FI RST DI VI SI ON

BA RNES, P. J.

, M CM I LLI A N and R EESE, 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 4, 2018



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 8 A0 19 7 . ROBBINS v . ANDERSON et al

.

R E E S E

, J u d g e.

Pro ceed in g p ro se, in d i g en t p ri s o n i n m a t e M arq u i s e Ro b b i n s s o u g h t t o fi le a

ci v i l act i o n i n t h e Su p eri o r Co u rt o f Tat t n al l C o u n t y ag ai n s t J am es An ders o n an d

Ro b ert To o l e 1 fo r d am ag es b as ed u p o n t h ei r fai lu re t o p ro v id e s u ffi ci en t fo o d t o

, an d

fo r no t m eet i n g t h e b as i c n u tri t i o n al n eed s o f, i n m at es i n t h e Seg reg at i o n Ho u s i n g

Un i t (“ SHU”) at Geo rg i a St at e Pri s o n (“ GSP”). In an o rd er, t h e t ri al co u rt s t at ed t h at

h i s p lead i n g fai l ed t o s t at e a cau s e o f act i o n an d d en i ed h is req u es t t o p ro ceed o n t h e

co m p l ai n t

. Th i s ap p eal fo l l owed

. Fo r t he reas o ns set fo rt h in fra, we rev ers e t h e t ri al

1 A cco rd i ng t o t h e c o m

pl ai n t

, To o l e i s t h e fo rm er w ard en o f Geo rg i a St at e

Pri s o n , an d An d ers o n is t h e Fo o d Serv i ce Su p erv i s o r.co u rt ’ s o rd er an d rem an d t h i s cas e wi t h d irect i o n t o t h e s u p eri o r co u rt cl erk t o fi l e t h e

co m p l ai n t

.

Th e reco rd s h o ws t h at t he Ap p el l an t

, wh o was i n carcerat ed at GSP fro m J u n e

t h ro u g h Decem

b er 2 0 1 4

, fi led a p ro s e “ In m at e Fo rm fo r Ci v il Act io n,” al leg i n g t h at

t h e i nm at es h o u s ed in th e SHU o f GSP were “ u n ju s t i fi ab l y d ep ri v ed o f t h e b as i c

n eces s i t y o f ad eq uat e fo od t o s u s t ai n t h ei r h eal t h,” i n v i o lat i o n o f OCGA § 4 2 -5 -2

(a), 2 an d th ei r ci v i l ri g ht s u n der 4 2 USC § 19 8 3

. 3 Sp eci fi cal l y t h e Ap p el l an t al l eg ed

t h at

, in t er al i a, fro m Ju l y t h ro u g h Oct o b er 2 0 1 4

, W ard en To ol e an d An d ers o n al l o wed

t h e fo ll o wi n g co n di t i o n s t o p ers i s t u n ab at ed i n t h e SHU o f GSP, des p i t e act u al n o t i ce

o f th e p ro b lem s: i n m at es were p ro v i d ed w i t h i n ad eq u at e fo o d p ort i on s

, sp o il ed fo o d,

2 OCGA § 4 2 -5 -2 (a) s t at es

, i n p ert i n en t p art

, “ i t s h al l b e t h e res p on s i b i l i ty o f

t h e g ov ern m en t al u n i t

, su b d iv i s i o n

, o r ag en cy h av i n g t h e p h y s i cal cu s t o d y o f an

i n m at e t o m ai n t ai n th e i n m at e, fu rn i s hi n g h i m fo o d

, cl o t h i n g

, an d an y need ed m ed i cal

an d h o s p i t al at t en t i o n [.] ”

3 4 2 USC § 1 9 83 s t at es

, i n p ert i n en t p art

, th at “ [e] v ery p ers on wh o

, u nd er co l o r

o f an y s t at u t e, o rd i n an ce, reg u lat i o n , cu s to m , o r u sag e, o f an y St at e

