FOURTH D I VI SI ON

DOYLE, P. J.

, COOM ER and M A R KLE, 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

October 22, 2019



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 9 A0 86 2

. GEORGIACARRY.ORG, IN C

. et al

. v

. BORDEAUX

et al

.

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

Geo rg i aCarry .Org

, In c. (“ Geo rg i aCarry ”), W i l l i am Th eo d o re M o o re, III, an d

Sh an e Mo n t g om ery ap p eal t he d i s m i s s al o f t h ei r co m p l ai n t a g a i n s t Th o m as C.

Bo rd eau x

, J r., a Ch at h am Co u nt y p ro b a t e co u rt j u d ge, s eek i ng a wri t o f m an d am u s

an d d ecl arat o ry

rel i ef reg ard i n g t h e i s s u an ce o f weap o n s carry l i cen s es

. O n ap p eal

,

Geo rg i aCarry

, M oo re, an d M o n t g o m ery co n t en d t h at t h e t ri al co u r t e r red in

d i s m i s s i n g t h e cas e by ru l in g t h at (1 ) t h e cl ai m s o f M o ore a n d M o n t g o m ery were

m o ot ; (2 ) Geo rg i aCarry d o es n o t h av e s t an d in g ; (3 ) t he cl ai m s ag ai n s t Bo rd eau x in

h i s o f fi ci al cap aci t y are b arred b y s o verei gn im m un i ty ; an d (4 ) th e cl ai m s ag ai n s tBo rd eau x i n h i s in d i v i d u al cap aci t y are b arred by ju d i ci al i m m u n i t y

. Becau s e ju d i ci al

i m m u ni t y d o es n o t b ar cl ai m s fo r d ecl arat o ry rel i ef, we rev ers e.

“ W e rev i ew a t ri al co u rt ’ s g r a n t o f a m o t i o n t o d i s m i s s u n d er a d e n o v o

s t an d ard

. A m o t i o n t o d i s m i s s m ay b e g ran t ed o n l y wh ere a co m p l ai n t s h o ws wi th

cert ai n ty t h at t h e pl ai n t i ff w o ul d n o t b e en t it l ed t o rel i ef u n der an y s tat e o f fact s t h at

co u ld b e p ro ven i n s u p p o rt o f h i s cl ai m .” V i o l a E. B uf

or d F ami l y Lt d

. Pa r t n er s h i p v.

Br i t t

, 2 8 3 Ga. Ap p

. 6 7 6

, 6 7 6 (6 42 SE2 d 3 8 3 ) (2 0 0 7) (ci t at i o n s an d pu n ct u at i o n

o m it t ed ).

On Ap ri l 27

, 2 0 1 8

, t he ap p el lan t s fi led a co m p l ai nt s eek i ng a wri t o f m an d am u s

an d d ecl arat o ry rel ief ag ai n s t Bo rd eau x i n t he Su p eri o r Co u rt of Ch at h am Co u n t y

. In

t h e co m p l ai n t

, t h e ap p el l an t s al l eg ed t h at t h e m ax i m u m am ou n t o f t i m e al l o wed by

l aw fo r p ro ces s i n g a weap o n s carry l i cen s e ap p l i cat i o n i s 3 5 d ays ; t h at Bo rd eau x

ro u t i nel y d o es n ot p ro ces s w eap o n s carry l i cen s es fo r Geo rg i aCarry ’ s m em b ers an d

o t h er res i d en t s of Ch at h am Co un t y wi t h i n 3 5 d ay s o f t h e fi l in g of th e ap p l i cat i o n o r

wi t h i n 10 d ay s o f r e c e i v i n g t h e b ack g ro u n d rep o rt ; an d th at by fai l i n g t o p ro ces s

weap o n s carry l i cen s es wi th i n t h e t im e al l o wed b y l aw, Bo rd eau x is v i o l at i n g OCGA

