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.

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

.

Septem ber 29, 2020



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A2 0 A1 03 9 . PATRICK v . ANDREW S et al

.

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

In co n n ect i on wi th h is arres t fo r o b s t ru ct i o n o f an o ffi cer, J as o n Pat ri ck s u ed

Ho u s t o n C o u n t y Sh eri ff Cu l l en Tal t o n an d Dep u t y Sh eri ff G. F. An d rews

(co l l ect i v el y

, d efen dan t s ), al l eg i n g th ey were l i ab l e u n d e r fed eral l aw fo r vi o l at i n g

h i s co n s t i t u t i o nal ri g h ts

, an d u n d er s t at e l aw fo r fal s e arres t

, wro n g fu l i m pri s o n m en t

,

m al i ci ou s p ro s e c u t i o n an d b at t ery

. Th e d efen d an ts m o v ed fo r s u m m ary ju d g m en t

b as ed o n

, i n ter al i a, q u al i fi ed an d o ffi ci al i m m u n i t y

. Pat ri ck ap p eal s t h e t ri al co urt ’ s

ju d g m en t g ran t i ng t h e d efen dan t s ’ m o t i o n . Fo r t h e reas o n s t h at fo l l o w, we affi rm

.

S u m m ary ju d g m en t i s p ro p er “ i f t he p l ead i n g s

, d ep o s i t io n s

, an s we r s t o

i n t erro g at o ri es

, an d ad m i ss io n s o n fi l e, t o g et h er wi th t h e affi d av i t s

, i f an y

, sh o w t h at

t h ere i s no g en u in e i s s ue as t o an y m at eri al fact an d t h at t he m ov i n g p art y i s en t i t l edt o a j u d gm en t as a m at ter o f l a w .” OCGA § 9 -1 1 -5 6 (c). W e co n st ru e t h e fact s in

fav o r o f t h e no n m o van t on su m m ary ju d g m en t

. Ga t t o v. Ci t y o f S t a t es bo r o

, 3 5 3 Ga.

Ap p . 1 7 8 (8 3 4 SE2 d 6 23 ) (2 0 1 9 ). “ Ou r rev i ew i s d e n o v o .” Id

.

Vi ewed wi t h t h es e p ri n ci p l es i n m i n d, t h e reco rd sh o w s t h at aro u n d 9 p .m

. o n

Au g u s t 8, 2 0 1 3, Greg o ry Cro s b y ph o n ed 9 1 1 an d req u es t e d a s s i s t an ce reg ard i n g a

d i s p u t e he was h av i n g wi t h h i s n ei g h bo r ab o u t t h e l o cat i o n o f a f e n c e p o s t

. Cro s by

t o l d th e d i s p at ch er t o “ s en d so m eo n e b efo re we s h oo t eac h o t h e r ” a n d en d ed t h e

p h o n e cal l

.

Dep u t y An d rews was d i s p at ch ed to t h e s cen e, wh i ch w as a fa r m i n a r em o t e

a r e a o f t he co u n t y

. W h en An d rews arri v ed

, h e m ad e co n t act wi t h Cro s b y an d h i s

n ei g h b o r, Bo y d Head l ey

. Head l ey had a g u n h o l s t er o n h i s s i d e; h e t o l d An d rews t h e

g u n was in h i s t ru ck

. Head l ey s ai d h e d i d n ot h av e an y weap o n s o n h i m

, bu t An d rews

fo u n d a k n i fe i n h i s p ock et

. Cro s b y was n ear h is go l f cart

, wh ich h ad g u n rack s o n i t

.

An d rews m o v ed t h e m en away fro m t hei r v eh i cl es an d p o si t io n ed h i m s el f s o t h e m en

co u ld n o t acces s t hei r v eh icl es an d weap o n s wi t h o u t “ go i n g . . . t hro u g h ” h i m

.

Cro s b y an d Head l ey were “ h o s t i l e t o ward s [An d rews ] ” an d each o t h er.

