b y t h e p art i es o r n o t i ce o f ad v an ci n g t h i s

h eari n g

, t h e [t ri al co u rt ] i s p ro h i b i t ed fro m i s s ui n g a ru l i n g o n [Nan ce’ s ] req u es t fo r

a [p ] erm an en t [i ]n

ju c t i o n

. See OCGA § 9 -5 -1 0 (“ A p erp et u al in ju nct i o n s h al l b e

g ran t ed on l y aft er h eari n g an d u po n a fi n al decree.). U n d er t h es e ci rcu m s t an ces

,

ju ri s d i ct i o n i s n o t p ro p er u n d er OCGA § 5 -6 -3 4 (a) (4 ).

M o reo v er, Nan ce d o es n ot ap p ear t o ch al len g e ei t h er th e t ri al co u rt ’ s d i s m i s s al

o f t h e req u es t fo r an i n t erl o cu t o ry i n ju n ct io n o r refu s al t o ru le u p o n th e req u es t fo r a

p erm an en t i n

j un ct i o n

. Ap p l y i n g t h e “ i s s u e-rai s ed -o n ap p eal ” ru l e, Nan ce’ s fai l u re to

ch al l en g e t h e i n

ju n ct i v e ru l i n g s o n ap p eal p recl u d es h er fro m ch al l en g in g t h e o t h er

ru l i n gs t h at are n o t ot h erwi s e s u b ject t o di rect ap p eal

. See Vo yl es v. Vo yl es

, 3 0 1 Ga.

4 4

, 4 7 (7 9 9 SE2 d 1 6 0 ) (2 0 1 7 ) (cl ari fy i n g t h at i t i s t h e i s s u e rai sed o n ap p eal t h at

d et erm i n es t h e pro per ap p el l at e p ro ced u re ev en i f th e o r d er o r ju d g m en t b ei n g

ch al l en g ed i s o f t he t y

p e l i s t ed i n OCGA § 5 -6 -3 4 (a)).

3 M o o tn es s is al s o a b as i s fo r t h e d i s m i ss al of a d i rect ap p eal

. See OCGA § 5 -6

-

4 8 (b ) (3 ).

5In h er no t i ce of ap p eal

, Nan ce as s ert s t h at ju ri s di ct i o n i s pro p er u n d er OCGA

§ 3 8 -3 -6 4

. Th i s s t at u t e p r o v i d e s t hat “ [a] n y p ers on wh os e ri g h t s or i n t eres t s are

ad v ers el y affect ed b y an o rd er d ecl ari n g t h e ex i s t en ce o f a j u d ici al em erg en cy o r an y

m o di fi cat i o n o r ex t en s i o n o f su ch an o rd er s h al l b e en t i t l ed t o [a d i rect ] ap p eal .”

OCGA § 3 8 -3 -6 4 (a). Th e ri g h t o f ap p eal

, h o wev er, is fro m th e j u d i c i a l em erg en cy

o rd er it s el f. No t h i n g i n t h i s s t at u t e p u rp o rt s to g ran t t h e ri g h t of d i rect ap p eal fro m an

o t h erwi s e i n terl o cu t o ry

o rd er.

Becau s e i t is cl ea r t h a t t h e cas e rem ai n s p en d i n g b efo re t h e t ri al co u rt

– an d

b ecau s e t h e o rd er i s n ot o t h erwi s e d i rect l y ap p eal ab le

– Nan ce was req u i red to

co m p l y wi t h t h e i n t erl o cu t o ry ap p eal p ro ced ures i n o rd er t o ap p eal

. See OCGA § 5 -6

-

3 4 (b ). Her fai l u re t o do s o d ep ri v e s u s o f j u ri s d ict i on o v er t h is ap peal

, wh i ch i s

t h erefo re d i s m i s s ed

.

Ap p ea l d i s m i s sed

. McFa d

d en

, C. J., an d Sen i o r Ap

pel l a t e Ju d

ge Her b er t E

.

Ph i p ps co n cu r

.

6