FI L ED U.S. COURT OF APPEAL S EL EVENTHCI RCUI T FEB 2, 2012 J OHN L EY CL ERK [PUBLIS H] IN THE U

NITED STATE S COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE ELE VENTH CIRCUIT

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ No. 1 0- 14 90 1

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ D.C. Dock etNo. 1 :0 9- cv -0 26 74 -TW T HASSAN SWANN, ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll Pl ai nt iff - App el lant , DAVID A. H ARTFIELD, ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll Pl ai nt iff , vers us SECRETARY, STATE OF GEO RGIA, in hi s o ffi ci al cap aci ty as Sec ret ary of Sta te forth e St at e o f Geo rg ia , THE DE KALB COUNTY BOARD OF REGISTRATIONS AND E LECTIONS, MIC HAEL P. COVENY, CATHERINE GILLIARD, LEONA PERRY, et al ., ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll Defen da nt s - Ap pe ll ees .

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ App eal fro m

th e Uni te d S ta te s Di st ric t Co urt forth e North ern Dis tri ctof Ge or gi a

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ (Feb ru ary 2, 2 01 2)Befo re EDMONDSON an d P RYOR, Ci rcu itJu dg es , andHOPKINS, Dis tri ctJu dg e. * PRYOR, Ci rcu itJu dg e: Thi s ap pe al ad dr es se s wh ethe r a fo rm er i nm at e o f a co un ty j ai l h as st an di ng to co m pl ai n t ha t s ta te an d l oc al off ic ia ls fai le d t o m ai l h im

a ba ll otat t he jail ev en th ou gh he ne ve r as ke d t he m to m ai l h im

a ba ll otth ere. Has sa n S wan n app eal s t he
su m m ary jud gm en t i n fa vo r of th e Sec ret ary of

Sta te of Ge or gi a an d s ev eral el ect io ns off

ic ia ls forDeKalb Co un ty, Geo rg ia . Swann ’s com pl ai ntall eg es th at th e o ffi ci al s’ app li cat io n o f a Geo rg iast atut e th atgo ve rn s ab se nt ee v ot in g, Ga. Co de Ann . § 2 1- 2- 38 1( a)(1 )(D), d en ie d h im th e ri gh t t o h av e a b al lo t m ai le d t o hi m at t he jail an d p rev en te d h im fro m vo ti ng whi le he was i nc arce rat edin th e fal l of 20 08 . ButSwan n wo ul d n otha ve rece iv eda ba ll otat the jail reg ard le ss of t he of fic ia ls ’ ap pl ic at io n o f th e st atut e b ecau se he pro vi de d o nl y hi s h om e ad dr es s o n hi s ap pl ic at io n fo r anab se nt ee b al lo t. Swan n’s al le ge d i nju ry was n otfai rly tra ceab le to an y

act io ns of t he off

ic ia ls . W e v acat e th e su m m ary jud gm en t en te red by the di st ric t co urt an d re m an d wi th in st ru ct io ns to di sm is s fo r la ckof s ub ject
m at te r juri sd ic ti on .

Honora ble Virg inia Emerson Hopkins, United States District Judge f or the Nor

thern * District of Alaba

ma, sitting by

designation. 2I. BACKG ROUND

Inan ti ci pa ti on of t he pre si de nt ia l el ect io n h el d o n No ve m be r 4, 2 00 8, the st aff o f th e DeKal b C ou nt y Jai l h el d v ot er re gi st rat io n d riv es at the jail an d
en co ur ag edin m at es to reg is te r to vo te an d t o app ly for ab se nt ee b al lo ts . Hass an Swan n was am on g t he in m at es who co m pl et edanap pl ic at io n fo r anab se nt ee ba ll ot . Swann was ares id en t o f DeKal b C ou nt y an d was in carc erat edin th e jail fro m Sep te m be r to Decem

be r 20 08 ba se d o n am is de m ean orco nv ic ti on . The ap pl ic at io n re qu es te d o n s ep arat e li ne s Swa nn ’s “ Add res s as Reg is te red ” an d

