THI RD DI VI SI ON

M C FA DDEN, C. J.

, D OYLE, P. J.

, and HODGES, J.

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.

https ://w w w

. ga a ppe a ls .us /r ule s

D E A D LIN E S A R E N O LO N G E R TO LLE D IN T

H I S

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

TH E TIM E S S E T B Y

O U R C O U R T R U LE S

.

June 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 05 4 . IN THE INTEREST OF A. G., a ch i l d

.

H O D G E S , J u d g e.

Fo l l owi n g a t ri al

, t h e J u v en i l e Co u r t o f G l y nn Co un t y ad ju d i cat ed A. G.

d el i n q u en t fo r act s wh i ch

, i f co m m i t t ed b y an ad u l t

, w o u l d h av e co n st i tu t ed fi n an ci al

t ran s act io n card t h eft (OCGA § 1 6 -9 -3 1 (a)) an d t h eft b y tak i n g (OCGA § 1 6 -8 -2 ).

Th e ju v en i l e co u rt den i ed A. G .’ s m o t io n fo r n ew t ri al an d A. G. ap p eal s , arg u i n g t h at

t h e ju ven i l e co urt ap p l i ed an erro n eo u s s t an d ard o f p ro o f an d t h at t h e ev i d en ce was

i n s u ffi ci en t t o s u p p o rt an ad ju d i cat i o n of de li n q u en cy fo r fi nan ci al card th eft an d t h eft

b y tak i n g

. Becau s e t h e ju v en i l e co u rt d id n o t ap p l y t h e co rrect s t an d ard o f pro o f, we

rev ers e an d rem an d t h i s cas e fo r fu rt h er p ro ceed i n g s co n s is t en t wi t h t h i s o p i n i o n

.

Un d er o u r J uv en i l e Co d e, i t i s w el l s et t l ed t h at “ t h e s t an d ar d o f p r o o f o n

ch arg es o f a cri m i nal n at u re i s t h e s am e as t h at u s ed i n cri m i n al p ro ceed in g s ag ai n s tad u lt s

— p ro o f m u st b e b ey o n d a reas on ab l e d o ub t .” In t h e In t er es t o f A. S.

, 2 9 3 Ga.

Ap p

. 7 1 0

, 7 12 (2 ) (6 6 7 SE2 d 7 0 1 ) ( 2 0 0 8 ); s ee al s o OCGA § 1 5-1 1 -5 8 1 ; In t h e

In t er es t o f R. S

. , 3 1 7 Ga. Ap p. 4 1 2 (7 3 1 SE2 d 9 7 ) (2 0 1 2). Here, A. G. w as ch arg ed

wi t h fi n an ci al t ran s act i o n card t h eft an d t h eft b y tak i n g b as ed u p o n al l eg at i o n s t h at

s h e r e m o v ed a t each er’ s w al let fro m h i s d es k; t h e wal l et co n t ai n ed a d eb it card

, a

cred i t card

, an d $1 ,0 0 0 i n cas h

. Th e t each er’ s wal l et was fo u nd i n A. G.’ s b o o k -b ag ,

b u t t h e card s an d cas h were m i ss i n g an d were n ev er ret urn ed t o t h e t each er. H o wev er,

ev i d en ce ad d u ced at tri al rev eal ed t h at an i n t ern al s ch o o l t ri b u n al d et erm i n ed t h at A.

G. d i d no t v i o lat e an y s ch o o l ru l es as a res u l t of t h e al leg at i o n s an d “ fo u n d h er n ot

g u i l t y .”

Fo l l owi n g t h e p art ies ’ cl o s i n g arg u m en t s at tri al

, t h e t ri al co u rt rem ark ed t h at

[w] el l

, I

— y o u k no w, I
— I’ m fo l l o w i n g th e arg u m en t an d

— an d I’ m

ri gh t t h ere wi t h t he t ri b u n al u n t i l t h e wal let ’ s fo u n d i n h er b o o k -b ag

. I

— I’ m n o t co n v i n c e d

. I t h i nk t h ere’ s s t il l s o me evi d en ce th at s he

co m m i t t ed t h e act s , Th eft b y Tak i n g an d Fi n an ci al Tran s act i o n Card

Th eft . I’ m

g o i n g t o ad

ju di cat e h er o f b o t h

.

(Em p h as i s s u p p li ed .) In i t s wri t t en o rd er, t he ju v en i l e co u rt s t at ed t h at

i t i s hereb y fo u n d t h at t h e al l eg at i on s of t h e p et i t io n are t ru e

. . ., t h at th e

act s at tri b ut ed t o or ad m i t t ed b y t h e ch i l d were, i n f a c t

, co m m it t ed b y

s ai d ch i ld

, an d th at s u ch act s co n s t i t u t e act s o f del i n q u en cy

. . . wi t h i n

2t h e m ean i n g o f t h e l aw.

