FI FTH DI VI SI ON

BA RNES, P. J.

, REESE, P. J. and M A RKLE, J.

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.

P le a s e r e fe r to the S upr e m e C our t of G e or gia Judic ia l

E m e r ge nc y Or de r o f M a r c h 1 4

, 2 0 2 0 for fur the r infor m a tion a t (https ://w w w

. ga a ppe a ls .us /r ule s ).

June 3, 2020



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A2 0 A0 12 4 . CRAW FORD v . BALLI et al

.

M A R K LE

, J ud g e.

A f te r t he Judic ia l Q ua lif

icat i o n s Co m

m i s s i o n (J Q C) fi led et h ic s c h a r ge s a ga inst

s u p eri o r co u rt J u d g e Ro b ert M

. “ M ack ” Crawfo rd

, h e fi l ed a p et it i on fo r a wri t o f q u o

w arran to an d fo r t em

po rary an d p erm an en t i n ju n ct i o n s ag ai ns t th e J QC an d i t s

i n d i v i d u al m em

bers

, co n t en d i ng t h at t h e m em b ers o f t h e J QC h ad no t b een p ro p erl y

ap p oi n t ed u n d er OCGA § 1 5 -1 -2 1 (g ) (1 ) b ecau s e t h ei r n am es were n o t s ub m i t t ed to

t h e Sen at e b y t h e s t at u t o ry d ead l i n e. 1 Th e t ri al co u rt d en i ed t he p et i t io n , fi n d i n g t h at

1 J u d g e Crawfo rd res i g n ed h i s po s i t i on effect i v e M arch 2 0 2 0 as part o f a p l ea d e a l i n wh i ch h e ag reed n o t t o ru n fo r re-el ect i o n o r ap p l y fo r o r s erv e as a j u d g e wh i le on p ro b at i o n

. Th i s Co u rt o rd ered t h e p art i es t o s u bm i t s up p l em en t al b ri efi n g

o n wh et h er h i s res i g n at i o n an d p l ea deal ren d ered h i s qu o w arran t o cas e m o o t o r

o t h erwi s e affect ed h i s s t an d i n g t o br ing hi s cl ai m

. In h i s s u p p lem en t al b ri ef, Crawfo rd

co n ced es t h at h is cl ai m s are m o o t i f t h e J QC l ack s ju ri s d i ct i o n t o i n v es t i g at e o r d i s ci pl i n e hi m

. Ho wev er, i n i t s res p o n s e b ri ef, t h e JQC ex p l ai n s t h at i t ret ai n s(1 ) Crawfo rd fai l ed t o ob t ai n l eav e of co urt t o fi l e th e p et i t i o n fo r qu o warran t o an d

t h erefo re i t was p ro ced u ral l y d efi ci en t ; (2 ) t h e p et i t i o n fai l ed o n t h e m eri t s b ecau s e

t h e reco rd s h o wed th at t h e J QC m em b ers h ad been ap p o i nt ed p ro p erl y ; an d (3 ) t h e

req u es t fo r i n

ju n ct i v e rel i ef was m o o t. Crawfo rd n o w ap p eal s, arg u i n g t h at t h e t ri al

co u rt erred b y (1 ) fi n di ng th e p et i t i on p ro ced u ral l y d efi ci en t b ecau s e h e h ad o b t ai n ed

a ru l e n i s i h eari n g , w h ich was s u ffi ci en t t o o b t ai n l eav e o f co u rt ; an d (2 ) d en y i n g t h e

p et i t i o n o n t h e m e r i t s b ecau s e t h e o n l y ev i d en ce it co u l d co n s i d er w as t h e Sen at e

J o u rn al an d n o p res u m

p ti on o f reg u l ari t y ap p l i ed t o th e co n fi rm a t i o n p ro ces s

.

