FI FTH DI VI SI ON

M CFA DDEN, P. J.

, M CM I LLI A N and GOSS, 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 14, 2019



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 9 A0 35 2

, A1 9 A0 5 3 2. BRILEY-HOL M E S v

. HILL; an d v ice

v ers a. GS-0 1 3

G O S S , J u d g e.

Th es e co m

p an i o n ap peal s ari s e fro m a co n t em p t ad ju d i cat i o n ag ai ns t Sh an n o n

Bri l ey -Ho l m es en t ered in th e co u r s e o f p o st -ju d g m en t p ro ceed i ng s

. In Cas e No

.

A1 9 A0 35 2

, Bri l ey-Ho l m es as s ert s t h at t h e tri al co u rt erred w h en it o rd ered h er

i n carcerat ed fo r co n t em

p t an d w h en i t den i ed her m o t i o n t o s et as i d e t h at ju d g m en t

.

In Cas e No

. A1 9 A0 5 3 2, Do n Hi l l arg u es t h at th e t ri al co u rt erred wh en it d en i ed h i s

m o ti o n t o di s m i ss Bri l ey -Ho l m es ’ s n o t i ce o f ap p eal b ecau se t h ere was n o ev i d en ce

t o s h o w wh y Bri l ey -Ho l m es fai l ed t o fi l e h er affi d av i t o f i n di gen ce in a t i m el y way

.

Becau s e Bri l ey -Ho l m es h as fai l ed t o reb u t o u r l aw’ s p res um p t i o n t h at a m o re t h an 3 0

d ay d el ay b et ween h er co n s t ru ct i v e n o t i ce of th e co s ts as s oci at ed wi t h p rep ari n g t h eap p el l at e reco r d a n d t h e fi l in g o f her affi d av i t i s u n reas o nab l e an d i n ex cu s ab l e, we

rev ers e i n Cas e No

. A1 9A0 5 32 an d d is m i s s Cas e No . A1 9 A0 3 5 2 as m o o t

.

A t ri al co u r t m a y d i s m is s an ap p eal

, aft er no t i ce an d an o p p o rt u n i t y fo r a

h eari n g

,

wh ere t h ere h as b een an u n r ea s o n a b le d el a y i n t h e t ran s m i s s i o n o f th e

reco rd t o t h e ap p el l at e co u rt

, an d it i s s een th a t t h e d el ay w as

i n e x c u s a b l e a n d was ca u s ed b y a f a i l u r e o f a p a rt y t o p a y co s t s i n th e

t r ia l co u r t o r f il e a n a f f i d a vi t o f i n d i g en ce ; p ro v id ed

, ho wev er, t h at n o

ap p eal s hal l b e d i sm i s s ed fo r fai l u re t o p ay co s t s i f co s t s are p ai d wi t h i n

2 0 d ay s (ex cl u s i v e of Sat u rd ay s, Su n d ay s

, an d leg al h o l i d ay s ) o f recei p t

b y t h e ap p el l an t o f n ot ice, m ai l ed b y reg i s t ered o r cert i fi ed m ai l o r

s t at u t o ry o v ern i g h t d el iv ery , o f t h e am o un t o f co s ts

.

(Em p h as i s s u p p l ied .) OCGA § 5 -6 -4 8 (c). T h e s t at u t e “ req u ires t h e t r i a l c o u r t to

d et erm i n e t h e len g t h o f t h e d el ay

, t h e reas o ns fo r t h e d el ay

, wh et h er t h e ap p eal i n g

p art y cau s ed t h e d el ay

, an d wh et h er t he d el ay was i n ex cu s ab le, an d th en t o ex erci s e

d i s cret i o n i n d e c i d i n g wh et h er t o d i s m is s th e ap p eal .” (Fo o t n o t e an d pu n ct u at i o n

o m it t ed .) Cen t r a l Ga

. Dev. Gr o u p v. S yn o vu s Ba nk

, 3 2 0 Ga. Ap p

. 8 9 3

, 8 9 4 (7 4 0 SE2 d

8 1 2 ) (2 0 1 3 )