. . . s u b ject s , o r

cau s es t o b e s ub

j ect ed

, an y ci t izen o f t h e U n i t ed St at es

. . . t o t he d ep ri v at i o n o f an y

ri gh t s, pri v i l eg es

, o r i m

m u n i t ies s ecu red b y t h e Co ns t i t u ti o n an d l aws

, s hal l b e l i ab l e

t o t h e p art y i n

ju red in an act i o n at l aw, s u i t i n eq ui t y

, o r ot her p ro p er p ro ceed i n g fo r

red res s [.] ” See Br o wn v. Do rs ey

, 2 7 6 Ga. Ap p

. 8 5 1 , 8 5 3 (6 2 5 SE2 d 1 6 ) (2 0 0 5 ) (To

s t at e a cl ai m u nd er 4 2 USC § 1 98 3

, a p l ai n t i ff “ m u st s ho w a d ep ri vat i on o f a fed eral

ri gh t b y a p ers o n act i n g u n d er co l o r o f s t a t e l aw.”) (p u n ct u at i o n an d fo o t n o t e

o m it t ed ).

2an d f

o o d t h at h ad been i m

p ro p erl y “ wat ered do wn ; ” m eal s l ack ed su ffi ci en t

n u t ri ti o n al an d cal o ri c v al u e t o q ual i fy as a “ wh ol es o m e m eal ; ” fo o d p rep arers an d

s erv ers fai l ed t o en s u re th at “ h o t ” m eal s were at l eas t 1 4 0 d eg rees , an d “ h ot ” m eal s

were “ co n t i n u o u s l y ” s erv ed co l d ; an d fo od s erv ice wo rk ers were n o t g i v en p ro p er

t rai n in g i n s afe fo o d p rep arat i on t ech n i q ues an d ho w t o d et erm i n e co rrect p o rt i o n

s i zes

. A cco rd i ng t o t h e c o m p l ai n t

, t hes e “ h azard o u s an d ex t rem e fo o d co n d i t i o n s ”

p o s ed a “ s u b s t an t i al ri s k o f s eri o u s h arm t o i n m at es ’ h eal t h an d s afet y .”

Th e Ap p el l an t as s ert ed t h at

, as a res u l t o f t h es e co n d i t i o n s , h e s u ffered

, i n t er

al i a, h ead ach es

, s ev ere s to m ach p ai n

, d i zzi n es s

, co n st an t fat ig u e, an d weak n es s i n h i s

ex t rem i t i es

. He al s o co m

p l ai n ed t h at

, d u e t o h i s i ncarcerat i on i n t h e SHU, h e h ad n o

o p p o rt u ni t y fo r rel i ef fro m t h es e h azard o u s co n d i ti o n s . Th e co m pl ai nt as s ert ed t h at

t h e Ap pel l ees’ a c ts an d o m is s i o n s i n al l o wi n g th e u n s afe co nd i t i o ns t o p ers is t v i o l at ed

t h e Dep art m en t o f Co rrect ions ’ s t an d ard o p erat i n g p ro ced u res an d d i et ary g u i d el i n es

,

as wel l as s t at e s t at u t es

. 4 Th e Ap p el l an t al s o as sert ed a ci v i l ri gh t s c l ai m un d er 4 2

USC § 19 8 3

, al l eg i ng t hat th e co n d i t i o n s v i o l at ed hi s Ei g h t h A m en d m en t ri gh t s u n d er

t h e Un i t ed St at es Co n s t i t u ti o n i n t h at t h ey co n st i tu t ed cru el an d u n us u al p u n i s h m en t

.

4 T h e Dep art m en t o f Co rrect io n s ’ p o li ci es a n d p ro ced u res are no t p art o f t h e

ap p el l an t reco rd

.

3Acco rd i ng t o t he co m p l ai nt

, th e Ap p el l an t fi led a g ri ev an ce w i t h p ri so n

o ffi ci al s

, b u t “ t h e i s su e[s ] [were] n ev er rect i fi ed .[.] ” T he t ri al co urt d en ied t h e fi l i n g

o f t h e co m

p l ai n t

, pu rs u an t t o OCGA § 9 -1 5 -2 (d ), 5 ru l i n g t h at “ t h e p l ead i n g s h o ws

o n it s face s u ch a co m

p l e t e a b s e n ce o f ju s ti ci ab l e i s s ue o f l aw o r fact t hat i t can n ot

r eas o n ab l y b e b el i ev ed t h at an y co u rt co u l d g ran t th e req u es t ed rel i ef ag ai n s t an y

d efen d an t n am ed i n t h e p ro ceed i n g s .” Th i s ap p eal fo l l o w ed

.