A n d r e w s d e p o s ed t h at h e was t ry i n g t o m ai n t ai n s afet y

, reas on wi t h t h e m en

an d d i ffu s e th e si t u at io n

, bu t C ro s b y an d H ead l ey k ep t y el l i n g an d wo u l d n o t cal m

2d o wn o r co o p erat e wi t h hi m

. Cro s b y an d Head l ey ap p eared t o b e i n t o x icat ed

. W h i l e

An d rews was t ry i ng t o t ak e ch arg e o f t h e s i t u at i o n

, a b ack -u p o ffi cer rad io ed h i m an d

s ai d h e w as h av i n g t ro u b l e f i n d i n g t h e l o cat i o n. An d rews t ri ed t o g iv e t h e o ffi cer

d i rect i o n s wh il e st i ll “ deal i n g wi t h” Cro sb y a n d H ead l ey i n wh at was “ a fl u id

s i tu at i o n

. ” Cro s b y t h en s t at ed t h at h e was cal l i n g h i s fri en d

, an d h e u s ed h i s cel l

p h o n e t o cal l Pa t r i c k a n d t w o o t her p eo pl e an d to l d t h em t o co m e to t he s cen e.

An d rews t o l d C r o s b y t o cal l t h e p eo p l e b ack an d t el l th em n o t t o co m e, as h e “ h ad

[h i s ] h an ds fu l l . . . . [an d d i d n ’ t ] n eed an y b o d y el s e [t ] h ere[.] ”

As h e was “ d eal in g wi t h ” Cro s b y an d Head l ey an d t ry i ng t o h el p t h e b ack -u p

o ffi cer l o cat e t h e s cen e, An drews n o ti ced a p ers o n q u i et l y wal k o u t o f a d ark wo o d

l i ne an d o n t o Head l ey ’ s p ro pert y

, t o ward t h e g ro u p. Th e pers o n

, lat er i d en t i fi ed as

Pat ri ck

, w as h ol d i n g u p wh at An d rews s u b s eq u en tl y d et erm i n ed w as a cel l p h o ne.

Pat ri ck

, wh o l iv ed i n a cam p er o n Cro s b y ’s p r o p e r t y

, d id n o t s ay an y t h i n g b u t was

reco rd i n g th e i n ci d en t wi t h t h e p h o n e; An d rews di d n o t k no w Pat ri ck p r i o r t o t h i s

i n ci d en t

.

An d rews b el i ev ed h e ha d “ a v o l at i l e s i t u at io n w i t h ev ery th in g el s e - g u n s

,

k n i v es

, w h at n o t

- I g o t i t al l an d h e s h o ws u p . So I d o n’ t k n o w wh at h e’ s d o i n g .” It

was d ark o u t

, an d An d rews

, co n s i d e r i n g i t “ a safet y i s su e,” v i ewed Pat ri ck as

3“ an o t h er t h reat

. ” H ead l ey cl ai m ed t h e p ro p ert y was h i s an d s t at ed t h at he d i d n o t wan t

Pat ri ck o n h i s p ro pert y

.

An d rews t o l d P a t r i c k “ n o t t o ap p ro ach

, n o t t o co m e an y fu rt her.” Un s u re o f

wh et h er Pat ri ck h ad h eard h i m

, An d rews ap p ro a c h ed Pat ri ck an d t o l d h i m h e was

co n du ct in g an i nv es t i g at i on an d t h at Pat ri ck n eed ed t o leav e. Pat ri ck s ai d h e was

reco rd i n g An d rews ; An d rews d ep o s ed t h at h e d i d n ot care t h at Pat ri ck was reco rd i n g

t h e i n ci d en t b ecau s e hi s o wn cam era was al s o reco rd i n g i t an d “ [p ] eo p l e d o i t al l t h e

