SECOND DI VI SI ON

A NDREWS, P. J.

, M I LLER and BRA NCH, 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

October 20, 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 84 7 . GUICE v . BROW N.

B R A N C H , J u d g e.

J am es M i ch ael Bro wn an d El l i s W i l l a r d G u i c e

, an em p l o y ee o f t h e Ci t y o f

Ro ck m art

, were in v o l v ed i n a car acci d en t

. Bro wn s u ed Gu i ce, an d Gu i ce m o v ed fo r

s u m m ary ju d g m en t o n t he g ro u n d t h at he was i m m u n e fro m s u i t u nd er Geo rg i a l aw.

Gu i ce no w ap p eal s th e den i al o f h i s m o t i o n fo r s u m m ary ju dg m en t

. 1 As s ho wn b el o w,

we h o l d t h at t h e t ri al co u rt erred b y d en y i n g Gu ice’ s m o t i on

.

Su m m ary ju d g m en t is p ro p er wh en t h ere i s n o gen u i n e i s s u e o f m at eri al fact

an d t h e m o v an t i s en t i t l ed t o j ud g m en t as a m at ter o f law. O CGA § 9 -1 1 -5 6 (c). W e

rev i ew a g ran t o r d en i al o f s u m m ary ju d g m en t d e n o vo an d co ns t ru e t he ev i d en ce in

1 G u i c e was au t h o ri zed t o p u rs u e a di rect ap p eal u nd er t h e co l l at eral o rd e r

d o ct ri n e. See Bo a rd o

f Reg en t s v. Ca n a s

, 2 95 Ga. A p p

. 5 0 5

, 5 0 7 (1 ) (6 7 2 SE2 d 4 7 1 )

(2 0 0 9).t h e l i g h t m o s t fav o rab l e t o th e n o n m o v an t

. Ho me Bu i ld er s As s n

. o f S ava n n a h v.

Ch a t ha m Co u n ty , 2 7 6 Ga. 2 4 3 , 2 4 5 (1 ) (5 7 7 SE2 d 5 6 4 ) (2 0 0 3 ).

Th e p ri n ci p al fact s are n o t i n d i s p u t e. Th e reco rd s h o ws t h at o n th e day o f t h e

acci den t

, Gu i ce w as in st al li n g s t o p s i g n s in Ro ck m art as a part of h i s em p lo y m en t an d

t h at at t he t i m e, h e was d ri v i n g a ci t y o wn ed t ru ck co v ered b y th e ci t y ’ s l i ab i l i t y

i n s u ran ce po l i cy

. Aft er G ui ce fi n i s h ed i n s t al l i n g o n e s i gn l o cat ed n ex t to a p ri v at e

s h o p pi n g cen t er, Gu i ce d ro ve t h ro u g h t h e s h o p p i ng cen t er p ark i n g l ot t o b eg i n h i s tri p

b ack to t h e Ro ck m art Pu b li c W o rk s Dep art m en t

. He cu t t h ro u g h t h e s ho p pi n g cen t er

i n o rd er t o av o i d h eav y t raffi c o n t h e ro ad s an d at an i n ters ect i o n

. Aft er p as s i n g

t h ro u g h t h e s h o p p i ng cen t e r

, G u i ce b eg an t o t u rn ri g h t o ut o f t h e s h o p p i n g cen t er

o n t o Geo rg i a 2 7 8 W es t an d t o cro s s s ev eral l an es o f t raffi c i n an at t em p t t o g et i n to

a l eft t urn l an e fo r t he u p co m i n g i n t ers ect i o n wi t h Geo rg i a 1 01 So u th

. As h e d i d s o,

h e was s tru ck b y a w es t b o u n d v eh i cl e d ri v en b y Bro wn ; Gu i ce d i d n o t s ee Bro wn ’ s

v eh icl e b efo re t he co l l i s i o n an d d o es n o t k n ow wh i ch o f wes t b o un d l an es Bro wn was

d ri v i ng in at t h e t i m e o f t h e co l l i s i o n

. Gu ice’ s em pl o y er t es t i fi ed t hat if an em p l o y ee

p erfo rm ed a cri m i n al act o r t r es p as s ed o n p ri v at e p ro p ert y

, t he ci t y w o u l d n ot

co n si d er t h e em

p l o y ee to b e act i n g wi t h i n t h e s co p e o f h i s em p l o y m en t at th e t i m e o f

2s u c h an act

. An d Gu i ce t es ti fi ed t hat n o o n e g av e h i m p erm i s s i o n t o cr o s s t h e

s h o p pi n g cen t er i n o rd er t o g et t o Geo rg i a 2 7 8.