. We t h u s rev i ew a t ri al co u rt ’ s d eci s io n t o g ran t o r d en y a m o t i o n to

d i s m i s s an ap p eal fo r fai l u re to p ay co s t s on l y fo r an ab u s e o f d i s cret i on

. Id

. W h en a

p a r t y f ai ls t o pres en t an y ex p l an at i o n fo r a fai l u re t o t i m el y p ay co s t s o r fi l e an

2affi d av i t o f i n d i gen ce, ho wev er, t h e t ri al co u rt l ack s an y d i scret i o n an d i s req u i red to

d i s m i s s t he ap p eal

. Leo n ar d v. Og n i o

, 2 0 1 Ga. Ap p

. 2 6 0

, 2 6 1 (4 1 0 SE2 d 8 1 4) (1 9 9 1 )

(rev ers in g a t ri al co u rt ’ s d en ial o f a m o t i o n t o d i s m i s s an ap p eal fo r fai l u re t o p ay

co s t s wh en t h e p art y o p p o s i n g t h e m o t i o n “ fai l [ed ] to p res en t an y ex p lan at i on fo r t h e

d el ay ”).

Bri l ey -Ho l m es h as n o t f

i l e d a cro s s -ap p el l ee’ s b ri ef in Cas e No

. A1 9 A0 5 3 2,

wi t h t h e res u l t t h at we are en t i t l ed t o accep t H i l l’ s st at em en t o f fact s as t ru e. Co u rt o f

Ap p eal s Ru le 2 5 (b ). T h e rel ev an t fact s are u n d i s p u t e d

, h o wev er. On Feb ru ary 8,

2 0 1 8

, t h e t ri al co u rt fi l ed a j u d gm en t fi n d i n g Bri l ey -Ho lm es i n co n t em p t o f co u rt fo r

fai l i n g t o res p o n d t o H il l’ s p o s t-ju d g m en t i n t erro gat o ri es an d d en y i n g h er m o t i o n to

s et as i de an earl i er o rd er of i n carcerat i on ari s i n g fro m t h e s am e su b j ect m at t er. 1 On

M arch 9

, 2 0 1 8, Bri l ey -Ho l m es fi l ed a n o t i ce o f ap p eal fro m t h is ju d g m en t ; o n M arch

1 2

, s h e fi led an am en d ed n o ti ce o f ap p eal

. On Ap ri l 2 3

, 2 0 1 8

, t h e Fu l t o n Co un t y St at e

Co u rt Cl erk ’ s o ffi ce s en t n o t i ce t o Bri l ey -Ho l m es t h at s h e was req u i red to p ay $ 1 7 5 0,

“ t h e co s t o f p rep ari n g t h e fi le t o g o t o t h e Geo rg i a Co urt o f A p p eal s

, ” wi t h in 2 0 day s

“ ex cl u s i v e o f week en d s an d l eg al h o l i d ay s aft er recei v i n g t h i s b i l l

. . . o r [h er] ap p eal

1 Th e co urt h ad p rev i ou s l y fo u n d Bri l ey -Ho l m es i n co n t em p t i n Au g u s t 2 0 1 6.

Su b s eq u en t l y

, i n Ju n e 2 01 8

, s h e was di s b arred as a n a t t o r n e y i n Geo rg i a. See In r e

Br i l ey-Ho l m es , 3 0 4 Ga. 1 99 , 2 0 8 -2 0 9 (8 1 5 SE2 d 5 9 ) (2 0 1 8).

3m ay b e s u b

ject t o d is m i s s al .” Th e n o t i ce was s en t v i a cert i fi ed m ai l t o Bri l ey -Ho l m es

at h er ad d res s of reco rd

, an d st am p ed recei ved t h ere as a “ fi rs t n ot i ce” o n Ap ri l 2 6,

b u t was ret u rn ed t o t h e cl erk ’ s o ffi ce as “ u ncl ai m ed ” o n M ay 3 0

.