§ 1 6 -1 1 -1 2 9 (d ) (4 ). T h e ap p el l an t s fu rt h er al leg ed t hat o n Oct o b e r 1 3

, 2 0 1 7,

M o n tg o m ery ap pl i ed fo r a weap o ns carry l i cen s e wi t h Bo rd eau x ; t h at o n Feb ru ary 2,

22 0 1 8

, M o o re ap p l i ed fo r a weap o n s carry l i cen s e wi t h Bo rd eau x ; an d t h at n ei t h er

M o o re n o r M on t g o m ery h ad been i s s u ed weap on s carry l icen s es at t h e t i m e t h e

co m p l ai n t was fi l ed

. Ho wev er, M o o re an d M o n tg o m ery b o t h recei v ed t h ei r w eap on s

carry l i cen s es at s o m e p o in t b efo re Au g u s t 7

, 2 01 8

.

Bo rd eau x fi l ed a m o t i o n t o d i s m i s s

. Aft er a heari ng o n t h e m ot i o n o n Au g u s t

7 , 2 01 8 , t h e t ri al co u rt d is m i ss ed t h e cas e. Th is ap p eal fo l l o wed

.

1

. T h e ap p el lan t s co n t en d t h at t h e t ri al co u rt erred b y ru l i ng t h at t h e cl ai m s o f

M o o re an d M o n tg o m ery were m o o t b e c au s e t h ey h ad recei v ed t h ei r weap o n s carry

l i cen ses

. W e fi n d n o erro r.

Th e t ri al co u rt fo u n d t h at t h e ap p el l an t s’ req ues t fo r a wri t o f m an d am u s was

m o ot b ecau s e M o o re a n d M o n t g o m ery h ad recei v ed t h ei r weap o n s carry l i cen s es

.

Ho wev er, t h e tri al co u rt di d n o t fi n d t h at t h e ap p el l an ts ’ req u es t fo r a d ecl arat o ry

ju d g m en t was m o o t.

M an d am us i s an ex t rao rd i n ary rem ed y t o co m p el a p u b l i c o ffi cer t o

p erfo rm a req u i red d u t y

wh en t h ere i s n o o t h er ad eq u at e l eg al rem ed y

.

. . . In g en eral

, m an d am

u s rel ief i s n o t av ai lab l e t o co m p el o ffi ci al s t o

fo l l o w a g en eral co urs e o f co n d u ct

, p erfo rm a d i s cret i o n ary act

, o r u n d o

a p as t act

. Fu rt h erm o re, o n c e t h e p ub l i c d ut y h as o ccu rred

, t h e pray er

t h a t m an d am

u s b e i s s u ed co m

pel l i ng a p ub l ic offi cer t o p erfo rm t h a t

p u b l i c d ut y

i s m oo t

.

3R.A.F. v. Ro b i n s o n

, 2 86 G a. 6 4 4

, 64 6 (1 ) (6 90 SE2 d 37 2 ) (2 0 1 0 ) (ci t at i o n s an d

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

Al t h ou g h i t i s n o t cl ear fro m t h e reco rd wh en Mo ore an d M on t g o m ery recei v ed

t h ei r weap o n s carry li cen s es

, t h e p art i es d o n o t d is pu t e t h at M o o re an d M o n t g o m ery

recei v ed t h ei r weap on s carry l i cen s es at s o m e po i n t b efo re t h e Au g u s t 7

, 2 0 1 8 h eari n g

i n t hi s cas e. Co n s eq u en t l y

, we ag ree wi t h t h e t ri al co u rt t h at t h e ap p el l an ts ’ req u es t

fo r a w ri t o f m an d am

u s i s n o w m oo t as i t p ert ai n s t o M o o r e a n d M o n t g o m ery

. See

Geo r g i a C a r r y.Or g, In c. v. Ja mes

, 2 9 8 Ga. 42 0

, 4 2 4 (2 ) (7 82 SE2 d 2 8 4 ) (2 0 1 6 )

(m an d am u s act i o n m o o t fro m

t h e o u t s et as t o weap o n s l i cen s e ho l d er wh o recei v ed

a new weap o n s l i cen s e befo re t h e fi l i n g o f t h e m an d am us act i o n); s ee al s o M

o o r e v.

