In th e S u p re m e Co u rt o f Ge o rg ia

De c id e d : Ja n u a ry 1 9 , 2 0 1 6

S 1 5 A1 7 2 2. MOS LEY v . LOWE.

HUNS T EIN, Ju stic e

.

Th is c a se r e q u ire s u s to de te rm in e wh e th e r re c e nt a m e n d m e n ts to th is

S ta te ’s c rim in a l h isto ry re c o rd in fo rm a tio n sta tu te

, OCGA § 3 5-3 -3 7

, a re to b e

a p p l ie d to in fo rm a tio n re g a rd in g a rre sts o c c u rrin g p rio r to th e a m e n d m e nt s ’

e ffe c tiv e d a te

. B e c a

u se th e sta tu te itse lf ma k e s c le a r th a t it d o e s a p p ly to

in fo rm a tio n re ga rd in g a r r e sts p re -d a tin g th e a m e nd m e nts, a n d be c a u se su c h

a p p lic a tio n p re se n ts n o c o n stitu tio n a l p ro b le m , we h o ld th a t th e a m e n d m e n ts to

th e sta tu te d o a

p p ly h e re

. Ac c o rd in g ly

, we a ffirm th e ju d g m e n t o f th e su p e rio r

c o u rt.

In F e b ru a ry 1 9 9 6

, Ap p e lle e Be lin d a Lo we wa s a rre ste d a n d c h a r g e d in

Cla y to n Co u n ty with sim

p le a ssa u lt. Wh e n th e v ic tim th e re a fte r fa ile d to a p pe a r

fo r tria l, th e S ta te m o v e d to n o lle p ro s th e c h arg e fo r wa n t o f p ro se c u tio n , an d

th e c o u rt g ra n te d th e m o tio n in Ma y 1 9 9 6.

In A u g u st 2 0 1 4

, a fte r th e e ffe c tiv e d a te o f re c e nt a m e n d m e n ts to th ec rim in a l h isto ry re c o rd in fo rm a tio n sta tu te

, Lo we a p plie d to th e Cla y to n Co u n ty

S h e riff’s Offic e to h a v e h e r a rre st re c o rd re stric te d p u rsu a n t to OCGA § 3 5 -3 -3 7

(h ). 1 Th e Cla y to n Co u n ty So lic ito r Ge n e ra l d e nie d th e re q u e st, a n d Lo we th e n

p e titio n e d th e su pe rio r c ou rt fo r ju d ic ia l re vie w, n a m in g a s re sp o nd e n ts Cla y to n

Co u n ty S o lic ito r Ge n e ra l Ta sh a Mo sle y an d Cla y to n Co u n ty Sh e riff V ic to r Hill

(h e re in a fte r, c o lle c tiv e ly , “ Mo sle y ” ).

F o llo win g a h e a rin g , th e su p e rio r c o urt d e te rm in e d th a t M o sle y ha d e rre d

in d e n y in g Lo we ’s a

p p lic a tio n. N o tin g th a t its d e te rm in a tio n re ste d o n wh e th e r

th e re c e n t a m e n d m e n ts to OCGA § 3 5 -3 -3 7 we re to b e a p p lie d re tro a c tiv e ly to

p rio r a rre st s , t h e c o u rt h e ld th a t th e Ge n e ra l Asse m bly h a d in te n d e d fo r th e

a m e n d e d sta tu te to a

p p ly to p rio r a rre sts; th a t su c h a p p lic a tio n d o e s n o t v io la te

th e c o n stitu tio n a l p ro h ib itio n o n re tro a c tiv e la ws, se e Ga

. Co n st. of 1 98 3

, Art.

I

, S e c

. I, Pa r. X; a n d th a t, u n d e r th e a m e nd e d sta tu te

, Lo w e wa s e lig ib l e f o r

re c o rd re stric tio n a s to th e 1 9 96 a ssa u lt c h a rg e

. Ha v in g re v ie we d th e re c o rd a n d

th e a p p lic a b le la w , we a g re e with th e su p e rio r c o u rt’s c o n c lu sio n s.

