FOURTH D I VI SI ON
BA RNES, P. J.

, RA Y and M CM I LLI A N, 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

Nov em ber 10, 2015



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 5 A1 28 9 . IN THE INTEREST OF M . D. H., a ch i l d

.

A1 5 A1 90 8 . IN THE INTEREST OF M . D. H., a ch i l d

.

R A Y , J u d g e.

M

. D

. H

. , a ju v en i l e, ap p eal s fro m t h e ju ven i l e co u rt ’ s o rd er g ran t i n g h i s

m o ti o n t o d i s m i s s a del i n q u en cy p et i t i o n fi led ag ai n st h i m . In i t s o rd er, t h e ju v en i l e

co u rt di s m i s s ed t h e pet i t i o n wi t h o u t p reju d ice. On ap p eal

, M

. D. H. co nt en d s t h at t h e

ju v en i l e co u rt s h o u l d h av e d is m i s s ed t h e p e t it i o n wi t h p reju d i ce becau s e t h e St at e

fai l ed t o co m

p ly w i t h t he d ead l i n e fo r fi l i n g a p et i ti o n al l eg i n g d el i n q u en cy u n d er

OCGA § 1 5 -1 1 -5 2 1 (b ). Becau s e M. D

. H. rai s es t h e sam e i s s ue i n b ot h Cas e No s

.

A1 5 A1 28 9 an d A1 5 A1 9 0 8

, we co n s o li d at e th es e cas es o n ap p eal

. Fo r t he fo l l o wi n g

reas on s , we affi rm

.On Decem b er 5

, 2 01 4

, a co m

p lai n t was fi l ed ag ai ns t M

. D. H. wi t h t he J u v en i l e

Co u rt o f Ch ero k ee Co u n t y

. Th e co m p l ai nt al l eg ed t h at M

. D. H. “ s en t t h reat en i n g t ex t

m es s ag es t el l i n g p eo pl e he w as g o i n g t o b ri n g g u ns t o s ch o o l

. . . [an d ] t h reat en ed to

k i l l h i s f r i en d i f he t o l d an y o n e ab o u t hi s p lan s .” O n t h at s am e day

, a d et en t i o n

h eari n g was h el d

, an d t he ch i l d was n o t d et ai ned

. O n J an u ary 6

, 2 0 1 5

, a p et i t i o n

al l eg in g del i nq u en cy was fi l ed i n t h e ju v en i l e co u rt

. On J an u ary 1 2

, 2 01 5

, M

. D. H.

fi led a m o t i o n t o d i s m i s s t h e co m p l ai n t b ecau s e t h e pet i t i o n was no t fi l ed w i t h i n 3 0

d ay s o f t h e co m

p l ai n t

, as req ui red b y OCGA § 1 5-1 1 -5 2 1 (b ). No r e q u es t fo r an

ex t en s i o n o f t i m e w as fi l ed

. A f t e r a h eari n g , i n w h i ch t h e St at e co n ced ed t h at t h e

p et i t i o n h ad b een fi l ed a d ay l at e, t h e ju v en i l e co u rt d i s m i s s ed t h e co m p l ai n t wi t h o ut

p r ej u d i ce. In Cas e No

. A1 5 A1 2 8 9

, M

. D. H. ap p eal s fro m t h e ju v en i l e co u rt ’ s

d i s m i s s al o f t h e co m

p l ai nt

, arg u i n g t hat th e d i s m is s al s ho u ld hav e be e n w i t h pr ej u d i ce

u n d er t h e t erm s o f OCGA § 1 5 -1 1 -5 2 1

.

