FI RST DI VI SI ON DOYLE, C. J.

, PHI PPS, P. J.

, and BOGGS, J.

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 ls .us /r ule s /

Jul y 16, 2015



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 5 A0 54 9

. GEORGIA DEPARTM ENT OF CORRECTIONS v

. GRADY M EM ORIAL HOSPITAL CORPORATION.

A1 5 A0 55 0

. D OUGL AS COUNTY v

. GRADY MEM ORIAL

HOSPITAL CORPORATION.

P H I P P S , Pres i d i n g J u dg e.

Grad y Mem o ri al Ho s p it al Co rp o rat i o n d/ b/ a G rad y Heal t h S y ste m ( “ H ospita l” )

fi led a co m

p l ai n t ag ai n s t t h e Geo rg i a Dep art m e n t of Co rrect io n s (“ DOC”) an d

Do u g l as Co u n ty

, Geo rg i a, s eek i n g p ay m en t fo r em erg en cy m ed i cal care pro v i d ed by

t h e Ho s p i t al t o an i n m at e w h o h ad b een i nju red wh i le h o u s ed at t h e D o u g l as Co u n t y

J ai l

. Th e DOC an d Do u g l as Co u n t y m o v ed fo r s u m m ary ju dgm e nt b as ed o n so v erei g n

i m m u ni t y ; Do u g l as Co u n ty ad d i t i o n al l y m o v ed fo r s u m m ary ju dg m en t b as ed o n t h e

Ho s pi t al ’ s al l eg ed fai l ure to co m p l y wi t h t h e no t i ce p ro v i si o n s o f OCGA § 3 6 -1 1 -1

.Th e t ri al co urt den i ed b o t h defen d an t s ’ m o t i o n s fo r s u m m ary ju d g m en t

. F o r t h e

reas on s t h at fo l l o w, we rev ers e t h e ju d g m en ts

.

On ap p eal fr o m t h e g ran t o r d en i al o f a m o t io n fo r s u m m ary ju d g m en t

, we co n d uct a d e n o v o r e v iew of th e l aw an d ev id en ce,

v i ewi n g t h e ev i d en ce in t h e l i g h t m o s t fav o rab l e to t h e n o n m o v an t

, t o

d et erm i ne wh et her a g en u i n e i s s u e o f m at eri al fact ex i s t s an d wh et h er

t h e m o v i n g p art y

was en t i t l ed t o ju d g m en t as a m at t er o f l aw. 1

Fu rt h er, “ [w] h et h er s o v erei gn i m m un i t y has b een w ai v ed i s a m at t er o f law, wh i ch we

rev i ew d e n o v o .” 2

Th e reco rd rev eal s t h at Sh au n Ho o d was an i nm at e at a DOC s t at e pri s o n wh en

t h e DOC t ran s ferred p h y s i cal cu s t o dy o f Ho od to t h e Do u g las Co un t y Sh eri ff o n o r

ab o ut J ul y 1 0

, 2 0 0 8 p urs u an t t o a s u p eri o r co u rt p ro d u ct i o n o rd er, s o t h at Ho o d wo u ld

b e av ai l ab l e fo r t ri al i n a Do u g l as Co u n ty cri m i n al cas e. Th e p ro d u ct i o n o rd er fu rt h er

p ro v id ed t h at aft er h i s co u rt ap p earan ce, Ho o d was t o b e ret u rn ed b y t h e D o u g l as

Co u n t y Sh eri ff o r hi s d e p u t i e s t o t h e cu s t o d y o f t h e DOC. On o r ab o u t A u g u s t 1 1,

1 W a r n el l v. Un i t ed

Go ver n men t

o f At h en s -Cl a r

ke Co u n t y , 3 2 8 Ga. Ap p . 9 0 3 (7 6 3 SE2 d 2 8 4 ) (2 0 1 4 ) (ci tat io n o m i t t ed ).