Becau s e w e co n cl ud e t h at Crawfo rd ’ s q u o warran t o pet i ti o n co u l d n ot b e co n s i d ered

o n i ts m eri t s d u e t o h i s fai lu re t o o b t ai n leav e o f co u rt p ri or t o fi li n g i t

, we v acat e t h e

t ri al co u rt ’ s o rd er an d rem an d t h e cas e wi t h i n st ru ct i o n s t o d i s m i s s i t o n t hi s b as i s

.

W e rev i ew qu es t i o n s o f s t at u t o ry in t erp ret at i o n de n o v o. Hi l l v. Fi r s t At l a n t i c

Ba n k , 3 2 3 Ga. Ap p

. 7 3 1 , 7 3 2 (7 4 7 SE2 d 8 9 2 ) (2 0 13 ).

T he u n d erl y in g fact s o f t h is cas e are l arg el y un d i s p u ted

. In 2 0 1 6

, G e o r g i a

v o t ers am en d ed t h e s t at e co ns t it u t i o n t o al t er t he s t ru ct u re an d p o wer o f t he J QC. Ga.

ju ri s d i ct i o n t o i n v es t i g at e an d d i s ci p l i n e Crawfo rd ev en aft e r h i s res i g n at i o n

. See

A p p l i cat i o n D of t h e Co d e o f J u d i ci al Co n du ct ; s ee al s o Ru l e 2 (B) & Ru l e 2

Co m m en t

. (2 ) o f t h e Fi n al Ru l es o f t h e J Q C (2 0 1 8 ). A s s u c h

, w e ag ree t h at t h i s

ap p eal i s n o t m o o t

, an d Crawfo rd ret a i n s s t an d i n g t o ch al len g e t h e J Q C m em b ers ’

ap p oi n t m en t s

.

2Co n s t

., Art

. VI, Sec. VII, Par. VI; OCGA § 1 5 -1 -2 1 (a) (2 0 1 7 ). As i s rel ev an t t o t h i s

ap p eal

, u n d er t h e n ew fo rm at

, t h e J QC was d iv i d ed i n t o t wo p an el s : an i n v es ti g at i on s

p an el an d a h eari n g p an el

. OCGA § 1 5 -1 -2 1 (e) (1 ). Th e g o v ern o r, p res id en t o f t h e

s en at e, Su p rem e Co u rt

, an d s p eak er o f t h e h ou s e each ap p o i n t ed m em b ers t o o n e o f

t h es e t wo p an el s , OCGA § 1 5 -1 -2 1 (f) (3 ) (A), (4 ) (A), an d t h es e ap p o i n t m en t s

req u i red s en at e co n fi rm at i o n , OCGA § 1 5-1 -2 1 (b ).

Th e s t at u t e fu rt h er m an d at es t h at t h e ap p o i nt m en t s b e s u b m i t t ed t o t h e s en at e

b efo re t h e th i rd M o n day i n J an u ary , 2 wh i ch th e p art i es ag ree was J an u ary 1 5

. OCGA

§ 1 5-1 -2 1 ( g ) (1 ). Fai l u re to m eet th i s d ead l i n e res u l t s i n t h e ap p o i n t ee b ei n g

i n el i g i b l e. Id

.

2 Un d er OCGA § 1 5 -1 -2 1 (g ) (1 ):

Th e n am e s o f t h e ap p o i n t ees req u ired by t h is Co de s ect i o n sh a ll be

s u b mi t t ed b

y t he a p p oi n t i n g a u t h o r it i es t o t h e S

en a t e n o l a t er

t h a n t he

t h i r d Mo n d

ay i n J a n u a r y

. An y m em

b er ap p o i n t ed t o th e co m m i s s i o n

s h a l l s erv e u n ti l th e Sen at e co n fi rm s s uch ap p o i n t ee, an d i f a n

i n d i vi d u a l’s n a me i s n o t s u b mi t t ed b y s u ch d ea d l i n e, h e o r sh e s h a l l n o t

b e el i g i b l e f o r co n f i r ma t i o n

.

(Em p h as i s s u p p li ed .).

