FOURTH D I VI SI ON

DI L LA RD, P. J.

, M ERCI ER and M A RKLE, 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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. ga a ppe a ls .us /r ule s

M ar ch 9, 2022



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A2 1 A1 31 3

. W ILLIAM S, III et al

. v

. G E ORGIA PORTS

AUTHORITY et al

.

M E R C I E R , J u dg e.

M at t h ew W i l l i am s an d Lat o y a W i l l i am s fi l ed a co m p l ai nt i n t h e St at e Co u rt o f

Ch at ham Co u n t y ag ai n s t t h e Geo rg i a Po rt s Au t ho ri t y (“ Po rt s Au t h o ri t y ”) an d J o s h u a

M i l ler, al l eg i n g t h at M i l l er act ed n eg l ig en t ly wh i l e in t h e co u rs e an d s co p e o f h i s

em pl o y m en t wi th t h e Po rt s Au t h ori t y , cau s i ng i n ju ry t o M a t t h ew. M i l ler fi l ed a

m o ti o n t o d i s m i s s , cl ai m i n g t hat h e was p ro t ect ed b y s o v erei g n i m

m u n i t y . Th e t ri al

co u rt ag reed an d g ran t ed M i l l er’ s m o t i o n

. 1 In t h ei r s o l e e n u m erat ed erro r, t h e

W i ll i am s es arg u e th at t h e t ri al co u rt erred b y d is m i s s i n g t h ei r fed eral m ari t i m e cl ai m

1 Th e tri al co urt al s o s i g n ed a cert i fi cat e fo r i m m ed i at e rev i e w , a n d M at t h ew

s u b s eq u en t l y fi l ed an ap p l i cat io n fo r in t erl o cu t o ry ap p eal

, wh ich we g ran t ed

. See

Cas e No . A2 1I0 15 2

.ag ai n s t M il l er in h i s i n d i v i d u al cap aci t y

. Fi n d i ng t h at Mi l l er i s no t e n t i t l ed to

El ev en th Am en d m en t i m m u n i ty fo r t h e W i l l i am s ’ s m ari t i m e cl ai m 2

, we rev ers e.

“ Th e ap p el l at e co u rt rev i ews d e no v o t h e tri al co u r t ’s ru l i n g o n t h e

[d efen d an t ’ s ] m o ti o n t o d i s m i s s, accep t in g as t ru e al l w el l -p led m at eri al al l eg at i on s

i n t h e co m

p l ai n t an d res ol vi n g an y d ou b ts i n fav o r o f th e pl ai n ti ff.” W il l i a ms v.

D e K a l b Co u n t

y , 3 0 8 Ga. 26 5

, 2 7 0 (2 ) (8 4 0 SE2 d 4 2 3 ) (2 0 2 0 ) (ci t at i o n a n d

p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed )

. Wh e t h e r a part y i s p ro t ect ed b y s o v erei g n i m m u ni t y i s a

t h res ho l d i ss ue. See Ci t

y o f Tyb ee Is l a n d v. Ha rr o d

, 3 3 7 G a

. A pp

. 52 3

, 5 2 4 (7 8 8

SE2 d 1 2 2) (2 0 1 6).

As al l eg ed

, o n Au g u s t 1 6 , 2 01 8

, M at t h ew was wo rk i n g as a l o ng s ho rep ers o n

fo r t h e In t ern at io nal Lo ng s h o re As s o ci at i o n o n b o ard t h e o cea n

- g o i n g v es s el Zi m

Ro t terd am , wh i l e it was b ert h ed i n G a r d e n Ci ty

, Geo rg i a. W h i l e M at t h ew was

wo rk i n g on a “ l as h in g g an g ,” M i l l er, a Po rt s Au t h o ri ty cran e op erat o r, t ri ed t o l i ft t h e

cran e’ s sp read er b ar fro m a n earb y 4 0 fo o t co n t ai ner. In s t ead

, M i l l er h o i s t ed t h e

s p read er b ar al o ng wi t h th e 4 0 fo o t co n t ai n er an d t he t wo co n t ai n ers at tach ed b el o w.