2 DeKa l b Co u n t

y v. Ki r kl a n d

, 3 2 9 Ga. Ap p. 2 6 2 , 2 6 5 (7 6 4 SE2 d 8 6 7 ) (2 0 1 4 ) (ci t at i o n om i tt ed ); see Ga

. Dep t

. o f Na t. Res

. v. Cen t er f

o r a Su s ta i n a b l e Co a s t

, 2 9 4

Ga. 5 9 3 , 5 9 6 (1 ) (7 5 5 SE2 d 1 8 4 ) (2 0 1 4 ).

22 0 0 8

, w h i l e h e was b ei ng ho u s ed i n t h e Do ug l as Co u n t y J ai l

, Ho o d was i n j u r e d

.

Do u g l as Co u n ty s h eri ff’ s d ep u t i es t ran s po rt ed Ho o d t o Grad y M em o ri al Ho s p i t al

,

wh ere he rem ai n ed u n t i l Au g u s t 3 1

, 2 0 0 8

. Th e s h eri ff’ s d ep u t ies ret u rn ed Ho o d t o t h e

cu s t o d y o f t h e DOC i n Sep t em

ber 2 0 0 8

.

Ca s e No . A1 5

A0 5 4 9

1

. Th e t ri al co u rt d en i ed t h e DOC’ s m o t i o n fo r s um m ary ju dg m en t o n t h e b as i s

t h at t he s t at e’ s s o v erei g n i m m u n i t y was wai ved u n d er OCGA § 4 2-5 -2

. Th e DOC

co n ten d s t h at t h i s was erro r b ec a u s e , i n t er al ia, OCGA § 4 2 -5 -2 req u i res t h e

g o v ern m en t al en t it y t o h av e p h y s i cal cu st o d y o f t h e i n m at e, wh i ch th e DOC d i d n o t

.

E x cep t as s p eci fi cal l y p ro v i ded in t h i s Parag rap h

, so v er e i g n

i m m u n i t y e x t en d s t o t h e s t at e an d al l o f i t s d ep art m en t s an d ag en ci es

. Th e s o v erei g n i m

m un i t y o f th e s t at e an d i t s dep art m en t s an d ag en ci es

can o n l y b e wai v ed b y an Act o f t h e Ge n eral As s em b l y wh ich

s p eci fi cal ly p ro v i d es t h at s o v erei g n i m m u n it y i s t h ereb y wai v ed an d th e

ex t en t o f s uch wai v er. 3

Th e p art y s eek i n g t o b en efi t fro m a wai v er o f s ov erei g n i m m u n i t y h as t h e b u rd en o f

es t ab l i s h in g t h at s o v erei g n i m m u n i t y h as b een wai v ed

. 4

3 Ga. Co n s t

. 1 9 8 3 , Art . I, § II, Para. IX (e).

4 See Ki r kl a n d , s u p ra.

3Th e H o s p i tal h as co n t en d ed

, b el o w an d o n ap p eal

, t hat OCGA § 4 2 -5 -2

es t ab l i s h es a wai ver o f s o verei g n i m m u ni t y . Th at s t at u t e p ert i n en t l y p ro v id es :

[I] t s h al l b e t he res p o n s i b i l i t y o f t h e g o v ern m en t al u n it

, s u b d i v is i on , o r

ag en cy hav i n g t he p h y si cal cu s t o d y o f an i n m at e t o m ai n t ai n t h e i n m at e,

fu r n i s h in g h im

. . . an y need ed m ed i cal an d ho s pi t al at ten t i o n

. . . . [I] t

s h al l rem ai n t he res p o ns i b i l i t y o f t he g o vern m en t al un i t h av i n g th e

p h y s i cal cu s t o d y o f a n i n m a t e t o b ear t h e co s t s o f s u ch m ed i cal an d

h o s p i t al care, i f t h e cu s t o d y of t h e i n m at e h as b een t ran s ferred fro m th e

d ep art m en t p urs u an t t o an y o rd er o f an y co u rt wi t hi n t h is s t at e.