Aft er d i s co v ery

, Gu i ce m o v ed fo r s u m m ary ju d g m en t co n t en di n g t h at h e was

i m m u n e fro m s u i t an d l iab i l i t y b ecau s e h e was act i n g wi t h i n t he s co p e o f hi s

em pl o y m en t at t h e t i m e o f t h e acci d en t

. Th e t ri al co urt i n i t i al l y g ran ted t h e m o t i o n,

fi nd i ng t h at Gu i ce was act i ng wi t h i n t h e s co p e o f em p l o y m en t

, an d i t o rd ered Bro wn

t o ad d t he Ci t y o f Ro ck m art as a d efen d an t

. Fo l l owi n g a s ub s eq u en t heari n g o n a

m o ti o n fo r co n t em

p t a g a in s t Bro wn fo r fai l u re t o ad d Ro ck m art

, th e t ri al co u rt

v acat ed i ts earl i er d eci s i on an d h el d t h at t h ere w as a gen u i ne i s s u e of m at eri al fact fo r

t h e ju ry ; i t t h erefo re d en i ed G u i ce’ s m o t i o n fo r su m m ary j u d gm en t o n t h e i s s u e o f

i m m u ni t y

. Gu i ce ap p eal s fro m t h at o rd er. He co n t en d s t h e t ri al co u rt erred b y d en y i n g

h i s m o ti o n fo r s um m ary ju d g m en t an d b y f a i l i n g t o fo l l o w t h e fram ewo rk fo r

an al y zi ng t h e i m

m u n it y i s s u e p ro v i d ed i n Al l en Ka n e’s Ma jo r Do d g e v. Ba rn es

, 2 4 3

Ga. 7 7 6 (2 5 7 SE2 d 1 8 6) (1 97 9 ).

Gu i ce as s ert s im

m un i t y b as ed o n OCGA § 36 -9 2 -3 (a) wh i ch p ro v i d es as

fo l l o w s :

An y l o cal go v ern m en t o ffi cer o r em p l o y ee wh o co m

m i t s a t o rt i nv o l v i n g

t h e u s e o f a co v ered m ot or v eh i cl e wh i l e i n t h e p erfo rm an ce of h is o r h er

3o ffi ci al d u t ies i s n o t s u b ject t o l a w s u i t o r l i ab i l i t y t h erefo r. No t hi n g i n

t h i s ch ap t er, h o wev er, s h al l b e co n s tru ed t o g i v e t h e lo ca l g o v ern m en t

o ffi cer or em

p l o y ee i m m u n i t y fro m su i t an d l i ab i l i t y i f i t i s p ro v ed t hat

t h e l ocal g o v ern m en t offi cer’ s o r em p l oy ee’ s co n d u ct w as n o t wi t h i n th e

p erfo rm an ce o f h i s o r h er o ffi ci al d u t i es

.

OCGA § 3 6 -9 2-3 (a)

. T hu s

, h ere, im m un i ty d ep en d s o n wh et h er Gu ice was act i n g

wi t h i n th e s co pe o f h i s em pl o y m en t at t h e t i m e o f t h e acci den t

. Bro wn co n t en d s t h at

t h ere i s an i s s u e o f fact as t o t h is q u es t i o n becau s e Gu i ce t rav el ed acro s s t h e p ri v at e

s h o p pi n g cen t er wi t h ou t p erm i s s i o n an d h i s em p l o y er s t at ed t h at i f Gu i ce p erfo rm ed

a c ri m in al act o r was tres p as s in g o n p ri v at e p ro p ert y

, th e ci ty wo u l d n o t co n s i d er

Gu i ce t o b e act i n g wi t h i n t h e s co p e o f h i s em p l o y m en t at t h e ti m e; Bro w n al s o as s ert s

t h at t h ere i s an i s s ue of fact as t o wh et her Gu i ce’ s v eh i cl e, at l eas t p art i al l y

, was s t i l l

i n t h e p ark i n g l ot wh en t h e acci d en t o ccu rred

. M o re s p eci fi cal l y

, Bro wn co n t en d s

t h ere i s an i s su e of fact as t o w h e t h e r (1 ) Gu i ce was cri m in al l y t res pas s i n g u n d er

OCGA § 1 6 -7 -2 1 (b ) (1 ) at t h e t i m e o f t he acci d en t ; (2 ) G u i ce was g u i l t y o f a

m i s d em ean o r u n d er OCGA § 4 0 -6 -2 0 (e) fo r “ di s reg ard [i n g ] ” t h e t raffi c s i g n al t h at

h e av o i d ed b y d ri v i n g t h ro u g h t h e s h o p p i n g cen t er; an d (3 ) Gu i ce act ed i n vi o l at i o n

o f a ci t y o rd i n an ce an d a Po l k Co u n t y o rd i n a n c e b y i nt erferi n g wi t h t h e p ri v at e

p ro p ert y o f an ot h er b y d ri v i n g t h ro u g h t h e s h o p pi n g cen t er.

