THI RD DI VI SI ON DOYLE, P. J.

, REESE and BROWN, 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.

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C O U R T. A LL FILIN G S M U ST B E S U B M I TTE D WITH IN
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O U R C O U R T R U LE S

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A pr i l 19, 2021



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A2 1 A0 21 0 . RHODEN v

. RHODEN. DO-0 0 8

D O Y LE , Pres i d i n g J u d g e.

Pet ro n a Rh o den

, p ro ceed i n g pro s e, ap p eal s fro m th e tri al co u rt ’ s g ran t o f a

ci v i l res t rai n i n g o rd er t o Carm en Rh o d en ag ai n s t Pet ro n a. 1 Fo r t h e reas o n s t h at

fo l l o w , we rev ers e.

Pet ro n a i s Carm en ’ s n i ece an d was i n v i t ed b y Carm en t o l i v e i n Carm en ’ s

h o m e aro u n d M ay 2 0 1 9 b ecau se Pet ro n a w a s l i v i ng w i t h a p h y si cal l y an d v erb al l y

ab u si v e s p o u s e. In m i d -M ay , Pet ro n a b eg an wo rk i ng at t he res t au ran t o f Carm en ’ s

d au gh t er, Sh aro n Dav i s , b u t Pet ro n a c l ai m ed t hat D av i s was n o t p ay in g h er an d

1 C arm en h as no t fi l ed a b ri ef o n ap p eal

, an d th erefo re, t h i s Co u rt accep t s as
p ri m a faci e t ru e Pet ro n a’ s vers i o n o f t h e fact s

. See S mi t h v. S mi t h

, 3 5 0 G a. Ap p

. 6 4 7,
6 4 8 n

. 2 (8 2 9 SE2 d 8 8 6 ) (2 01 9 ), ci t in g W il d es v. Cl a r k

, 3 4 7 Ga. Ap p

. 3 4 8 n

. 3 (8 1 9
SE2 d 5 1 1) (2 0 1 8). See al s o Co u rt o f Ap p eal s Ru l e 2 5 (b ) (1 ).m ak i n g her wo rk 12 h ou rs a d ay

. A ft er an arg u m en t wi t h Dav i s ab o u t t h e h o u rs s h e

was wo rk i n g , Pet ro n a was t o l d t o l eav e t h e res t au ran t o n J u ne 4

, 2 02 0

. Pet ro n a s t at ed

t h at p ri o r t o t h at in ci d en t

, aro u n d M ay 1 3-1 4

, Carm e n h a d s en t h er a t ex t m es s ag e

d em an d i n g $ 6 0 0 ren t b y

M ay 3 0 o r ri s k ev i ct i o n

.

Aft er t h e i n ci den t at t h e res t au ran t, o n J u n e 8

, 2 0 2 0, Carm en s en t Pet ro n a a t ex t

m es s ag e tel l in g her t h at Carm en h ad ch an g ed t h e l o ck s an d al arm s y s tem co d e at t h e

h o u s e, an d Pet ro n a n eed ed t o co n t act Carm en ab ou t ret ri ev al o f an y p ers on al i t em s

i n t h e h o us e. On J u n e 1 1 , 2 0 2 0 , Pet ro n a wen t i n t o Carm en ’ s h o m e t o ret ri ev e s o m e

i t em s , b u t t h e al arm

wen t o ff, an d Pet ro n a cal l ed t h e p o l ice.

On J u l y 1 2

, 2 02 0

, Carm en fi l ed a Pet i t i o n fo r Tem p o rary Pro t ect i v e Ord er

Un d er t h e Fam i l y Vi o l en ce A ct

. 2 Sh e al leg ed t h at o n Ju n e 4

, 20 2 0, 3 Pet ro n a sl am m ed

a bu t ch er k n ife i n t o a h ead of l et t u ce an d wav ed t h e kn i fe aro u n d at t h ei r res t au ran t

.

