SECOND DI VI SI ON

DOYLE, P. J.

, COOM ER and M A R KLE, 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

June 22, 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 74 9 . BORDEAUX v

. HISE.

C O O M E R , J u d ge.

In t h i s m an d am

u s act i o n

, Th o m as Bo r d e a u x

, J u d g e o f t h e Pro b at e Co u rt o f

Ch at ham Co u n t y, s eek s rev i ew o f an o rd er fro m t h e Su peri o r Co u rt o f Ch at h am

Co u n t y g ran t i n g Greg o ry H i s e’ s m o t i o n fo r s u m m ary ju d g m en t an d d i rect i n g

Bo rd eau x t o i ss u e H i se a Geo rg i a weap o n s carry l i cen s e (“ GW CL”). Bo rd eau x

c h a l l e n g e s th e s up eri o r co u rt ’ s o rd er arg u i n g H i s e was n ot en t i tl ed t o t h e

ex t rao rd i n ary rel ief p ro v i d ed b y a wri t o f m an d am u s b ecau s e h e h a d n o t fi rs t

ex h au s t ed h is l eg al rem ed i es , as req ui red b efo re s eek i n g m an d am u s rel i ef. Becau s e

Hi s e pro p erl y b r o u g h t h i s m an d am u s act i on fo l l o wi n g t h e d en i al of h i s ap p l i cat i o n

fo r a GW CL u n d er OCGA § 1 6 -1 1 -1 2 9 (j) an d t he tri al co u rt co rrect l y ru l ed t h at H i s e

i s en t i t l ed t o a GW CL, we affi rm

.Vi ewed i n t h e l i g h t m os t fav o rab le t o Bo rd eau x

, as t h e p art y o pp o s i n g t h e g ran t

o f s u m m ary ju d g m en t

, 1 t h e reco rd sh o w s t h at o n M ay 6

, 2 01 9

, Hi s e f i l ed an

ap p li cat io n fo r a GW CL wi t h Bo rd eau x p u rs u an t t o OCGA § 1 6 -1 1 -1 2 9 . Bo rd eau x

i s s u e d a n o r d er d en y i n g Hi s e’ s ap p l i cat i o n t h e sam e d ay ci t i n g as g ro u n d s fo r t h e

d en ial t h at Hi s e h ad been co nv i ct ed i n Vi rg i n i a o f m i s d em ean o r as s au lt i n 1 9 7 9. In

res p o n s e t o t h e d en i al o f hi s ap p l i cat i o n , Hi s e fi l ed an d s erv ed a v eri fi ed co m p l ai nt

s eek i n g m an d am

u s rel i ef an d at t o rn ey fees i n t h e s u peri o r c o u r t

. Hi s e t h en fi l ed a

m o ti o n fo r s u m

m ary ju dg m en t o n J u ne 2 8

, 20 1 9

. Bo rd eau x fi l ed a m o t i o n t o o p en

d efau l t

, an an swer t o t h e co m p l ai n t

, an d a m o t i o n t o d i s m i s s o n J u l y 1

, 2 0 1 9.

Bo rd eau x d i d n o t fi l e a res p o ns e t o Hi se’ s m o t i o n fo r s u m m ary ju d g m en t

. On Oct o b er

4

, 2 0 1 9

, t h e s u peri o r co u rt i s s u ed an ord er g ran t i ng Hi s e’ s m o t i o n fo r s u m m ary

ju d g m en t

, an d d i rect i n g Bo rd eau x t o i ss u e a G WCL t o Hi s e wi th in t en day s o f t h e

o rd er.

