2020 Georgia Code
Title 15 - Courts
Chapter 3 - Court of Appeals
§ 15-3-1. Composition; Divisions; How Case Is Heard; Decisions as Precedent; Oral Arguments; Assistance of Other Judges

1. Composition. The Court of Appeals shall consist of 15 Judges who shall elect one of their number as Chief Judge, in such manner and for such time as may be prescribed by rule or order of the court.
2. Divisions. The court shall sit in divisions composed of three Judges in each division. The assignment of Judges to each division shall be made by the Chief Judge, and the personnel of the divisions shall from time to time be changed in accordance with rules prescribed by the court. The Chief Judge shall designate the Presiding Judges of the divisions and shall, under rules prescribed by the court, distribute the cases among the divisions in such manner as to equalize their work as far as practicable.
3. How cases heard.
   1. Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, each division shall hear and determine, independently of the others, the cases assigned to it. Two Judges shall constitute a quorum of a division.
   2. The Court of Appeals may provide by rule for certain cases to be heard and determined by more than a single division and the manner in which those Judges will be selected for such cases. When a case is heard and determined by more than a single division, nine Judges shall be necessary to constitute a quorum.
4. Decisions as precedent. The Court of Appeals shall provide by rule for the establishment of precedent and the manner in which prior decisions of the court may be overruled.
5. Oral arguments. The Court of Appeals may hear oral arguments at places other than the seat of government. Reasonable notice shall be given of such hearings.
6. Assistance of other judges; procedure. Whenever the court unanimously determines that the business of the court requires the temporary assistance of an additional judge or additional judges or one additional panel, the court may request the assistance of senior appellate judges as provided in Chapter 3A of this title or senior superior court judges. The Judge whose case assignment is transferred to the additional judge shall not vote on the case.

(Ga. L. 1916, p. 56, § 1; Code 1933, § 24-3501; Ga. L. 1945, p. 232, §§ 1-3; Ga. L. 1960, p. 158, § 1; Ga. L. 1961, p. 140, § 1; Ga. L. 1967, p. 538, § 1; Ga. L. 1982, p. 3, § 15; Ga. L. 1987, p. 291, § 1; Ga. L. 1995, p. 916, § 2; Ga. L. 1996, p. 405, § 1; Ga. L. 1998, p. 513, § 4; Ga. L. 1999, p. 10, § 1; Ga. L. 2015, p. 919, § 1-2/HB 279; Ga. L. 2016, p. 883, § 2-1/HB 927.)

- Divisions, Rules of the Court of Appeals of the State of Georgia, Rule 18.

- Ga. L. 2016, p. 883, § 1-1/HB 927, not codified by the General Assembly, provides that: "This Act shall be known and may be cited as the 'Appellate Jurisdiction Reform Act of 2016.'"

- For article, "Eleventh Circuit Survey: January 1, 2013 - December 31, 2013: Special Contribution: Open Chambers: Demystifying the Inner Workings and Culture of the Georgia Court of Appeals," see 65 Emory L. J. 831 (2014). For article, "Division of Labor: The Modernization of the Supreme Court of Georgia and Concomitant Workload Reduction Measures in the Court of Appeals," see 30 Ga. St. U.L. Rev. 925 (2014). For article, "Researching Georgia Law," see 34 Ga. St. U.L. Rev. 741 (2015). For article, "Annual Survey of Georgia Law: June 1, 2015 - May 31, 2016: Special Contribution: Open Chambers Revisited: Demystifying the Inner Workings and Culture of the Georgia Court of Appeals," see 68 Mercer L. Rev. 1 (2016). For article on the 2016 amendment of this Code section, see 33 Georgia St. U.L. Rev. 205 (2016).

JUDICIAL DECISIONS

Constitutionality.

