SECOND DI VI SI ON

M I LLER, P. J.

, M ERCI ER and C OOM ER, 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

A pr i l 24, 2020



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A2 0 A0 41 2 . M A CON-BIBB COUNTY v . KALASKI.

C O O M E R , J u d ge.

In t h i s i n t erl o cu t o ry ap p eal

, M aco n-Bi b b Co u n t y ap peal s fro m t he tri al co urt ’ s

d en ial o f it s m ot io n fo r s u m m ary ju d g m en t

. M aco n -Bi bb Co un t y co n t en d s t h at

s o v erei g n i m

m u ni t y b arred Ezel l Kal as k i’ s 1 prem is es l iab i li t y l aws u i t ag ai n s t i t

, an d

t h at t h e t ri al co u rt th erefo re erred i n d en y i n g i t s m o t i o n fo r su m m ary ju d g m en t

. W e

ag ree an d rev ers e.

“ On ap p eal fro m t he den i al o r g ran t o f s u m m ary ju d g m en t, t h e ap p el l at e co u rt

co n du ct s a d e n o vo rev i ew o f t h e ev i d en ce t o d et erm i n e wh et h er t h e r e i s a g en u i n e

i s su e o f m at eri a l f

a c t an d wh et h er t h e u n d i s p u t ed fact s

, v iewed i n t h e l i g h t m o s t

fav o rab l e t o t h e n o n m o v in g p art y

, w arran t ju d g m en t as a m at t er o f l aw.” W a t t s v. Ci t y

1 Ap p el l ee’ s n am e al s o ap p ears i n t h e reco rd as “ K al as ki Ezel l .”o

f Di l l a r d

, 2 9 4 Ga. Ap p

. 8 6 1

, 8 6 1 (6 7 0 SE2 d 4 4 2 ) (2 0 08 ) (ci t at io n an d pu n ct u at i o n

o m it t ed ).

So v iewed

, t he ev i d en ce s h o ws t h at Kal as k i was fi s h i n g fro m a d o ck o n Lak e

To b es o fk ee wi t h i n Arro wh ead Park

, w h i ch is o wn ed an d o p erat ed b y Maco n -Bi b b

Co u n t y

. W h en s t ep p ing ba c kw ard s

, K al as k i p art i al l y fel l t h ro ug h t h e d o ck

, s u s t ai n i n g

i n ju ri es

. Th e p art i es d i s p u t e w h et her Kal as k i p ai d i n o rd er t o en t er t he p ark an d fi s h;

Kal as k i cl ai m s h e d i d , wh i l e t h e Co u nt y cl ai m s h e d i d n o t

.

Kal as k i fi l ed t h i s p rem i s es l i ab i l i t y act i o n ag ai n s t M aco n -Bi b b Co u n t y

,

al l eg in g u n d er OCGA § 5 1-3 -1 t h at h e w as an in v i t ee at t he p a r k a n d t h e Co u n t y

fai l ed t o ex erci s e o rd i n ary care i n k eep i n g t h e p rem i s es s afe. In an s weri n g Kal as k i ’ s

co m p l ai n t

, t h e Co un t y as s ert ed t h at i t was en t i t l ed t o s o v erei gn i m m u n i t y

, , an d t h at

i t was en t i t l ed t o t h e pri vi leg e s

, i m m u n i t i es

, an d p ro t ect i o n s of t he Recreat i o n al

Pro p ert i es Act (“ RPA”), OCGA § 5 1 -3 -2 0 et s eq

.

OCGA § 5 1 -3 -2 2 o f t h e RPA p ro v i d es :

Ex cep t as s p eci fi cal l y reco g n i zed by or p ro v id ed in Co d e Sect i on 5 1-3

-

2 5

, an o wn er o f l an d o wes n o d u t y t o k eep t h e prem i ses s afe fo r en t ry o r

u s e b y o t h ers fo r recreat i o n al p u rp os es o r t o gi v e an y warn i n g o f a

d an g ero u s co n d i t io n

, u se, s t ru ct u re, or act i v i t y o n t h e p rem i s es t o

p ers on s en t eri ng fo r recreat i o nal p u rp o ses

.