On J u n e 1 1

, 2 0 1 8

, Bri l ey -Ho l m es f i l ed an affi d av i t o f i n d i gen ce s t at i n g h er

t h en -cu rren t i n co m e an d ex p en s es a n d t h at s h e was “ u n ab le t o pay an y co s t s i n t h e

fo reg o i n g m at t er.” T h e affi d av i t co n t ai n ed no referen ce t o o r ex p l an at i o n o f an y

d el ay

, h o wev er. On th e s am e d ay

, Hi l l m o v ed t o d i s m is s t h e a p p e a l du e t o Bri l ey

Ho l m es ’ s fai l u re t o fi l e a t im el y affi d av i t of i nd i gen ce. Bri l ey -Ho l m es d i d n o t fi l e an y

o p p o s i t i o n t o Hi l l ’ s m o ti o n an d d i d no t req u es t a h eari n g

. 2 On Au gu s t 31

, 2 0 1 8

, t h e

t ri al co u rt d en i ed Hi l l’ s m o t i o n wi t h o u t ex p l an at i o n

. Th is cro s s -ap p eal fo l l o wed

.

Al t h ou g h OCGA § 5 -6 -4 8 (c) g i v es a “ s afe h a r b o r ” o f 20 d ay s (ex cl u s i v e o f

Sat u rd a ys

, Su n d ay s, an d l eg al h o l i d ay s) i n wh i ch a p art y m ay p ay co s t s o r fi l e an

affi d av i t o f i nd i g en ce, t h i s Co u rt h as l o n g hel d t h at “ ‘ a d el ay o f m o re t h an 30 d ay s in

p ay i n g co s t s i s p ri m a faci e u n reas o n ab le an d i n ex cu sab l e.”’ Leo n a r d

, 2 0 1 Ga. Ap p.

2 See Un i fo rm Su p eri or Co u rt Ru l e 6. 3 ( “ U nles s o t h erwi s e o rd ered b y t h e co u rt

, al l m o ti o n s i n ci vi l act i o n s, i n cl u d i n g t ho s e fo r s um m ary ju dg m en t

, s h al l b e d eci d ed

b y t h e c o u rt wi t h o u t oral h eari n g

, ex cep t m ot i o n s fo r n ew t ri al an d m o t i o n s fo r

ju d g m en t n o t wi t h st an d i n g t h e v erd i ct ”); W o r ley v. W

i n t er Co n s t

. Co

., 3 0 4 Ga. Ap p.

2 0 6

, 2 0 8 (2 ) (6 9 5 SE2 d 65 1 ) (2 0 1 0 ) (“ Un d er USCR 6 .3

, a m o t i o n t o d i s m i s s can b e

d eci d ed w i t h o u t o ral h eari n g”).

4at 26 1

, q u o t i n g Un i f u n d Gen er a l v. Or r

, 1 9 1 G a. Ap p

. 83 6

, 8 3 7 (1 ) (3 8 3 SE2 d 1 9 9 )

(1 9 8 9); s ee al s o B o u l d i n v. Pa r ker

, 1 7 3 Ga. Ap p

. 5 2 6

, 5 2 6 (1 ) ( 3 2 7 S E2 d 7 6 0 )

(1 9 8 5). “ [An ] i n feren ce ari s in g fro m [a] m o re t h an 3 0 d ay del ay i n p ay i n g co s t s i s n ot

co n cl u s i v e an d m ay b e reb u t t ed b y ev i den ce p res en t ed b y an o p po s i ng p art y ,” wh i ch

wo u l d rai s e a fact u al is s u e t o b e res o l ved t h ro ug h a n e x erci s e o f t h e t ri al co urt ’ s

“ b ro ad d i s cret io n .” (Ci t at io n s o m i t t ed .) Leo n a r d

, 2 0 1 Ga. Ap p

. at 2 6 1. Bu t a p art y

s eek i n g t o ap p eal a ju d g m en t wh o wai t s m o re t h an 3 0 d ay s to p ay co s t s o r t o fi l e an

affi d av i t o f i n d i g en ce m

u st p ro v i d e an “ ex p l an at i o n fo r th e d el ay ” i n o rd er t o av o id

d i s m i s s al . Id

.