On Oct ob er 1 1

, 2 0 1 9

, Bo rd eau x fi l ed a m o t i o n fo r reco n s i d era t i o n o f t h e

s u p eri o r co u rt ’ s o rd er gran t i n g Hi s e’ s m o ti o n fo r s u m m ary ju d g m en t as s ert i n g t h at

h e fi l ed a t i m el y res p o ns e t o Hi s e’ s m o ti o n

, bu t t h at an erro r wi t h e-fi l i n g p rev en t ed

t h e s u peri o r co urt fro m recei v i n g hi s res p on s e i n a t i m el y m an n er. D es p i t e t h e

1 Al f o r d v. Her n a n d

ez , 3 4 3 Ga. Ap p

. 3 3 2 , 3 3 2 (8 0 7 SE2 d 8 4 ) (2 0 1 7 ).

2s u p eri o r co u rt ’ s o rd er, Bo rd eau x d i d n o t i s s u e t h e G W CL to Hi s e wi t h i n ten d ay s

, an d

Hi s e fi led a m o ti o n t o h o ld Bo rd eau x i n co n t em p t o n Oct o b er 1 5

, 2 0 1 9

. Bo rd eau x

t h en fi l ed a m o t i o n fo r rel ief fro m ju d g m en t as k i n g t h e s u p eri or co urt t o s et as i d e i t s

p ri o r ju d g m en t ag ai n s t hi m

. On No v em b er 4

, 2 0 1 9

, t he s up eri o r co u rt i s s ued an o rd er

d en y i n g Bo r d eau x ’ s m ot io n s fo r reco n si d erat i on an d rel i ef fro m ju d g m en t

. Th i s

ap p eal fo l l o w ed

.

In h i s s o l e en um erat i o n

, Bo rd eau x co n t en d s th e s u p eri o r co urt erred i n g ran t i n g

Hi s e a wri t o f m an d am

u s b ecau s e Hi s e fai l ed t o ex h au s t h is av ai l ab l e l eg al o p t i on s

b efo re co m

m en ci n g t h e m an d am

u s act i on g iv i n g ri s e t o t h i s ap p eal

. Bo rd eau x arg u es

t h at Hi s e was req u i red t o req u es t a h eari ng befo re t h e p ro b at e co u rt as to h i s fi t n es s

an d e l i g i b i l i t y t o b e i s s u ed a GW CL p ri o r t o fi l in g an act i o n fo r m an d am u s

. 2 W e

d i s ag ree.

2 Bo rd eau x d o es n o t ch al l en g e t h e s u p eri o r co u rt ’ s fi n di ng s t h at Hi s e’ s 1 9 7 9

co n vi ct i o n fo r m i sd em ean o r as sau l t d i d n o t ren d er Hi s e i n el i g ib l e t o h av e a GW CL.

Bo rd eau x co n ced es t h at a m i s d em ean or as s au l t co n v i ct i on wo u l d n o t d i s q u al i fy an

ap p li can t fro m b ei n g el i g ib le to h av e a GW CL i s s u ed u nl es s t h e co n v i ct i o n i n v o l v ed

d o m es t ic v i o l en c e

. S e e OCGA § 1 6 -1 1-2 9 (b ) (2 ) an d 1 8 U.S.C. § 9 22 (g ) (9 ).

Ho wev er, Bo rd eau x arg u es t h at h ad Hi se req u es t ed a h eari n g in p ro b at e co u rt i n l i eu

o f s eek i n g m an d am

u s rel i ef, the inf

or m at io n reg ard in g t h e n at ure o f Hi se’ s co n v i ct i o n

wo u l d h av e b een rev eal ed an d t h e m at t er s et t l ed

. Fo r reas o n s di s cu s s ed fu rt h er i n t h i s

o p i n i o n , we d i sag ree wi t h Bo rd eau x ’ s arg u m en t

.

3OCGA § 16 -1 1 -1 2 9 (j), wh i ch s et s fo rt h t h e st at ut o ry p ro ced u res fo r ap p l i can t s

s eek i n g rel i ef i n t h e ev en t t h ei r ap p l i cat i on fo r a GW CL i s d en ied

, s t at es as fo l l o w s :

W h en an el ig i b l e ap p l i can t fai l s t o recei v e a l icen s e

. . . wi t h i n t he t i m e

p eri o d req u i red b y t h i s Co d e s ect i o n an d t h e ap p l i cat i on o r req u es t h as

b een p ro p erl y fi l ed

, t he ap p l i can t ma y b r i n g a n a ct i on i n ma n d amu s o r

o t h e r l eg al p ro ceed i n g in o rd er t o ob t ai n a l i cen s e[.]

