FI RST DI VI SI ON

BA RNES, P. J.

, GOBEI L 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

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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 14, 2021



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A2 1 A0 45 3 . YOUNG v . J OHNSON et al

.

G O B E I L

, J u d g e.

Ad ri en n e Yo u ng s u s t ai ned i n ju ri es w h e n h e r v eh i cl e was h i t b y a v eh i cl e

d ri v en b y St ev e Jo h ns o n

, a Ci t y o f At l an t a (t h e “ Ci t y ”) em p lo y ee. Th e Ci t y o wn ed t h e

v eh icl e J o h n s on was d ri v i n g

, a n d h e w as act in g wi th i n 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 at t h e t im e o f t h e cras h

. Yo u n g fi l ed a neg l i g en ce act i on ag ai n s t t h e Ci t y

,

u n d er a t h eo ry o f res p o n d eat su p eri o r, an d ag ai n s t J o h n so n i n h i s i n d i vi d u al cap aci t y

.

Th e Ci t y an d J o h n s o n an s wered t h e co m pl ai n t an d fi l ed a m o ti o n t o d i s m i s s t h e

co m p l ai n t fo r fai lu re t o s t at e a cl ai m , as s ert i n g i n rel ev an t p art t hat Yo u ng ’ s cl ai m s

were b arred b y s ov erei g n i m m u n i t y an d t h at s he fai l ed t o ci t e an y s t at u t o ry wai v er o f

s o v erei g n i m

m u n i t y t hat wo u l d ap p l y t o h er a l l e g a t i on s

. Yo u n g d i d n o t t h ereaft er

am en d h er co m

p l ai n t o r res po n d t o t h e m o t i o n to d i s m i s s

, an d t h e t ri al co u rt g ran t edt h e m o t io n as t o t h e Ci ty an d J o h n s o n

. S p eci fi cal l y

, t h e t ri al co u rt ru l ed t h at (1 )

Yo u n g fai l ed t o es t ab l is h th at th e Ci t y h ad wai v ed s o v erei g n i m m u n i t y i n t h e act i o n,

an d (2 ) Jo h ns on co u l d n o t be h el d l i ab l e i n h i s i n d iv i d ual cap aci t y

. T h i s ap p e al

fo l l o w ed

. In h er s o l e cl ai m o f erro r, Yo u ng arg u es t h at th e t ri al co u rt erred b y ru l i n g

t h a t s h e h ad n ot es t ab l i s h ed a wai v er o f t h e Ci t y ’ s s ov erei g n i m m u n i t y becau s e t h e

Ci t y ’ s i m m u n i t y i s cl earl y an d ex p l i ci t l y wai ved b y OCGA § 3 6-9 2 -2 (a) (3 ). As

ex p lai n ed b el o w , we fi n d n o erro r an d affi rm

.

“ W e rev i ew d e n ov o a tri a l c o u r t ’ s ru l i n g o n a m o t io n t o d i s m i s s b as ed o n

s o v erei g n i m

m un i t y gro un d s

, wh i ch i s a m at t er o f l aw. Fact u al fi n d i n g s are s u s t ai n ed

i f t h ere i s ev i den ce su p p o rt i n g t h em

, an d t h e b u rd en o f p ro o f is o n th e p art y s eek i n g

t h e wai ver o f i m

m u n i t y .” D ou g l a s v. Dep t

. o f Ju ven i l e Ju s t i ce

, 3 4 9 Ga. Ap p

. 1 0

, 1 0

-

1 1 (8 2 5 SE2 d 3 9 5 ) (2 0 1 9 ) (ci t at i o n an d p u n ct u at io n om i t t ed ). See al so Ci t y o f Tyb ee

Is l a n d v

. H

a r r o d

, 3 37 Ga. Ap p

. 5 2 3

, 5 2 4 (7 88 SE2 d 12 2 ) (2 01 6 ) (“ So v erei g n

i m m u ni t y o f a m

u ni ci p al i ty

i s n o t an affi rm at i v e defen s e, g o i n g t o t h e m eri t s o f t h e

cas e, b u t rai s es t h e i s s u e o f t h e tri al co u rt ’ s s ub ject m at t er ju ri s d i ct i on t o t ry t h e cas e,

an d wai v er o f s o v erei g n i m m u n i t y m u s t b e es t ab l i s h ed b y th e p art y seek i n g t o b en efi t

fro m t h at wai v er[.] ”) (ci t at i o n an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed ).

