# C o u rt o f

A p p ea ls

o f t h e S t a te o f

G eo rg ia

ATLANTA,_

_ _ __ _ _ __ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ __ _

Th e Co u rt

o f Ap p ea l s h er eb y p a s s es t h e f

o ll owi n g o r der :

A2 1 A0 28 7

. ALBERT E. LOVE et a l

. v

. ATLANTA FALCONS STADI UM CO.,

LLC.

On Oct o b er 1 8

, 20 1 7

, Al b ert E. Lo v e an d o th ers (t he “ p l ai nt i ffs ”) s en t At l an t a

Fal co n s St ad i u m Co m

p an y

, LLC (“ St ad Co ”) a req u es t fo r d ocu m en t s p u rs u an t t o t h e

Geo rg i a Op en Reco rd s Act (t h e “ Act ”), OCGA § 5 0 -1 8 -7 0 et s eq . Sp eci fi cal l y , t h e

p l ai n t i ffs s o u g h t d o cu m en t s t h at St ad Co ex ecu t ed in c onn ect i o n w i t h th e co ns t ru ct i o n

an d fi n an ci n g o f M erced es -Ben z St ad i u m

. T h e n ex t d ay

, St ad Co res p o n d ed

, an d

refu sed t o t u rn o v er t h e req u es t ed d o cu m en t s o n th e g ro u n d t h at i t was n o t s u b ject to

t h e Act

. Th e p lai n t i ffs fi l ed s u i t

, as s ert i ng t h at St ad Co

, a p ri v at e en t it y

, was s u b ject

t o th e Act as a res u l t o f i t s co n t ract wi t h t h e G e o r g i a Wo r l d Co n g res s Cen t er

Au t ho ri ty (“ GW CCA”), an “ ag en cy ” as t h at t erm i s d efi n ed u n d er th e Act

. See OCGA

§ § 5 0

- 1 4 -1 (a) an d 5 0 -1 8 -7 0 (b ) (1 ). Un d er t h e t erm s o f t he co n tract

, St ad Co

o b l i g at ed i t s el f t o p erfo rm cert ai n fu n ct i o n s o n beh al f o f G W CCA i n t h e co n s t ru ct i o n,

m ai n t en an ce, an d o p erat i o n o f t h e s t ad i u m

. In t h ei r co m p l ai n t

, t h e p l ai n t i ffs al l eg ed

t h a t St ad Co fai l ed t o co m p l y wi t h i t s o b l ig at io n s u n d er th e Act an d was t h e r e f o r e

l i ab l e fo r at t o rn ey

fees u n d er OCGA § § 5 0 -1 8 -7 3 (b ) an d 1 3 -6 -1 1

.

W h i l e t h e l i t i gat i o n was p en d i n g, St ad Co t u rn ed ov er a p p ro x i m at el y 1 ,5 0 0

p ag es o f d o cu m en t s i t cl ai m ed were res p o n s i v e to t h e pl ai n t i ffs ’ req u es t

, t h o u g h s o m e

o f t h e d o cu m en t s were red act ed

. Acco rd i n g t o St ad Co

, t h e red act i o n s were n eces s ary

t o p ro t ect t h e t rad e s ecret s o f i t s t h i rd -p art y l en d er. Th e tri al co urt g ran t ed s u m m ary

ju d g m en t i n fav or o f St ad Co

, ru l i n g t h at i t was n o t su b j ect t o t h e A ct

, an d t h u s n ot

req u i red t o t u rn o ver t h e req u es t ed d o cu m en t s. Th e co u rt al s o d et erm i n ed an i s s u e o f

fact rem ai n ed as t o wh et h er t h e red act ed i n fo rm at i o n c o n s t i t u t ed a t rad e s ecret

, b ut June 18, 2021i t d i d n o t n eed t o d eci d e t h at i ss u e b as ed o n th e g ran t o f s u m m ar y j u d g m e n t

, an d i t

d i s m i s s ed t h e p l ai nt i ffs ’ cl ai m s fo r at t o rn ey fees an d l i t i g at i o n ex pen s es

. T he i n s t an t

ap p eal fo l l owed

. Du ri n g t h e p en d en cy o f t he ap p e a l

, S t a d Co t u rn ed o v er al l o f t h e

d o cu m en t s

, i n u n red act ed fo rm

, t h at t he p l ai n t i ffs h ad req u es t ed

. As a res u l t

, St ad Co

n o w arg u es t h at t h e p l ai n ti ffs ’ ap p eal i s m o ot

.