W h en rev i ewi ng o n a p p e a l fro m an o rd er d en y i n g t h e fi li n g o f an i n d i g en t

i n m at e’ s pro s e co m

p l ai n t

, we v iew t h e co m

pl ai n t wi t h “ co ns i d erab le in d u l g en ce, an d

a co m p l ai n t s h ou l d n o t b e d i s m i s s ed wi t h o u t fi l i n g u n l es s i t ap p ears b ey o n d d o u b t

t h at t h e p l ai n t i ff can p ro v e no s et o f fact s i n s u p p ort o f h i s cl ai m wh i ch wo u ld en t i t l e

5 OCGA § 9 -1 5 -2 (d ) s t at es i n rel ev an t p art

, [w] h en a ci v i l act io n i s pres en t ed fo r fi li n g u nd er th i s Co d e s ect i o n b y

a part y wh o i s no t rep res en t ed b y an at t o rn ey

, th e cl erk o f co urt s h al l n o t

fi le t h e m at t er b u t s h al l p res en t t h e co m p l ai n t o r ot h er i n i t i al pl ead i n g t o

a ju d g e o f t h e co u r t

. Th e ju dg e sh al l rev iew t h e p l ead i n g an d

, i f th e

ju d g e d et erm i nes t h at t h e p l ead i n g s h o w s o n i t s face s u ch a co m p l et e

ab s en ce o f an y j u s t i ci ab l e i s s u e o f l aw o r fact t h at i t can n o t be

reas o n ab l y b el i e v e d t h at t h e co u rt co u l d gran t an y rel i ef ag ai ns t an y

p art y n am ed in t he p l ead in g

, t h en t h e ju d g e sh al l en t er an o rd er d en y i n g

fi li n g o f t h e p l ead i n g

. . . . An o rd er d en y i ng fi l i n g s h al l b e ap p eal ab l e i n

t h e s am e m an n er as an o rd er d i sm is s i n g an act i o n

.

4h i m to s o m e rel i ef.” 6 W i t h th e s e g u i d i n g p ri n ci p l es i n m i n d, w e t urn n o w t o t h e

Ap p el l an t ’ s s p eci fi c cl ai m o f erro r.

Th e Ap p el l an t arg u es t h at t h e t ri al co u rt erred i n den y i n g t h e fi l in g o f h i s ci v i l

act i on u n d er OCGA § 9 -1 5 -2 (d ). W e ag ree.

Pri o r t o al lo wi n g an i n d i g en t p l ai n ti ff t o fi l e a co m p l ai n t, u n der OCGA § 9 -1 5

-

2 (d ), t h e t ri al co urt m

u s t fi rs t det erm i n e wh et h er t h e f a c t s al l eg ed i n t h e co m

p l ai nt

s t at e a cl ai m fo r rel ief fo r wh i ch t h e p l ai n t i ff m ay reco v er. 7 “ Th e [t ri al ] co u rt can d en y

fi li n g o nl y i f t h e p l ead i ng i s co m p l et el y d ev o i d o f an y ju s t i ci ab l e is su e o f l aw o r fact

.

A co m p l ai n t i s su ffi ci en t i f it p l aces t h e d efen dan t o n n o t i ce of t h e c l a i m ag ai n s t

h i m [.] ” 8

Th e reco rd i s s i l en t as t o t h e reas o n s t h e t ri al co u rt co n cl ud ed t h e Ap p el l an t ’ s

co m p l ai n t d i d n ot m eet t h e t h res h o l d req ui rem en t s o f OCGA § 9 -1 5 -2 (d ). Co n s t ru i n g

t h e al l eg at i o n s of t h e Ap p el l an t ’ s co m p l ai n t i n t h e l i g h t m o s t fav orab l e to hi m

, 9 we

6 Th o m p s o n v. Rei ch er t

, 3 1 8 G a. Ap p

. 2 3

, 24 (7 33 SE2 d 3 4 2) (2 0 1 2 )

(p u n ct u at i o n an d fo o t n o t e o m i t t ed ).