2Si m i l arl y , OCGA § 5 1 -3 -2 3 p ro v i d es :

Ex cep t as s p eci fi cal l y reco g n i zed b y o r p ro v i d ed in Co d e Sect i on 5 1-3

-

2 5

, an o wn er o f l an d wh o ei t h er d i rect l y o r i n d i rect l y i n v i t es o r p erm i t s

wi t h ou t ch arg e an y p ers on t o us e t h e p ro p ert y fo r recreat i on al p u rp o ses

d o es n o t t hereb y :

(1 ) Ex t en d an y

as s u ran ce t h at t h e p rem i ses are s afe fo r an y p u rp o s e;

(2 ) Co n fer u po n s u ch p ers o n t h e l eg al s tat u s o f an i n v it ee o r li cen s ee t o

wh o m a d u ty o f care i s o wed ; o r

(3 ) As s u m e res p o n s ib il i t y fo r o r i n cu r l i ab i l i t y fo r an y i n j u ry t o p ers o n

o r p ro pert y

cau s ed b y

an act o f o m is s i o n o f s uch p ers o n s

.

K a la ski f ile d a m o ti o n fo r s u m

m ary ju d g m en t

. Kal as ki arg ued th at M aco n -Bibb

Co u n t y was no t ex em

p t fro m p rem i s es l i ab i l i t y un d er t h e RPA b ecau se he pai d a fee

t o t h e Co u n t y p r i o r to h i s ad m i s s i o n t o t h e p ark

. Sp eci fi cal l y

, he rel i ed o n fo rm er

OCGA § 5 1 -3 -2 5 , wh i ch pro vi d ed :

No t h i n g i n t h i s art i cl e l i m i t s i n an y wa y a n y l i ab il i ty wh i ch o t h erwi s e

ex i s ts :

(1 ) Fo r wi l l fu l o r m al i ci ou s fai l u re to gu ard o r warn ag ai n s t a d an g ero u s

co n d i t i o n

, u s e, s t ru ct u re, o r act i v i t y ; o r ( 2 ) F o r i n ju ry s uffered in an y

cas e wh en th e own er o f l an d ch arg es t h e pers o n or p ers o ns wh o en t er o r

3g o o n t he l an d fo r t h e recreat i o n al u s e t h ereo f, ex cep t t h at

, i n t h e cas e o f

l an d l eas ed t o t h e s t at e o r a su b d i v i s i o n t h ereo f, an y co n s i d erat i o n

recei v ed b y t h e o wn er fo r t h e leas e sh al l n o t b e d eem ed a ch arg e wi t h i n

t h e m ean i ng o f t hi s Co d e s ect i o n

.

Th e Co un t y fi l ed a cro s s -m o t i o n fo r s u m m a r y ju dg m en t

, arg ui n g t hat i t was

t o t al l y i m

m u n e fro m s ui t u nd er s o verei g n i m m u n it y

. Th e Co un t y as s ert ed t h at

s o v erei g n i m

m u n it y can o n l y b e wai v ed p urs u an t to a leg i s l at i ve act s peci fi cal l y

p ro v id i n g t h at s o v erei g n i m m u n i t y i s wai v ed an d d es cri b es th e ex t en t o f s uch wai v er,

an d h ere t h e re were no st at ut es t h at wai v ed t h e Co u n t y ’ s s ov erei g n i m m un i t y wi th

res p ect t o t h e i nju ri es al l eg ed b y Kal as k i

. T h e Co u n t y as s ert ed t h at t he RPA d i d n ot

wai v e i t s s ov erei gn i m

m u n i t y

, an d th at t he RPA o n l y l i m i ts l an do wn er l i ab i l i t y an d

d o es n o t affi rm at iv el y es t ab li s h a n y d u t ies

. Reg ard i n g Kal as k i’ s m ot i o n fo r p art i al

s u m m ary ju d g m en t

, t he Co u n ty arg u ed t h at i n l ig h t o f co n fl ict i n g ev i d en ce as to

wh et h er Kal as k i p ai d a fee p ri o r t o h i s a d m i s s io n to t h e park

, t h ere were g en u i n e

i s su es o f m at eri al fact reg ard i n g wh et h er th e RPA ap p l ied t o ex em p t t h e Co u n t y fro m

an y l i ab i li t y

.

Kal as k i res p o n d ed t h at th e Co u n t y was n o t en t it l ed t o s o v erei g n i m m u n i t y

b ecau s e t h e RPA co n s t i tu ted a wai v er o f s o v erei g n i m m u n i ty

. Sp eci fi cal l y

, Kal as ki

4a s s ert ed t h at w h i le co u n ti es are g en eral l y i m m u n e fro m s u it un d er t h e R P A

, i n

en act i n g OCGA § 5 1 -3 -2 5 t h e l eg i s l at u re w ai v ed s o v erei g n im m un i t y an d p ro v i d ed

an ex cep t i o n fo r w h en t he l a n d o wn er ch arg es an i n v i t ee a fee t o u s e t h e lan d

, an d

h ere t he Co u n ty

ch arg ed h i m

a fee.