t i m e.” Pat ri ck to o k on e s t ep b ack ward an d as k ed

, “ [i ] s th at g o o d en o u gh ? ” An d rews

rep l i ed , “ [n ] o, y o u n eed t o l eav e[.] ” Pat ri ck t oo k a s eco n d s t ep b ack ward an d as k ed

i f t h at was g o o d en o ug h

. A n drews rep l i ed t h at i t was n o t a n d ag ai n t o l d Pat ri ck to

l eav e, s ay i ng t h at Pat ri ck was n o t i n v o l v ed i n t h e d i sp u te an d t h at i f h e d i d n o t l eav e

t h e p ro p ert y h e w o u l d b e arres ted fo r o b s tru ct i o n

. W h en Pat ri ck s ti l l refu s ed t o l eav e,

An d rews h an d cu ffed an d arres t ed h i m fo r o b s t ru ct i o n

.

An d rews d ep o sed t h at Pat ri ck was n o t in v ol v ed in t h e d is pu t e, t h at h e was

i n t erferi ng wi t h th e in v es t i g at i o n

, t h at t h e s i t u at i o n w as u n s afe, an d t h at h e t hu s

n eed ed t o b e rem o v ed fro m t h e s cen e. Pat ri ck d ep o s ed t h at An drews d i d tel l h i m t o

l eav e t h e p r o p e r t y

, b u t th at h e was s t an d i n g “ far away ” wh i l e An d rews was

i n v es t i g at i n g t h e d i s p ut e; t h at Pat ri ck b el i ev ed h e h ad p erm i ss i o n t o b e o n t h e

4p ro p ert y as h e was fri en d s wi t h b o t h m en an d had b een o n Head l ey ’ s p ro p ert y earl i er

t h at d ay ; a n d t h a t as Pat ri ck “ was wal k i n g u p ,” A n d rews t h reat en ed t o “ t ak e

ev ery b o d y t o jai l .”

1

. Pat ri ck co n t en d s t h at th e t ri al co u rt erred by g ran t i n g s u m m ary ju d g m en t to

A n d rews o n t h e b as i s of q u al i fi ed im m u n i t y

. He arg u es t hat hi s arres t v i o l at ed hi s

F o u r t h Am en d m en t ri g h t s b ecau s e t h ere was no p ro bab l e cau s e t h at h e w a s

co m m i t t i n g an y cri m e. Pat ri ck cl ai m s t h at An d rews act u al l y arres t ed h i m fo r

reco rd i n g t h e i n ci d en t

, wh en h e had a ri g h t t o reco r d t h e e v en t u n d er th e Fi rs t

Am e n d m e n t

. He ad d s t h at th e o b s tru ct i o n ch arg e w as “ t erm i n at ed in h i s fav o r”

(t ho u g h h e d o es n o t el ab o rat e or p o i n t t o an y ev id en ce i n t h e reco rd to su p p o rt t h at

as s ert i o n ).

Th e Fo u rt h Am en d m en t p ro t ect s in d i v i du al s fro m u n reas o n ab l e search es an d

s e i z u r e s

. S

k o p v. Ci t y o f At l a n t a

, 4 8 5 F3 d 1 13 0

, 1 1 3 7 (II) (A) (1 1 t h Ci r. 2 0 0 7 ). An

arres t i s a s ei zu re o f t h e p ers o n

, an d t h e reas o n ab l en es s o f an arres t is d et erm i n ed by

t h e p res en ce or ab sen ce o f p ro b ab l e cau s e fo r t h e arres t

. Id

. “ Pro b ab l e cau s e t o arres t

ex i s t s wh en an arres t i s o b ject i v el y reas o n ab l e b as ed o n t he to t al i t y o f t h e

ci rcu m s t an ces

. ” Ki n g

s la n d v. Ci t

y o f Mi a mi

, 3 8 2 F3 d 1 2 2 0

, 1 22 6 (III) (A) (1 1 t h Ci r.

2 0 0 4 ).