. . . Th e c h i l d h a s b een ad ju d i cat ed o n th e

fo l l o wi ng : Th eft b y

Tak i n g [an d ] Fi n an ci al Tran s act i o n Card Th eft .[ 1 ]

“ W h ere, as h ere, t h e tri al ju d g e act s as fi n d er o f fact

, ou r d u t y i s t o m ak e cert ai n

t h e p ro p er s t an d ard was u t i l i zed b y t h e co urt .” In t h e In t er es t o f A. S

. , 2 93 Ga. Ap p.

at 7 1 3 -7 1 4 (2 ); s ee al s o W a r d v. S t a t e , 3 5 3 Ga. Ap p. 1, 1 4 (3 ) (8 3 6 SE2 d 1 4 8) (2 0 1 9 ).

“ Si nce [s o m e ev i d en ce] i s a d i fferen t an d l es s er s t an dard o f p ro o f t h an b ey o n d a

r e a s o n ab l e d ou b t

, th e t ri al co u rt d i d n o t ap p l y t he co rrect st an d ard o f p r o o f i n

ev al u at i ng t h e ev i d en ce [i n t h i s cas e] .” In t he In ter es t o f A. S

. , 2 9 3 G a. Ap p

. at 7 1 2

(2 ). In cas es wh ere “ a t ri al co u rt co n s i d ers a cl ai m u n der an i m p ro per l eg al s t an d ard

,

we m u s t v acat e t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s ju d g m en t an d rem an d [t he] cas e fo r t h e co u rt to

co n si d er t h e cl ai m u n d er t h e p ro p er s t an d ard .” 2 W a r d

, 3 5 3 Ga. Ap p

. a t 1 3 ( 3 ).

1 A. G.’ s f

a i l u r e t o o b

ject t o t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s s t at em en t is n o t fat al t o h er

arg u m en t

. See In t h e In t er es t o f A. S.

, 2 9 3 Ga. Ap p

. at 7 13 (2 ) (fi n d i n g no wai v er wh ere s t at em en t “ affi rm at i v el y s h o w[ed ] t h at t h e t ri al co u rt ap p l i ed a s t an d ard o f

p ro o f o th er th an b ey o n d a reas o n ab l e d o ub t ” an d n o t i n g t hat a “ s u bs t an ti al erro r in [a] ju ry ch arg e l o weri n g t he St at e’ s b u rd en o f p ro o f i s n o t wai v ed ”).

2 Th e effect o f t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s erro r i s n o t am el i o rat ed b y In t h e In t er es t o f J.

O

. , 1 9 1 G a

. Ap p

. 5 2 1, 5 2 2 -5 2 3 (2 ) (3 82 SE2 d 2 1 4) (1 98 9 ), o v erru l ed on o t h er

g ro u nd s , In t h e In t er es t o

f T. A. W

. , 2 65 Ga. 1 0 6

, 1 0 7 (4 5 4 SE2 d 1 3 4 ) (1 9 9 5 ) (fi n d i n g

n o rev ers al n eces s ary wh ere t ri al co u rt o ral l y s t at ed i n co rrect s t an d ard o f p ro o f at t ri al

b u t en t ered a s u b s eq u en t wri t t en o rd er ci t i n g co rrect s t an d ard ). U n l i k e In t h e In t er es t

3Acco rd in g ly

, we rev ers e an d rem an d t h i s cas e fo r fu rt her p ro ceed i n g s co n s i s t en t wi th

t h i s o p i n i o n. 3

Ju d g men t r ever sed a n d ca s e r ema nd

ed . Do yl e, P. J., co n cu r

s

. M cFa d d en , C.

J., d i s s en t

s

. *

THI S OPI NI ON I S PHYSI CAL PRECEDENT ONLY. SEE C OURT OF

APPEALS RULE 3 3 .2 *

o f J. O.

, t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s wri t t en o rd er o f ad ju d i cat i o n i n t h i s cas e co n t ai n ed n o s u ch

co rrect io n

. To t h e co n t rary , t h e t r i a l c o u r t ’ s “ on l y s t at em en t reg ard i ng t h e s t an d ard

o f p ro o f d em o n s t rat es erro r.” In t h e In t er es t o f R. S

. , 3 1 7 Ga. Ap p . at 4 1 4

.