Fo l l owi n g a h eari n g

, th e t ri al co u rt i s s u ed an o rd er d en y in g each part y ’ s m o t i o n

fo r s u m m ary j u d g m e n t. Th e t ri al co u rt s im p l y co n cl u d ed t h at “ gen u in e i s s u es o f

m at eri al fact s t i l l r e m ai n wi th reg ard t o [Kal as k i ’ s] ad m i tt an ce to t h e s u b ject

recreat i o n al faci li t y .” Aft er t h e t ri al co u rt g ran t ed a cert i fi cat e o f i m m ed i at e rev i ew,

M aco n -Bi b b Co un t y fi l ed an ap p l i cat i o n fo r in t erl ocu t o ry rev i ew, wh i ch we g ran t ed

.

Th i s ap p eal fo l l o wed

.

On ap p eal

, M aco n -Bi b b Co u n t y arg u es t h at i t i s en t i t l ed t o s o verei g n i m m u n i t y

b ecau s e t h e RPA an d i t s ex cep t i o n s

, i n cl u di n g t he ch arg e ex cep t i on of OCGA § 5 1 -3

-

2 5 (2 ), d o n o t co n st i t ut e a w ai v er of s o v erei g n i m m u n i t y

. Th e Co u n t y as s ert s t h at t h e

RPA s i m p l y p ro v i d es t hat l an d o wn ers gen eral l y o we n o d u t y u n d er t rad i t i o n al

p rem i s e s l i ab i l i t y t o u sers o f p ro p ert y m ad e av ai l ab l e t o t he p u b l i c fo r recreat i o n al

p u rp os es ; t h i s b ar to s u i t ap p l i es t o al l l an do wn ers

, p u b l i c an d p ri v at e, an d t h e b ar an d

i t s ex cep ti o n s h av e n o t h in g t o d o wi t h t h e s o v erei g n i m m u n i t y g ran t ed t o t h e St at e,

i t s d ep art m en t s, an d i t s ag en ci es ; an d t h e ex cep t i o ns t o th e RPA o n l y al l o w a p l ai n t i ff

5t o ci rcu m

v en t t h e RPA. Th e Co u n t y co n t en d s t h at t h ere i s n o l an gu ag e i n t h e RPA

ex p res s l y wai v i n g s o v erei g n i m

m u n i t y o r d es cri b in g t h e ex ten t o f an y s uch wai v er,

wh i ch i s req u i red i n o rd er t o fi n d a wai v er o f s o v erei g n i m m u n it y . W e ag ree.

“ [S] o v erei g n i m

m u n i t y e x t e n 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 u n i t y o f t h e s t at e an d i ts d ep art m en ts 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 Gen eral As s em b l y w h i ch s p eci fi cal l y p ro v i d es t h at

s o v erei g n im

m u n i t y i s t h ereb y wai v ed an d t h e ex t en t o f su ch w ai v er.” Ga. Co n s t

. o f

1 9 8 3

, Art

. I, Sec. II, Para. IX (e); s ee al s o G a. Co n st

. of 19 8 3

, Art

. IX, Sec. II, Para.

IX (“ Th e Gen eral As sem

b l y m ay wai ve t h e i m

m u n i t y o f co u n ti es

, m

un i ci p al i t i es

, an d

s ch o ol d i s t ri ct s b y l aw.”). “ Im p l i ed wai vers o f g o v ern m en t al i m m u n i t y s h o u l d n o t b e

fav o red .” No r t o n v. Co b b Co u n t y

, 2 84 Ga. Ap p. 3 0 3

, 3 0 6 (1 ) (6 4 3 SE2 d 8 0 3 ) (2 0 0 7 )

(ci t at i o n an d p un ct u at i o n o m it t ed ). “ A w ai v er o f s o v e rei g n i m m u n it y m u s t b e

es t ab l i s h ed b y t h e p art y

s eek in g t o b en efi t fro m t h e w ai v er. ” M a r s h a l l v. M

cIn t os h

Co u n t y

, 3 2 7 Ga. Ap p

. 4 1 6

, 41 7 (1 ) (7 5 9 SE2 d 26 9 ) (2 0 1 4 ) (ci tat i o n an d pu n ct u at i o n

o m it t ed ).