4Pret erm it t i n g wh et her an y p o s s i b l e v i o l at i o n of l aw res u l t i n g fro m Gu i ce

d ri v i ng acro s s t h e s h op p i n g cen t er req u ires a co n cl u s io n t h at Gu i ce was act i n g

o u t s i d e t he s co p e o f hi s em p l o y m en t at t h e ti m e, as e x p l a i n ed b el o w, we ho l d t h at

Bro w n has fai l ed t o p res en t an y ev i d en ce o r l eg al au t h o ri t y fo r s u ch a vi o l at i o n

. W e

t h erefo re n eed n o t co n s i d er wh et h er t h ere i s an is s u e o f fact as t o wh et h er t h e acci d en t

o ccu rred fu l l y o n t h e r o ad way o r wh i l e Gu i ce was i n t h e p ro ces s o f ex i t i n g t h e

s h o p pi n g cen t er.

Fi rs t

, Bro wn ’ s arg u m en t s b as ed o n t h e ap p l i cat i o n o f ci t y an d c o u n t y

o rd i n an ces are wi th o u t m eri t

.

C i t y a n d co u n t y o rd i n an ces m u s t b e al l eg ed an d p ro v en i n o rd er t o b e

co n s i d ered b y t h e s u p eri o r an d ap p el lat e co u rt s of t h i s St at e. Th e p ro p er

m et h o d o f p ro v i n g a ci t y o rd i n an ce i s p ro d u ct i on o f t h e o ri g i n a l

o rd i nan ce o r a cert i fi ed co p y t h ereo f.

. . . Nei th er t h e s u p eri o r co u rt s n o r

t h e ap p el l at e co u rt s can ad ju d i cat e a cl ai m o r d e f

e n s e b as ed o n a ci t y

o rd i nan ce u n l es s t h e o rd i n an ce h as b een p ro p erl y p res en t ed

.

W h i tf i el d v. Ci t y o f At l a n t a

, 2 96 Ga. 6 4 1, 6 41 -6 4 2 (7 6 9 SE2 d 7 6 ) (2 0 1 5 ) (ci t at i on s

an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t ted ). See al s o Y o un g er v. Du n a g a n

, 3 1 8 Ga. Ap p

. 5 5 4, 5 5 6 (7 3 3

SE2 d 8 1) (2 0 1 2 ) (“

Nei t h er t hi s co u rt n or t he t ri al co u rt m ay t ak e ju d i ci al n o t i c e o f

m u ni ci p al ord i n an ces [.] ”) (ci t at i o n an d p u n ct u at i o n o m it t ed ). Here, Bro w n fai l ed to

5i n t ro du ce p ro p er ev i d en ce of t he ci t y an d co u n t y o rd i n an ces u p o n w h i ch h e rel i es

.

Acco rd in g ly , an y

arg u m en t b as ed t h ereo n i s wi t h o u t m eri t . Id . at 6 4 2.

Seco n d

, we fi n d n o au t h o ri t y i n s u p p o rt o f t h e co n t en t i o n t h at Gu i ce v i o l at ed

OCGA § 4 0 -6 -2 0 (e), wh i ch p ro v i d es as fo ll o ws :

Th e d i s reg ard or d i s o b ed i en ce o f t h e i n s t ru ct i on s o f an y o ffi ci al

t raffi c-co n t ro l d ev i ce o r s i g n al p l aced in acco rd an ce wi t h t h e p ro v i s i o n s

o f t h i s c h a p t er by th e d ri v er o f a v eh i cl e s h al l b e deem ed p ri m a-faci e

ev i d en ce o f a v i ol at i o n o f l a w

, wi t h o u t req u i ri n g p ro o f o f wh o an d b y

wh at au t h o ri t y

s u ch s i gn o r d ev i ce h as b een erect ed

.

Th e p lai n l an g u ag e o f t h e st at u te d o es n o t s u p p o rt Bro wn ’ s cl ai m t h at Gu i ce v i o l at ed

t h e s t at u t e wh en h e av o id ed an i n t ers ect i on b y t rav el i n g t hro u g h a s h op p in g cen t er.