“ Add res s (B al lo t t o b e m ai le d) .” Swan n wro te th e ad dr es s o f hi s h om e in DeKalb Co un ty on t he li ne lab el ed“ Add res s as Reg is te red .” He lef t b la nkth e sp ace f

or hi s “ Addres s (B al lo t t o b e m ai le d) ,” be cau se , as h e la te r te st ifi edat h is de po si ti on , he “ di dn ’t kn ow DeKa lb Co un ty[] [Ja il ’s] ad dr es s.” He m ak es no all eg at io n t ha t
an y of t he off

ic ia ls refu se d t o t el l h im

th e ad dr es s o f th e jail or i ns tru ct edhi m to le av e b la nkth e sp ace f

orth e m ai li ng ad dr es s. Oth er i nm at es reque st edonth ei r ap pl ic at io ns th atth ei r ab se nt ee b al lo ts be
m ai le d t o t he jail , andon Sep te m be r 29 , 20 08 , Max in e Dan ie ls , th e as si st an t di rect orof r eg is tra ti on s an d e le ct io ns forDeKalb Co un ty, in fo rm edanem pl oyee of th e jail th atth e ab se nt ee b al lo t cl erkwou ldno t m ai l ab se nt ee b al lo ts to th e jail
. Dan ie ls ex pl ai ne d t ha t, u nd er Geo rg ialaw, t he cle rk“ co ul d n otm ai l an ab se nt ee 3ba ll otfora no n- di sabl edvo te r to an ot he r ad dr es s i n DeKa lb Co un ty oth er tha n

th ei r reg is te redad dr es s.” Sh e b as edth is ex pl an at io n o n aGeor gi a st atut e th at pr ov id es th at , “ [e]xce ptin th e cas e o f ph y si cal ly dis ab le d e le ct or s re si di ng in th e co un ty or m

un ic ip al it y , no ab se nt ee b al lo t s ha ll be m ai le d t o a n a dd res s o th er tha n th e p erm an en t m ai li ng ad dr es s o f th e el ect oras r eco rd edon th e el ect or ’s vo te r reg is tra ti on reco rdor atem po rary out -o f-co un ty or ou t-o f-m un ic ip al it y

ad dr es s,” Ga. Co de Ann . § 2 1- 2- 38 1( a)(1 )(D). Dan ie ls an d J effr ey

Man n, t he ch ie f de pu ty she rif f of DeKalb Co un ty, la te r de ve lo pe d aso lu ti on to all ow i nm at es to rece iv e th ei r ba ll ot s atth e jail . They ag reedth atth e ab se nt ee b al lo t cl erkwou ldm ai l b al lo ts to th e h om e ad dr es se s o f in m at es , andrel at iv es of i nm at es wou ldbe pe rm it te d t o l eav e th e b al lo ts in a dr op bo x a t t he jail fordi st rib ut io n t o t he in m at es . Swann co nt en ds th athe “ was un aware of t he dro p b ox an d e xp ect edth e el ect io n o ffi ce t o m ai l h is ab se nt ee ba ll otto th e jail gi ve n t ha t h e wou ldst il l b e co nf in edon ele ct io n d ay ,” ev en th ou gh he ha d l is te d o nl y hi s h om e ad dr es s o n h is ap pl ic at io n fo r anab se nt ee ba ll ot . The ab se nt ee b al lo t cl erkdi d n otm ai l Swann ’s bal lo t t o the jail . Dani el s te st ifi edth at , acco rd in g t o h er re co rd s, t he ab se nt ee b al lo t cl erkm ai le d S wan n a ba ll otto Swan n’s h om e ad dr es s b ecau se th atwas t he on ly addres s t ha t Swa nn ha d 4pr ov id ed . Swann ne ve r rec ei ve d h is ba ll ot , andhe was u nabl e to vo te in th e