Th e ci t ed s tat u t e d o es no t es t ab l i s h a w ai v er o f s o v erei g n i m m u ni t y u n d er t h e

ci rcu m s t an ces p res en t ed i n t h i s cas e, b ecau s e Ho od was n o t i n t h e p h y s i cal cu s t o dy

o f t h e DO C at t h e ti m e h e was i n j u red an d tak en fo r t reat m en t at t h e Ho s p i t a l

.

Ph y s i cal cu s t o d y o f Ho o d h ad b een t ran s ferred fro m t h e DOC t o t h e Sh eri f f o f

Do u g l as Co u n ty p u rs uan t t o a co u rt o rd er. U n d er t he ex p res s t erm s o f OCGA § 4 2 -5

-

2 , t h e DOC was n o t res p o n s i b l e fo r t h e co s t s o f Ho o d ’ s m ed i cal care.

Th ere b ei ng no wai v er o f s o v erei g n im m un i ty i n t h i s cas e p urs u an t t o OCGA

§ 4 2 -5 -2

, t h e t ri al co urt erred b y d en y i n g t h e DOC’ s m o t i o n fo r s u m m ary ju d g m en t

b as ed o n s ov erei g n i m

m u ni t y

.

4Ca s e No . A1 5 A0 5 5 0

2

. Do ug l as Co u n ty co n t en d s t h at

, ev en as su m i n g arg u en d o t h at s o v e r e i g n

i m m u ni t y fo r co u n t i es was wai v ed b y OCGA § 4 2-5 -2

, t h e t ri a l c o u rt erred by

co n cl u d in g t h at t h e Ho s p i t al h ad co m p l i ed wi t h t h e no t i ce req u i rem en t of OCGA §

3 6 -1 1-1

.

OCGA § 36 -1 1-1 p ert i n en t l y p ro v i d es : “ Al l cl ai m s ag ai n s t co u n t ies m u s t b e

p res en t ed w i t hi n 1 2 m o n th s aft er t h ey accru e o r b eco m e p a ya b l e o r t he sam e are

b arred .” “ [W ] h i l e t h e

. . . st at u te req u i res s i m p l y t h at a cl ai m be p res en t ed wi t h i n 1 2

m o nt h s , th e cas es h av e h el d t h at s u ch cl ai m s m u s t b e p res en t ed i n w ri t i n g , an d a m ere

o ral s t at em en t i s i n s u ffi ci en t .” 5 “ Fo rm al

, wri t t en n o ti ce i s req u i red .” 6 Th e b u rd en i s

o n t h e p lai n t i ff t o p ro v e t h at i t s u b s t an ti al l y co m p li ed wi th t h e s t at u t e. 7

5 D o ya l v. Dep t

. o

f Tr a n s p

. , 1 4 2 Ga. Ap p

. 7 9

, 8 0 (2 3 4 SE2 d 8 5 8) (1 9 7 7 ) (ci t at i o n s o m i t t ed ). See g en eral l y Bu r t o n v. DeKa l b Co u n t y , 2 0 2 Ga. Ap p

. 6 7 6

, 6 7 7 (4 1 5 SE2 d 6 4 7 ) (1 99 2) (t h e req u i rem en t s o f t h e s t at u t e were su b st an t i al l y co m p l i ed

wi t h wh ere t h e cl ai m an t h ad g i v en t i m el y wri t t en n o t i ce o f th e g ri ev an ce t o t h e

g o v ern i n g au t h o ri t y ).

6 Co b b v. B o a r d o

f Co mmi s si o n er

s & c. , 1 5 1 Ga. A p p

. 4 7 2, 4 7 3 (2 ) (2 6 0 SE2 d

4 9 6 ) (1 9 7 9 ) (ci t at i o n o m i t t ed ).