3Th e s en at e was n ot i n ses s i o n o n J an uary 1 5 , an d wh en i t ret u rn ed t o s es s i o n

o n J an u ary 1 8

, t he s ecret ary o f t h e s en at e d el i v ered a m em o t o al l s en at o rs t o n o t i fy

t h em t h at t h e n am es fo r t h e J QC ap p o i nt ees h ad b een s u b m i t t ed an d wo ul d b e referred

t o t h e Co m

m i t t ee o n As s i g n m en t s co n si s t en t wi t h S e n a te Ru l e 3-3 .1

. Th e Sen at e

J o u rn al fo r J an u ary 1 8

, w hi ch i s t he o ffi ci al reco rd o f s en at e p ro ceed i n g s , co n t ai n s

t h e s ecret ary ’ s m em o an d t h e l et t ers o f ap p o i n tm en t

. 3 Ga. Co n s t

. Art

. III, Sec. V, Par.

1 . Ul t i m at el y , each ap p o i n t ee was co n fi rm ed b y t h e s en at e.

Aft er Crawfo rd was i n v es t i g at ed a n d ch arg ed wi t h et h i cs v io l at i o n s, h e fi l ed

t h e i n s t an t p et i t i o n fo r q u o warran t o ch al l en g i n g t he ap p o i n tm en t o f t h e J QC

m em b ers

. Sp eci fi cal ly

, h e al l eg ed t h at t h e ap p o i n tm en t s were n o t s ub m i t ted t o t h e

s en at e fo r co n fi rm at i on b efo re t h e J an u ary 1 5 d ead l i n e, as req ui red by OCGA § 1 5 -1

-

2 1 (g ) (1 ), an d t h erefo re t h e ap p o i n t m en t s were v o i d.

Th e t ri al co u rt i s su ed a ru l e n i s i

, set t in g t h e h eari n g dat e t he fo l l owi n g m o n t h,

an d g ran ti n g a t em

p o rary res t rai n i n g o rd er. T h at o rd er, h o wev er, was res ci n ded p ri o r

t o t h e h eari n g d at e becau s e i t g ran t ed a res t rai ni n g o rd er w i t ho u t a h eari n g

. No t h i n g

i n t he i n i t i al ru l e n i si g av e Crawfo rd l eav e t o fi l e t h e q uo warran t o

.

3 Th e d at e o n each o f t ho s e l et t ers p reced es t h e d ead l in e.

4Fo l l owi n g a h e a r i n g , th e t ri al co u rt d en i ed t h e p et i t i o n b o t h fo r t he fai l u re to

o b t ai n l eav e o f co u rt p r i o r t o fi l i n g t he p et i t i o n an d on t h e m eri t s

. Th i s ap p eal

fo l l o w ed

.

1 . Leav e o f Co u rt

Crawfo rd arg u es th at h e o b t ai n ed a ru l e n i s i

, wh i ch was s u ffi ci en t t o m eet t h e

p ro ced ural req u i rem en t t h at t h e p et i t i o n er o b tai n l eav e of co u rt p ri o r t o fi l i ng a

p et i t i o n fo r q u o warran t o

. Al tern at i v el y , h e co n t en d s t h at we s ho u l d rem an d fo r t h e

t ri al co u rt to d i s m i s s t h e p et i t io n wi t h o u t preju d ice i f we were t o co n cl u de t h at t h e

fai l u re t o o b t ai n l eav e i s d i s p o s i t i v e. W e co n cl ud e t h at o b tai n i n g l eav e o f co u rt i s a

t h res ho l d req u i rem en t

, an d

, acco rd in g l y , we v acat e t he t ri al co u rt ’ s o rd er an d rem an d

t h e cas e.