Pri o r t o t h e fi li ng of t he ap p eal i n Cas e No

. A1 5 A1 2 89

, t he St at e fi l ed a s eco n d

p et i t i o n o n J an u ary 2 9

, 2 0 1 5

, ag ai n al l eg i n g t hat M

. D. H. co m m i t t ed t h e d el i n q u en t

act of m ak i n g t erro ri s t i c th reat s

. M

. D. H. t h en fi l ed a m o t io n t o d i s m i s s t h i s

s u b s eq u en t p et i t io n , wh i ch th e t ri al co u rt den i ed

. Th e cas e t h en p ro ceed ed t o tri al

, an d

M

. D

. H

. was ad

ju d i cat ed an d p l a c e d o n p ro bat i o n fo r reck l es s co n d u ct

, a l es s er2i n cl u d ed o ffen s e o f t erro ri s t ic t hreat s

. In Cas e No

. A1 5 A1 90 8

, M

. D. H. ap p eal s fro m

h i s ad ju d i cat i o n an d t h e d en i al o f h i s m ot i o n fo r n ew t ri al

, rai s i n g t h e s am e

en u m erat i o n o f erro r.

1

. In Cas e N o

. A1 5 A 1 2 8 9

, t h e St at e, as ap p el lee, co n ten d s th at M. D. H.’ s

ap p eal fro m t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s i n i t i al d i s m i s s al o f h i s m ot i o n t o d i s m is s t h e p e t i t i o n

ag ai n s t h i m wi t h p reju d i ce i s m oo t b ecau s e th e St at e fi led a s u bs eq u en t co m pl ai n t an d

p et i t i o n al l eg i n g d el i n q u en cy an d t h e ju v en i l e co u rt ad ju di cat ed M. D. H. d el i n q u en t

.

W e d i s ag ree.

“ An ap p eal i s m o o t wh en i t s e ek s to d et erm i n e an i s s u e wh i ch

, if res o l v ed

,

can n ot h av e an y p ract i cal effect o n t h e u n d erl y i n g c o n t ro v ers y , o r wh en s u ch

res o l ut i o n wi l l d et erm i n e o nl y ab s t ract q u es t io n s n o t ari s in g u po n e x i s t i n g fact s o r

ri gh t s.” (Fo o t n o t es o m i t t ed .) Pi mp er v. S t a t e ex r el

. Si mp so n , 2 7 4 Ga. 6 2 4

, 6 2 6 (5 5 5

SE2 d 4 5 9 ) (2 0 0 1). Ho wev er, “ [i ] f an ap p el lan t

. . . wi l l b en efi t b y rev ers al o f a cas e,

h i s ap p eal i s n o t m oo t .” (Ci t at io n o m it t ed

. ) Jo h n s o n & Ha rb er Co n s t r

. Co

. v. Bi n g ,

2 2 0 Ga. Ap p

. 1 7 9

, 1 8 1 (1 ) (4 6 9 SE2 d 6 9 7 ) (1 9 96 ). Here, M. D. H.’ s ap p eal fro m t h e

d en ial o f h i s fi rs t m ot i o n t o d i s m i s s t h e d el i n q u en cy p et i t io n ag ai n s t h i m is n o t m o ot

d es p it e h i s ad

j u d icat i o n p ri o r t o t h i s ap p eal

. If t h e tri al co u rt ’ s o rd er were t o b e

3rev ers ed on ap p eal

, h e wo u ld b en efi t fro m h av i n g h i s ad ju di cat i on d ecl ared a n u l l i t y

.

See OCGA § 5 -6 -4 8 (b ) (3 ). Acco rd i n g l y , we can n o t fi n d M . D. H.’ s ap p eal m o o t

.

2

. In b o t h Cas e No s

. A1 5 A1 2 8 9 an d A1 5 A1 9 08

, M. D. H

. a r g u es t h at t h e

ju v en i l e co u rt erred in in t erp ret i n g OCGA § 1 5 -1 1 -5 2 1 (b ) as req ui ri ng i t t o d i s m i ss

t h e p et i t i o n wi t h o u t p reju d ice.