“ Th i s Co u rt h as a du t y t o i n q u i re i n to i t s ju ri s d i ct io n t o en t ert ai n each ap p eal ,”

Ci t y of Du b l i n S

ch o o l Di s t. v. MMT Ho l d i n g s

, LLC

, 3 5 1 Ga. Ap p

. 1 1 2

, 1 14 (2 ) (8 3 0

SE2 d 4 8 7 ) (2 0 1 9 ) (ci t at io n an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t e d )

, a n d “ m o o tn es s i s an i s s u e o f

ju ri s d i ct i o n an d t h u s m

us t be d et erm in ed b efo re a co u rt ad d re s s e s t h e m eri t s o f a

cl ai m .” S h el l ey v. To wn of Tyr o n e

, 3 0 2 Ga. 2 9 7, 3 0 8 (3 ) (8 0 6 SE2 d 5 3 5 ) (2 0 1 7 ). See

S ca rb o r o u g h Gr o u

p v. W o r l ey

, 2 9 0 Ga. 23 4

, 2 3 6 (7 1 9 SE2 d 4 3 0 ) (2 0 1 1 ) (“ W e

ad d res s fi rs t t h e i ss u e o f m o o t n es s b e cau s e t he d i s m i s s al o f a m oo t ap p eal i s

m an d at o ry .”). “ A cas e i s m o o t w h en i t s eek s t o d et erm i n e an i s s u e wh i ch

, i f res o l v ed

,

can n ot h av e an y p ract i cal effect o n t h e u n d erl y i n g c o n t r o v e rs y

, o r wh en s u ch

res o l ut i o n wi l l d et erm i n e o n l y ab s t ract q u es t i o n s n o t ari s i n g u p on ex i s t i n g fact s o r

ri gh t s.” Ba r r ow v. Ra

f fen s p er g er

, 3 0 8 Ga. 6 6 0

, 6 6 7 (2 ) (b ) ( 8 4 2 S E 2 d 8 8 4 ) (2 0 2 0 )

( c i t a t i o n an d pu n ct u at i o n om i t t ed ). Pu t an o t h er way

, “ a cas e i s m o o ted wh en a

p l ai n t i ff recei v es t h e rel i ef it s eek s

, wh ere t h e rel i ef s o u g h t i s n o l on g er av ai l ab l e, o r

wh ere a d eci s i on on th e u nd erl y i n g q u es t i o n can n o t h av e an y p ract i cal effect o n t h e

e x i st i n g co n t ro v ers y .” Jes t er v. Red Al l i g a t o r

, LLC

, 3 44 G a. Ap p

. 1 5, 19 (1 ) ( 8 0 6

SE2 d 9 2 0) (2 0 1 7) (ci t at i o n an d p u n ct uat i o n o m i t t ed ).

St ad Co arg ues t hat i t s di scl o s u re o f al l d o cu m en t s res p o n s iv e to t he p l ai n t i ffs ’

o p en reco rd s req ues t h as m o o t ed t h e i n s t an t ap p eal

. In deed

, t hi s Co u rt prev i o u s l y h as

h el d t h at an en t i t y ’ s o ffer t o tu rn ov er d o cu m en t s u n d er t h e Ac t m o o t s t h e i s s u es

rai s ed i n th e tri al co u rt

. See W a l l a ce v. Gr een Co u n t

y

, 2 7 4 Ga. A p p

. 7 76

, 7 81 (2 ) (6 1 8

SE2 d 6 4 2 ) (2 0 05 ) (fi n d i n g fo rm er co u n t y em p l oy ee’ s cl ai m s eek i n g i n