“ Qu o warran t o i s an ex tra o r d i n a ry rem ed y wh i ch ex i s t s s o l el y b y v i rt u e o f

s t at u te.” (Ci t at i o n an d p un ct u at i o n o m i t t ed .) Ri ch a r ds o n v. Ph i l li p s , 2 85 G a. 3 8 5

, 3 8 5

(6 7 7 SE2 d 1 1 7 ) (2 0 0 9 ). OCGA § 9 -6 -6 0 p ro v i d es , “ [t ] h e wri t o f q u o w arran t o m ay

i s su e t o i n q u i re i n t o t h e ri g h t o f an y p ers o n t o an y p u b li c o ffi ce t h e d u t i es o f wh i ch

h e i s i n fact d is ch arg i n g

. It m ay b e g ran t ed on l y aft er t h e ap pl i cat i o n b y so m e p ers o n

ei t h er cl ai m i n g t he o ffi ce o r i nt eres t ed t h erei n

. ” As o u r Su p rem e Co u rt has n o t ed

, t h e

s t at u te ex p l i ci t l y req u i res t h at “ [a] pet i t io n fo r q u o w a r r a n t o m ay b e fi l ed o n l y by

5l eav e o f co u rt .” (Ci t at i o n s o m i t t ed ; em p has i s s u p p l i ed .) Ever et t ez e v. Cl a r k

, 2 8 6 Ga.

1 1 , 1 2 -1 3 (2 ) (6 85 SE2 d 7 2 ) (2 0 0 9 ); s ee al s o OCGA § 9 -6 -6 0

. 4

“ W h en we co n s i d er t h e m ean i n g of a s t at u t e, we m u st pres u m e t h at t h e Gen eral

As s em b l y m ean t w h a t it s ai d an d s ai d wh at i t m ean t .” (Ci t at i o n an d pu n ct u at i o n

o m it t ed .) Dea l v. Co l ema n , 2 94 Ga. 1 7 0

, 1 7 2 (1 ) (a) (7 5 1 SE2 d 3 3 7) (2 0 1 3 ). W e are

n o t p erm i t t ed t o d i s reg ard st at u t o ry l an g u ag e. 5 Geo r g i a -Pa ci f i c Co n su mer Pr o d

u ct s

,

LP v. Ra t n er , 3 4 5 Ga. Ap p

. 4 3 4

, 4 4 0 (1 ) (a) (8 1 2 SE2 d 1 2 0 ) (2 0 1 8 ). In d eed

, “ [w] h ere

t h e l an g u ag e o f a st at u te i s pl ai n an d u n am b i g uo u s , ju d i ci al co n st ru ct io n i s n o t o n l y

u n n eces sary b ut fo rb i d d en .” Si x Fl a g s Over Geo r

g i a v. Ku l l

, 2 7 6 Ga. 2 10

, 21 1 (5 7 6

SE2 d 8 8 0) (2 0 0 3).

Th erefo re, u n d er t h e p l ai n l an g u ag e o f t h e s tat u t e, s eek i n g l eav e o f co u rt i s a

t h res ho l d s tat u t o ry req u irem en t i n an act i o n fo r q u o warran t o

. Ever et tez e , 2 8 6 Ga. at

4 Th e p art i es d o n o t d i s p u t e t h at a q uo warran t o was t h e ap p ro p ri at e act i o n by

wh i ch t o ch al l en g e t h e ap po i n t m en t o f t h e J QC m em b ers

.

5 As a res u l t

, we can n o t accep t t h e ap p el l ees ’ co n ces si o n at o ral arg u m en t t h at

t h ey are n o l o n g er arg u i n g ab ou t t h e fai l u re t o o b t ai n l eav e t o fi l e th e p et i t i on

. To d o

s o wo u l d effect i v el y h av e t h i s Co u rt d i s reg ard th e u n am b ig u o u s s t at u t o ry l an g u ag e.
In s t ead

, t h e p ro p er p l ace t o ad d res s th e n eces s i t y o f t h i s t h res h o l d req u irem en t i s in

t h e Gen eral As s em

b l y

.