It is wel l-s et t l ed t h at

i n al l i nt erp ret at i o n s o f st at u t es , t h e co u rt s s h al l l o o k d il i g en t l y fo r th e

i n t en t i o n o f t h e Gen eral As s em b l y

. In s o d o i n g , th e ord i n ary

s i gn i fi cat io n s h al l b e ap p l i ed t o al l wo rd s. W h ere t h e l an g uag e o f a

s t a t u t e i s p l ai n an d s us cep t i b l e t o o n l y o n e n at u ral an d reas o n ab l e

co n s t ru ct io n , co u rt s m

u s t co n s t ru e t h e st at u t e a c c o rd i n g l y

. In fact

, wh ere

t h e l an g u ag e o f a s t at ut e i s p l ai n an d u n am b i g u o u s , ju d i ci al co ns t ru ct i o n

i s n o t o n l y u n neces s ary b u t f o r b i d d en

. . . . [Fu rt h er,]

. . . wh en we are

i n t erp ret i ng a s t at u t e, we m u s t p res u m e t h at t h e G en eral As sem bl y h ad

fu l l k n owl ed g e of th e ex i s t i n g s t at e o f t h e l aw an d en act ed t h e st at ut e

wi t h referen ce t o i t

. W e co n s t ru e s t at u t es i n co n nect i o n an d i n h arm o n y

wi t h t h e ex i s t i n g l aw, an d as a p art o f a g en eral an d u n i fo rm s y s t em o f
ju ri s pru d en ce, an d t h ei r m ean i n g a n d effect i s t o b e det erm in ed i n

co n n ect i o n.

. . .wi t h r e f

e r e n ce t o ot her s t at u t es an d d eci si o n s o f th e

co u rt s

.

(Pu n ct u at i on an d fo o tn o t es o m i t t ed .) Ch a s e v. S t a t e , 2 8 5 Ga. 6 9 3

, 6 9 5 -6 9 6 (2 ) (6 8 1

SE2 d 1 1 6) (2 0 0 9).

4W i t h t h es e p ri n ci p l es i n m i n d

, w e n o w t u rn t o t h e l an g u a g e o f t h e s t at u t e.

OCGA § 1 5 -1 1 -5 2 1 p ro v i d es t h at

(a) If a ch i l d is i n d

et en t i o n p r i o r t o a d

j u d i c a t i on , a p et i t i o n al leg i n g

d el i n q u en cy s hal l b e fi l ed no t l at er t h an 7 2 h o u r s aft er th e d et en t i o n

h eari n g

. If n o p et i t i o n al l eg in g d el i n q u en cy i s fi l ed wi t h i n th e ap pl i cab l e

t i m e, s u ch ch il d s h al l b e rel eas ed fro m d et en t i o n an d t h e co m p l ai n t sh al l

b e d i s m i s sed w i t ho u t p reju d i ce. Su ch p et i t i o n m ay be refi l ed as p ro v i d ed

i n s u b s ect i o n (b ) o f t h i s Co d e s ect i o n wi t h i n t h e s tat u t e o f l im it at i o n s

.

(b ) If a ch i l d i s n o t i n det en t i o n p r i or t o a dj u d i ca t i o n , a pet i t i on al leg i n g

d el i n q u en cy s h al l b e fi l ed wi t h i n 3 0 d ay s o f t h e fi l in g o f t he co m p l ai n t

a l l e g i n g v i o l at i o n o f a cri m i n al l aw o r wi t h i n 3 0 d ay s o f s u ch ch i l d’ s

rel e a se pu rs u an t t o a d et erm i n at io n t h at d et en t io n i s n o t warran t ed

. U p o n

a s ho wi n g o f go o d cau s e an d n o t i ce to al l p art i es , t h e co urt m ay g ran t an

ex t en s io n o f t i m e fo r fi l i n g a p et i ti o n al l eg i n g d el i n qu en cy

. Th e co u rt

s h al l i s s u e a wri t t en o rd er reci t i n g t h e fact s ju s t i fy i n g an y ex t en s i o n

.

