THI RD DI VI SI ON DOYLE, P. J.

, REESE, J.

, and SENI OR A PPELLA TE JUDGE PHI PPS

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

A pr i l 20, 2022



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A2 2 A0 18 4 . HERRERA v . THE STATE.

D O Y LE , Pres i d i n g J u d g e.

Sam u el Perez Herrera was i s s u ed a t raffi c ci t at i o n fo r d ri v i n g wi t h ou t a v al id

Geo rg i a l i cen s e i n v i o l at i on o f OCGA § 4 0 -5 -2 0

. Befo re t ri al

, t h e t ri al co u rt en t ered

a n o rd er req u i ri n g h im t o rep ort t o th e s h eri ff’ s o ffi ce fo r fi n g erp ri n t i n g o r f a c e

p o s s i b l e arres t. He r r era ap p eal s t h e fi ng erp ri n t o rd er, arg u in g t h at it co n t rav en es

Geo rg i a l aw an d i s u n co ns t it u t i o n al

. Fo r t h e reas o n s t h at fo l l o w, we v acat e t h e o rd er

an d rem an d t h e cas e.

Th e reco rd s h o ws t h at o n M ay 8

, 20 2 1

, t h e Do ug l a s Co u n t y Sh eri ff i s s u ed

Herrera a “ Un i fo rm Traffi c Ci tat i o n , S um m ons[

, ] a nd A c c u sa t ion” f or d ri v i ng wi t h o ut

a v al i d Geo rg i a l i cen s e i n v i ol at i o n o f OCGA § 4 0

- 5 -2 0

. 1 Th e ci t at i o n ord ered h i m

1 Th e ci t at i o n i n d icat ed th at Herrera h ad b een i n a t raffi c acci d en t

.t o ap p ear i n co u rt t o an swer fo r t h e ch arg e on Au gu s t 6

, 2 0 2 1. O n J u n e 2 9

, 2 0 2 1

, t h e

t ri al co u rt en tered t h e fo l l o wi n g o rd er:

It h as co m e t o t h e at t en ti o n o f t h i s co u rt t h at t h e d efen dan t’ s fi n g erp ri n t s

h av e n o t b een su cces sfu l l y cap t u red fo r t h e

. . . ch arg es [al l eg ed i n

2 1 ST0 3 8 9 8: D ri v i n g W i t h o u t a Li cen se]

. It i s h ereb y o rd ered t h at th e

d ef e n d an t ret u rn t o t h e Do u g l as Co u n t y Sh eri ff’ s Offi ce t o be

fi ng erp ri n t ed

. Fai l u re t o ab i d e b y t h is o rd er co u l d res u l t i n y o u r arres t

.

On J u l y 2 9 , 2 0 21 , Herrera fi l ed a n o t i ce o f ap p eal o f t he fi ng erp ri n t o rd er. 2

2 Th e t ri al co urt ’ s ord er i s ap p eal ab l e as a co l l at eral o rd er. Un der t h at d o ct ri ne,

“ an o rd er t h at d o es n o t res o lv e t h e en t i re c a s e i n t h e t ri al co u rt m ay b e ap p eal ed

i m m ed i at el y i f i t (1 ) res ol v es an i s s u e t hat i s ‘ s u bs t an ti al ly s ep arat e’ fro m t h e b as i c i s su es t o b e d eci ded at t ri al

, (2 ) wo u l d res ul t i n t h e l o s s o f an i m p o rt an t ri gh t i f rev i ew h ad t o awai t fi n al ju d g m en t

, an d (3 ) co m p l et e l y an d co n cl u s i v el y deci d es th e i s s u e

o n ap p eal s u ch t h at n o t h i ng i n t h e u n d erl y i n g act io n can affect i t .” W a r ren v. S t a t e , 2 9 7 Ga. 8 1 0

, 8 11

, n

. 2 (7 7 8 SE2 d 7 4 9 ) (2 0 1 5 ); s ee Ri ver a v. W a s h in g t o n , 2 9 8 Ga. 7 7 0,

7 7 4 (7 8 4 SE2 d 7 7 5 ) (2 0 16 ) (co l l at eral o rd er d o c t r i n e “ reco g n i zes t h at a v ery s m al l

cl as s o f i n t erl o cu t o ry ru l i n g s are effect i v el y fi nal in t h at t h ey fi n al l y d et erm i n e cl ai m s

o f ri g h t s ep arab le fro m , an d co l l at eral t o , ri g h t s as s ert ed i n t h e act i o n , t o o i m p o rt an t

t o b e d en i ed rev i ew an d t oo i n d ep en d en t o f t h e cau s e i t s el f t o req u ire t h at ap p el l at e

co n si d erat io n b e deferred u n ti l t h e wh o l e cas e i s ad ju d i cat ed ”). Here, t h e co l l ect i o n

o f Herrera’ s fi ng erp ri n t s i s “ s u b s t an t i al l y sep arat e” fro m t h e i s s u e o f wh et h er h e was d ri v i ng wi th o u t a l i cen se, h e w o u l d l o s e an im po rt an t ri gh t i f rev i ew i s d el ay ed

b ecau s e h e faces arres t u nd er t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s o rd er, an d th e res ol ut i o n o f t h e

u n d erl y i n g cri m in al cas e wi ll n ot affect t h i s i ss u e. Fed eral co u rt s t h at h av e co n s i d ered

s i m i l ar o rd ers h av e h el d t hat t h ey are ap p eal ab l e un d er t h e co ll at eral o rd er d o ct ri ne. See, e.g ., Un i t ed St a t es v. M i t ch el l