In No r t on

, t h e t ri al co urt fo u n d th at t h e RPA w ai v ed t h e g o v e r n m e n t ’ s

s o v erei g n i m

m u n i t y

, ap p aren t l y b as ed on the wi l l fu l or m al i ci o u s ex cep ti o n of OCGA

6§ 5 1 -3 -2 5 (1 ). 28 4 Ga. Ap p

. at 3 0 4 -3 0 6 (1 ). Th i s Co u rt h el d th at th e t ri al co u rt erred

i n fi nd i n g an i m

p l i ed w a i v e r o f s o v erei g n im m un i t y i n t h e RPA, ex p lai n in g t h at in

co n tras t t o a s t at u te wh i ch wai v ed s o verei g n i m m u n i t y b y ex p res s l y p ro v i d i n g t h at

a t ax p ay er wh o s e cl ai m fo r refu n d i s d en i ed b y t h e co u n t y “ s h al l h av e t h e ri g h t to

b ri n g an act i o n fo r a refu n d i n t h e s up eri o r co u rt

, ” t h e RPA, “ b y i t s t erm s

, l i m i t s

l i ab i l i t i es o f en t i t i es

, p ri v at e o r p u bl i c, wh i ch al l o w t h ei r pro p ert y t o b e u s ed wi t h o ut

ch arg e fo r recreat i o n al p u rp o s es .” Id

. at 3 0 6 (1 ). W e co n cl u d ed t h at “ th e tri al co u rt

erred i n fi n d i n g t h at th e RPA wai v ed t he s ov erei g n i m m u n i t y of Co b b Co u n t y

, an d

Co b b Co u n t y w as en t i t l ed t o s u m m ary ju d gm en t o n t h i s gro u n d .” Id

. W h il e i n No r t o n

we s p eci fi cal ly an al y zed th e wi l l fu l o r m al i ci o u s ex cep ti o n of O CGA § 5 1 -3 -2 5 (1 )

i n s t ead o f t h e ch arg e ex cep t i o n o f OCGA § 5 1 -3 -2 5 (2 ), n ei t h er ex cep t i o n co n t ai n s

an y l an g uag e ex p res s l y w ai v i n g s o v erei g n i m m u ni t y

, an d o u r an al ys i s i n No r t o n i s

eq u al l y ap p l icab l e t o t h e ch arg e ex cep t io n

.

Th e RPA

– i n cl u d i n g t h e ch arg e ex cep t i o n o f OCGA § 5 1 -3 -2 5 (2 )

– d o es n ot

wai v e M aco n -Bi b b Co un t y ’ s s o v erei g n im m un i ty

, b ecau s e i t l ack s s p eci fi c l an g u ag e

p ro v id i n g fo r a wai v er o f s o v ere i g n i m m u n i t y an d t h e ex t en t o f s u ch wai v er. See

Cu r r id v. DeKa l b S t a t e Co ur t Pr o b a ti o n Dep t

. , 28 5 G a. 1 8 4

, 18 7 (6 7 4 S E2 d 8 9 4 )

(2 0 0 9); s ee al s o Ga. Co n st

. of 1 9 8 3

, Art

. I, Sec. II, Para. IX (e). Th e RPA si m p l y act s

7as a l i m i t at i o n o f l iab i l i t y fo r l a n d o w n ers wh o al l ow o t h ers t o u s e t h ei r l an d fo r

recreat i o n al p u rp o s es , an d t h e ch arg e ex cep t i o n s i m p l y p ro v i d es t h at t h i s l i m i t at i o n

o f li ab il i t y d o es no t ap p ly w h en t h e l an d o wn er ch arg es a fee. In d eed

, OCGA § 5 1 -3

-

2 5 (2 ) p ro v i d es t h at wh en t h e ch arg e ex cep ti o n ap p l i es

, t h e RPA wi l l no t “ l i m i t [] in

an y way a n

y l i a b i li t y wh ich o t h er wi s e exi s t

s .” In l i g h t o f M a c o n -Bi b b Co u n t y ’ s

en t i t l em en t t o so v erei g n i m m u n i t y

, t h ere i s n o b as i s o n wh i ch l i ab il i ty m i g ht

o t h erwi s e ex i s t fo r t he Co u n t y

. Th u s

, M aco n -Bi bb Co u nt y i s en ti tl ed to so v erei g n

i m m u ni t y

, an d t h e t ri al co u rt er red i n d en y i n g Maco n -Bi b b ’ s cro s s m o t i o n fo r

s u m m ary ju d g m en t

.

Ju d g men t r ever sed . Mi l l er

, P. J., a nd

Mer ci er

, J., co n cu r

.

8