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

A s M

. D. H. was n ot i n d et en t i o n p ri o r to ad ju d i cat i on , s u b s ect io n ( b ) o f

OCGA § 1 5 -1 1 -5 2 1 ap p l i es i n t h e p res en t cas e. Un d er s u b s ect i o n (b ), t h e St at e h ad

3 0 d ay s fro m t h e fi l i ng o f t h e co m p l ai n t t o fi l e t h e p et it i o n al l eg i n g d el i n q u en cy , b ut

i t d i d n o t m eet th e d ead l i n e i n t h i s cas e. As “ [t ] h ere m u s t b e s cru p u l o us ad h eren ce to

d u e p ro ces s req u irem en ts in ju v en i l e co u rt p ro ce e d i n g s [,] ” In r e B. A. P.

, 1 8 0 Ga.

5Ap p

. 43 3

, 4 3 4 (1 ) (3 4 9 SE2 d 21 8 ) (1 98 6 ) (ci t at i o n an d p u nct u at i o n o m i t t ed ), t h e t ri al

co u rt co rrect l y

d i s m i ss ed t h e co m

p l ai n t ag ai n s t M . D. H.

M . D. H. arg ues o n ap p eal t h at

, b ecau s e s u b s ect i o n (a) s p eci fi cal l y p ro v i d es

fo r a d i s m i s s al w i t ho u t p reju d i ce an d s u b s ect io n (b ) d oes n o t

, th en t h e Leg i s l at u re d id

n o t i n ten d fo r an y d i s m i s s al s u nd er s u b s ect i on (b ) t o b e wi t h o u t p reju d i ce. M

. D. H.

al s o arg u es t h at a fi n d i ng t hat a d i s m i s s al u n d er su b sect i o n (b ) s h a l l b e wi t h o ut

p reju d i ce wo u ld ren d er t h e l an g u ag e al l o wi ng t h e t ri al co urt t o g ran t an ex ten s i o n to

fi le a p et i t i o n m ean i n g l es s

. W e d i s ag ree an d fi nd th at th e Leg i s l at u re d id n o t i n t en d

fo r t h e d i s m is s al o f a co m p l ai n t w i t h p reju d i ce fo r t h e fai l ure to co m p ly wi t h t h e

fi li n g d ead l i n e i n OCGA § 1 5 -1 1 -5 2 1 (b ).

In co n s tru i ng a rel at ed st at ut e i n Geo rg i a’ s fo rm er Ju v en i l e Co d e, 1 fo rm er

OCGA § 1 5 -1 1 -2 6

, 2 o u r Su p rem e Co u rt h el d t h at fo rm er OCGA § 1 5 -1 1 -2 6 (a) d id

1 Geo rg i a h as ad op t ed a n ew Ju v en il e Co de, wh ich b ecam e effect i v e o n J an u ary 1

, 2 01 4

, an d ap p l i es t o ju v en i le p ro ceed i n g s co m m en ced on or aft er Jan u ary 1

, 2 0 1 4.
Ga. L. 2 0 1 3

, Act 1 2 7 , § § 1 -1

.

2 Fo rm er OCGA § 1 5 -1 1 -2 6 (a) p ro v i d ed t h at

Aft er t he p et i t io n h as b een fi l ed t h e co u r t s h a l l fi x a t im e fo r h eari n g

t h e reo n , wh i ch

, i f t h e ch i l d i s i n d et en ti o n, s h al l n o t b e l at er th an ten

d a y s a f ter th e fi l i n g o f t h e p et i t i on

. In t h e ev en t t h e ch i l d i s n o t i n

d et en t i o n , t he co u rt s h al l fi x a t i m e fo r h eari n g t h ereo n wh i ch s h al l n o t

6n o t co n s t i t u t e a s p eed y t ri al dem an d an d

, th u s , v i o l at i o n s o f i t s p ro v is io n s s h o u l d n ot

res u l t in d i s m i s sal o f t he cas e wi th p reju di c e

. I n s o h ol d i n g , o u r Su p rem e Co u rt

reas on i n g i s i n s t ru ct i v e.