On e or m o re o f t h e l as hi n g ro d s o n t h e co nt ai n ers b ro k e free an d s t ru ck Mat t h ew in

2 Th e W i l l i am s es co n ced e t h at t h ei r c la im ag ai n s t M i l ler u n d er th e Geo rg i a To rt
Cl ai m s Act i s b arred b y

s o v erei g n i m

m u n it y . See OCGA § 5 0 -2 1 -2 5 (a).

2t h e h ead

, cau s i ng s eri o us an d p erm an en t i n j u ri es

. Th e W i l l i am s es al l eg ed t h at M i l l er

act ed n eg l i g en t l y , in ter al i a, b y fa i l in g t o en s ure t h at t h e s p read er b ar was

d i s co n n ect ed fro m t h e co n t ai n er an d b y l i ft i n g t h e s p read er b ar “ in an ex t rem el y rap id

an d ab ru p t m an n er,” an d t h at t h e Po rt s Au t h o ri ty was v icari o u s l y

l iab l e. 3

M i l l er fi l ed a m o t i o n t o d i s m i s s as s ert i n g th a t h e was en ti t led t o so v erei g n

i m m u ni t y

. In t h ei r r e s p o n s e , t h e W i ll i am s es arg u ed t h at El ev en t h Am en d m en t

s o v erei g n i m

m u ni t y do es n o t ex t en d t o St at e em p l o y ees b ei n g s u ed i n t h ei r p ers o n al

cap aci t y

. Th e tri al co u rt g ran t ed t h e m o t i o n

. T h e W il l i am s es co n t en d t h at t h e t ri al

co u r t e r r e d b y d i s m is s i n g M i l l er b ecau s e h e d o es no t h av e El ev en th Am en d m en t

i m m u ni t y p ro t ect i o n fo r t h ei r cl ai m s ag ai n s t h i m p ers on al l y u n d er fed eral m ari t i m e

l aw.

As a n i n i t i al m at ter, we m us t ex am i n e o u r j u ri s d i ct i o n o ver a m ari t i m e

p ro ceed in g

. See g e n e r a l l y De p t

. o f Tr a n s p

. v. Do u g la s As

p h a l t

, 2 9 7 Ga. Ap p

. 5 1 1,

5 1 2 (6 7 7 SE2 d 7 2 8 ) (2 0 0 9 ) (“ It i s t h e d u ty o f t h i s Co u rt o n i t s o w n m o t i o n t o i n q u i re

i n t o i t s ju ri s d i ct i o n .”) (ci t at i on an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed ).

Th e Un i t ed St at es Co n s t i t u t i o n v es t s t h e ju d i ci al [p ] o wer o f t h e Un i ted

St at es i n t h e fed eral co u rt s an d ex t en d s t h at p o wer t o al l [ c ]a s es o f

3 Lat o y a al leg ed a d eri v at i v e l o s s o f co n so rt iu m cl ai m

.

3ad m i ral ty an d m ari t i m e [j] u ri s d i ct i o n

. Fed eral ad m i ral t y ju ri s d ict i o n ,

h o wev er, h as n ev er b een ex cl u s i v e. Th e J u di ci ary A ct o f 1 7 8 9 p ro v i d ed

t h a t t h e f e d eral d i s t ri ct co u rt s h ad ex cl u s i v e j u ri sd i ct i o n “ o f al l ci v i l

cau s es o f ad m i ral t y an d m ari t i m e ju ri s di ct i o n s avi n g t o s u it o r s

, i n a l l

c a s es

, t he ri

g h t o f a co mmo n l a w remed

y, wh er e t h e co mmo n l aw i s

co mp et en t t o g i v e i t

. ” Th e em p h as i zed l an g u ag e i s referred t o as th e

“ s av i n g s t o s u i t o rs ” cl au s e an d ap p ears t o d ay in m o d i f i e d fo rm at 2 8

U.S.C. § 1 3 3 3 (1 ): “ s avi n g t o s u i t o r s i n a l l ca s es a l l o t h er r emed i es t o

wh i ch t h ey a re o t h er wi s e en t i t led .”