5“ An arres t wi t h o u t p ro b ab l e cau s e i s u n co n s ti t ut i o n al

, bu t o ffi cers w h o m ak e

s u ch an arres t are en t i t l ed t o q u al i fi ed i m m u n i t y i f t h ere was a r

gu a bl e p ro b ab l e cau s e

fo r t h e arres t .” Jo n es v. C a n n o n

, 1 7 4 F3 d 1 2 71

, 1 2 8 3 (III) (C) (1 1 th Ci r. 1 9 9 9 )

(em p h as i s su pp l i ed ). Arg u ab l e p ro b ab l e cau se ex i s t s “ i f a reas o n ab l e p ol i ce o ffi cer,

k n o wi n g wh at [An d rews ] k n ew, co u l d h av e b el i ev ed t h ere was p ro b ab le cau s e fo r t h e

warran t l es s arres t .” Id

. Sh o wi n g arg u ab l e p ro b ab l e cau se doe s not r e q u i re an arres t i n g

o ffi cer t o p ro v e ev ery el em en t o f a cri m e; t hat “ wo u l d n eg at e th e co ncep t o f p ro b ab l e

ca u s e an d t ran s fo rm arres ti n g o ffi cers i n to p ro s ecu t o rs .” S ca r b r o ug h v. Myl es

, 2 4 5

F3 d 1 29 9

, 1 3 0 2 -1 3 0 3 (1 1 t h Ci r. 2 0 0 1 ). “ Th e v al i d it y o f [an ] arres t d o es no t d ep en d

o n wh et h er t h e s u s p ect act u al l y co m m i t t ed a cri m e; t h e m ere fact t h at t he s u s p ect i s

l at er acq u i t t ed o f t h e o ffen s e fo r wh i c h h e i s a r res t ed i s i rrel ev an t t o t h e v al i d i t y o f

t h e arr e s t

. ” Mi ch ig an v. DeFi l l i p p o

, 4 4 3 U. S. 3 1

, 3 6 (III) (9 9 SCt 26 2 7

, 6 1 LE2 d

3 4 3 ) (1 9 7 9 ). “ [T] h e k in d s an d d eg ree o f pro o f a n d t h e pro ced u ral req ui rem en t s

n eces s ary fo r a co n vi ct i o n are n o t p rereq u i s i t es t o a v al i d arres t .” Id

.

Pat ri ck was arres t ed fo r o b s t ru ct i n g an offi cer. OCGA § 1 6 -1 0-2 4 (a) p ro v i d es

t h at “ a p ers o n wh o k n o wi n g l y an d wi l l fu l l y o b st ru ct s o r h i n d ers an y l aw en fo rcem en t

o ffi cer

. . . i n t h e l awfu l di s ch arg e o f h i s o r h er o ffi ci al d ut i es s h al l b e gu i l t y o f a

m i s d em ean o r.” “ Law en fo rcem e n t o ffi cers h av e a du t y t o p res erv e p ub l i c o rd er, to

6m ai n t ai n t h e p eace, an d t o pro t ect l i v es

, p ers o n s

, p ro p ert y

, h eal t h an d m o ral s .” Ha r r i s

v. S t a t e , 2 7 6 Ga. Ap p . 2 3 4, 2 36 (1 ) (6 2 2 SE2 d 9 0 5 ) (2 0 0 5). Th e o bs t ru ct i o n s t at u t e

i s s u ffi ci en t l y b ro ad “ t o c o v e r a ct i o n s wh i ch m i g h t n o t b e o th erwi se u n l awfu l

, b ut

wh i ch o bs t ru ct ed o r h i nd ered l aw en fo rcem en t o ffi cers i n carry i n g o u t t h ei r d u t i es .”