61 2 -1 3 (2 ). In d eed

, o u r Su p rem e Co u rt h as reco g n i zed t h i s req u i rem en t fo r d ecad es

. 6

Jo n es v. Bo o n e , 2 97 Ga. 4 37

, 4 3 9 ( 1 ) ( 7 7 4 S E 2 d 66 8 ) (2 0 15 ) (p art y fi l ed an

ap p li cat io n fo r l eav e t o fi l e a qu o warran t o, aft er wh i ch t he t ri al co u r t i s s u ed a ru l e

n i s i g r a n ti n g l eav e t o fi le a p et i t i o n fo r q u o warran t o ); Ri ch a r d s o n , 2 8 5 Ga. at 3 8 6

(n o t i ng t hat t h ere was n o ev i d en ce i n t h e reco rd t h at t he pet i t i o n er o b tai n ed l eav e o f

co u rt t o fi l e t h e p et i ti on fo r q uo warran t o ). W h ere a p l ai n ti ff fai l s t o s eek l eav e t o fi l e

p ri o r t o fi l in g a p et it i o n fo r q u o warran to

, o u r Su p rem e Co u rt h a s d i rect ed t h at t h e

p et i t i o n m

u s t b e d i s m i ss ed

. Ever et t ez e , 2 8 6 Ga. at 1 3 (2 ).

Crawfo rd rel i es o n W

al ker v. Ha mi l t o n , 2 0 9 G a. 7 3 5

, 7 3 8 (7 6 SE2 d 12 ) (1 9 5 3 ),

t o s u p p o rt h i s arg u m en t t h at th e t ri al co u rt effect i vel y g ran t ed l eav e wh en i t i s s u ed

6 See, e.g ., An d

er s o n v. Fl a ke

, 2 6 7 Ga. 4 9 8

, 4 9 9 n

. 1 (4 8 0 SE2 d 1 0 ) (1 9 9 7 ) (p et i ti o n er co m

p l i ed w i t h t h e req u i rem en t t o ob t ai n leav e to fi l e a p et i t i o n ); Ga r y v. Og l et r ee , 2 1 9 Ga. 7 9 1, 7 9 1-7 92 (1 3 6 SE2 d 3 7 3 ) (1 96 4 ) (p l ai nt iff fi l ed ap p l i cat i o n fo r l eav e t o fi l e, wh i ch was g ran ted

, an d a ru l e n i s i w as i s su ed ); Hi cks v. Li n er , 2 0 5 Ga.

2 3 2 (5 2 SE2 d 8 46 ) (1 9 4 9 ) (p et i t i o ner fi l ed fo r l eav e t o fi le a q u o warran t o an d t ri al

co u rt i s su ed an o rd er s et t i ng a heari n g ); S h a w v. De Va n e , 1 6 9 Ga. 7 02 (1 5 1 SE 3 4 7 ) (1 9 3 0) (p et i t i o n er fi l ed ap p l icat i o n fo r l eav e t o fi l e q u o w arran t o a n d t ri al co u rt

g ran t ed l eav e an d req u i red res p o n d en t s t o s h o w cau s e); McW i l l i a ms v. Ja co b s , 1 2 8

Ga. 3 7 5 (5 7 SE 5 0 9 ) (1 9 0 7 ) (“ t h e rel at ors h av e n o au t h o ri t y o f l aw t o fi l e an y p et i t i o n

co n nect ed wi t h t h e m at t er i n t h e s u p eri o r co u rt w i t h o u t fi rs t g et t i n g l eav e o f t h e ju d g e.”) (ci t at io ns o m i t t ed ); Ha r r i s v. Po u n ds

, 6 6 Ga. 1 2 3

, 1 2 5 -1 2 6 (1 -3 ) (1 8 80 ) (“ t h e

u s u al p ract i ce in q u o warran t o cas es i s t o p res en t t o t h e co urt a p et it io n , v eri fi ed b y affi d av i t, fo r l eav e to fi l e t he i n fo rm at i o n ; wh ereu p on a ru l e ni s i t o s h o w cau s e t o t h e

co n trary i s i s s ued .”).