7 G a mb le v. W

a r e Co u n t

y Bd

. o f Ed uc.

, 2 53 Ga. Ap p

. 8 1 9 (5 6 1 SE2 d 8 3 7 )

(2 0 0 2).

8 Id . at 8 1 9 (p u n ct u at i o n an d fo o t n o t es o m it t ed ).

9 See Th o mp s o n , 3 1 8 Ga. Ap p . at 2 5

.

5fi nd th at t h e co m p l ai nt s t at ed ju s t i ci ab l e cl ai m s ag ai ns t th e Ap pel l ees b as ed o n t h ei r

al l eg ed fai l u re t o p ro v i d e h im wi t h a d e q u a t e, n u t ri t i on al

, an d s afel y p rep ared fo o d,

as req u i red b y s t at e l aw an d t he Dep art m en t o f Co rrect i o n s p o li ci es

. 1 0 Th e co m p l ai nt

was al s o ad eq u at e t o as s ert a cl ai m fo r v io l at i o n s o f t h e A p p el l an t ’ s ci v il ri gh t s u n d er

4 2 USC § 1 9 8 3

. 1 1 A l t ho u g h we ex p res s no o p i n i o n as t o t h e m eri t s o f t h e Ap p el l an t ’ s

cl ai m s , we fi n d t h at t h e t ri al co u rt erred i n refu s in g t o fi l e h i s co m p lai n t

. 1 2

Th e Ap p el l ees arg u e, h o w ev er, t h at t he co m pl ai n t m u s t b e di s m i s s ed b ecau s e

t h e Ap p el l an t fai led t o p ro v i d e p ro p er n o t i ce of h is cl ai m s u n d er t h e Geo rg i a To rt

1 0 See i d

. at 2 4 -2 5 (Th e i n d i g en t p ro se d efen d an t ’ s p l ead i n g s t at ed ju s t i ci ab l e

cl ai m s fo r fal s e arres t

, fal s e i m p ri s o n m en t an d c i v i l r i g h t s v i ol at i o n s th at m et t h e

t h res ho l d req u i rem en t s o f OCGA § 9 -1 5 -2 (d ).).

1 1 See W h it l ey v. Al b er

s

, 4 7 5 U. S. 31 2

, 3 1 9 (II) (1 06 SCt 1 0 78

, 89 LE2 d 2 5 1 )

(1 9 8 6) (In o rd er t o st at e a cl ai m fo r cru el an d u n u s u al p u n i s h m en t u n d er t h e Ei g h th

Am en d m en t

, i t i s n o t n eces sary t o as s ert t h at t h e d efen d a n t a c t e d wi th an “ ex p res s

i n t en t t o i n fl i ct un n eces s ary p ai n ,” an d “ h ars h co n d i t i o n s o f co n fi n em en t m ay

co n st i t u t e cru el an d un u s u al p un i s h m en t u n l es s s u ch co n di t i o n s are p art o f t h e p en al t y

t h at cri m in al offen d ers p ay fo r t h ei r o ffen s es ag ai ns t s o ci et y .” Fu rt h er, “ [t ] o b e cru el

an d u n u su al p u n i s h m en t

, co n d uct t h at d oes n o t p u rp ort t o be p u n i sh m en t at al l m u s t

i n v o l v e m o re t h an o rd i n ary l ack o f d u e care fo r t h e p ri s on er’ s i n t eres t s o r s afet y

. . .

. It i s o bd u r a c y a n d wan to n n es s

, n o t i n ad vert en ce o r erro r in g oo d fai t h

, t h at

ch aract eri ze t h e co nd u ct p ro h ib i t ed b y t h e Cru el an d Un u s u al Pu n is h m en ts Cl au s e,

wh et h er t h at co n d u ct o ccu rs in co n n ect io n wi t h es t ab l i s h in g co n d i t i o n s o f

co n fi n em en t

, s u p p l y i n g m ed i cal n eed s

, o r res t o ri n g o ffi ci al co n tro l o v er a t um u l t u ou s

cel l bl o ck .”) (ci t at i o ns an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed ).