ju n ct i v e rel i ef

u n d er t h e Act m o o t ed b y

co u n ty m an ag er’ s m ai l i ng em

pl o y ee’ s co u n s el d o cu m en t s

s h o rt l y aft er em

p l o y ee fi l ed hi s laws u i t ); M i l l a r v. Fa yet t e Co u nt

y S h er i f f ’s Dep t

. , 2 4 1

Ga. Ap p

. 6 5 9

, 6 5 9 (1 ) (5 2 7 SE2 d 2 7 0 ) (1 99 9 ) (h o l di n g p l ai n t i ff’ s cl ai m fo r i n ju n ct i v e

rel i ef m o o t b ecau se h e co u ld as k fo r n o t h i n g m o re t h an reco rd s t h em s el v e s

, wh i chd efen d an t h ad ag reed t o p ro d u ce).

Im p o rt an t l y

, i n t h e p l ai n ti ffs ’ co m p l ai n t

, i n ad d i t i o n t o t hei r cl ai m t h at St ad Co

v i o l at ed t h e Act

, t h e p l ai n t i ffs s o u g h t at t o rn ey fees an d ex p en s es u n d er O CGA § § 5 0

-

1 8 -7 3 (b ) an d 13 -6 -1 1. Th e t ri al co u rt g ran t ed s u m m ary ju d g m en t t o St ad Co o n t h e

fees is s u e, b u t t h e p l a i n t i f f s d i d n o t s p eci fi cal l y en u m erat e t h i s p o rt i o n o f t h e t ri al

c o u rt ’ s ru l in g as erro r, o r p ro v i d e arg u m en t t o t hat effect i n t h ei r bri ef o n a p p e a l

,

res u l ti n g i n t h e ab an d o nm en t o f t h o s e cl ai m s i n th i s Co urt

. See Co u rt o f Ap p eal s Ru l e

2 5 (c) (2 ) (“ An y en um erat i o n of erro r th at i s n o t s u p p o rt ed i n t h e b ri ef b y ci t at i o n o f

au t h o ri t y o r arg u m en t m ay b e d eem ed ab an do n ed .”). Becau s e t h e p l ai n t i ffs fai l ed to

p res erv e t h e i s s u e o f th ei r en t i t l em en t t o at t o rn ey fees u n d er t he Act

, t h e o n l y i s s u es

fo r res o l u t i o n by th i s Co u rt are (1 ) wh et h er St ad Co i s su b ject t o t he Act

, an d (2 ) t h e

an ci l lary q u es ti o n o f wh et h er t h e r e d a ct ed in fo rm at io n co ns t i t u tes a t rad e s ecret

. 1

Th erefo re, t h e o nl y rel i ef t o wh i ch t h e p l ai n t i ffs wo u l d b e en ti t led i s t he “ i n s p ect i o n

an d co p y i n g o f t he req u es t ed d ocu m en t s ” i f t h ey p rev ai led o n ap p eal

. Co n s eq u en t l y

,

b ecau s e t h e p l ai n ti ffs h av e recei v ed t h e req u es t ed d o cu m en t s

, t h ere i s n o l o n g er a l i v e

co n tro v ers y

b et w een t h e p art i es

.

Tu rn i n g n o w to th e rem ai n i n g d i s p u t e b et ween t h e p art i e s

, t h e p l ai n t i ffs

co u nt er, i n p ert i n en t p art

, t h at t h e ap p eal i s n o t m o o t b e cau se t he i ss u e of wh et h er

St ad Co i s s u b

j ect t o t h e Act i s o n e t h at i s cap ab l e o f rep et i t i o n y et ev ad es rev i ew.