3 In v i o l at i o n o f o u r ru l es , t he St at e fai l ed t o fi l e an ap p el l ee’ s b ri ef. See Co u rt

o f Ap p eal s Ru l e 2 3 (b ) (“ A b ri ef s h a l l be fi l ed b y t h e St at e wh en i t i s t he ap p el l ee in

t h e ap p eal o f a cri m i n al cas e. Th e St at e’ s rep res en t at i ve m ay b e s ub ject to s an ct i o n s , i n cl u d i n g co n t em

pt

, fo r fai l i n g t o fi l e a t i m el y res p o n s i v e b ri ef.”) (rev i s ed Oc t

. 2 3,

2 0 1 9 ; em p h as i s su p p l i ed ); In t he In ter es t o f N. M

. , 3 1 6 Ga. Ap p

. 6 4 9

, 6 5 2 (2 ) (7 3 0

SE2 d 1 2 7 ) (2 0 1 2 ) (“ Al t h ou g h ju v en i l e c our t pr oc e e dings a r e n ot c r im ina l p ro ceed i ng s

an d an ad ju d i cat i o n o f del i n q uen cy i s n o t a c r i m i n al co n v i ct i o n , we n o n et h el es s

reco g n ize t h e q u as i-cri m i n al as p ect s o f j u v en i l e l aw, an d we o f t e n l o o k t o cri m i n al

cas es fo r g u id an ce.”) ( c i t at i o n s o m i tt ed ). A l t ho u g h we d ecl i n e t o i m p o s e s an ct i on s i n t h i s i n s t an ce, t h e rep res en tat iv es o f t h e St at e are rem i n d ed o f t h ei r d u ti es p u rs u an t

t o OCGA § 1 5 -1 8 -6 (a) (6 ) an d Co u rt o f A p p e al s Ru l e 2 3 (b ), an d cau t i o n ed t h at
ad d it i o n al fai l u res t o fi l e an ap p el l ee’ s b ri ef m ay n o t b e t reat ed as l en i en t l y

.

4A2 0 A0 05 4 . IN THE INTEREST OF A. G., a ch i l d

.

M C F A D D E N , Ch i ef J u d g e, d i s s en t i n g

.

I ag ree wi t h t h e m ajo ri t y t h at t h e ad ju di cat i on o f d el i n qu en cy m u s t b e rev ers ed

,

b u t I d i s ag ree t h at t h e cas e s h o u l d b e rem an d ed fo r fu rt h er p ro ceed i n g s

. As a m at t er

o f l aw, t h e ev i d en ce was i n s u ffi ci en t t o s u p p o rt th e ad ju d i cat i o n b ecau s e i t co n s i s t ed

o n l y of ci rcu m s t an t i al ev i d en ce t h at d id no t ex cl u d e A

. G.’ s reas o nab l e hy p o t h es i s o f

i n n o cen ce. Gi ven t he i ns u ffi ci en cy o f t he ev i d en ce, t here wo ul d b e n o b as i s fo r t h e

t ri al co u rt t o ad

ju d i cat e A. G. d el i n qu en t u po n rem an d . So I res p ect fu l ly d i s s en t

.

Th e s t at e p res en t ed n o d i rect ev i d en ce t h at A

. G. t o o k ei t h er t h e wal l et o r an y

o f i t s co n t en t s

. In st ead

, t h e s t at e rel i ed s o lel y on ci rcu m s t an t i al ev i d en ce, t h at A. G.

h ad acces s t o t h e wal l et an d t h at t h e em pt y wal l et was fo u n d i n h e r b o o k-b ag

. “ To

warran t a co n v i ct io n o n ci rcu m s t an t i al ev i d e n ce, t h e p ro v ed fact s sh al l n o t o n l y b e

co n si s t en t wi t h t he hy

p o t h es i s o f g u i l t, b u t s hal l ex cl u d e ev ery o t her reas o n ab l e

h y p o t h es i s s av e t h at o f t h e g u i l t o f t h e accu s ed

. ” OCGA § 2 4 -1 4-6

. “ In ot h er wo rd s ,

t h e pro v en fact s m

u s t b e i n c o n s i s t en t wi t h t h e d efen d an t ’ s i n n o cen ce.” Red wi n e v.

S t a t e , 2 0 7 Ga. 3 1 8

, 3 2 4 (6 1 SE2 d 48 1 ) (1 9 5 0 ). Acco rd Ha l l v. S t a t e , 1 5 5 Ga. Ap p.2 1 1

, 2 1 2 (2 7 0 SE2 d 3 77 ) (1 9 8 0 )

. “ I n m a k in g a det erm in at io n o f wh et h er an y o t h er

reas on ab l e h y

po t h es i s ex i st s , t h e d efen d an t ’ s ex p l an at i o n m u s t b e t ak en i n to

co n si d erat io n i n s o far as it i s co n s i s t en t wi t h t h e ci rcu m s t an ti al ev i d en ce p ro p erl y

ad m i t t ed .” Ba r n et t v. S ta t e , 1 5 3 G a. A p p

. 43 0

, 5 3 2 (3 ) (2 6 5 SE2 d 3 4 8) (1 9 8 0 ).