Hu d s o n v. S t a t e

, 13 5 Ga

. A p p

. 7 3 9

, 74 2 (2 ) (2 1 8 SE2 d 9 0 5) (1 9 7 5). No t ab l y

, t h i s

Co u rt h as fo u nd o b s t ru ct i o n i n cas es wi t h fact s s im il ar t o t h e i n ci d en t i n t h e i n s t an t

cas e. See, e.g

., W

es t v. S t a te

, 2 9 6 Ga. Ap p

. 58

, 6 1 -6 2 ( 2 ) ( 6 7 3 S E 2 d 5 5 8 ) (2 0 0 9 )

(ev i d en ce o f o b s t ru ct i o n s u ffi ci en t wh ere i nv es t i g at in g o ffi cer h ad rep eat ed l y as k ed

d efen d an t to l eav e s cen e wh en v ict i m s ai d s h e was afrai d of hi m

, offi cer ad v i s ed

d efen d an t t h a t f

a i l u re to co m

p ly wo u ld res u l t i n arres t

, an d d efen d an t co n t i n u ed to

s p eak t o o ffi cer an d i g n ore h i s req u es t s ), o v erru l ed i n p art o n o t h er g ro u n d s at

W o r t h en v. S t a t e

, 30 4 Ga. 8 6 2, 8 7 4 (3 ) (e) n. 8 (8 2 3 SE2 d 29 1 ) (2 01 9 ); Ha r r i s

, s u p ra

(wh ere o ffi cers res p o nd i n g to a d i s t u rb an ce cal l i n a h o s p i t al em erg en cy ro o m

at t em p t ed t o res to re o rd er b y d i rect i n g d efen dan t t o wai t fo r n u rs e’ s au t ho ri zat i o n to

en t er ho s p i t al t reat m en t area an d t o “ b ack o ff,” b u t d efen d an t fai l ed t o co m p l y wi th

o ffi cer’ s l awfu l co m

m an d

, d efen d an t co m

m i t t ed cri m e o f m i s d em ean o r o b s t ru ct i o n ).

Vi ewi n g t h e ev i d en ce m os t fav o rab l y t o Pat ri ck as res p on d en t o n s u m m ary ju d g m en t

,

An d rews h ad arg u ab le p ro b ab l e cau s e t o arres t Pat ri ck fo r o bs t ru ct i o n.

7Here, i t was un d i s p u t ed t h at An d rew s was t h e l o n e o ffi cer o n t h e s cen e o f a

v o l at i l e s i t u at i o n

. It was d ark o u t s i d e, an d h e w as i n a rem o t e area. O n e o f t he p art i es

h ad s t at ed t h at t h e n ei g h b o rs m i g ht s h o o t each o t her, t he n ei g h b o rs h ad weap o n s o n

o r n e a r th em

, an d t h e back -u p o ffi cer was lo s t an d as k in g An d rews fo r d i rect i o n s

.

An d rews h ad h i s “ h an d s f u l l ,” an d Cro s b y was p h o n i n g p eo p l e an d t el li n g t h em to

co m e t o t h e s cen e. Pat ri ck em erg ed fro m t h e t ree li n e o n t o H e ad l ey ’ s p ro p ert y

wi t h o u t s p eak i n g

, an d refu sed t o l eav e aft er An d rews to l d h i m r e p e at ed l y t o d o s o.

Bas ed o n t he t o t al i t y o f th e ci rcu m s t an ces

, we fi n d as a m at t er o f l aw t h at An d rews

h ad arg uab l e p ro b ab l e cau s e t o arres t Pat ri ck fo r m i s d em ean o r ob s tru ct i o n fo r

h i n d eri n g h i s ab i l i t y t o i n v es t i g at e t h e d i s t u rb an ce. Acco rd i n g l y

, An d rews i s en t i t l ed

t o qu al i fi ed i m

m u n it y

. See g en eral l y Go l d v. Ci t y o f Mi a mi

, 1 2 1 F3 d 1 4 42

, 1 4 4 6 (III)

(A) (1 1 t h Ci r. 1 9 9 7 ) (o ffi cers were en t i t l ed t o s u m m ary ju d g m en t b as ed on q u al i fi ed

i m m u ni t y wh ere th ey h ad arg u ab l e p ro b ab l e cau se t o arres t d efen d an t fo r d i s o rd erl y

co n du ct

, ev en t h o u g h t h ey l ack ed act u al p ro bab l e cau s e ) ; B r own v. S t a t e

, 3 2 0 Ga.