Carm en al s o s tat ed th at Pet ro n a s en t h er t h reat en i n g t ex t m es s ag es , d i d n o t s p eak in

a “ l ev el to n e” wi t h h er, s c o l d i n g h er l i k e a ch i l d

. Carm en req ues t ed t h at th e co u rt

o rd er Pet ro n a t o s t ay

away fro m h er res i den ce an d p l ace o f em p l o y m en t

.

2 See OCGA § 1 9 -1 3 -1 et s eq

.

3 C a r m en m i s t ak en ly wro t e 2 0 1 9 i n t he d at e, rat h er t h an 20 2 0

, b ut P e t r o n a ad m i t t ed i n h er ap p el l at e b ri ef t h at t h is ev en t o ccu rred o n J un e 4 , 2 02 0

.

2Th at d ay , th e t ri al co u rt i s s u ed an ex p art e t em p o rary p ro t ect iv e ord er (“ TPO”),

award i n g s o le u s e o f Carm en ’ s h o m e t o h er an d o rd eri n g Pet ro n a, am o n g o t h er t h i n g s ,

t o l eav e t h e res i d en ce an d s u rren d er an y k ey s o r d o o r op en i ng d ev ices t o t h e s h eri ff,

s t ay 1 0 0 y ard s away fro m Carm en , an d no t h av e an y co n t act w i t h Carm en v i a

t el ep ho n e, s o ci al m ed i a, o r ot h er m et h o d

. Th e co urt al s o sch ed u l ed a heari ng o n t h e

m at t er fo r J u n e 3 0 , 2 0 20 , o rd eri n g Carm en an d Pet ro na t o ap p ear.

On J u n e 2 6

, p ro ceed i ng p ro se, Pet ro n a fi l ed a l et t er an d m o t io n t o di s m i s s t h e

TPO p et i t i on , cl ai m i n g t h at Carm en an d Dav i s were w i t hh o l d i n g m o n ey fro m h er jo b

at t h e res t au ran t an d th at Carm en w as ev ict i n g h er wro n g fu l l y fro m t h e h o m e in

v i o l at i o n o f Geo rg i a l an d l o rd / t en an t l aw. On J un e 3 0

, 2 02 0

, t h e co u rt h el d t he h eari n g

o n Carm en ’ s p et i ti o n fo r a TPO. 4 In i t s wri t t en o rd er, t h e t ri al co u rt fo u n d t h at t h ere

was n o t s u ffi ci en t ev i d en ce t o en t er a pro t ect i v e o rd er u n d er OC G A § § 1 9 -1 3 -1 et

s eq ., o r 1 6 -5 -9 4

, b ut t h e co u rt i ss u ed a “ ci vi l res t rai n i n g o rd er” s et t o ex p i re o n

Decem b er 3 0, 2 02 0

. Th e co u rt o rd ered t h at

, i n t er al i a, t h e ex p art e TPO b e d i s m i s s ed

,

t h at Pet ro n a co u l d n o t h av e an y co n t act wi t h Carm en vi a an y t y pe o f co m m u n i cat i o n

m et h o d, t h at Pet ro na co u l d n o t co m e wi t h i n 10 0 y ard s o f Carm en , an d t hat Pet ro n a

4 No t ran s cri p t of t h e h eari n g ap p ears i n t h e ap p el l at e reco rd ; h o wev er, b ecau s e
t h e erro r i s ap p aren t o n th e face o f t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s o rd er, th e t ran s cri pt was n ot

n eces s ary fo r o u r rev i ew.

3m

u st s ch ed u l e a ti m e t o ret ri ev e h er it em s wi t h a co o r d i n a t o r an d b e es co rt ed b y a

s h eri ff’ s d ep u t y

. Pet ro n a n o w ap p eal s fro m t h e J u ne 3 0 o rd er.