1

. T h e c u rre n t v e rsio n o f OCGA § 3 5 -3 -3 7 wa s e n a c te d a s pa rt o f a

1 As di s cu s s ed b el ow, reco rd “ res t ri ct i o n ” refers t o t h e p ro ces s of p ro t ect i n g fro m p u b l ic acces s i n f

o rm at i on reg ard i n g an i n d i v i d ual ’ s cri m i n al h is to ry

. See OCGA § 3 5 -3 -3 7 (a) (6 ) (d efi n i n g “ res t ri ct i o n ”).

2c o m

p re h e n siv e c rim in a l ju stic e re fo rm e ffo rt sp e a rh e a d e d in 2 0 1 1 b y Go v e rn o r

Na th a n De a l. S e e Me g Bu ic e & Ta m a ra Ga rc ia

, Crim e s & Offe n se s, H B 1 1 7 6

,

2 9 G a

. S t. U. L. Re v

. 2 9 0

, 29 4 -2 9 5 (2 0 1 2 ). S ig ne d in to la w in Ma y 2 0 1 2

,

Ho u se Bill 1 17 6 c o n stitu te d a n o mn ib u s p a c k a g e o f re fo rm s to th e S ta te ’s

c r i mi n al ju stic e la ws a

n d p ro c e d u re s, wh ic h

, in te r a lia

, re p la c e d th e p re v io u s

v e rsio n of OC G A § 3 5

- 3

- 3 7 with th e c u rre n t v e rsio n , e ffe c tiv e Ju ly 1

, 2 0 1 3

.

Ga

. L. 2 0 1 2

, p

. 8 9 9, 9 3 0

, 9 4 9

, § § 6 -2

, 9 -1 (c ). Un de r th e c u rre n t la w, th e

c o n c e pt o f “ re stric tio n ,” wh e re b y arre st re c o rd s a re g e ne ra lly sh ie ld e d fro m

p u b lic vie w, re p la c e s th e c o n c e p t o f “ e xp un g e m e n t,” u n d e r wh ic h su c h re c o rd s

we re d e stro y e d o u trig h t. Co m p are OCGA § 3 5-3 -3 7 (a ) (6 ), with O CGA § 3 5

-

3 -3 7 (d ) (4 ) (2 0 1 2 ). 2

Un d e r th e c u rre n t v e rsio n o f O CGA § 3 5 -3 -3 7

, in d iv id u a ls a re a ffo rd e d

th e rig h t to a

u to m a tic re stric tio n o f th e ir “ c rim in a l h isto ry re c o rd in fo rm a tio n ” 3

2 Sp eci fi cal l y , reco rd s t h at are “ res t ri ct ed ” are “ av ai l ab l e o n l y t o ju d i ci al

o ffi ci al s an d cri m in al ju s t ice ag en ci es fo r l aw en fo rcem en t o r cri m i n al i nv es t i g at i v e
p u rp o s e s o r t o cri m i n al ju s ti ce ag en ci es fo r p u rp o s es o f em pl oy m en t ” an d are
p ro h ib i t ed fro m b ei ng “ d i s cl o s ed o r o t h erwi s e m ad e av ai l ab l e t o an y pri v at e p ers on s

o r b u s i n es s es .” OCGA § 3 5 -3 -3 7 (a) (6 ). Th e Geo rg ia Cri m e an d In fo rm at i o n Cen t er (GCIC), wh i ch co l l ect s an d m ai n t ai ns cri m i n al h i s t o ry reco rd in fo rm at io n o n a s t at ewi d e b as i s , i s res p o n si b le fo r i m p l em en t i n g t h e res t ri ct i o n o f reco rd s

. See i d

. at (h ).

