Court Opinion

ID: 9931159
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2024-02-08 16:05:44.250731+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T12:16:54.744972
License: Public Domain

Court of Appeals
of the State of Georgia

                                          ATLANTA,____________________
                                                   February 08, 2024

The Court of Appeals hereby passes the following order:

A24A0947. DERRICK NICHOLSON v. THE STATE.

       In September 2022, Derrick Nicholson was indicted on a single count of
aggravated stalking. Prior to trial, Nicholson filed several pro se motions seeking to
quash, dismiss, and/or suppress the indictment. The trial court entered a single order
denying all of these motions, and Nicholson then filed this direct appeal. We lack
jurisdiction.
       Under OCGA § 5-6-34 (a) (1), direct appeals generally may be taken from “[a]ll
final judgments, that is to say, where the case is no longer pending in the court
below[.]” A criminal case is not final and ripe for appeal until all of the charges against
the defendant have been resolved. See Keller v. State, 275 Ga. 680, 680-681 (571 SE2d
806) (2002) (holding that a criminal case remains pending until the court enters a
written judgment of conviction and sentence on each count). Here, Nicholson’s case
remains pending below, as it has yet to go to trial. Accordingly, Nicholson was
required to comply with the interlocutory appeal procedures — including securing a
certificate of immediate review from the trial court — to obtain immediate appellate
review of the order at issue. See OCGA § 5-6-34 (b); Stewart v. State, 240 Ga. App.
154, 154 (522 SE2d 743) (1999) (holding that an order denying a motion to dismiss an
indictment is an interlocutory order). Nicholson’s failure to follow those procedures
deprives us of jurisdiction over this appeal. See Duke v. State, 306 Ga. 171, 172 (1) (829
SE2d 348) (2019) (“The jurisdiction of an appellate court to consider an appeal
depends upon whether the appeal is taken in substantial compliance with the rules of
appellate procedure prescribing the conditions under which the judgment of the trial
court may be considered appealable.”) (Punctuation omitted.) Accordingly, this
appeal is hereby DISMISSED.

                                    Court of Appeals of the State of Georgia
                                      Clerk’s Office, Atlanta,____________________
                                                                  02/08/2024
                                               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.