2Un d er Geo rg i a l aw, m u n i ci p al co rp o rat io n s are i m m u ne fro m su i t pu rs u an t to

Art i cl e IX, Sect i on II, Parag rap h IX o f th e Co n s t it u ti o n o f t h e St at e of G eo rg i a, u n l es s

t h a t i m m u n i t y i s wai v ed b y t h e Gen eral A s s em b l y

. See Ga. Co n s t

. o f 1 9 8 3

, Art

. I

,

Sec. II, Par. IX (e). Sp eci fi cal l y

, wi t h reg ard t o m un i ci p al co rp o rat i o n s

, o ur Gen eral

As s em b l y has en act ed OCGA § 3 6 -3 3 -1

, wh ich rei t erat es t h at “ it i s t h e pu b l i c p o l i cy

o f t h e St at e o f Geo rg i a th at t here i s no w ai v er o f t h e s o v erei g n i m m u n i ty o f m

u n i ci p al

co rp o rat i o ns o f t h e st at e an d s u ch m u n i ci p al co rp orat i o n s s h a l l b e i m m u n e fro m

l i ab i l i t y fro m

d am ag es .” OCGA § 3 6 -3 3 -1 (a).

In t h e co n t ex t o f cas es in v o l v in g au t om o b i l e co l l i s i o n s

, O CGA § 3 6 -9 2 -2

,

p ro v id es t h at “ [t ] h e so v erei g n i m m u n i t y o f l ocal g o v ern m en t en t i t i es fo r a lo s s ari s i n g

o u t o f cl ai m s fo r t he neg l i g en t u s e o f a co vered m o t o r v eh i c l e i s w a i ved u p to

[cert ai n ] l i m it s” as o u t l i n e d i n t h e s t at ut e. OCGA § 3 2-9 2 -2 (a). 1 “ Th e wai v er

p ro v id ed b y t hi s c h a p t e r s h al l b e i ncreas ed t o t he ex t en t t h at

. . . [t ] h e l o cal

g o v ern m en t en t i t y pu rch as es co m m erci al l iab i l i t y

i n su ran ce i n an am o un t i n ex ces s

o f t h e wai v er s et fo rt h i n t h i s Co d e s e c ti o n .” OCGA § 3 6 -9 2 -2 (d ) (3 ). In Ga t es v.

Gl a ss

, 2 9 1 Ga. 3 5 0

, 3 5 2

- 3 5 3 ( 7 2 9 SE2 d 3 6 1 ) (2 01 2 ), ou r Su prem e Co urt g av e t h e

1 Fo r i n ci den t s wh i ch occu r o n o r aft er J an u ary 1

, 2 0 0 8

, s u ch as t he on e i n t h e

p res en t cas e, an ag g reg at e am o un t o f $ 5 0 0,0 0 0 i s t h e l i m i t fo r bo d i l y i n ju ry o r d eat h

o f an y o n e p ers o n i n an y

o n e o ccu rren ce. OCGA § 3 6 -9 2 -2 (a) (3 ).

3fo l l o w i n g ex p l an at i o n o f t h e s tat u t o ry s ch em e wi t h reg ard s t o w ai v er o f s o v erei g n

i m m u ni t y u n d er t h i s co d e s ect i o n :

An ex am i n at io n o f OCGA § 3 6 -9 2-1 et s eq

., as wel l a s t h e earl i er an d

rev i s ed v ers i o n s o f OCGA § 3 3-2 4 -5 1 (a) an d (b ), d em o n s trat es an

i n t en t o n t h e p art o f t h e l eg i s l at ure t o creat e a t wo -t i er s ch em e wi t h i n

wh i ch lo cal g ov ern m en t s are d eem ed t o h av e wai v ed so v erei g n

i m m u n i t y wi t h reg ard t o acci d en t s ari s i n g fro m t h e op erat i o n o f t h e i r

m o t o r v eh i cl es

. Th e fi rs t t i er, es t ab l i s h ed un d er OCGA § 3 6 -9 2 -1 et s eq

.,

req u ires l o cal en t i t i es t o wai v e s ov erei g n i m m u ni t y

— u p t o cert ai n

p res cri b ed li m it s

— fo r i n ci d en t s i n v o lv i n g m ot o r v eh i cl es reg ard les s o f

wh et h er t h ey p ro cu r e a u t o m ob i l e l i ab il i ty in s u ran ce. Th e s eco n d ti er,

en act ed b y OCGA § 3 3-2 4 -5 1 (b ), an d as rev i s ed i n 2 0 0 2, pro v i des fo r

t h e wai ver o f s o verei g n i m m u n it y t o t he ex ten t a l o cal en t i t y p u rch as es

l i ab i l i t y i n su ran ce i n an am o u n t ex ceed in g t h e l i m it s p res cri b ed i n

OCGA § 3 6 -9 2 -2

.

(Fo o tn o te o m i t t ed ).

Yo u ng arg u es t h at s h e was n ot req u i red t o ex p res s l y al l eg e t h at th e Ci t y wai v ed

s o v erei g n i m

m u n i t y b ecau s e t h e fact s sh e rai s ed i n h e r co m p l ai n t d em o n s t rat e a

wai v er as co di fi ed i n OCGA § 3 6 -9 2 -2

. W e d is ag ree. In h er su i t

, Yo u ng al l eg ed t h at

s h e s u s t a i n e d i n

ju ri es as a res u l t o f an au to m o b i l e co l li s i o n wi t h J o h n s o n

, a Ci t y

em pl o y ee, du e t o J o h n s o n ’ s n eg l i g en t o p erat i on o f th e v eh icl e. Ho wev er, so v erei g n

i m m u ni t y i s n o t an affi rm at i v e d efen se an d th e Ci t y d i d n o t h av e a d u t y t o “ neg at e t h e

4p o s s i b i l i t

y t h a t t h e d efen s e o f s o v erei g n i m m u n it y h ad b een wai v ed .” Kel l eh er v.

