FI RST DI VI SI ON BA RNES, P. J. , BROWN and HODGES, 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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A pr i l 21, 2022



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A2 2 A0 46 1 . HOPPER v

. THE STATE.

B R O W N , J u d g e.
Fo l l owi n g a ju ry t ri al i n 2 01 4 , Earl Ho p per was co n v i ct ed o f rap e, ch i ld

m o les t at i o n , en t ici n g a ch i l d fo r i n d ecen t p u rp os es , an d fu rn is hi n g al co h o l t o a m i n o r.
Fo l l o wi ng h i s co n v ict i o n , Ho p p er’ s t ri al co u n s el fi led a t i m el y m o t i on fo r n ew t ri al

. In 2 0 1 6 , Ho p p er fi l ed a p ro s e m o t i o n i n arres t o f ju d g m en t , wh i ch h e l at er am en d ed

i n 2 01 7

. Aft er Ho pp er fi l ed a Fa r et t a wai v er s eek i n g t o rep res en t h i m s el f, t h e t ri al

co u rt h el d a heari n g an d al l o wed Ho p p er to p ro ceed p ro s e. On Au g u st 1 0 , 2 0 1 7 , t h e

t ri al co u rt i s su ed an o rd er d en y i n g t h e m o t i o n fo r n ew t ri al an d t he m o t i o n i n arres t

o f ju dg m en t

. On Oct o b er 2 3, 2 0 1 7 , Ho p p er fi l ed a n o ti ce o f ap peal fro m t h e Au g u s t

1 0 , 2 0 1 7 o rd er. In J an u ary 2 0 1 9, t h i s Co urt g ran t ed t h e St at e’ s m o t i o n t o d is m i s s t h e

a p p e al , co ncl u d i n g t h at i t was u nt i m el y
. Nearl y t wo m on t h s l at er, Ho p p er fi l e d am o ti o n fo r an o u t -o f-t i m e ap peal , wh i ch t h e t ri al co u rt d en ied

. H o p p er ap p eal ed t h e

d en ial , an d i n Ho

p p er v. S t a t e , 3 5 5 Ga. Ap p

. 2 69 , 2 6 9 -2 7 3 (8 43 SE2 d 9 1 9 ) (2 0 2 0 ),

t h i s Co urt u l t i m at el y co ncl u d ed t h at t h e t ri al co u rt erred i n d en y i n g t h e m ot i o n

. On

rem i t t i t ur, t h e t ri al co u rt gran t ed Ho p p er’ s m o t i o n fo r an ou t -o f-t i m e ap p eal , an d

Ho p p er fi l ed a t i m el y

n o t ice o f ap p eal

. In Co o k v. S t a t e ,

_

_ _ Ga.

__ _ (5 ) (_

__ SE2 d

_

__ ) (Cas e N o

. S 2 1 A 1 2 7 0,

d eci d ed March 1 5 , 2 0 2 2 ), t h e Su p rem e Co urt h el d

t h at t h ere w as an d i s n o l eg al au t h o ri ty fo r m o t i o ns fo r o u t

- o f

- t i m e ap p eal i n t ri al co u rt s an d t h at t h e o u t -o f-t i m e ap p eal p ro ced ure al l o w ed i n Ki n g [ v. S t a t e , 23 3 Ga. 6 3 0 ( 2 1 2 S E2 d 8 0 7 ) (1 9 75 )] an d Fu r g er s o n [ v. S t at e , 2 3 4 G a

. 5 9 4 , 5 9 5 (2 1 6 SE2 d 8 4 5 ) (1 9 7 5 )] , ap pro v ed i n Ro wl a n d [ v. S t a t e , 2 6 4 Ga. 8 7 2 , 8 7 4 -8 7 5 (4 5 2 SE2 d 7 5 6) (1 99 5 )] , an d fo l l o wed i n o th er cas es , i s no t a l eg al l y co g n i zab l e v eh i cl e fo r a
co n v i ct ed d e f

e nda nt to seek rel i ef fro m al l eg ed co ns t i t u t io n al vi o l at i o ns

. Ou r h ol di n g ap p l i es t o t h i s cas e an d t o al l cas es th at are cu rren t l y o n d i rect rev i ew o r o t h erwi s e n o t y et fi n al

.

Id

. at

_ _ _ (5 ). Th e Co u rt no t ed t h at “ we d o n o t u n do wh at h as been d on e wi th res p ect

t o o u t -o f-t i m e ap peal s th at al read y h av e been gran t ed wh er e t he en su i n g a p p ea l ha s

co n cl u d ed

. ” (Em p h as i s s u p p l i ed .) Id

. at

_ _ _ (3 ) (e). Fu rt h er, “ p en d i n g an d fu t u re

m o ti o n s fo r o u t -o f-t i m e ap p eal s i n t ri al co u rt s s ho u l d b e d is m is s ed , an d t ri al co u rt

2o rd ers t h at h av e d eci d ed s u ch m o t io n s o n t h e m eri ts

. . . sh o ul d b e v acat ed i f d i rect

rev i ew o f t h e c as e rem ai n s pen d i n g o r if t he cas e is o t h erwi s e n o t fi nal .” Id

. at

_ _ _ (4 ). As t h i s cas e s ho u l d be co n st ru ed as an “ en s u i n g ap p eal ” an d i t i s “ o t h erwi s e n ot
fi nal , ” Ho p p er “ h ad n o ri gh t to fi l e a m o t io n fo r an o u t -o f-t i m e ap p eal i n t h e t r i al

co u rt ; h i s rem ed y , if an y , li es i n h ab eas co rp us .” Ru t l ed g e v. S t a t e ,

_

_ _ G a.

_ _ _ (_

_ _ SE2 d

_ _ _) (Cas e No

. S2 1A1 0 3 6 , d eci d ed M arch 1 5 , 2 02 2 ). Bas ed o n C o o k , t h e

m o ti o n s ho u ld h av e b een d is m i s s ed

. W e t herefo re v acat e t he t ri al co u rt ’ s o rd er an d

rem an d fo r en t ry

o f t h e ap p ro p ri at e d i s m i s s al o rd er. See i d

. Ju d g men t v a ca ted a n d ca se r ema n ded wi t h d i r ect io n

. Ba rn es , P. J., a n d

Ho d g es , J., co n cu r
.

3