Th i s n o t i c e o f co s t s w as recei v ed at Bri l ey -Ho l m es ’ s l as t kn o wn ad d res s o n

Ap ri l 2 6

, 3 an d s h e fi l ed h er affi d av i t o f i n d ig en ce o n J u ne 1 1. “ A refu s al t o accep t a

l et t er d e l i v e r e d t o t h e p ro p er ad d res s w i t h ad eq uat e po s t ag e i s th e eq u iv al en t o f

recei p t o f n o t i ce.” See Cr en s h a w v. Ga

. Un d er wr i t i n g As s n

. , 2 0 2 G a. Ap p. 6 1 0

, 6 1 1

(1 9 9 2) ( w h o l e c o urt ) (u nd er O CGA § 5 -6 -4 8 (c), a n ot i ce o f co s t s m ai l ed b y a t ri al

co u rt creat ed a reb u t t ab l e p res u m p t i o n t h at co un s el h ad recei v ed t h e n o t ice).

3 Th e fact t h at t h e l et t er was ev en t u al l y ret u rn ed as “ u n c l a i m e d ” d o es n ot

co n trad i ct t h e ev i d en ce t h at i t was s t am p ed as recei ved o n Ap ri l 2 6

.

5Here, 4 6 d ay s pas sed b et ween Bri ley -Ho lm es ’ s co n st ru ct iv e recei p t o f n o t i ce

at her ol d ad d res s an d t h e fi l i n g o f h er affi d av i t o f i n d i g en ce

– a d el ay

, “ p ri m a faci e

u n reas o nab l e an d i n ex cu s ab l e[,] ” fo r wh i ch s h e h as p ro v i d ed n o ex p l an at i o n

, ei t h er

b el o w o r o n ap p eal

. Leo n a r d

, 2 0 1 Ga. Ap p. at 2 6 1 ; s ee al s o Cr en s h a w

, 2 0 2 Ga. Ap p.

at 6 1 1 (i n t h e ab s en ce o f reb u t t al ev i d e n ce t h at p l ai n t i ff’ s co un s el d i d n o t recei v e a

l et t er, “ th e p res u m

p t i o n s t an d s ” t h at s h e d id recei v e i t ). “ In v i ew of t h e m ore t h an 3 0

d ay del ay i n t h e p ay m en t o f co s t s an d t h e ab sen ce o f an y ev i d en ce as t o wh y t h e d el ay

o c c u rred

, t h e tri al co u rt was n o t au t h o ri zed t o ex erci s e it s d i scret i o n an d den y t h e

m o ti o n t o d i s m i s s [Bril ey -Ho lm es ’ s ] n o ti ce of ap p eal .” Leo n a r d

, 20 1 Ga. Ap p

. at 2 6 1.

Becau s e Bri l ey -Ho l m es p ro v id ed t h e t ri al co u rt n o ex p l an at i o n o r ev i den ce as t o t h e

d el ay

, t he t ri al co u rt h ad no t h i n g u po n wh i ch i t co u l d ex erc i s e d i s cret i o n

. W e

t h erefo re rev ers e t h e d en i al o f H i ll ’ s m o ti o n t o d i s m i s s t h i s ap p eal

. Id

. ; s ee al s o Fu n

Fi t En t er p r i s es v. Ha l

p er n En t er

p r i s e s

, 2 7 3 Ga. Ap p

. 68 5

, 6 86 (6 1 6 SE2 d 4 6 6 )

(2 0 0 5) (i n an ab s en ce o f a n y e x p l an at i o n fo r a 57 -d ay d el ay fro m recei p t o f a t ri al

co u rt ’ s n o t i ce co n cern in g an ap p el l an t ’ s co s ts t o t h e pay m en t of t h o s e co s t s

, t h e t ri al

co u rt erred i n d en y in g a m o t i o n t o d i s m i s s t h e ap p eal ).

In l i gh t o f t h e fo reg o i n g

, we d i s m i s s Cas e No

. A1 9 A0 35 2

, w h i ch ad d res s es t h e

m eri t s o f t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s co n tem p t o rd er, as m o o t

.

6Ju d

g men t r ever

s ed i n Ca s e No

. A1 9

A0 5 3 2 ; a p pea l d i s mi s s ed i n Ca s e No

.

A1 9 A 0 3 5 2

. McFa dd

en , P. J., a n d

McMi l l i a n, J., co n cu r

.

7