7t h e ru l e ni s i

. Bu t W a l ker d o es n o t s u p p o rt h i s arg u m en t b ecau s e, i n t h at cas e, t h e

p et i t i o n er d i d s eek l eav e o f t h e co u rt t o fi l e t h e q u o warran t o p et i t io n

. 7 M o reo v er, t h e

h o l d i n g i n W

a l ker ex p res s l y co n t em

pl at ed t h at t h e ru l e n i s i w o u ld i ss u e a f t er t h e

ap p li cat io n fo r l eav e t o fi le t h e p et i t i o n , u n li k e t he p ro ced u ral p o s t u re h ere. 8

W e t h erefo r e c o n c l u d e th at Crawfo rd ’ s pet i ti o n fai led

, n ot o n t h e m eri t s , b ut

b ecau s e he d i d n o t s eek leav e t o fi l e t h e p et i ti o n , as req u i red b y t h e p l ai n l an g u ag e o f

t h e q u o warran to s t at u t e. O CGA § 9 -6 -6 0. Acco rd i ng l y , as o u r Su p rem e Co u rt

p reced en t d i ct at es , we m

u s t v acat e th e tri al co u rt ’ s o rd er, an d rem an d t h e cas e wi th

i n s t ru ct i o n s t o d i s m i s s t h e p et i t i o n wi t h o u t p reju d i ce fo r fai l u re t o o b tai n l eav e.

7 Cr a w f o r d ’s ci t at i o n to Ro g er

s v. Med i ca l As s o ci a t i on o f Geo rg i a , 2 4 4 Ga.

1 5 1

, 1 52 -1 5 3 (1 ) (2 5 9 SE2 d 8 5 ) (1 9 79 ), i s l i k ewi s e u n p ers u as i ve. In t h at cas e, t h e

co u rt co ns tru ed t h e co m

p l ai n t as a p et i ti o n fo r q u o warran t o an d fo u n d t h e p l ai n t i ffs

h ad s tan d i n g , b u t t h e Co u rt d id n o t reach t he req u irem en t o f seek i ng l eav e o f co u rt

.

8 In h i s rep l y b ri ef, Crawfo rd ci t es t o a an o t h er q u o t e fro m W al ker : “ Su p eri o r

co u rt s o f t h i s St at e, o n a n a p p l i ca t i o n fo r l ea ve t o fi l e an i n f o r ma ti o n i n th e n at u re o f

a q uo w a r r a n t o m ay , wh ere t h e fact s s et fo rt h i n t h e acco m p an y in g i n fo rm at i o n are

p o s i t i vel y v eri fi ed

, gr a nt th e l ea ve t o f i l e ex p a rt e o r i s s ue a r u l e n i s i cal l i n g u p o n t h e

res p o n d en t t o s h o w cau s e wh y t h e i n fo rm at i o n s h o u l d n o t b e fi l ed ag ai n s t h i m .” (Em p h as i s s up p l i ed .) 2 0 9 Ga. at 7 3 5 -7 3 6. Bu t t h is rel i an ce i s u n fo u n d ed

. Fi rs t

, t h e

q u o t e ap p ears i n t h e s y l l ab u s an d n o t t h e b od y o f th e o p in i on

. Seco n d

, th e q u o t e

act u al l y s ay s u

p on a p p l i ca t i o n , t h e co u rt can g ran t i t o r i s s u e ru l e n i si

- i t d o es n o t s ay

t h at ru le n i s i i s a s u b st i t u t e fo r ap p l i cat i o n fo r l eav e.

82

. In l i g h t o f o u r co n cl u s i o n i n Di v i s i o n 1

, we n eed n o t ad dres s Crawfo rd ’ s

rem ai n i n g arg u m en t s o n ap p eal reg ard i n g t he m eri t s o f h is p et i t i o n

.

Ju d g men t va ca t ed a n d ca s e r ema n d ed wi t h d i r ect i o n. Ba r n es

, P

. J., a n d Rees e,

P. J., co ncu r

.

9