1 2 See Th o mp s on , 3 1 8 Ga. Ap p . at 2 5

.

6Cl ai m s Act

, i

. e., h e d i d n o t at t ach t h e req u i red an t e li tem n o t ice an d del i very recei p t s

t o h i s co m

p l ai n t . Th i s arg um en t i s p rem at ure.

Pu rs uan t t o OCGA § 5 0 -2 1 -2 6 (a) (2 ), “ n o p ers o n wh o has a t ort cl ai m ag ai n s t

t h e s t at e m ay b ri n g an act i o n ag ai n s t t he s t at e o n t h a t c l a i m w i th o u t fi rs t g i v i n g

n o t i ce[.] ” 1 3 Yet

, t h e l a c k o f p ro p er n o t i ce do es n ot p rev en t fi l i n g o f t h e co m p l ai nt

u n d er OCGA § 9 -1 5

- 2 ( d ) b ecau s e t h e co m p l ai nt m ay b e am en d ed aft er fi l i n g to

i n cl u d e t h e an t e l it em

n ot ice cert i fi cat i o n

. 1 4

Th e Ap p el l ees al so co n t en d th at t h e t ri al co u rt p ro p erl y refu sed t o fi l e t h e

Ap p el l an t ’ s fed eral ci vi l ri g h t s cl ai m b ecau s e t h e Ap p el l an t h ad p rev i o u sl y fi l ed a

fed eral l aws u i t as s ert i n g t he s am e cl ai m an d as a res ul t

, t h e i n s t an t cl ai m was b arred

b y r e s j u d i cat a. Al t h ou g h t he Ap p el l an t ap pears t o co n ced e t h at h e fi led a fed eral

l aws u i t “ d eal i n g wi t h t h e sam e fact s ,” t h e Ap p el l ees are n o t y et p art i es t o t h e s u i t, s o

1 3 DeFl o r ia v. W

a l ker , 3 1 7 Ga. Ap p. 5 7 8 , 5 8 0 (7 3 2 SE2 d 1 2 1) (2 01 2 ).

1 4 See OCGA § 50 -2 1 -2 6 (a) (4 ) wh i ch s t at es

, An y co m p l ai n t fi l ed p u rs u an t t o t hi s art i cl e m u s t h av e a co p y o f th e

n o t i ce o f cl ai m p res en t ed t o t h e Dep art m en t o f Ad m in i s t rat i ve Serv i ces

t o g et h er wi t h t h e cert i fi ed m ai l o r s t at u t o ry o v ern ig h t d el i v ery recei p t o r

recei p t f o r o t h e r d el i very at t ach ed as ex h ib it s

. If fai l u re t o at t ach s u ch

ex h i bi t s t o t h e co m

p l ai n t i s n o t cu red wi t h i n 30 d ay s aft er t h e s tat e rai ses

s u c h i s s u e b y m o ti o n

, t h en t he co m pl ai n t s h al l b e d i s m is sed wi t h o u t

p reju d i ce[.]

7t h ei r as s ert i o n o f t he affi rm at i v e d efen s e o f res ju di cat a d oes no t au th ori ze t h e co urt ’ s

refu sal t o fi l e t h e i n s t an t s u it

. 1 5

Acco rd i ng l y

, we rev ers e t h e t r i a l c o u r t ’ s o rd er. On rem an d

, t h e cl erk o f t h e

Su p eri o r Co urt o f Tat t n al l Co un t y i s d i rect ed t o fi l e t h e Ap p el l an t ’ s co m p l ai n t

.

Ju d g men t r e v e r

s ed

, a nd ca s e r ema n d

ed wi t h d ir ect i on

. Ba r n es

, P. J., a n d

McMi l l ia n

, J., co n cu r

.

1 5 Th o mp s o n

, 3 1 8 Ga. Ap p . at 2 6

.

8