el ect io n h el d o n No ve m

be r 4, 2 00 8. Swan n a ndan ot he r fo rm er i nm at e, Dav idA. Hartfi el d, fi le d aco m pl ai ntin th e d is tri ctco urt ag ai ns t the off ic ia ls . The co m

pl ai ntall eg edth atth ei r ap pl ic at io n of sec ti on 21 -2 -3 81 (a)( 1) (D) was un co ns ti tu ti on al be cau se it“pr ev en ts pe op le who are i nc arce rat edinco un ty j ai ls , bu t wh o re ta in th e ri gh t t o v ot e, fro m vo ti ng by ab se nt ee b al lo t i f th ey

are i nc arce rat edin th e co un ty of th ei r res id en ce.” Th e co m pl ai ntall eg edth atap pl ic at io n o f th e st atut e b y th e o ffi ci al s v io la te d t he Equ al Pro te ct io n C laus e o f th e Fo urte en thAm en dm en t b ecau se itde pr iv edanin m at e in carc erat edin hi s co un ty of res id en ce t he rig htto ha ve a ba ll otm ai le d t o h im at th e jail . The co m

pl ai ntals o a ll eg eda vi ol at io n o f th e Due Pro ces s C laus e o f th e Fo urte en th Am en dm en t. The co m pl ai ntreque st edde cl arat ory an d i njunc ti ve rel ie f, no m in al dam ag es , andatt orne y ’s fees . Befo re i t ru le d o n the cla im s al le ge d in th e co m

pl ai nt , th e d is tri ctco urt d is m is se d Hartfi el d a s a p la in ti ff b ecau se of h is fai lu re t o c om

pl y with a n o rd er o f th e co urt. Swan n a ndth e o ffi ci al s fi le d m ot io ns forsu m m ary jud gm en t, an d the di st ric t co urt g ran te d asu m m ary jud gm en t i n fa vo r of th e o ffi ci al s. Th e d is tri ct
co urt re as on edth at , bec au se Swan n d idno t re qu es t t ha t h is ba ll otbe m ai le d t o t he jail , hi s “ equa l p ro te ct io n c la im fai ls be cau se he was n ottre at eddi ffer en tl y th an 5si m il arl y

si tu at edin m at es .” The d is tri ctco urt al so reas on edth atth e st atut e “ di d
no t p rev en t [S wan n] fro m [vo ti ng ]” becaus e “ ev enif Geo rg ialaw p erm it te d t he Bo ardto m ai l ab se nt ee b al lo ts to in m at es co nf in edin th ei r co un ty of res id en ce, Swan n’s b al lo t wo ul d s ti ll ha ve be enm ai le d t o h is reg is te redad dr es s, n otth e DeKal b C ou nt y

jail .” The d is tri ctco urt d idno t ad dr es s wh ethe r Swan n h ad st an di ng . II . STANDARD OF REVIEW

“ W e rev ie w is su es of s ta nd in g d e n ov o.” Hol lywoodMo bi le Est at es Ltd . v. Sem in ol e Trib e o f Fl a., 64 1 F .3d12 59 , 12 64 (11 th Cir . 20 11 ) (quo ti ng Co m m on Cau se /Ga. v . Bil lups , 55 4 F .3d13 40 , 13 49 (11 th Cir . 20 09 )) (i nt ern al qu ot at io n m ark s o m it te d)
. II I. DI SCUSSI ON W e can no t re ach th e m eri ts of t hi s ap pe al be cau se Swan n l ack s s tand in g.