It can n o t b e s ai d th at b y t rav el i n g t h ro u g h a s h op p i n g cen t er, Gu i ce d i s reg ard ed o r

d i s o b ey ed a t raffi c s i g n al s in ce t h ere i s n o ev i d en ce t h at h e en co u nt ered o n e.

Fi n al l y

, Bro w n co n t en d s t h at Gu i ce was g u i l t y o f v i o l at in g OCGA § 1 6 -7 -2 1

(b ) (1 ), w h i ch p ro v i d es t h at “ [a] p ers on co m m i t s t h e o ffen s e o f cri m i n al t res p as s wh en

h e o r sh e k n owi n g l y an d wi t h o u t au t h o ri t y

. . . [e] n t ers u p on t he l an d o r p rem i s es o f

an o th er pers o n

. . . fo r an u nl awfu l p u rp o s e[.] ” Al t h o ug h Bro wn h as s h own t h at Gu i ce

en t ered u p o n t h e p rem i s es of a s h o p p in g c en t er, Bro wn h as n o t pres en t ed an y

e v i d e n c e t o s h o w t h at Gu i ce d i d so wi t h ou t au t h o ri ty or fo r an un l awfu l p u rp o s e.

6Fi rs t

, Bro wn d id n o t p res en t t es t i m o n y o r o t h er ev i d e n ce t o s ho w t h at th e own er o f

t h e s h o p pi n g c e n t e r p ro h i b i ted s u ch a u s e, su ch as t hat t he o wn er po s ted s i gn s

p ro h ib i t i ng t h ro u g h t raffi c, or th at t he o w n er i n st ru ct ed Bro wn o r an y on e el s e n o t to

d o s o

. T h u s

, t h e s i m

pl e fact t h at n o o n e g av e G ui ce au t h o r i t y t o t rav el acro s s t h e

p ro p ert y o n th at s p eci fi c o ccas i o n i s i rrel ev an t

. No r d id Bro wn p res en t an y Geo rg i a

cri m i n al l aw o r o t h er l eg al au t h o ri ty fo r t h e p ro p o s i t i o n t h at t rav el i n g ac r o s s t h e

s h o p pi n g cen t er wi t h o u t i nt en t t o s h o p t h ere co n s t it u tes an un l awfu l p urp o s e u n d er

t h e l aw. Seco n d, as al read y ex p l ai n ed

, Bro wn h as fai l ed t o p res en t an y ev i d en ce t h at

Gu i ce d ro v e th ro u g h th e s h o p p i n g cen t er wi t h an un l awfu l p u rp o s e. As ex p l ai n ed

,

Bro w n h as n o t s h own th at t rav el i n g t hro u g h th e sh o p p i n g cen t er t o reach a ro ad o n

t h e ot h er s id e o f t h e s h op p i n g cen t er was u nl awfu l i n i t s el f, an d h e h as pres en t ed n o

o t h er ev i d en ce t o s h o w t h at Gu i ce h ad an u n lawfu l p u rp o se b y d o i n g s o

.

In s h o rt

, Bro wn h as fai l ed t o pres en t an y ev i d en ce o r l aw s u ff i ci en t t o creat e

an is s u e o f fact as t o wh et h er Gu i ce was d ri v i ng i n v i o l at i o n o f law wh en h e d ro v e

t h ro u gh the shopping c e n t er t o av o i d t raffi c. Acco rd i n g l y

, Bro wn ’ s s o l e arg um en t t h at

Gu i ce w as act i n g o u t s i d e t h e s co p e o f e m pl o y m en t at t h e t i m e of t h e acci d en t i s

wi t h o u t m eri t as a m at ter o f l aw. Al l o f t h e rem ai n i n g ev i d en ce i n t h e reco rd s h o ws

t h at Gu i ce was act i n g wi t h i n t h e s co p e o f em p l o y m en t at t h e t i m e o f t h e acci den t

. Th e

7t ri al co u rt t h erefo re erred b y fai l i n g t o g ran t Gu i ce’ s m o t i o n fo r s u m m ary ju d g m en t

o n th e g ro u n d t h at he was i m m u n e fro m s u i t an d li ab i l i ty bas ed o n O CGA § 3 6 -9 2 -3

.

Th e d eci s i on b el o w i s rev ers ed a n d t h e cas e rem an d ed wi t h d i rect i o n t o en t er

s u m m ary ju d g m en t in fav o r o f Gu i ce. Gu i ce’ s s eco n d en um erat io n o f erro r i s m o o t ed

b y o u r d eci s i o n

.

J u d g m en t r ever

s ed a n d ca s e r ema n d

ed wi t h d i rect i o n

. A n d

r ews

, P. J., a n d

Mi l l er , J., co n cu r

.

8