Ap p

. 1 2

, 1 3 -1 4 (7 3 9 SE2 d 3 2) (2 0 1 3 ) (l o n e o ffi cer o n s cen e o f t r a f f i c st o p h ad

p ro b ab l e cau s e t o arres t d efen d an t fo r o bs t ru ct i o n wh ere h e rep eat ed l y refu s ed to

o b ey o ffi cer’ s co m

m an d s t o ret u rn t o h i s v eh i cl e, wh i ch co m m an d s o ffi cer m ad e fo r

h i s o wn s afet y ); Ha r r i s , s up ra; Imp er i a l v. S t a t e , 2 18 Ga. Ap p

. 4 4 0, 4 4 1 (4 6 1 SE2 d

85 9 6 ) (1 9 95 ) (ev i d en ce of o b s t ru ct i o n was s u ffi ci en t wh ere defen d an t refu sed t o o b ey

l awfu l co m

m an d to l i e o n t h e g ro u n d wh en o ffi cers at tem pt ed t o s ecu r e a c r o wd ed

area d u ri n g t h e ex ecu t i o n o f a s earch warran t i n co n nect i o n wi t h a d ru g i n ves t i g at i o n,

as h i s refu s al h ad t h e effect o f h i n d eri n g t he o ffi cers );

.

2

. Pat ri ck co n t en ds th at t h e co u rt erred b y g r a n t i ng s u m m ary ju dg m en t to

An d rews b as ed o n o ffi ci al i m m u n it y fo r h i s s t at e l aw cl ai m s (“ fal s e arres t

, wro n g fu l

i m p ri s o n m en t

, m al i ci o u s p ro s ecu t i o n

, n eg l i g en ce an d b at t ery ”) becau s e An d rews

arres t ed h i m wi t h ou t arg u ab l e p ro b ab l e cau s e. Ho wev er, as d i s cu s s ed i n D i v i s i o n 1,

An d rews d i d h av e arg u ab le p ro b ab l e cau s e t o arres t Pat ri ck fo r o b st ru ct io n

.

M o reo v e r

, An d rews is en t i t l ed to o ffi ci al i m m u n i t y b ecau s e Pat ri ck h as n ot

s h o wn th at An d rews

, w h i l e p erfo rm i n g a d i s cret i o n ary act wi t h i n hi s o ffi ci al

fu n ct i o n s

, act ed wi th act ual m al i ce o r an i n t en t t o in ju re. See Ga. Co n s t

. o f 19 8 3

, Art

.

I, Sec. II, Par. IX (d ) (“ [A] ll o ffi cers an d em p l o y ees o f t h e s t at e o r i t s d ep art m en t s an d

ag en ci es

. . . m ay b e l i ab l e fo r i nju ri es an d d am ag es

. . . i f t h ey act wi th act u al m al i ce

o r wi t h act ual i n ten t t o cau s e i n ju ry i n t h e p erfo rm an ce o f t h ei r o ffi ci al fu n ct i o n s .”);

Ca mer o n v. La n g

, 27 4 G a

. 1 2 2, 1 2 3 (1 ) (5 4 9 SE2 d 3 4 1) (2 0 0 1 ) (“ Th e do ct ri n e o f

o ffi ci al im

m u n i ty

. . . offers p u b l i c o ffi cers an d em p l o y ees l i m it ed p ro t ect i o n fro m

s u i t in t h ei r p ers o n al cap aci t[i es ]