M o reo v er, “ wh en a reas o n ab l e h y p ot h es i s of i n n o cen ce ap p ears fro m t h e ev i d en ce o r

l ack th ereo f, [we] m ay d ecl are s u ch as a m at t er o f l aw.” Co o ley v. S t at e , 2 1 9 Ga. Ap p.

1 7 6 , 1 7 7 (4 6 4 SE2 d 61 9 ) (1 9 9 5 ) (ci tat i o ns an d p u n ct u at io n o m i t t ed ).

A. G.’ s h y

po t h es i s o f i n n o cen ce — th at an ot h er s t u d e nt t o o k t h e wal l et

,

rem o v ed fro m i t t h e cas h an d card s , an d t h en d i s card ed i t i n A. G.’ s b o o k -b ag

— was

reas on ab l e an d ap p eared fro m t h e ev i d en ce. Th i s ex p l an at i o n was co n s i s ten t wi t h t h e

ci rcu m s t an t i al ev i d en ce m en t i o n ed ab o v e. It was al so co n si s t en t wi t h ev i d en ce t h at

o t h er s t u d en t s al s o h ad acces s t o b o t h t h e wal l et an d A. G.’ s b oo k -b ag an d wi th

ev i d en ce t h at

, wh i l e th e wal l et was ea s i l y fo u n d

, i t s m i s s i n g co n ten t s were n o t

—

ev en th o u g h A. G. was s earch ed s h o rt l y aft er t h e wal l et was d i s co vered

.

Th e s t at e fai l ed t o p res en t ev i d en ce to ex cl u d e t h is reas o n ab le h y p o t h es i s

.

W h i l e g en eral l y ev i d en ce o f recen t

, u n ex p l ai n ed p o s s es s io n o f s t o l en p ro p ert y wi l l

au t h o ri ze a fact fi n der t o i nfer g u i l t t o s u p p ort a co n v i ct i o n f o r th eft b y t ak i n g , s ee

Newb y v. S t a t e , 3 3 8 Ga. A p p

. 5 8 8

, 5 8 9 (1 ) ( a ) ( 7 91 SE2 d 9 2 ) (2 01 6 ) (fi n d i n g

2s u ffi ci en t ci rcu m s t an t i al ev i d en ce o f th eft b y t ak i n g wh ere d efen dan t was fo u n d

s i tt i n g o n m ot o rcy cl e s h o rt l y aft er i t was s t o l en an d fl ed o n i t wh en ap p ro ach ed ), in

t h i s c a s e t h at ev i d en ce i s eq u al l y co n s is t en t w i t h A. G.’ s arg u m en t t hat t h e p ers o n

wh o s t o l e t h e w a l l e t d is card ed i t i n h er b o ok -b ag aft er rem o v i ng i t s co n t en t s

.

Li k ewi se, t h e ev id en ce t h at A. G

. h ad acces s t o t h e wal l et i s n o t i n co n s is t en t wi t h h er

arg u m en t t h at o t h ers al s o h ad acces s t o t h e wal let

.

Becau s e t h e ev i d en ce “ s u p p o rt s m o re th an o n e t h eo ry , on e co n si st en t wi t h g u i l t

an d an o th er wi t h in n o cen ce, i t d o es n o t ex cl u d e ev ery o t h er reas o n ab l e h y p o t h es i s

ex cep t g u i l t an d i s n o t s u ffi ci en t t o pro v e t h e d efen d an t ’ s g u i l t b ey o n d a reas o n ab l e

d o u b t .” G r an t v. S t at e , 2 2 7 Ga. Ap p

. 2 4 3

, 2 4 5 (4 8 8 SE2 d 7 6 3) (1 99 7 ) (ci t at i o n an d

p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed ). Fo r t h i s reas o n , t h e s t at e’ s ci rcu m s t an ti al ev i d en ce can n ot

s u p p ort t h e d el i n q u en cy ad ju d i cat i o n

. See Mo rr i s o n v. S ta t e , 2 2 0 G a. A p p

. 15 1

, 1 5 3

-

1 5 4 (1 ) (a) (4 6 9 S E 2 d 6 8 6 ) (1 9 9 6 ) (wh ere ci rcu m s t an t i al ev i d en ce d i d n o t ex cl u d e

reas on ab l e h y

p o t h es i s , co n v ict io n was un s up p o rt ab l e as m at t er of l aw). Becau s e t h e

ev i d en ce was i n s u ffi ci en t as a m at t er o f l aw, t h ere i s n o t h i ng fo r t h e ju ven i l e co u rt to

co n si d er o n rem an d

.

3