Court Opinion

ID: 9575244
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 21:12:33.383058+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T12:48:06.280301
License: Public Domain

Carley, Chief Judge,
concurring specially.
I concur in the judgment reversing the judgment of the trial court in this case. I also agree with the analysis of the majority and its reliance upon Georgia Dept. of Labor v. Sims, 164 Ga. App. 856 (298 SE2d 562) (1982). In this connection, the majority concludes that Sims “effectively overruled” Hall v. Dept. of Natural Resources, 139 Ga. App. 298 (228 SE2d 174) (1976) and Department of Human Resources v. Green, 160 Ga. App. 37 (285 SE2d 772) (1981). I agree, but not simply because Sims is the “latest pronouncement on this subject” by the Court. (Majority opinion, page 700). When this Court is faced with previous decisions of this Court in apparent conflict with each other, it cannot automatically rely upon the latest decision as can.the Supreme Court, because an appeal filed in this Court is usually considered and resolved by a division of three judges, while the Supreme Court always sits en banc. See Hall v. Hopper, 234 Ga. 625 (216 SE2d 839) (1975). Thus, if Hall, Green and Sims were all cases decided by a division of this Court, this case would have to be presented to the whole court which would resolve any conflict by overruling one or more of the previous decisions. However, we do not face that problem in the instant case because Sims is a whole court case and, although there was a dissent, eight judges concurred in the conclusion that the Board had authority to reduce the punishment. “As precedent, a decision by [the] entire court with a majority concurring shall take precedence over a decision by any division.” OCGA § 15-3-1 (d). Thus, Sims is controlling and binding precedent.