In s t ark co n t ras t t o OCGA § § 1 7 -7 -1 7 0 an d 1 7 -7 -1 7 1 [Geo rg i a’ s s p eed y

t ri al s t at ut es 3 ]

, th ere i s n o ex p l i ci t l an g uag e i n OCGA § 1 5 -1 1 -2 6 wh ich

m an d at es t h at t h e fai l u re t o co m p l y wi t h th e s t at u t o ry t im e l i m i t s

p ro v i d ed t h erei n wi l l res u l t i n an ad ju d i cat i o n o f t h e ju v en i l e’ s

n o n -d el i n q u en cy by o p erat i o n o f l aw. If t h e l eg is l at u re h ad i n t en d ed t hat

a n o n -co m

p l ian ce wi th [fo rm er] OCGA § 1 5 -1 1 -2 6 (a) wo u l d res u l t i n

t h e au t o m at i c acq u i t t al of a defen dan t in a d el i n q uen cy cas e, i t co u l d

h av e ex pre s s l y p ro v i d ed fo r t h e co m p arab l e rem ed y affo rd ed fo r a

n o n -co m p l i an ce wi t h OCGA § 1 7 -7 -1 7 0

. Th e l eg i s l at u re d i d n o t s o

p ro v i d e.

(Ci t at i o n s an d p un ct u at i on o m i t t ed .) In t h e In t er es t of R. D. F.

, 2 6 6 Ga. 29 4

, 2 9 6 (3 )

(4 6 6 SE2 d 5 7 2 ) (1 99 6 ) (s u p erced ed b y s t at u t e i n I n t h e I n t e r es t o f A. H.

, 3 3 2 Ga.

Ap p

. 5 9 0

, 5 9 3 (2 ), n

. 6 (7 7 4 SE2 d 1 6 3 ) (2 0 1 5 )). See, e. g

. , Bu t l er v. St a t e , 2 0 7 Ga.

Ap p

. 8 2 4, 8 2 4-8 25 (4 2 9 SE2 d 2 8 0 ) (1 9 9 3 ) (Aft er d efen d an t ’ s cas e was n o t d o ck et ed

b e l at er t h an 6 0 d ay s fro m t h e d at e o f t h e fi l i n g o f t h e p et i t i on

.

3 OCGA § 1 7 -7 -1 70 (b ) pro v i d es t h at “ [i ] f t he “ defen d an t is n o t t ri ed w h en t h e d em an d fo r s p eed y t ri al i s m ad e o r at t h e nex t s u cceed i n g reg u l ar co u rt t e r m
t h e r e a ft er,

. . . t h e d efen d an t s h a l l b e ab s ol u t el y di s ch ar g ed a n d a cq u i t t ed o

f t h e

o f f en s e ch a r g ed i n t h e i n d i ct men t [.] ” (Em ph as i s su p p l i ed .) See al s o OCGA § 1 7 -7

- 1 7 1 (b ) (s am e i n t he co n t ex t o f cap i t al cas es ).

7fo r ret ri al d u ri n g t wo t erm s o f co u rt

, h e s o ug h t acq u it t al u n der OCGA § 5 -5 -4 9 b as ed

o n th e St at e’ s fai l ure t o ret ry h i m i n a t i m el y m an n er. Th is Co u rt d ecl i n ed t o acq u i t

be c a use , u n l i k e Geo rg ia’ s sp eed y tri al s t at ut es , OCGA § 5 -5 -4 9 “ m an d at es n o ex p res s

s an ct i o n fo r a n o n -co m

pl i an ce w i t h i t s p ro v i si o n s” an d i f t h e l eg i s lat u re h ad i n t en d ed

fo r n o n -co m

pl i an ce o f OCGA § 5 -5 -4 9 to res ul t i n au t o m at i c acq ui t t al

, it co u l d h av e

s p eci fi cal l y

s t at ed s u ch ).