Ph i l l ip s v. S

ea To w/ S ea S p i l l o f S a v a n n a h

, 2 7 6 G a. 3 52

, 3 5 3 -3 5 4 (5 7 8 SE2 d 8 4 6 )

(2 0 0 3) (fo o t no t es an d pu n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed

, em p h as i s i n o ri g in al ). A s s u ch

, Geo rg i a

co u rt s h av e co n cu rren t ju ri s d i ct i o n o v er p ers o n al i n ju ry m ari ti m e cl ai m s. See Lewi s

v. Lewi s & Cl a r

k Ma ri n e , 5 3 1 U. S. 43 8

, 4 4 5 (II) (A) (1 2 1 SCt 9 93

, 1 4 8 LE2 d 9 3 1 )

(2 0 0 1).

As al l eg ed b y th e W i l l i am s es , M i l l er, a Po rt s Au t h o ri ty em p l o y ee, w as act i n g

i n t h e co u rs e an d s co pe o f h i s em p l o y m en t wh en M at t h ew was i n ju red

. As an arm o f

t h e St at e, t h e Po rt s Au t h o ri t y i s en t i t l ed t o i m m u n i t y un d er t h e El ev en t h Am en d m en t

,

an d “ t h e d o ct ri n e o f s o v erei g n i m m u n i ty b ars a l aws u it i n s tat e co u rt ag ai n s t t h e Po rt s

Au t ho ri ty t o reco ver d am ag es fo r t h e t o rt o f i t s em p l o y ee, ex cep t t o t h e ex t en t t h at t h e

St at e has co n s en t ed t o t h e s u i t .” Geo r g i a Po rt s Au t h

. v. La wyer , 3 0 4 Ga. 6 6 7

, 6 8 2 (5 )

4(8 2 1 SE2 d 2 2 ) (2 0 1 8 ). H o w ev er, “ t he E l ev en t h Am en d m en t do es n o t b ar act i o n s fo r

d am ag es ag ai n s t s t at e o ffi ci al s i n t hei r i n d i v i d u al cap aci t i es , wh i ch s eek reco v ery

fro m th e off

i ci al s ’ p ers o n al fu n d s .” Geo r g i a Po r t s Au th

. v. An dr e Ri ckmer s

S ch if f s b et ei l ig un g

s g es mb H & Co

. KG

, 2 6 2 Ga. A p p

. 5 9 1

, 59 5 (4 ) (5 8 5 SE2 d 8 8 3 )

(2 0 0 3), o v erru l ed o n o t h e r g ro u n d s b y Hi n es v. Geo r g i a Po r t s Au t h

. , 2 7 8 Ga. 6 3 1

(6 0 4 SE2 d 1 8 9 ) (2 0 0 4) 4 ; s ee Geo r g i a Po r t s Au t h

. v. An d

re Ri ckmer

s

S ch if f s b et ei l ig un g

s g es mb H & Co

. KG

, 2 7 2 Ga. Ap p

. 6 38 (6 12 SE2 d 9 2 7 ) (2 0 0 5 ); s ee

al s o Al d en v. Ma i n e , 5 2 7 U. S. 7 0 6

, 7 5 7 (III) (1 1 9 SCt 2 2 4 0

, 1 1 4 LE2 d 6 3 6 ) (1 9 9 9 )

(“ Ev en a s ui t fo r m o n ey d am ag es m ay b e p ro s e cu t ed ag ai n s t a st at e o ffi cer i n h i s

i n d i v i d u al cap aci t y fo r u nco n s t i t u t i o n al o r wro n g fu l co n d u ct fai rl y at t ri b u t ab l e t o t h e

o ffi cer h im s el f, so l o ng as t h e rel i ef i s s o u g h t n o t fro m t h e s tat e t reas ury b u t fro m t h e

o ffi cer p ers o n al l y .”).