Cr a n f o r d

, 2 85 Ga. Ap p

. 6 66

, 6 6 6 (6 4 7 SE2 d 2 9 5 ) (2 0 0 7) (m an d a m u s act i o n was

ren d ered m o o t b ecau se p ro b at e co u rt i s s u ed fi rearm s l icen s e).

Th e ap p el l an ts arg u e t h at M o o re an d M o n t go m ery s t il l h av e an i n t eres t i n t h e

p ro ces s an d t h e ti m el y i ss uan ce o f weap on s carry l i cen s es b ecau s e a weap o n s carry

l i cen se i s o n l y v al i d fo r fi ve y ears

, an d M o ore an d M o n tg o m ery wi l l hav e t o ap p l y

ag ai n

. Th e ap p el l an t s al s o i n v o k e “ t h e wel l -es t ab li s h ed b ut n arro w ex cep t i o n to

m o ot n es s fo r di sp u tes t hat are cap ab l e o f rep et i t io n

, y et ev ad i n g rev i ew.” Owen s v.

Hi l l

, 2 9 5 Ga. 3 0 2

, 3 0 5 (1 ) (7 5 8 SE2 d 7 9 4 ) (2 0 1 4 ) (ci t at i o n an d p un ct u at i o n o m i t t ed ).

4If t h e tri al co u rt h ad fo u n d t hat t h e ap p el l an t s ’ cl ai m fo r d ecl arat o ry rel i ef was m o o t

,

t h i s arg u m e n t m i g h t b e p ers u as i v e. See Mo or e

, 2 8 5 Ga. Ap p. at 6 6 6 (al t h o u g h

m an d am u s act i o n was m o o t b ecau s e fi rearm s l icen s e ap p li can t recei ved h i s fi rearm s

l i cen se, s u p eri o r co u rt fo u n d t hat t h e “ ‘ is s u e i s o n e t h at i s cap ab le o f rep et i t i o n an d

wi l l ev ad e rev i ew’ ” an d d i d no t d i s m i s s cl ai m fo r d ecl arat ory an d i nju nct i v e rel i ef).

Becau s e t h e t ri al co u rt d id n o t fi n d t h at t h e ap p el l an t s ’ req ues t fo r a d ec l arat o ry

ju d g m en t i s m o ot

, t h e d is p u t e wi l l n o t ev ad e rev i ew.

2

. Th e ap p el l an t s n ex t co n t en d t h at t h e t ri al co urt erred b y fi n d i n g t h at

Geo rg i aCarry d i d n o t h av e s t an d i n g . Th i s arg um en t h as n o m eri t

.

In i t s o rd er d at ed Sep t em b er 4

, 2 0 1 8

, t h e t r i a l co u rt ru l ed t h at

“ Geo rg i aCarry .Org i s n o t an au t h o ri zed p ers o n t o s eek a w ri t o f m an dam u s.” Th e t ri al

co u rt m ad e n o fi n di ng as t o wh et h er Geo rg i aCarry h ad s t an d in g to s eek a d ecl arat o ry

ju d g m en t

. On ap p eal

, t h e ap p el l an t s arg u e t h at Geo rg i aCarry i s s eek in g a d ecl arat o ry

ju d g m en t

, n o t a wri t o f m an d am u s

. To t h e ex t en t o u r h ol d in g i n Di v i s i o n 4 rei n s t at es

t h e d ecl arat o ry ju d g m en t action, t h e qu es t io n o f Geo rg iaCarry ’ s st an d in g t o b ri n g t h at

act i on i s n o t ri pe fo r o u r d et erm i n at i o n

. Th e ap p el l an t s co n ten d t h at o n ly M o o re an d

M o n tg o m ery are seek i n g a wri t o f m an d am us i n t h e p res en t cas e. Co n s eq u en t l y

, t h e

5ap p el l an t s ’ ar g u m en t

, wh i ch i s b as ed o n th e tri al co u rt ’ s d et erm i n at i o n t h at

Geo rg i aCarry i s n o t an au t h o ri zed p ers o n t o b ri n g a m an d am u s act i o n , fai l s

.