“ Th e gran t or d en i al o f a m o t i o n fo r p ro t ect i v e o rd er g en eral ly l i es w i t h i n t h e

s o u n d d i s cret i o n o f t h e t ri al co u rt an d w i l l n ot b e rev ers ed ab s en t an ab u s e o f t h at

d i s cret i o n .” 5

Th e pro ces s fo r ob t ai ni n g a fam i l y v io l en ce p ro t ect i v e o rd er i s s et

fo rt h i n t he Fam il y V i o l en ce Act

, OCGA § 1 9 -1 3 -1 et s eq

. O nce a

p ro p er p et i ti o n h as been fi l ed , t h e Act req u i res t h e t ri al co u rt t o h ol d a

h eari n g wi t h i n 30 d a ys a f t e r t h e fi l in g o f t h e p et i t i o n , at wh i ch th e

p et i t i o n er m

us t p ro v e t h e al l eg at i o n s o f th e p et i t i o n by a p rep o n d eran ce

o f t h e ev i den ce as i n o t h er ci v i l cas es

. 6

Th e p ro t ect i v e o rd er m ay b e p u t i n t o effect fo r u p to a y ear an d m ay l at er b e ex t en d ed

o r m ad e p erm an en t aft er a s u b s eq u e n t h eari n g

. 7 Si m il arl y , u p o n t h e p et i t i o n er

es t ab l i s h in g s t al k in g by t h e res p on d en t by a p rep on d eran ce o f t h e ev i d en ce, a

p ro t ect i v e o rd er can be p u t i n p l ace fo r u p t o a y ear an d ren ewed t h ereaft er. 8

5 (Pu n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed .) Li t t l e v. Bo o ker

, 34 6 Ga. Ap p

. 3 0 5 (8 1 6 SE2 d 1 4 8 ) (2 0 1 8), q u ot i ng Pi l ch er

v. S t ri b l i ng , 2 8 2 Ga. 1 6 6 , 1 6 7 (6 4 7 SE2 d 8 ) (2 0 0 7 ).

6 W i l d es , 3 4 7 Ga. Ap p . at 3 4 8 , n . 4 , ci t in g OCGA § 1 9 -1 3 -3 (c)

7 OCGA § 1 9 -1 3-4

.

8 See Li t t l e , 3 4 6 Ga. Ap p . at 3 0 6 (1 ). See al so OCGA § 1 6 -5 -9 4

.

4As an i n i t i al m at t er, Pet ro n a’ s ap p eal i s n o t m o o t

. 9 M o reo v er, d es p i t e t h e l ack

o f t h e h eari n g t ran scri p t

, we m ay rev i ew wh et h er Carm en ’ s p et it i o n was p ro p erl y

g ran t ed b ecau s e t h e l eg al erro r a p p e a r s o n t h e face o f th e t ri al co u rt ’ s o rd er. 1 0 Th e

co u rt s p eci fi cal l y fo u n d t h at t h ere was i n s u ffi ci en t ev i d en ce t o s u p p o rt a p ro t ect i v e

o rd er aft er t h e heari n g

. N ev ert h el es s , t h e t ri al co u rt t h en i m p o s ed t h e s am e co n d i t i on s

o n Pet ro n a t h at i t wo u l d h av e b een au th o ri zed t o do u n d er O CGA § 1 9 -1 3-1

, et

. seq .,

o r OCGA § 16 -5 -9 4 u nd er th e n o m en cl at u re o f a “ ci v i l r e s t rai n i n g ord er.” W i t h o ut

a fi n d i n g o f t he ap pro pri at e ev i d en ce, h o wev er, t h e co u rt was n o t au t h o ri zed t o d o s o.

In ord er fo r t h e t ri al co u r t t o g r a n t a p ro tect iv e ord er, OCGA §

1 9 -1 3 -3 (c) p ro v i d es t h at t h e p et it i o n er fi rs t p ro v e th e al l eg at i o n s o f th e

p et i t i o n b y a “ p rep o n deran ce o f t h e ev id en c e.” Ab sen t p ro o f b y a

p rep on d eran ce o f t h e ev i d en ce, th e s t at ut e d o es n o t au t h o ri ze t h e co u rt

t o p ro vi de an y rel i ef wh at s o ev er. Th u s , i t i s ax i o m at i c t h at wh ere th e

t ri al co u rt fi n d s i n s u ffi ci en t ev i d en ce t o s u p p o rt t h e pro t ect i v e o rd er, i t

n o l o n g er h as t h e au t h o r i t y t o i m po s e

— or t o co n t i n u e

— an ci l l ary

rel i ef s u ch as [t he n o c o n t act p ro v is io n h ere]