. Q u al ifi ed i m m u n i ty p ro t ect s in d i v i d u al p u b l i c

9ag en ts fro m p ers o n al l i ab i l i t y fo r d i s cret i on ary act i o ns t ak en wi t h i n t h e s co p e o f t h ei r

o ffi ci al au t h o ri t y

, an d d o n e wi t h o u t w ilf ulne ss, m a lic e

, o r c or

r uption. ”) (fo o t n o t es an d

p u n c t u a t i o n o m it t ed ); M

er ca d o v. S wo o p e

, 3 4 0 G a. Ap p. 6 4 7

, 6 50 (7 9 8 SE2 d 2 9 1 )

(2 0 1 7) (b ecau s e th e d eci s i o n t o m ak e a warran t l es s arres t i s a d is cret i o nary act wi t h in

t h e sco p e o f t h e o ffi cer’ s offi ci al fu n ct i o n s

, a d efen d an t i s in s u l at ed fro m s u i t u n l es s

t h ere i s ev i d en ce t h at h e act ed wi th act u al m al i ce o r i n t en t t o i n j u r e ) ; S el vy v.

Mo r r i s o n

, 2 9 2 G a. Ap p

. 7 0 2

, 7 0 4 -7 0 6 (6 6 5 SE2 d 4 0 1 ) (2 0 0 8 ) (“ a d el i b erat e in t en t i o n

t o d o w r o n g s u ch as t o co n s t i t u t e th e act u al m al i ce neces s ary to o v erco m e o ffi ci al

i m m u ni t y m us t be t h e i n t en t t o cau s e t h e h arm s u ffered b y t h e pl ai nt i ff”; “ [e] v i d en ce

d em o n s t ra t i n g fru s t rat i o n

, i rri t at i o n

, an d p o ss i b l y ev en an g er i s n o t s u ffi ci en t to

p en et rat e o ffi ci al i m

m u ni ty

, n o r i s p ro o f o f i l l w i l l

, u n l e s s t h e i l l wi l l i s co m b i n ed

wi t h t h e i n t en t t o d o s o m et h i ng wro n g fu l o r il l eg al .”) (ci t at i on a n d p u n ct u at i o n

o m it t ed ).

Th e t ri al co urt d i d n ot err i n g ran t i n g s u m m ary ju d g m en t t o An d rews b as ed o n

o ffi ci al i m

m u n i t y

. See S

el vy , s u p ra at 7 0 7

.

103

. Pat ri ck co n t en ds t h at Sh eri ff Ta l t o n i s l iab l e p urs u an t t o 42 U SC § 1 9 8 3

b ecau s e Dep u t y An drews ad m i t t ed t h at he was fo l lo wi n g Tal t o n ’ s p o li ci es wh en h e

arres t ed Pat ri ck i n v i ol at i o n o f Pat ri ck ’ s co ns t i t u ti o nal ri g h t s

. 1

A w arran t l es s arr e s t wi th o u t p ro b ab l e cau s e v i o l at es t h e Co n s t i t u t i o n

an d fo rm s t h e b as i s fo r a s ect i o n 1 98 3 cl ai m

. Th e ex i s t en ce o f p ro b ab l e

cau s e, h o wev er, i s an ab s o l u te bar t o a s ect i o n 1 9 8 3 a ct i on fo r fal s e

arres t

. Pro b ab l e cau se t o arres t ex i s t s wh ere t h e fact s an d ci rcu m s tan ces

w i t h i n th e o ffi cer[‘ ] s k n o wl ed g e an d o f wh i ch [h e] h ad reas o nab l y

t ru s t wo rt h y in fo rm at i on are s u ffi ci en t i n t h em s e l v e s t o w arran t a

[p ers o n ] o f reas o n ab l e cau t i o n i n t h e b el i ef t h at an o ffen s e h as b een o r

i s b ei n g co m

m i t ted

. . . .[P] ro b ab l e cau se m u s t be ju d g ed no t wi th cl i n i cal

d et ach m en t b u t wi t h a co m m o n s en se vi ew t o t h e real i t i es o f no rm al li fe.