, 6 5 2 F3 d 3 8 7

, 3 8 9

, 39 2 -3 9 8 (III) (B) (3 d Ci r. 2 0 1 1 ) (o rd er p ro h i b i t i n g th e St at e fro m co ll ect i n g i n d i ct e d defen d an t ’ s D NA was

co l l at eral o rd er); In r e Gr a n d Ju r y In ves t i ga t i o n , 3 6 3 F.Ap p x

. 1 6 4, 1 6 5 (3 d Ci r. 2 0 1 0 ) (o rd er req u i ri n g e m

p l o ye e o f co m

p an y u n d er g ran d j u ry i n v es ti g at i o n t o p ro v i d e

2Th e t ri al co u rt d i d no t in d i cat e th e l eg al au t h ori t y , s t at u t o ry o r o t h erwi s e, fo r

t h e o rd er req u i ri n g H errera t o g i v e h is fi n g erp ri n t s b efo re h i s co n v i ct i o n

. On ap p eal

,

Herrera co nt en d s t h at t h e o rd er i s u n co n s t i tu t i o n al 3 an d th at i t co nt rav en es t h e t ex t o f

OCGA § 4 0 -5 -1 2 1 (a), wh i ch p ro vi d es in rel ev an t p art th at a p ers o n co n v i ct ed o f t h e

m i s d em ean o r o ffen se o f d ri v i n g wi th o ut a l i cen s e as re q u i r e d b y OCGA § 4 0 -5 -2 0

“ s h al l b e fi n g erp ri n t ed ” an d t h at “ [s ] u ch fi n g erp ri nt s , t a ken u po n co n vi ct i on , s h al l b e

fo rward ed t o t h e Geo rg i a Cri m e In fo rm at i o n Cen t er

. . . fo r t he p u rp o s e o f t rack i n g

an y fu t u re v i o l at i o n s b y th e s am e o ffen d er.” 4 W e ag ree t h at OCGA § 40 -5 -2 1 (a) d o es

n o t p ro v id e a l eg al b as i s fo r a co u rt t o req u i re a d efen d an t t o g i v e h i s fi n g erp ri n t s

b efo re co n v i ct io n

.

No n et h el es s , t h e St at e arg u es th at t h e t ri al co u rt was au t h o ri zed t o i m p o s e t h e

p re-co n v i ct i o n fi n g erp ri n t o rd er u n d er O CGA § § 1 7 -4 -2 3 (a) (1 ) an d 3 5 -3 -3 3 (a) (1 )

( A ). OCGA § 1 7-4 -2 3 (a) (1 ) p ro v i d es i n rel ev an t p art t hat “ [a] l aw en fo rcem en t

fi ng erp ri n t s t o g ran d ju ry was co l lat eral o rd er).

3 S p eci fi cal l y , Herrera co n t en ds t h at t h e fi ng erp ri n t o rd er v i o l at es t h e

s ep arat i on o f p o wers d o ct ri n e co n t ai n ed i n Art i cl e I, Sect i on II, Parag rap h III o f t h e Geo rg i a Co n s t it ut i o n , h i s d u e p ro ces s ri g ht s , an d hi s ri g h t ag ai n st s el f-i n cri m i n at i o n

co n tai n ed i n Art i cl e I, Sect i o n I, Parag rap h XVI.

4 (Em p h as i s s u p pl i ed .)

3o ffi cer m ay arres t a p ers o n accu s ed o f v i o l at i ng an y l aw o r ord i n an ce

. . . g o v ern i n g

t h e o p erat i o n , l i cen si n g, reg i s t rat i o n , m ai n ten an ce, o r i n s pect i o n o f m ot o r v eh i cl es

.