Si m i l arl y , i n OCGA § 1 5

- 1 1

- 5 2 1

, th e s t at u t e at i s s u e i n t h e p res en t cas e, t h e

Leg is l at ure d i d n o t pro vi d e ex p l i ci t l an g uag e p ro v i d i n g t h at a ju v en i l e wo u l d recei v e

a d i s m i s s al wi t h p reju d i ce as a res ul t of t h e St at e’ s fai lu re t o fi l e a t i m el y p et i t i o n fo r

d el i n q u en cy u n der OCGA § 1 5 -1 1 -5 2 1 (b ). W e reco g n i ze t h at th e J u v en i l e Co d e h as

ex p r e s s l y s t at ed i n o t h er s ect i o n s t h at a co m p l ai n t al l eg i n g a ch i l d i s i n n eed o f

s erv i ces o r al l eg i n g d ep en d en cy s h o u l d b e d i s m i ss ed w i t ho u t p reju d i ce i f t h e p ro p er

p et i t i o n i s n o t fi led wi t h i n t h e ti m e l i m i t s p res cri b ed b y s t at u t e, s ee OCGA § § 1 5 -1 1

-

4 2 1

, 1 5 -1 1 -1 5 1

. Ho wev er, w e d ecl i n e t o h o l d t h at t he L eg i s l at u re i nt en d ed an y t h i n g

i n OCGA § 1 5-1 1 -5 2 1 (b ) b ey on d w h at t h e p l ai n an d u s u al m ean i n g o f t h e l an g u ag e

o f t h e s t at u t e p ro v i d es

. If t h ey i n t en d ed fo r an u nt i m el y p et i t io n to b e d i s m i s s ed wi th

p reju d i ce, t h en it i s wi t h i n t h ei r p o wer t o am en d t he s t at u t e to s o p ro v id e. See Bu t l er
,

s u p r a (t h i s Co u rt s h al l d ecl i n e t o h o l d t hat t h e Leg i sl at u re in t en d ed an y t h in g b ey o n d

8w h a t a s t at u t e’ s “ l an gu ag e, i n i t s fai r an d u s ual m ean i n g , wi l l i nd i cat e; an d

, i f t h e

t erm s of t h ei r en act m e n t h av e n o t em b raced t h e o b

j ect co n t en d ed fo r, t he p o wer i s

wi t h t h em , b y ad d i t i o n al Act o r Act s , t o ex t en d t h em ”) (Ci t at i on s an d pu n ct u at i o n

o m it t ed ).

Fu rt h er, th e Su p rem e Co u rt ’ s o p i ni o n i n In t he In ter es t o f R. D. F., s u p ra, p ut

t h e Leg i sl at ure o n n ot i ce as i t d r aft ed it s new ju v en i l e co d e t h at d is m i s s al s wi th

p r ej u d i ce wo u ld o n l y b e en fo rced t o t h e ex ten t ex p res s l y p ro v i d ed fo r b y s t at u t e, b ut

t h at o t h erwi s e s uch a d ras t i c rem ed y w ou l d n o t b e en g raft ed b y t h e ap p el l at e co u rt s

.

See Ch a s e , s u p r a ( w h en i nt erp ret i n g a s t at u te, t hi s Co u rt m us t p res u m e t h at t h e

Leg is l at ure was aware o f t h e ex i s t i n g s t at e o f t he l aw at t h e t i m e i t en act ed t h e s t at u t e

wi t h referen ce t o i t ).

Bas ed u po n t h e ab o v e, we affi rm t h e t ri al co urt ’ s d i s m is s al o f t h e co m p l ai nt

ag ai n s t M . D. H. wi t ho u t p reju d i ce.

Ju d g men t a f f i r m ed . Ba r nes , P. J., a n d

McMi l l ia n , J., co n cu r

.

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