3 See OCGA § 35 -3 -3 0 (4 ) (A) (d efi n i ng “ cri m i n al h i s t o ry reco rd i n fo rm at i o n ”

a s “ i n fo rm at i o n co ll ect ed b y cri m i n al ju s t i ce ag en ci es o n i n d i v i d ual s co n s i s t i n g o f

3p e rta in in g to m o st a rre sts u ltim a te ly e n d in g in n o n -c o n v ic tio n

. OCGA § 3 5 -3

-

3 7 (h )

. 4 A s c o m

p a re d to e x p u n g e m e n t un d e r p rio r la w, re stric tio n is th u s

a v a ilable a s to a b ro a d e r ra n g e o f c rim in a l d isp o sitio n s, with fe w e r e x c e p tio n s.

Co m p a re OCGA § 3 5 -3 -3 7 (h )
- (j), with fo rm e r OCGA § 3 5-3 -3 7 (d ) (2 0 1 2 ).

In a d d itio n , re c o rd re stric tio n g e n e ra lly ta k e s e ffe c t a u to m a tic a lly a s to e lig ib le

a rre sts, se e O CGA § 3 5 -3 -3 7 (h ) (“ [a ] c c e ss

. . . sh a ll b e re stric te d b y th e

[GCIC] ” ), wh e re a s e xp u n g e m e n t w a s a c c o m p lish e d o n ly b y re qu e st, se e fo rm e r

OCGA § 3 5 -3 -3 7 (d ) (1 ) (2 0 1 2 ) (in d iv id ua l “ m a y re q u e st” e x pu n g e m e n t).

As a m e a n s of a d d re ssin g c rim i n al h i sto ry re c o rd in fo rm a tio n p re d a tin g

th e e ffe c tiv e d a te o f th e se a m e n d m e n ts, th e sta tu te e x p re ssly p ro v id e s th a t “ a s

to a rre sts o c c u rrin g b e fo re Ju ly 1

, 2 0 1 3

, a n in d iv id ua l m a y , in w ritin g, re q u e st

th e a rre stin g la w e n fo rc e m e n t a g e n c y to re stric t th e c rim in a l h isto r y r e c o rd

in fo rm a tio n o f a n a rre st.” OCGA § 3 5 -3 -3 7 (n ) (1 ). 5 S u c h re q u e sts a re to b e

ide n tif ia ble de sc r ipti on s an d n o tat i o n s o f arres t s , d et en ti o n s , indic t m e nts, a c c usa tions,
i n fo rm at i o n , o r o t h er fo rm al ch arg es , an d an y di s p o s i t i o n a r i s i n g t h erefro m ,
s en t en ci n g , co rrect i o n al s u p erv i s i o n , an d rel eas e”).

4 Th i s i ncl u d es i ns t an ces i n w h i ch n o fo rm al ch arg es we r e b ro u g h t as wel l as i n s t an ces i n wh i ch

, p os t -i n di ct m en t

, t h e ch arg es were d i s m i s s ed o r n o ll e pro s s ed o r
t h e i n d i v i d u al was acq u it t ed . Id . at (h ) (1 ) & (2 ).

5 Th i s p ro v i s i o n is s u b

ject t o cert ai n ex cep t i o n s , wh i ch are n o t ap p l i cab l e h ere. Id

.

4a sse sse d a g a in st th e e x pa n d e d e lig ib ility c rite ria o f th e a m e n d e d la w. Id

. a t (n )

(2 ) (re q u irin g p ro se c u tin g a tto rn e y to re v ie w re q u e sts to a sc e rta in wh e th e r a rre st

m e e ts c rite ria u n d e r su b se c tio n (h )). Th u s, th e c le ar a nd u na m b ig uo u s te rm s o f

th e a m e n d e d sta tu te p ro vid e fo r its a p p lic a b ility to a rre sts p re -d a tin g th e

a m e n d m e n ts’ Ju ly 1 , 2 0 13 e ffe c tiv e d a te

.

2

. “ Ev e n wh e n th e Ge n e ra l Asse m b ly c le a rly p ro v id e s th a t a la w is to b e

a p p lie d re tro a c tiv e ly

, o u r Co n stitu tio n fo rb id s sta tu te s th a t a p ply re tro a c tiv e ly

so a s to ‘in

ju rio usly a ffe c t th e v e ste d rig h ts o f c itiz e n s.’” De a l v

. Co le m a n , 2 9 4

Ga

. 1 7 0, 1 7 5 (2 ) (7 5 1 S E2 d 3 3 7) (2 0 1 3); se e a lso Ga

. Co n st. o f 1 9 8 3

, Art. I,

S e c

. I, Pa r. X (p ro h ib itin g th e e n a c tm e n t o f e x p o st fa c to an d re tro a c tiv e la ws).