7 Jo n es v. Ci t

y o f W i ll a co o ch ee , 2 9 9 Ga. Ap p

. 7 4 1

, 7 4 2 (6 8 3 SE2 d 6 83 ) (2 0 0 9 ).

5In i t s ap p el l at e bri ef, t he Ho s p i t al p o i nt s t o t h e fo l l o wi n g as ev i d en ce t h at i t

s erv ed t he req u i red n o t i ce o n Do u g l as Co u n ty : th e Ho s p i t al ’ s d i sco v ery res p o n s e in

wh i ch co u n s el fo r t h e Ho s p it al s t at ed t h at t h e Ho s pi tal h ad s en t a bi l l t o th e Do u g l as

Co u n t y Po l i ce Dep art m en t s h o wi ng H oo d ’ s m ed i cal co s ts ; an un s ig n ed fo rm t i t l ed

“ M e dic a l Co s t Rei m

b u rs em en t Rep o rt

, ” o n wh ich Ho o d ’ s na m e a nd m e d ic a l e xpe nse s

were wri t t en , an d w h i c h D o ug l as Co u n t y ap p aren t l y wo u l d s u b m i t o r wo u l d h av e

s u b m i t t ed t o t h e DOC; a let t er p u rp o rt ed l y w ri t t en b y co u ns el fo r t h e Do u g las Co u n t y

Sh e r i f f t o an o ffi ci al at t h e DOC; a p ri nt o u t o f an em ai l reg ard i n g t he h os p i t al b i l l

,

p u rp ort ed l y w r i t t e n b y co u n s el fo r Do u g l as Co un t y an d d irect ed t o an i n d i v i d u al

wh o s e rel at i o n s h i p t o t h i s cas e was n o t in d i cat ed ; an d w ri t t en s u m m ari es o f p h o n e

co n vers at i on s p u rp o rt ed l y h el d b et ween v ari ou s p art i es reg ard i n g t he m ed i cal b i l l

.

No n e o f t h e d o cu m en t s was s wo rn , cert i fi ed o r o t h erwi s e au t h en t i cat ed

.

Un au t h en t icat ed d o cu m en t s can n o t b e co n s i d ered i n o p p o s i ti o n t o a m o t i o n fo r

s u m m ary ju d g m en t

. 8 In an y ev en t

, th e Ho s p i t al has no t po i n t ed t o an y fo rm al

, wri t t en

8 Co r d el l v. B a n k o

f N. Ga

. , 2 9 5 Ga. Ap p. 40 2

, 4 07 (1 ) (b ) (6 7 2 SE2 d 4 2 9 ) (2 0 0 8); Lee v. CS

X Tr an s p ., 2 3 3 Ga. Ap p . 3 0 , 3 1 (5 0 3 SE2 d 3 0 9 ) (1 9 98 ).

6n o t i ce o f t h e cl ai m th at i t g av e to Do u g l as Co u n t y

. 9 Th erefo re, th e t ri al co u rt erred by

d en y i n g Do u g l as Co u n t y ’ s m o t i o n fo r s u m m ary ju dg m en t

.

3

. In l i g h t o f o u r h o ld i n g i n Di v i si o n 2

, 1 0 we d o no t co n s id er Do u g l as Co u n t y ’ s

co n t e n t i o n t h at i t was en t it l ed t o s u m m ary ju d g m en t o n t h e ad d i t i on al g ro u n d t h at

“ OCGA § 4 2 -5 -2 d o es n o t creat e a cau s e o f act i on ag ai n s t Geo rg i a co u nt i es .”

Ju d g men t s r ever s e d

. D o y l e

, C. J., a n d Bo g

gs

, J., co n cu r f

u l l y i n Di vi s i o n s 1

a n d 3 , a n d co ncu r i n j ud g men t o n l y a s t o Di vi s i o n 2

.

9 See Co b b , s u p ra.

1 0 Su p ra.

7