. . b y t h e i s s u an ce o f a ci t at i on

. . . .” OCGA § 3 5 -3 -3 3 (a) (1 ) (A) req ui res t h e Geo rg i a

Cr i m e In fo rm at i o n Cen ter (“ t h e GCIC”) t o “ [o ] b tai n an d fi le fi ng erp ri n ts

. . . o n

p ers o n s wh o

. . . [h ] av e b een o r are h ereaft er arres t ed o r t ak en i n t o c u s t o d y i n t h i s

s t at e [i n cert ai n sp eci fi ed ci rcu m s t an ces ] .” 5 N ei t h er st at u t e s p eak s t o t h e t ri al co urt ’ s

au t h o ri t y t o o bt ai n an accu s ed ’ s fi n g erp ri n t s u n d er t h e s e c i rcu m s t an ces p ri o r to

co n vi ct i o n

. 6

5 Sp eci fi cal l y , OCG A § 3 5 -3 -3 3 (a) (1 ) (A) req u i res t h e G CIC t o t ak e t h e fi ng erp ri n t s o f p ers o n s arres t ed o r t ak en i n t o cu s t o d y :

“ (i ) Fo r an o ffen s e wh ich i s a fel o n y ; (i i ) Fo r an o ffen s e wh i ch i s a m i s d em ean o r o r

a v i o l at i o n o f an o rd i nan ce i n v o l v i n g b u rg lary t o ol s , co m m erci al gam

b l i n g , d eal i n g i n g am b l i n g d ev i ces , co n t ri b u t i n g t o t h e d el in q uen cy o f a ch i l d

, d eal i n g i n s t o l en

p ro p ert y , dan g ero u s d ru g s , m ari j u an a, n arco ti cs , fi rearm s , d an g ero u s weap o n s ,

ex p lo s i v es , p an deri ng , p ro s t i t u t i o n , s ex ual o ffen s es w h ere ch i l d ren are v ict i m s , o r

wo rt h l es s ch eck s; (i i i ) Fo r an o ffen s e ch arg ed as di s o rd erl y co n d u ct b u t wh i ch rel at es

t o an act co n n ect ed w i t h o n e o r m o re o f t h e o ffen s es u n der d i v i s i o n (i i ) o f t h i s

s u b p arag rap h ; (i v ) As a fu g it i v e fro m ju s ti ce; or (v ) Fo r an y o t her o ffen s e d es i g n at ed

b y t h e At t o rn ey Gen eral .”

OCGA § 3 5 -3 -3 3 (a) (1 (A). Ga. Op

. At t y Gen

. No

. 2 00 8 -6 ad dres s es fi n g erp ri n t i n g wi t h reg ard t o OCGA § § 40 -5 -2 0 an d 4 0 -5 -1 2 1

.

6 Herrera was ci t ed fo r v i o l a t i n g OCGA § 4 0 -5 -2 0 (c), o p erat i n g a m o t o r

v eh icl e wi t h o u t a v al i d d ri v er’ s l i cen se. Pu rs u an t t o OCGA § 4 0 -5 -1 2 1 (a), an y p ers o n d ri v i ng wi t h o u t b ei ng l i cen s ed i s g u i l t y o f (a) a m i sd em ean o r fo r t h e fi rs t co nv i ct i o n;

4Nev ert h el e s s, be cau s e o f t h e u n iq u e p ro ced u ral p o s t u re o f t h i s cas e an d t h e l ack

o f t o l l i ng o f t h e t i m e t o f i l e a n o t ice o f ap p eal

, Herrera d id n ot rai s e an y s p eci fi c

o b ject i on t o t h e co l l ect i o n o f h is fi n g erp ri n t s i n t he t ri al co urt

, an d t h e t ri al co u rt d id

n o t hav e t h e o p p ort un i t y t o ru l e o n t h o s e ob ject i o n s

. 7 Acco rd in g ly

, we v acat e t h e t ri al

co u rt ’ s o rd er an d r e m a n d fo r t h e t ri al co u rt t o co n s i d er h i s o b ject i on s i n t h e fi rs t

i n s t an ce.

Ju d g men t va ca t ed a n d r ema n ded

. Rees e, J., a n d S en i or Ap p el l a t e Ju d

g e

Her ber t E. Ph i

p p s co n cu r

.

(b ) a h i gh an d ag g rav at ed m is d em ean o r fo r t h e s eco n d an d t h i rd co n v i ct io n wi t h in

fi ve y ears ; an d (c) a fel on y fo r th e fo u rt h o r s u b s eq u en t co n v i ct i o n wi t h in fi v e y ears

. Th ere is n o i nd i cat i o n i n t h e reco rd o n ap p eal t h at H errera h as a p rev io u s co n v i ct i o n fo r d ri vi n g wi t h o u t a l icen s e.

7 W e n o t e t h at t h e m o t i o n s t h at to l l t h e ti m e fo r fi l i n g a n o t i ce o f ap p eal u n d er OCGA § 5 -6 -3 8 (a)

– “ a m o t i o n fo r n ew tri al

, a m o t i o n i n arres t o f j u d g m e n t

, o r a

m o ti o n fo r ju d gm en t n o t wi t h s t an d i n g t h e v erd i ct ”

– are n o t ap p li cab l e t o t h e rel i ef

Herrera s eek s wi t h reg ard t o co l l ect i o n o f h i s fi ng erp ri n ts

.

5