As we re c e n tly m a d e c le a r i n D e a l v

. Co le m a n , on ly rig h ts th a t a re p riv a te in

n a tu re a re c a

p a ble o f v e stin g so a s to im p lic a te t he p ro h ib itio n on re tro a c tiv e

la ws. Id

. a t 1 7 8 -1 8 1

. As we a lso m a d e c le a r in De a l v

. Co le m a n , le g isl a t iv e

sc h e m e s u n de r wh ic h c itiz e n s a r e a ffo rd e d a c c e ss to pu blic in fo rm a tio n

g e n e ra lly c re a te pu blic ra th e r th a n p riv a te rig h ts. Id

. a t 1 8 3-1 8 4

. Ac c o rd in gly

,

su c h sc h e m e s m a y b e m o d ifie d re tro a c tiv e ly with n o c o nstitu tio n a l im pe d im e n t.

Id . a t 1 8 4.

Th e e ffe c t o f th e a m e n d m e n ts to OCGA § 3 5 -3 -3 7 is to e x p a n d th e rig h t

5o f in d iv id u a ls to re stric t a c c e ss to th e ir c rim in a l h isto ry re c o rd in fo rm a tio n a n d

,

c o n c o m ita n tly

, to lim it th e rig h t o f th e g e n e ra l p ub l i c t o g a in a c c e ss to su c h

in fo rm a tio n

. Th e o nly rig h t th a t h a s b e e n i mp a ire d in an y w a y is th e p u b lic ’s

rig h t to a c c e ss in fo rm a tio n

. Be c a u se su c h a rig h t is a p u b lic rig h t, in c a p a b le o f

v e stin g in a n y p a r t ic u la r p e rso n , th e m od ific a tio n o f th is rig h t p o se s n o

c o n stitu tio n a l p ro b le m

. S e e De a l v

. Co le m a n, 2 94 G a

. a t 18 4

. Th e a m e n d e d

v e rsio n o f OCGA § 3 5 -3 -3 7 th u s b o th is in te n d e d to a pp ly a n d pro p e rly c a n b e

a p p lie d to Lo we ’s re c o rd re stric tio n re q u e st.

3

. Th e a m e n d e d sta tu te

, in p e rtin e n t p a rt, p ro v id e s fo r re stric tio n wh e re ,

a fte r in d ic tm e n t o r a c c u sa tio n , “ a ll c h a rg e s we re d ism isse d o r n o l l e p ro sse d .”

OCGA § 3 5

- 3

- 3 7 ( h ) (2 ) (A). Th o u g h c e rta in d isq u a lify in g e x c e p tio n s a re

e n u m e ra te d

, se e id

. a t (i) ( 1 )

, n o n e o f th e se e x c e p tio n s a p p ly he re

. As it is

u n d isp u te d th a t th e 1 9 9 6 a ssa u lt c h a rg e a g a in st Lo we wa s n o lle pro sse d

, a n d a s

su c h d isp o sitio n do e s n o t fa ll with in a n y of th e e x c e p tio ns e n u m e ra te d in

su b se c tio n (i) (1 ) o f th e sta tu te

, Lo we is e lig ib le fo r re c o rd re stric tio n u n d e r th e

c u rre nt sta tu te , a

n d h e r re q u e st sh o u ld h a v e b e e n g ra n te d

. 6

Ju d g m e n t a ffirm e d . All th e Ju stic e s c o nc u r.

6 M o s l ey co n ced ed b el o w t h at

, i f t h e cu rren t v ers i o n o f t h e s tat u t e w ere h el d to

ap p ly , Lo we’ s res t ri ct i o n req u es t s h o u l d h av e b een g ran t ed

.

6