. . . W h en an

ap p l ican t i s o t h erwi s e den i ed a l i cen se

. . . an d co n ten d s t h at h e o r s he

i s q u al i fi ed t o b e i ss u ed a l i cen s e,

. . . t h e a p p l i ca n t m a

y b r in g a n act i o n

i n m a n d a mu s or o t h er leg al p ro ceed i n g i n o rd er t o o b t ai n s u ch l i cen s e.

Ad d it i on al l y

, t h e a

p p l ica n t m a

y r eq ues t a h ea r i n g bef

o r e t he j u d

g e o f

t h e p ro bat e co u rt rel at iv e t o th e ap p l i can t ’ s fi t n e s s t o b e i s s u ed s u ch

l i c e n s e

. U p o n t h e i s s u an ce o f a den i al

, t h e ju d g e o f t h e p ro b at e co u rt

s h al l i n fo rm t h e ap p l i can t o f h i s or h er ri g h t s p u rs u an t t o t h i s s u b s ect i o n

.

If su ch ap p l i can t i s t he p rev ai li n g p a rt y

, h e o r s h e s h al l b e en ti t led t o

reco ver h i s o r h er co st s i n s u ch act io n

, i n cl ud i n g reas o n ab l e at to rn ey ’ s

fees

.

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

It i s u n d is p ut ed fro m t h e reco rd t h at u po n recei v i n g a den i al o f h i s ap p l i cat i o n

fo r a GW CL, Hi se fi l ed an act i o n in m an d am u s wi t h t h e s up eri or co u rt as p erm i t t ed

b y s t at u te. Des p i t e Bo rd eau x ’ s arg u m en t t o t h e co n trary

, Hi s e w a s n o t req u i red to

req u es t a h eari ng wi t h t h e pro b at e ju d g e b efo re pu rs u in g t h e ex t rao rd i n ary rem ed y o f

m an d am u s

. Th e p l ai n l an gu ag e o f OCGA § 1 6 -1 1-1 2 9 (j) au t h o r i z e s an el i g i b l e

4ap p li can t t o fi l e a m an d am u s act i o n as a fi rs t res p o ns e t o a fai lu re to ti m el y act u p o n

a G W CL ap p l i cat io n o r t o an i m p ro p er d en i al o f a GW CL. Th e s t at u t e p ro v i d es t o t h e

el i g i b l e ap p l i can t

, as an ad di t i o n al p o t en t ial av en u e fo r rel i ef, th e o p t i o n o f req u es t i n g

a h eari n g b efo re t h e p ro b at e ju d g e o f t h e co u rt t h at h as d en i ed an ap p l i cat io n b as ed

o n t he ap p l i can t ’ s l ack o f fi t nes s t o b e i s s ued a GW CL. Co n seq u en t l y, B o r d e a u x ’ s

arg u m en t t h at Hi s e was n ot au t h o ri zed t o b ri n g h i s m an d am u s a c t i o n u nt i l h e h ad

req u es t ed a h eari n g b efo re Bo rd eau x i s wi t h o u t m eri t

.

Bo rd eau x h as co rrect l y co n cl u d ed t h at m an d am u s can o n l y co m

p el an o ffi ci al

t o p erfo rm an ce o f a d u t y an d can n ot m an d at e t h e o u t co m e. H i s e ’s cl ai m was t h at

Bo rd eau x im

p ro p erl y p erfo rm ed h i s d ut y b y fai l i n g t o is s u e th e l i cen s e w hen h e d id

n o t h a v e i n fo rm at i o n t h at H i s e was i n el ig i b le t o recei v e i t