, b ecau s e t h e tri al co u rt ’ s

9 See S mi t h

, 3 5 0 G a. A p p. at 64 9 n

. 5 (ex p l ai n i ng t h at al t h o ug h t he 1 2 -m o n th

p ro t ect i v e o rd er h ad ex p i red

, erro rs i n th e t ri al co u rt ’ s o rd er were no t m o o t b ecau s e
t h ey were cap ab l e o f rep et i t i o n b u t l i k el y to ev ad e rev i ew), c i t i n g P a te v. S a d l o ck

, 3 4 5 Ga. Ap p

. 5 9 1

, 5 9 4 (1 ) (a) (8 1 4 SE2 d 7 6 0 ) (2 0 1 8 ); El gi n v. S wa nn , 3 1 5 G a. Ap p. 8 0 9

, 8 10 (1 ) (7 2 8 SE2 d 3 2 8 ) (2 0 1 2 ); Wh i t e v

. R a i n es , 3 3 1 Ga. Ap p

. 8 53

, 8 5 4 n

. 1 (7 7 1 SE2 d 5 0 7 ) (2 0 1 5 ) .

1 0 See S mi t h

, 3 5 0 Ga. Ap p . at 6 49 n . 3

.

5au t h ori t y t o [i m p o s e t h at p ro h i b i t i o n ] ex i s t s on l y wh en i t h as d et erm i n ed

t h at t h e ev i d en ce s u pp o rt s t h e u n d erl y in g p r o t ect i v e o rd er i t s el f.

[Becau s e] th e t ri al co urt s p eci fi cal ly fo u n d [at t h e h eari n g ] t h at th e

ev i d en ce w as in su ffi ci en t t o s u p p o rt t h e [ex p art e p ro t ect i ve o rd er]

, th e

t ri al co urt l ack ed au t h o ri t y t o d irect [Pet ro n a t o c o m p l y w i th th e

p ro v i s i o n s o f t h e “ ci v il res t rai n i n g o rd er”]

. 1 1

Th e s am e req u i rem en t s ap p l y t o p ro t ect i v e o rd ers i s s u ed p u rs uan t t o O CGA § 1 6 -5

-

9 4

. 1 2 Becau s e th e rel i ef s o u gh t b y Carm en was p res en ted o n ly u n d er t h es e st at u t o ry

au t h o ri zat i o n s , t he co u rt ’ s fi n d i n g o f i n s u ffi ci en t ev i den ce t o s u p po rt t h e p ro t ect i v e

o rd er req u i red t h e co u rt t o d i s m i s s Carm en ’ s p et i ti o n

.

Ju d g men t r ever sed . Rees e a n d

Br o wn , JJ., co ncu r

.

1 1 (Fo o t n o t e an d em

p h as i s o m it t ed .) No r ma n v. Do by

, 3 2 1 Ga. A p p

. 12 6

, 1 3 0 (2 ) (7 41 SE2 d 2 93 ) (2 0 1 3 ).

1 2 See Pi lch er , 28 2 Ga

. at 1 6 7 -1 6 8 (rev ers i n g g ran t o f a p ro t ect i ve o rd er b e cau s e n o ev i d en ce o f s tal k i n g was pres en t ed ); Du r r a n ce v. Sch a d

, 3 4 5 Ga. Ap p. 8 2 6

, 83 0 -8 3 1 (2 ) (a) (8 1 5 SE2 d 16 4 ) (2 0 1 8 ) (rev ers in g a g r a n t o f at to rn ey fees

p u rs u an t t o t h e s t al k i n g p ro tect i v e o rd er s t at u te b ecau s e t h e t ri al co u rt fo u n d t h at t h e
p et i t i o n er fai l ed t o p res en t ev i d en ce o f s t al k i n g b y t h e res p o nd en t ).

6