3

. Th e ap p el l an t s n ex t co n t en d th at t h e t ri al co u rt erred i n fi n d i n g t h at

Bo rd eau x , i n h i s o ffi ci al cap aci t y , h as s o v erei g n i m m un i ty . W e d i s ag ree.

Th e t r i a l c o u rt fo u n d th at t h e ap pel l an t s ’ req u es t fo r decl arat o ry ju d g m en t

ag ai n s t Bo rd eau x i n h i s o ffi ci al cap aci t y wo u l d b e barred b y t h e d o ct ri n e o f so v erei g n

i m m u ni t y

. “ Si m

p l y pu t

, th e co n s t i t u t i o n al d o ct ri n e o f s ov erei g n i m m u n i t y fo rb i d s o u r

co u rt s t o en t ert ai n a l aws u i t ag ai n s t t h e St at e wi th o u t i t s co n s en t .” La t h r o p v. Dea l

,

3 0 1 Ga. 4 0 8

, 4 0 8 (8 0 1 SE2 d 8 67 ) (2 0 1 7). Th e Geo rg i a Co n s t it u t i o n p ro v i des :

Ex cep t as s p eci fi cal l y

p ro v i d ed in t h i s Parag rap h, s ov erei g n i m m u ni t y

ex t e n d s t o t he 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

. T he

s o v erei gn i m

m u n i t y of th e s t at e an d i t s d e p a r t m e n t s an d ag en ci es can

o n l y b e wai v ed b y a n A c t o f t h e Gen eral As s em b l y wh i ch s peci fi cal l y

p ro v i d es th at s o v erei g n im m u n i ty i s t h ereb y wai v ed an d t h e e x t e nt o f

s u ch wai v er.

Ga. Co n s t

. A rt

. I, S e c. II, Par. IX (e). “ So v erei g n i m m u n i ty ap p li es t o p u b l i c

em pl o y e es s ued i n t h ei r o ffi ci al cap aci t ies b ecau se t h es e are i n real i t y s u i ts ag ai n s t

t h e s t at e.” G eo r

g ia Dep t

. o

f Na t u r a l R e s o u r c es v. Cen t er f o r a S u s t a i n a bl e Co as t

,

In c.

, 2 9 4 Ga. 5 9 3

, 59 9 n

. 4 (7 55 SE2 d 1 8 4 ) (2 0 1 4 ) (ci t at i o n an d p u nct u at i o n o m i t t ed ).

6So v erei g n i m m u n i t y ex t en d s t o s u i t s fo r d ecl arat o ry rel i ef. Ol ver a v. Un i v. S ys t em of

Ga . Bo a r d

o f Reg en t s , 2 9 8 Ga. 4 2 5 , 4 2 8 n .4 (7 8 2 SE2 d 4 3 6 ) (2 0 1 6).