“ Arti cl e III o f th e Uni te d S ta te s C on st itut io n l im it s t he juri sd ic ti on of f ed eral
co urts to ‘ Cas es ’ an d ‘Co nt ro ve rs ie s.’” Hol lywoodMo bi le Est at es , 64 1 F .3dat 12 64 (qu ot in g U.S. Co ns t. Art . III, § 2). “ St an di ng is anirr educ ib le m in im um ne ces sa ry un de r Arti cl e III’s ca se -o r-co nt ro ve rs y requi rem en t.” Kel ly v. Harri s, 33 1 F .3d81 7, 8 19 (11 th Cir . 20 03 ). W e h av e h el d t ha t “ ‘[s]tan di ng is a th res ho ld juri sd ic ti on al qu es ti on whi ch m us t b e ad dr es se d p rio r to an d i nd ep en de ntof t he

6m eri ts of apa rty’ s cl ai m s.’” Boc he se v. To wn o f Po nc e In le t, 4 05 F.3d96 4, 9 74

(1 1t h C ir. 2 00 5) (qu ot in g Di ll ardv. Ba ld win Cn ty. Co m m ’rs, 22 5 F .3d12 71 , 12 75 (1 1t h C ir. 2 00 0) ). “ The Supr em e Co urt h as ex pl ai ne d t ha t the ‘ irr educ ib le
co ns ti tu ti on al m in im

um ’ of st an di ng un de r Arti cl e III c on si st s o f th ree e le m en ts : anactua l o r im

m in en t i nju ry , cau sa ti on , andredres sabi li ty.” H ol lywoodMo bi le Est at es , 64 1 F .3dat 1 26 5 (c it in g Lu jan v . Defen de rs of Wil dl ife , 50 4 U.S. 5 55 , 56 0– 61 , 11 2 S . Ct. 2 13 0, 2 13 6 (1 99 2) ). W e n eedno t d et erm in e whe th er Swan n s uf fere d a n i nju ry

whenhe di d n ot
rece iv e a b al lo t o r whe th er a fa vo rab le de ci si on wou ldredres s t hi s al le ge d i nju ry be cau se Swan n’s n on -rec ei ptof aba ll otwas n ot“ ‘fairl y . . . tra ce[abl e] to t he ch al le ng edact io n o f th e d efen da nt [s ]. ’” Lujan, 5 04 U.S. at 5 60 , 11 2 S . Ct. at21 36 (fi rs t an d s eco ndalt erat io ns in ori gi na l) ( qu ot in g S im onv. E. Ky . W el fare Rig ht s Org ., 42 6 U.S. 2 6, 4 1– 42 , 96 S. Ct. 1 91 7, 1 92 6 (1 97 6) ). Lujanex pl ai ne d t ha t an in jury is n otfai rly trace ab le to th e act io ns of ade fen da ntif c au se d b y th e

“ ‘ind ep en de ntact io n o f so m e th irdpa rty no t b efo re the co urt,’” Lujan , 50 4 U.S. at 56 0, 1 12 S. Ct. at21 36 (qu ot in g S im on , 42 6 U.S. at42 , 96 S. Ct. at19 26 ), an d li ke wis e a co nt ro ve rs y

is no t ju st ic iabl e whe n apl ai nt iff in de pe nd en tl y

cau se d i ts
own in jury. Cf. Pen ns y lv an iav. New J ers ey , 42 6 U.S. 6 60 , 66 4, 9 6 S . Ct. 2 33 3, 23 35 (19 76 ); s ee al so Ass ’n of C m ty. Org s. fo r Ref

orm Now v . Fowl er, 1 78 F.3d 735 0, 3 58 (5t h C ir. 1 99 9) . Sev eral of o ursi st er ci rcu it s s im il arl y ha ve he ldth ata pl ai nt iff lac ks st an di ng to ch al le ng e a ru le if a n i nd ep en de ntso ur ce wo ul d h av e cau se d h im

to su fferth e sa m e in

jury. See, e.g ., Don ah ue v. Ci ty of Bo st on , 37 1 F.3 d 7 , 14 (1s t Ci r. 20 04 ); M ars ha ll v. Me ad ows , 10 5 F .3d90 4, 9 06 (4th C ir. 19 97 ); Ho wardv. N.J. Dep ’t of Ci vi l Se rv ., 66 7 F .2d10 99 , 11 01 –0 3 (3 d C ir. 19 81 ). See al so 13 A Cha rle s Al anWrig ht , Arth urR. Mi ll er & EdwardH. Coo pe r, Fed eral Prac ti ce an d P ro cedur e § 35 31 .5 (3 d e d. 2 00 8) (“ Rat he r th ana br eakin
on e cau sa l ch ai n, s ta nd in g m ay be de feat edby find in g adi ffer en t caus e.”). Swan n’s fa il ur e to pro vi de th e ad dr es s o f th e jail on hi s ap pl ic at io n i nd ep en de nt ly
cau se d h is all eg edin

