Court Opinion

ID: 9915780
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2024-01-08 16:02:42.629595+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:19:54.390340
License: Public Domain

Court of Appeals
of the State of Georgia

                                         ATLANTA,____________________
                                                  January 08, 2024

The Court of Appeals hereby passes the following order:

A24I0097. KENTREL AKEEM STONE v. THE STATE.

      Kentrel Stone, who is charged with theft by receiving stolen property, moved
to suppress an AR-15 rifle with the stock cut off, which the arresting officer observed
in Stone’s vehicle during a traffic stop. Stone argued, among other things, that his
detention and seizure violated his Second Amendment right to carry a handgun for
self-defense outside the home, and Georgia’s new concealed carry statute, OCGA §
16-11-126. The trial court rejected this constitutional challenge, and Stone now seeks
interlocutory review in this Court.
      The Supreme Court “has exclusive jurisdiction over all cases involving
construction of the Constitution of the State of Georgia and of the United States[.]”
Atlanta Independent School System v. Lane, 266 Ga. 657, 657 (1) (469 SE2d 22) (1996)
(citing Ga. Const. of 1983, Art. VI, Sec. VI, Par. II (1)). Because the trial court ruled
on Stone’s constitutional challenge, jurisdiction over this appeal may lie in the
Supreme Court. Further, the Supreme Court has the ultimate responsibility for
determining appellate jurisdiction. See Saxton v. Coastal Dialysis & Med. Clinic, 267
Ga. 177, 178 (476 SE2d 587) (1996).
      Therefore, this application is hereby TRANSFERRED to the Supreme Court
for disposition.

                                   Court of Appeals of the State of Georgia
                                     Clerk’s Office, Atlanta,____________________
                                                                 01/08/2024
                                              I certify that the above is a true extract from
                                   the minutes of the Court of Appeals of Georgia.
                                             Witness my signature and the seal of said court
                                   hereto affixed the day and year last above written.

                                                                                     , Clerk.