- This section does not violate Ga. Const. 1976, Art. VI, Sec. II, Para. VIII (see now Ga. Const. 1983, Art. VI, Sec. V) on grounds that the General Assembly did not have power to provide for the appointment of additional judges, or power to divide the court into two divisions giving each division power to decide cases independently of the other division, or to assign all criminal cases to one of the divisions. Joseph v. State, 148 Ga. 166, 96 S.E. 229 (1918); Fountain v. State, 149 Ga. 519, 101 S.E. 294 (1919); McCall v. State, 150 Ga. 81, 103 S.E. 428 (1920).

- Trial court's denial of the challenger's petition for a writ of quo warranto was affirmed because the newly created positions on the Georgia Court of Appeals qualified as vacancies under Ga. Const. 1983, Art. VI, Sec, VII, Para. III; thus, the governor had the authority to appoint judges to the vacancies created by amended O.C.G.A. § 15-3-1(a). Clark v. Deal, 298 Ga. 893, 785 S.E.2d 524 (2016).

Under this Code section, the rule of stare decisis applies, which means that older case law must control. Sharpe v. Seaboard Coast Line R.R., 528 F.2d 546 (5th Cir. 1976).

When the Court of Appeals created two competing lines of cases that stood for opposing propositions with respect to the application of Georgia's Rape Shield Statute, O.C.G.A. § 24-4-412, to evidence introduced by the state, the Court of Appeals was obligated to continue to rely on the older precedent from that court until such time as the older law was properly overruled by that court or reversed or overruled by the Supreme Court of Georgia. White v. State, 305 Ga. 111, 823 S.E.2d 794 (2019).

- Since two (now five or six) judges constitute a quorum, the judges may decide cases pending before the judges. Fountain v. State, 149 Ga. 519, 101 S.E. 294 (1919).

- This section requires that full court consider any case in which one of the judges of a division may dissent. Fortson v. Caudell, 74 Ga. App. 276, 39 S.E.2d 579 (1946); Jones v. Cannady, 78 Ga. App. 453, 51 S.E.2d 551 (1949); Irvindale Farms, Inc. v. W.O. Pierce Dairy, Inc., 78 Ga. App. 670, 51 S.E.2d 712 (1949); Hall v. Beavers, 78 Ga. App. 722, 51 S.E.2d 879 (1949); Atlanta & W. Point R.R. v. Gilbert, 82 Ga. App. 244, 60 S.E.2d 787 (1950); Dorsey v. Georgia R.R. Bank & Trust Co., 82 Ga. App. 237, 60 S.E.2d 828 (1950).

- Prior decision of the court of appeals was overruled in part by a single division of the court after consultation with the other nondisqualified judges. Temple v. Hillegass, 344 Ga. App. 454, 810 S.E.2d 625 (2018).