S t a t e of Ga

. , 1 8 7 G a. A p p. 6 4

, 6 4 -6 5 (1 ) (3 6 9 SE2 d 34 1 ) (1 9 8 8 ) (em p h as i s s u p p l i ed ).

As no t ed ab o v e, Yo u n g di d n ot ex p l ici t l y p l ead a wai v er o f t h e Ci t y ’ s so v erei g n

i m m u n i t y i n h er co m

p lai n t

, an d s h e fai l ed to am en d her co m p l ai nt t o al l eg e s u ch a

w a i v e r. Fu rt h erm o re, sh e d i d n o t (1 ) rai se OCGA § 3 6 -9 2 -3 i n an y o f h er fi l i n g s i n

t h e co u rt b el ow, (2 ) res p o n d to t h e Ci t y ’ s m o t io n t o d i s m i s s

, o r (3 ) o t h erwi s e co n tes t

t h e m o t i o n t o d i s m i s s

. 2 Un d er t hes e ci rcu m s t an ces

, t h e t ri al co u rt p ro p erl y fo u n d t h at

Yo u n g fai l ed to s at i sfy her b u rd en of es t a b l i s h i n g a wai v er o f t h e Ci t y ’ s so v erei g n

i m m u n it y

, an d t h e co u rt di d n o t err by d i s m i s s in g h er co m p lai n t

. See S

ea y v.

Cl evel a n d

, 2 70 Ga. 64

, 6 6 (2 ) (5 0 8 SE2 d 1 5 9 ) (1 9 98 ) (wh ere p l ai n t i ffs fai l ed t o al l eg e

s p eci fi c st at ut o ry wai v er o f s o v erei g n i m m u n i t y i n t h ei r co m

pl ai nt o r m ot i o n fo r

d i rect ed v erd ict

, i s s u e o f wh et h er co u n t y ’ s s ov erei g n i m m u ni ty h ad b een w ai v ed by

OCGA § 5 0 -2 1-1 (a) “ p res en t [ed ] n o t h i n g fo r rev i ew o n ap peal ”) ; B u l l o ch Co u n t y

S ch oo l Di s t

. v. Ga

. Dep t

. o f E d

. , 3 2 4 Ga. Ap p

. 69 1

, 6 9 3-6 9 4 (1 ) (7 5 1 SE2 d 4 9 5 )

2 In h er ap p el l at e b ri ef, Yo u n g m ai n t ai n s t h at t h e p art i es h ad s t i p u l at ed t h at s h e

wo u l d h av e ad d i t i o n al t i m e t o res p on d t o t h e m ot i on t o di sm i s s

, b u t s h e

“ i n ad v ert en t l y n eg l ect ed t o fi l e a s ti p u lat i o n t o t hat effect wi t h t h e t r i a l c o u rt .” Sh e

al s o al l eg es t h at s h e fi l ed a m o t i o n t o reco ns i d er o r set as id e t he t ri al co u rt ’ s d i s m i s s al

o rd er, bu t t h i s m o t i o n d o es n ot ap pear i n t h e reco rd t ran s m i t t ed t o t hi s Co u rt in

co n nect io n wi t h th is ap p eal

, an d Yo u n g d i d n o t m o v e t o s u p p l em en t t h e reco rd o n

ap p eal

.

5(2 0 1 3) (s ch oo l d i s t ri ct fai led t o es t ab l i s h wai v er o f d ep art m en t o f ed u cat i o n ’ s

s o v e r e i g n i m

m u n i t y

, i n p art

, wh ere d i s t ri ct d i d n o t as s ert an y wai v er o f s o v erei g n

i m m u ni t y i n i t s co m

p lai n t o r i n i t s m o t i o n s eek i n g fu n d s fro m t h e d ep art m en t

, d i d n ot

fi le a rep l y b ri ef res p o n d in g t o t h e dep art m en t ’ s as s ert i o n o f so v erei g n im m u n i t y

, an d

n ev er as s e r t ed an y st at u t o ry cl ai m o f wai v er u n t i l i t fi led i t s b ri ef wi t h t h i s Co u rt );

Kel l eh er

, 1 8 7 Ga. Ap p

. at 64

- 6 5 ( 1 ) ( n o t i n g t hat St at e was n o t req u i red t o ad d res s

i s su e o f s o v erei gn i m

m un it y b ecau s e ap p el l an t n ev er al l eg ed i t i n t ri al co u rt ).

Ju d g men t a f f i r m ed . Ba r nes , P. J., a n d

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

.

6