Wh e n th e fact s are n ot i n d i s p u t e, wh et h er p ro b ab l e cau s e ex i s t e d i s a

q u es t i o n o f l aw, an d s u m m ary ju d g m en t i s ap p ro pri at e.

Ma r x v. Gu m b i n n er

, 9 0 5 F2 d 1 50 3

, 1 5 05 -1 5 0 6 (1 1 th Ci r. 1 9 9 0 ) (ci t at i o n s an d

p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed ). Pro b ab l e cau s e fo r an y o ffen s e wi l l b ar a fal s e arres t cl ai m ; i t

n eed n o t b e t h e offen s e t h at was an n o u n ced at t h e t i m e o f th e arres t

. Ba i l ey v. Bo ar d

o f Co u n t y Co mmr

s

. , 9 5 6 F2 d 1 1 1 2

, 1 1 1 9 (III) (A) (1 ) n

. 4 (1 1 t h C i r

. 1 9 9 2 ).

1 4 2 USC § 1 9 8 3 rel ev a n t l y p ro v i d es t h at ev ery p ers o n wh o

, u n d er co l o r o f

s t at u te, cu s t o m

o r u s ag e o f an y

s t at e, s u b ject s o r cau ses t o b e s u bject ed , an y ci t i zen

o f o r p e r s o n wi th i n t h e ju ri s d i ct i o n o f t h e Un it ed St at es t o th e d ep ri v at i on o f an y

ri gh t s s ecu red b y th e Co n s t i t u t i o n an d laws

, s h al l b e l i ab le to t h e part y i nju red i n an

act i on at l aw.

11“ [P] ro b ab l e cau s e req u i res o n l y a p ro b ab i l i t y o r s ub s t an t i al ch an ce of an y cri m i n al

a c t i v i t y. ” Il l i n o i s v. G a t es

, 4 6 2 U. S. 2 1 3

, 2 4 3 (IV) n

. 13 (1 0 3 SCt 23 1 7

, 7 6 LE 2 d

5 2 7 ) (1 9 8 3 ).

In t h i s cas e, An d rews h ad p ro b ab l e cau se to arres t Pat ri ck fo r o b s t ru ct i o n

. As

s et o u t in Di v i si o n 1 ab o v e, t h e fact s an d ci rcu m s t an ces w i th i n An d rews ’ s k n o wl ed g e

were s u ffi ci en t t o warran t a pers o n o f reas o nab l e cau ti o n t o b el i ev e t h at t h e o ffen s e

o f o bs t ru ct io n had b een o r w as b ei n g co m m i tt ed

. In ad d i t i o n

, An d rews h ad p ro b ab l e

cau s e t o arres t Pat ri ck fo r cri m i n al t res pas s

. See OCGA § 1 6 -7 -2 1 (b ) (3 ) (p ert i n en t l y

p ro v id i n g t h a t a pers o n co m m i t s t h e offen se o f cri m i n al t res pas s wh en h e o r s h e

k n o wi n g l y an d wi t h o ut au t h o ri t y rem ai ns u p o n t h e l an d or p rem i s es o f an o t her p ers o n

aft er recei v in g n o t i ce fro m t h e o wn er, ri g ht fu l o ccu p an t

, o r an au t h o ri zed

rep r e s e n t at i v e o f t h e o wn er t o d ep art ). A s t he ev i d en ce sh o w s n o vi o l at i o n o f

Pat ri ck ’ s co n s t i tu ti o n al ri g h t s, h i s s ect i o n 1 98 3 cl a i m fai l s as a m at t er o f l aw. See

g en eral l y Bl u e v. Lo

pez

, 9 0 1 F 3 d 1 3 5 2

, 1 3 57 (III) (1 1 t h Ci r. 2 0 1 8). Th e t ri al co u rt

p ro p erl y g ran t ed s u m

m ary ju d g m en t t o Tal t o n o n t h i s cl ai m

.

Ju d g men t a f f i r m ed . Mi l l er

, P. J., a n d

Co o mer , J., co n cu r

.

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