Moulder v. Reilly

May 29, 1997
A97A1754
Reporters:
, , ,
Before:
McMurray
McMURRAY, Presiding Judge.

Robert K. Moulder, Sr. and Robert K. Moulder, Jr., both of whom are prison inmates, filed this ‍‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‍civil action in Gilmer County Superior Court seeking redress for alleged violations of their civil rights by various public officials and appellants’ former attorney. In orders entered October 4 and 14, 1996, the superior court dismissed the defendants ‍‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‍from the suit on various grounds. On November 1, 1996, the appellants filed a notice of appeal. Held:

Generally, an order granting a motion to dismiss is directly appealable. However, the appellants brought this civil action and the appeal ‍‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‍therefrom while prison inmates. The Prison Litigation Reform Act, therefore, applies. OCGA § 42-12-3 (1). The Act provides that “[a]ppeals of all actions filed by prisoners shall be as provided in Code Section 5-6-35,” that is, by application requesting ‍‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‍a discretionary appeal. OCGA § 42-12-8.

In this case, the appellants failed to follow the discretionary appeal procedure required by law. “The requirements of OCGA § 5-6-35 are jurisdictional and this court cannot accept an appeal not made in compliance therewith.” Boyle v. State of ‍‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‍Ga., 190 Ga. App. 734 (380 SE2d 57) (1989). Accordingly, this direct appeal must be dismissed.

Appeal dismissed.

Beasley and Smith, JJ, concur.