Br o wn v. S

p a n n , 2 7 1 Ga. 4 95 , 4 9 6 (5 2 0 SE2 d 9 0 9 ) (1 9 9 9 ). Al t ho u gh th e p l ai n t i ffs ’

en t i t l em en t t o s p eci fi c d ocu m en t s fro m St ad Co ceas ed t o b e a l i v e co nt ro v ers y wh en

S tad Co t urn ed o v er t h e d o cu m en t s

, t h e u n d erl y in g i ss u es rai sed by t h e s u i t w e r e

St ad Co ’ s o b l i gat i o n s u nd er t h e Act b as ed o n i ts co n t ract u al rel at i o n s h i p wi th

GW CCA. Ho wev er, i f t h at u n derl y i n g i s s u e wer e t o recu r, i t wo u l d n o t n eces s ari l y

ev ad e rev i ew. T h e ex p ect at i o n t h at St ad Co wo u l d t u rn o ver d o cu m en ts aft er t h e fi l i n g

1 In i t s res p o n se to St ad Co ’ s m ot i o n t o d i s m i s s

, t h e p l ai n t i ffs co n t en d t h at

, by

d i s cl os i n g t h e req u es t ed do cu m en t s

, St ad Co “ h as i m p l i ci t l y ab an do n ed i t s cl ai m s t h at

i t i s n o t s u b

ject t o [t he Act ] an d t h at th e s ou g h t -aft er u n red act ed do cu m en t s are t rad e

s ecret s

. ” Becau s e we are d i sm i s s in g t h i s ap peal as m o o t

, we ex p res s n o op i n i o n o n

t h i s co n t en t i o n

.o f a s u i t

, a n d th e p o s s i bi li t y th at t h e i n d i vi d ual req u es t i ng d ocu m en t s wo ul d ab an d o n

h i s at t o rn ey f

e e c l ai m u n d er t h e Act (OCGA § 5 0 -1 8 -7 3 (b )), “ i s to o s p ecu l at i v e to

res cu e t h e [s t at u t o ry ] i ss ue fro m m o o t n es s

. . . . Th u s

, u n d er t h i s St at e’ s ex i s t i n g l aw,

t h ere i s n ot h i n g ab o u t t hi s cas e th at p rev en t s i t fro m b ei ng m o ot .” Co l l i n s v. Lo mb ar d

Co r p

. , 2 7 0 Ga. 12 0 , 1 2 2 (2 ) (5 0 8 SE2 d 6 5 3 ) (1 99 8 ) (d eem i n g t ax p ay er’ s ch al l en g e

t o co n s ti t u ti o n al i t y o f i n t an g i b l e p ers o n al p ro p ert y t ax m oo t wh en u n r e l a t ed t h i rd

p art y p ai d as ses s m en t ; cas e was n o t on e cap ab l e o f rep et i t i o n ye t e v ad i n g rev i ew

b ecau s e ex p ect at io n t h at t h i rd part y wo u l d pay t a x e s i n an o t h er s u i t was t o o

s p ecu l at i v e; an d u n d erl y i n g i s s u e co u l d b e rai s ed i n s u it fo r refu n d

, wh i ch wo u l d n ot

b e s u scep t i b l e t o t h i rd -p art y i n v o l v em en t ).

In s u m

, b ecau s e t h e is s u e o f at t o rn ey fees i s n o t b e f o r e t h i s Co urt o n ap p eal

,

an d t h e o n l y i s su e p res en t ed

— t h e p l ai n t i ffs ’ en t i t l em en t t o t h e req u es t ed d o cu m en t s

— i s n o l o n ger an act i v e co n t ro v ers y an d i s n o t l i k el y to recu r, t h i s ap p eal i s

DISM ISSED as m o o t

.

C o u r t o f A p p e a l s o f t h e S t a t e o

f G e o r g ia

C le r k ’ s O f f i c e

, A t la n t a

,

_

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

I c e r ti fy t h a t t h e a b o v e i s a t r u e e x t r a c t f r o m

t h e m i n u t e s o

f t h e C o u r t o

f A p p e a l s o f G e o r g i a

.

W i tn e s s m y s i g n a t u r e a n d th e s e a l o

f s a i d c o u r t

h e r e t o a f f i x e d t h e d a y a n d y e a r l a s t a b o v e w r i t t e n

.

, C l e r k

. 06/18/2021