Th e ap p el l an t s arg u e t h at s o v erei gn i m m u n i ty h as b een wai v ed b ecau se OCGA

§ 1 6 -1 1 -1 2 9 (j) creat es a p ri v at e ri g h t o f act i o n fo r an el ig i bl e weap o ns carry l i cen s e

ap p li can t w h o do es n o t recei v e a weap o n s carry l i cen s e wi t h i n th e t im e p eri o d

req u i red b y

l aw. OCGA § 1 6 -1 1 -1 2 9 (j) p ro v i d es , i n rel ev an t p art :

W h en an el i g i b l e ap p l i can t fai l s t o recei ve a l i cen s e, t em p o rary ren ewal

l i cen s e, o r ren ewal l i cen se wi th i n t h e t i m e p eri o d req u i red b y th i s Co de

s ect i o n an d th e ap pl i cat i o n o r req u es t h as b een p ro p erl y fi led

, th e

ap p l ican t m ay b ri n g an act i o n i n m an d am u s o r o t h er l eg al p ro ceed i n g i n

o rd er to o b t ai n a l i cen s e, t em p o rary ren ewal l i cen s e, or ren ewal l i cen s e.

Th e ap p el l an t s al s o arg u e t h at wh en an offi ci al fai l s o r refu s es t o p erfo rm an o ffi ci al

d u t y req u i ri n g n o ex erci se o f d i s cret i o n

, an y p ers o n wh o s u s tai n s p ers o n al i n ju ry as

a res u lt i s e n t i t l e d t o m an d am u s rel i ef, an d t h at s u ch an act io n i s n o t b arred by

s o v erei g n i m

m u ni t y reg ard l es s o f wh et h er t h e St at e h as wai v ed s o v erei g n i m m u n i t y

.

Ho wev er, t h e t ri al co u rt m ad e n o fi n d in g ab o u t wh et her t h e ap p el l an t s’ req u es t

fo r a w ri t o f m an dam

u s wo u ld b e b arred b y s o v erei g n i m m u n it y

. As p rev io u s ly s t at ed

,

t h e t ri al co u rt d i s m i s s ed M o ore an d Mo n t g o m ery ’ s m an d am u s cl ai m s as m o o t

. It

d i s m i s s ed Geo rg i aCarry ’ s m an d am u s act i o n b ecau se t h e en t it y l ack ed s t an d i n g t o

7b ri n g t h at act io n

. Th e ap p el l an t s ’ arg u m en t s o n ap p eal d o no t ad d res s t h e t ri al co urt ’ s

fi nd i ng t hat so v erei g n i m m u n i t y b ars t h e ap p el l an t s ’ req u es t fo r decl arat o ry rel i ef.

T h e t r i a l co u rt d id n o t err in fi n d i n g t h at so v erei g n i m m u ni t y b ars th e ap p el l an t s ’

req u es t fo r d ecl arat o ry rel i ef ag ai n s t Bo rd eau x i n h i s o ffi ci al cap aci t y

. See Ol ver a

,

2 9 8 Ga. at 4 2 8 n .4

4

. Nex t

, t h e ap p el l a n t s c o n t en d t h at t h e t ri al co u rt erred b y fi n d i n g t h at

Bo rd eau x was p ro t ect ed b y ju d i ci al i m

m u n i t y i n h i s i n di v i d u al cap aci ty . W e ag ree.

“ Ou r c o u rt s h av e co n s i s t en t l y h el d t h at j u d ges are i m m u n e fro m l i ab i l i t y in

ci v i l act i o n s fo r act s perfo rm ed i n t h ei r ju d i ci al cap aci t y .” S mi t h v. Ha n co ck

, 1 5 0 Ga.

A p p

. 8 0

, 8 0 (2 5 6 SE2 d 62 7 ) (1 9 7 9 ) (ci t at i o n s om i t t ed ). “ Th ere are t wo g ro u n d s o n

wh i ch a ju d g e wi l l be d en i ed t h e ab s o lu t e p ro t ect i on o f ju d i c i a l i m m u n i t y : (1 )

co m m i t t i n g an act t h at i s n o n

j u d i ci al i n n at u re; o r (2 ) act i n g i n t h e ‘ co m p l et e ab s en ce

o f al l ju ri s d i ct io n.’ ” W

i th er s v. S ch r o ed er

, 3 0 4 Ga. 3 9 4, 3 9 7 (2 ) (8 1 9 SE2 d 4 9 ) (2 0 1 8 )