. OCGA § 9 -6 -2 0 s t at es

,

“ Al l o ffi ci al d u t i es s h o u l d be fai t h fu l l y p erfo rm ed

, an d wh en ev er, fro m an y cau s e, a

d efect o f l eg al ju s t i ce w o ul d en s u e fro m a fai l u re to perfo rm or fro m i m p ro p er

p erfo rm an ce, t he w ri t o f m an d am u s m ay i s s u e t o co m

p el a d u e perfo rm an ce[.] ” Du e

p erfo rm an ce i n t he p res en t cas e i s t h e i s s u an ce o f a GW CL t o Hi s e, n o t m er el y a

co n ti n u i n g co n s i d erat i on o r a reco n si d erat i o n o f Hi se’ s ap p l i cat i o n.

M o reo v er, w e are eq u al l y u n p ers u ad ed b y Bo rd eau x’ s arg um en t t h at Hi s e was

req u i red t o fi l e h i s m an d am u s act i on d i rect l y w i t h t h e ap p el l at e co u rt s

. O CGA § 1 6

-

51 1 -1 29 (a) s t at es t h at a ju dg e o f t h e p ro b at e co urt “ s h al l , o n ap pl i cat i o n u n d er o at h,

o n pay m en t o f a fee o f $3 0 .0 0

, an d o n i n v e s t i g a t i o n o f th e ap p l i can t

. . . , i s s u e a

we a p o n s carry l i cen s e[.] ” An d wh en an ap pl i can t ’ s ap p l i cat i o n i s d en ied

, “ t h e

ap p li can t m ay b ri n g an act i o n i n m an d am u s o r o t h er l eg al p ro ce e d i n g i n o rd er to

o b t ai n s u ch l i cen s e.” O CGA § 1 6 -1 1 -1 29 (j). W h il e t h e Geo rg i a Co n s t i t u t i o n

p ro v id es t h at “ o nl y th e s u p eri o r an d ap p el l at e co u rt s sh al l h av e th e p o wer t o i s s u e

p ro ces s i n t h e nat u re o f m an d am u s

. . . [t ] h i s p ro v i s i o n i s m erel y en ab l i n g

, n ot

m an d at o ry .” Gr a h a m v. Ca ven d er

, 25 2 Ga. 1 2 3

, 1 2 3 (3 1 1 SE2 d 8 3 2 ) (1 9 84 ) (ci t at i o n

an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t ted ). See al s o B yr d v. Ro b i n so n

, 3 4 9 G a. Ap p

. 1 9

, 2 0 (8 2 5 SE2 d

4 2 4 ) (2 0 1 9 ) (“ Th e pro ced u re t o b e fo l l owed b efo re s eek i n g t o in v o k e [t h e ap p el l at e

co u rt ’ s ] ori g i n a l ju r i s d i c t io n (t h e n eed fo r wh i ch is ex t rem el y rare) i s t o fi l e s u ch

p et i t i o n i n t h e ap p ro p ri at e lo wer co u rt .”(ci t at i on o m i t t ed ) ) ; G a y v. Owen s

, 2 9 2 Ga.

4 8 0

, 4 8 2 -4 8 3 (2 ) (7 38 SE2 d 6 14 ) (2 0 1 3 ) (p et i ti o n fo r w ri t o f m an d am u s m u s t b e fi l ed

i n i t i al l y i n s u p eri o r co u rt an d n o t ap p el lat e co u rt s wh en n o n e o f t h e “ ex trem el y rare”

i n s t an ces i n wh i ch an ap p el l at e co u rt ’ s o ri g in al ju ri s d i ct i o n i s i n v o k ed ). Th u s

, Hi s e’ s

fi li n g a m an d am

u s act i o n i n t h e s u p eri o r co u rt was a p ro p er av en u e t o ap p eal t h e

p ro b at e ju d g e’ s d eci si o n t o d en y h i s ap p l i cat i o n

.

Ju d g men t a f f i r m ed . Do yl e, P. J., a n d

Ma r kl e, J., co ncu r

.

6