In o rd er t o d et erm i n e i f “ an o ffi ci al i s b ei n g s ued in h is o ffi ci al cap aci t y o r in

h i s i n d i v i d u al cap aci t y , co u rt s l o o k at t he co m p l ai n t an d th e co u rs e of p ro ceed i n g s .”

An d re R i ckmer

s , s u p ra 2 6 2 Ga. Ap p

. at 59 5 (4 ). Here, as in An d r e R i ckmer

s

, t h e

cap t i on of t h e co m

p l ai n t d i d no t s p eci fy wh et her M i l l er was b ei n g s u ed i n d i v i d u al l y

o r o ffi ci al l y

. See i d

. at 5 9 6 (4 ). Th ere was n o al l eg at i o n , h o wev er, t h at M i l l er was an

4 Hi n es , s u p ra, was s u b s eq u en t l y o v erru l ed b y La wyer , s u p ra

.

5o ffi ci al o f t h e Po rt s Au t h ori ty wh o wo u l d s erv e as an ap p ro p ri at e Po rt s Au t h o ri t y

rep res en t at i v e i n th e u n derl y i n g l i t i g a t i o n

. See i d

. M o reo v er, i f t h e W i l l iam s es h ad

i n t en d ed t o reco v er o n l y fro m t h e Po rt s Au t h o ri t y , an d no t fro m M i l l er in d i v i d u al l y ,

t h ey “ n eed n o t h av e n am ed b o t h en t it i es as defen d an t s .” Id . “ Fi n al l y , n o th in g i n t h e

co m p l ai n t or co urs e o f p ro ceed i n g s in d icat es t h at [t h e W i l l i am s es ] d id n ot i n t en d to

s u e [M i l ler] i n di v i d u al ly .” Id . (em p h as i s i n o ri gi n al ).

Th erefo re, w e co n cl u d e t h at M il l er was s ued i n h i s i n d i v id u al cap aci t y an d i s

n o t en t i t l ed t o El ev en t h Am en d m en t i m m un i t y . See A n d

r e Ri ckmer

s , s u p ra 2 6 2 Ga.

Ap p

. at 59 6 (4 ). As s u ch

, t h e t ri al co u rt erred by d i s m i s si ng t h e W i l li am s ’ s m ari t i m e

cl ai m s ag ai n s t M i l l er. 5 Acco rd i n g ly , we rev ers e.

Ju d g men t r ever sed . Di l l a r d

, P. J., a n d

Ma r kl e, J., co n cu r

.

5 M i l l er arg u es fo r th e fi rs t t i m e i n hi s ap p el l ee b ri ef t hat fed eral l aw p ro v i d es h i m wi t h q u al i fi ed i m

m u n i t y f r o m t h e W i l l i am s ’ s m ari t i m e cl ai m s

. Ho wev er, as
M i l ler fai l ed t o rai s e th i s arg u m en t i n h i s m o t i o n t o d i s m i s s , an d t h e t ri al co u rt d i d n ot

ru l e u p o n t h e arg u m en t

, w e wi l l n o t ad d res s t h e i s s u e fo r t he fi rs t t i m e on ap p eal

. See

Nu s z v. Pa u l d i n g Co u n t

y, Geo r gi a , 3 6 1 Ga. Ap p. 1 3 1

, 1 3 3 (1 ) (8 6 3 SE2 d 3 8 4 ) (2 0 2 1 ) (“ Th i s [C] o u rt i s fo r th e co rrect i o n o f erro rs , an d wh ere t h e t ri al co u rt h as n o t ru l ed

o n an i ss u e, we wi l l n o t ad d res s i t .”) (ci t at i o n an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t ted ).

6