(ci t at i o n s o m i t t ed ). Th e t ri al co u rt fo u n d t h at Bo rd eau x was pro t ect ed b y ju d i ci al

i m m u ni t y b ecau s e h e was act in g i n h i s o ffi ci al cap aci t y as p art o f h i s o ffi ci al d u t y o f

i s su i ng g u n p erm it s

. “ A l th o u g h ju d g es ar e i m m u n e fro m l i ab i l i t y i n ci v i l act i on s

s eek i n g d am ag es fo r act s p erfo rm ed i n t hei r ju d i ci al cap aci t y

, t hi s im m u n i t y d o es n ot

b ar cl ai m s fo r d ecl arat o ry o r in ju n c t i v e r e l i e f

.” Mo o r e

, 2 8 5 Ga. Ap p

. at 6 6 6

, n

. 2

8(ci t at i o n o m i t t ed ). Th u s

, t h e t ri al co u rt erred i n fi n di n g th at t h e ap p el lan t s ’ cl ai m fo r

d ecl arat ory rel i ef ag ai n s t Bo rd eau x i n h i s i nd i v i d u al cap aci t y i s b arred b y ju d i ci al

i m m u ni t y

.

Th e t ri al co u rt al s o fo u n d t h at t he ap p el lan t s ’ cl ai m s ag ai n s t Bo rd eau x i n h i s

i n d i v i d u al cap aci t y were no t p ro p er b ecau s e Bo rd eau x i s s u es li cen s es i n a ju d i ci al

cap aci t y

, n o t i n h i s i n d i v i du al cap aci t y

. Acco rd i n g ly

, t h e t ri al co u rt h el d th at t h ere

was n o cl ai m a g ai n st Bo rd eau x i n h i s i n d i v id u al cap aci t y

. Ho wev er, i n Ol ver a

, t h e

Su p rem e Co urt n o t ed t h at p ub l i c o ffi cers can b e s u ed i n t hei r i n d i v i d u al cap aci t i es fo r

d ecl arat ory rel i ef ev en t h o u gh s o v erei g n i m m u n i t y bars an act io n fo r d ecl arat o ry

rel i ef b ro u g h t ag ai n s t t h em i n t h ei r o ffi ci al cap aci t y

. 2 9 8 Ga. at 4 2 8

. “ A s ui t ag ai n s t

a St at e o ffi cer o r a g e n t as an i n d i v i d u al i s n o t o n e ag ai n s t t h e St at e. Co n s eq u en t l y

,

wh ere St at e o ffi cers o r ag en t s are s u ed pers o n al l y

, t h e s u i t i s g en eral l y m ai n t ai n ab l e

. . . fo r act s d o n e i n v i o l at io n o f a s t at u t e, or u n d er an u n co n s t i t u ti o n al s t at ut e, o r fo r

act s o t h erwi s e u n au t h o ri zed an d i l l eg al .” Fl o r i d a S t a te Ho s

p

. v. D u r h a m Ir o n Co

. ,

1 9 4 Ga. 3 5 0

, 3 5 3 (3 ) (a) (2 1 SE2 d 2 1 6 ) (1 9 4 2 ). Here, th e ap p el l an t s al l eg ed i n t h ei r

co m p l ai n t t h at b y fai l i n g to p ro ces s weap o n s carry l i cen s es wi t h i n t h e t i m e al l o wed

b y l aw, Bo rd eau x i s v io l at i n g OCGA § 1 6 -1 1 -1 2 9 (d ) (4 ). Co n s eq uen t l y

, t h e t ri al

9co u rt erre d i n h o l d i ng t h at t h ere i s n o cl ai m ag ai ns t Bo rd eau x i n h i s i n d i v i d u al

cap aci t y

.

Ju d g men t r ever sed . Do yl e, P. J., a nd

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

.

10