jury. Swan n wo ul d n otha ve rece iv eda ba ll otat t he jail reg ard le ss of t he ap pl ic at io n o f th e st atut e b y th e o ffi ci al s. Swan n’s l aws ui t i s b as edon anim ag in ary se t o f fac ts : anim ag in ary reque st to sen d h is ba ll otto th e jail an d a n i m ag in ary refu sa l o n t he ba ll otcle rk ’s part t o se nda ba ll otto hi m . Swann ask edth e b al lo t cl erkto m ai l Swann ’s abs en te e b al lo t to Swan n’s h om e –

no ot he r ad dr es s was gi ve n i n t he ap pl ic at io n fo r th e b al lo t –
an d t he cle rk

says a b al lo t was sen t t o S wan n’s h om e. Not hi ng wron gf ul can ari se fro m th os e fac ts . Swan n e rro ne ou sl y

arg ue s t ha t we s ho ul d app ly a fut il it y ex cep ti on to th e st an di ng requi rem en t an d e xc us e h is fai lu re t o re qu es t t ha t h is ba ll otbe m ai le d t o 8th e jail . He con te nd s t ha t “ itis un equi vo cal ly clearth atif [h e] hadin de ed

reque st edon hi s ab se nt ee b al lo t ap pl ic at io n t ha t h is ba ll otbe m ai le d t o h im at t he DeKal b C ou nt y

jail , no th in g d iff

eren t wo ul d h av e h ap pe ne d,” bu t Swa nn can on ly sp ecu la te th atth e ab se nt ee b al lo t cl erkwou ldha ve di sh on or eda reque stto m ai l hi s b al lo t t o t he jail . The au th or it ie s t ha t Swa nn cit es are i napp os it e. Thes e de ci si on s ei th er ad dr es s p re-e nf or cem en t ch al le ng es to st atut es , see , e.g., Fl a. St at e Co nf . of NAACP v . Bro wni ng , 52 2 F .3d11 53 , 11 64 (11 th Cir . 20 08 ), or in vo lv e th e subm is si onof s uc ces si ve ap pl ic at io ns to anadm in is tra ti ve bo ardaft er the pl ai nt iff ha s al read y

m ad e atlea ston e subm is si on , see , e.g., Gree nb ria r, Ltd . v. Ci ty of Alaba st er, 8 81 F.2d15 70 , 15 75 –7 6 (1 1t h C ir. 1 98 9)
. Swan n d idno t h av e st an di ng to su e th e o ffi ci al s, an d t he di st ric t co urt erred whe n i t g ran te d asu m

m ary jud gm en t. “ ‘[A] gra ntof s umm ary jud gm en t i s a de ci si on on th e m eri ts [,] . . . [bu t] a co urt m us t d is m is s a c as e wit ho utev er reac hi ng th e m eri ts if i t co nc lu de s t ha t i t h as no juri sd ic ti on .’ ” Goo dm anex rel
. Goo dm anv. Si po s, 2 59 F.3d13 27 , 13 31 n.6 (11 thCir . 20 01 ) (thi rdan d fo urth al te rat io ns in ori gi na l) ( qu ot in g C ap it ol Leas in g C o. v . Fed . Depo si t In s. Co rp ., 99 9 F .2d18 8, 1 91 (7t h C ir. 1 99 3) ). IV. CONCLUSI ON W e VACATE th e jud gm en t o f th e d is tri ctco urt an d REMAND wit h 9in st ru ct io ns to DISMI SS for lac k o f subjec t m atte r juri sd ic ti on .

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