Cited in Gainesville Midland R.R. v. Allen, 72 Ga. App. 736, 35 S.E.2d 12 (1945); Smith v. Swann, 73 Ga. App. 144, 35 S.E.2d 787 (1945); Hicks v. Hicks, 73 Ga. App. 561, 37 S.E.2d 418 (1946); Jacobs v. State, 73 Ga. App. 550, 37 S.E.2d 438 (1946); Commercial Auto Loan Corp. v. Baker, 73 Ga. App. 534, 37 S.E.2d 636 (1946); Southern Ry. v. Brackett, 73 Ga. App. 648, 37 S.E.2d 642 (1946); Progressive Life Ins. Co. v. Archer, 73 Ga. App. 639, 37 S.E.2d 713 (1946); Hoxie v. Americus Auto. Co., 73 Ga. App. 686, 37 S.E.2d 808 (1946); Murphy v. Hunt, 73 Ga. App. 707, 37 S.E.2d 823 (1946); Georgia Power Co. v. Roper, 73 Ga. App. 826, 38 S.E.2d 91 (1946); Murray v. Anderson, 73 Ga. App. 771, 38 S.E.2d 131 (1946); Monroe Motor Express v. Jackson, 74 Ga. App. 148, 38 S.E.2d 863 (1946); American Fid. & Cas. Co. v. Jackson, 74 Ga. App. 159, 38 S.E.2d 871 (1946); Metropolitan Life Ins. Co. v. Milton, 74 Ga. App. 160, 38 S.E.2d 885 (1946); Western & Atl. R.R. v. Gardner, 74 Ga. App. 599, 40 S.E.2d 672 (1946); Martin v. Gurley, 74 Ga. App. 642, 40 S.E.2d 787 (1946); Northern Freight Lines v. Ledford, 75 Ga. App. 508, 43 S.E.2d 757 (1947); Grand Trunk W.R.R. v. Barge, 75 Ga. App. 646, 44 S.E.2d 281 (1947); Jones v. Blackburn, 75 Ga. App. 791, 44 S.E.2d 555 (1947); Phillips v. Sinclair Ref. Co., 76 Ga. App. 34, 44 S.E.2d 671 (1947); Southeastern Newspapers, Inc. v. Walker, 76 Ga. App. 57, 44 S.E.2d 697 (1947); Glens Falls Indem. Co. v. Gottlieb, 76 Ga. App. 70, 44 S.E.2d 706 (1947); Roberson v. State, 76 Ga. App. 25, 44 S.E.2d 924 (1947); Clarke v. Woodward, 76 Ga. App. 181, 45 S.E.2d 473 (1947); Gill v. Skinker, 76 Ga. App. 315, 45 S.E.2d 818 (1947); Auld v. Colonial Stores, Inc., 76 Ga. App. 329, 45 S.E.2d 827 (1947); Dodd v. Callaway, 76 Ga. App. 629, 46 S.E.2d 740 (1948); Jackson v. Moultrie Prod. Credit Ass'n, 76 Ga. App. 768, 47 S.E.2d 127 (1948); First Nat'l Bank v. Southern Cotton Oil Co., 76 Ga. App. 779, 47 S.E.2d 288 (1948); Metropolitan Life Ins. Co. v. Lathan, 77 Ga. App. 6, 47 S.E.2d 596 (1948); Presley v. Presley, 77 Ga. App. 99, 47 S.E.2d 647 (1948); Hughes v. Kistler, 76 Ga. App. 885, 47 S.E.2d 663 (1948); American Mut. Liab. Ins. Co. v. Benford, 77 Ga. App. 93, 47 S.E.2d 673 (1948); Davis v. Fulton Nat'l Bank, 77 Ga. App. 400, 48 S.E.2d 773 (1948); Ivey v. Hall, 77 Ga. App. 350, 48 S.E.2d 788 (1948); Buchanan v. Hieber, 78 Ga. App. 434, 50 S.E.2d 815 (1948); Lyons v. Georgia Power Co., 78 Ga. App. 445, 51 S.E.2d 459 (1949); Walker Elec. Co. v. Sullivan, 79 Ga. App. 13, 52 S.E.2d 477 (1949); Sumter Milling & Peanut Co. v. Singletary, 79 Ga. App. 111, 53 S.E.2d 181 (1949); Kimberly v. Reed, 79 Ga. App. 137, 53 S.E.2d 208 (1949); Stanley v. Amos, 79 Ga. App. 297, 53 S.E.2d 568 (1949); Barton v. State, 79 Ga. App. 380, 53 S.E.2d 707 (1949); Milton Bradley Co. v. Cooper, 79 Ga. App. 302, 53 S.E.2d 761 (1949); Baggett v. Jackson, 79 Ga. App. 460, 54 S.E.2d 146 (1949); Klein v. Maryland Cas. Co., 79 Ga. App. 560, 54 S.E.2d 277 (1949); Grogan v. Herrington, 79 Ga. App. 505, 54 S.E.2d 284 (1949); J.C. Pirkle Mach. Co. v. Lester, 79 Ga. App. 512, 54 S.E.2d 298 (1949); Grimes v. State, 79 Ga. App. 489, 54 S.E.2d 302 (1949); Atlantic Coast Line R.R. v. Brand, 79 Ga. App. 552, 54 S.E.2d 312 (1949); Ford v. S.A. Lynch Corp., 79 Ga. App. 481, 54 S.E.2d 320 (1949); Western & Atl. R.R. v. Burnett, 79 Ga. App. 530, 54 S.E.2d 357 (1949); Whitlock v. Wilson, 79 Ga. App. 747, 54 S.E.2d 474 (1949); Western & Atl. R.R. v. Wright, 79 Ga. App. 733, 54 S.E.2d 655 (1949); Westbrook v. Beusse, 79 Ga. App. 654, 54 S.E.2d 693 (1949); Wallace v. Virginia Sur. Co., 80 Ga. App. 50, 55 S.E.2d 259 (1949); Goforth v. Fidelity & Cas. Co., 80 Ga. App. 121, 55 S.E.2d 656 (1949); City of Griffin v. First Fed. Sav. & Loan Ass'n, 80 Ga. App. 217, 55 S.E.2d 771 (1949); McDowall Transp., Inc. v. Gault, 80 Ga. App. 445, 56 S.E.2d 161 (1949); McDade v. West, 80 Ga. App. 481, 56 S.E.2d 299 (1949); Gaines v. State, 80 Ga. App. 512, 56 S.E.2d 772 (1949); Landers v. Davis, 80 Ga. App. 766, 57 S.E.2d 459 (1950); Owens v. Maddox, 80 Ga. App. 867, 57 S.E.2d 826 (1950); Aetna Cas. & Sur. Co. v. Fulmer, 81 Ga. App. 97, 57 S.E.2d 865 (1950); Hall v. Kendall, 81 Ga. App. 592, 59 S.E.2d 421 (1950); Atlantic Coast Line R.R. v. Dupriest, 81 Ga. App. 773, 59 S.E.2d 767 (1950); Cromer v. Dinkler, 82 Ga. App. 227, 60 S.E.2d 482 (1950); Davis v. Atlanta Gas Light Co., 82 Ga. App. 460, 61 S.E.2d 510 (1950); Sylvania Cent. Ry. v. Gay, 82 Ga. App. 486, 61 S.E.2d 587 (1950); Melton v. Helms, 83 Ga. App. 71, 62 S.E.2d 663 (1950); Carter v. Rich's, Inc., 83 Ga. App. 188, 63 S.E.2d 241 (1951); Register v. Andris, 83 Ga. App. 632, 64 S.E.2d 196 (1951); Chastain v. L. Moss Music Co., 83 Ga. App. 570, 64 S.E.2d 205 (1951); Goodwin v. Allen, 83 Ga. App. 615, 64 S.E.2d 212 (1951); American Mut. Liab. Ins. Co. v. Duncan, 83 Ga. App. 863, 65 S.E.2d 59 (1951); Hertz Driv-Ur-Self Stations, Inc. v. Benson, 83 Ga. App. 866, 65 S.E.2d 191 (1951); Consolidated Stores, Inc. v. Towler, 84 Ga. App. 28, 65 S.E.2d 419 (1951); St. Paul-Mercury Indem. Co. v. Alexander, 84 Ga. App. 207, 65 S.E.2d 694 (1951); Haswell v. Haswell, 84 Ga. App. 651, 67 S.E.2d 148 (1951); Troup v. State, 85 Ga. App. 138, 68 S.E.2d 195 (1951); Hurt & Quin, Inc. v. St. Malyon, 85 Ga. App. 164, 68 S.E.2d 213 (1951); Annis v. State, 85 Ga. App. 188, 68 S.E.2d 473 (1951); Wright v. Central of Ga. Ry., 85 Ga. App. 654, 69 S.E.2d 902 (1952); Domin v. State, 85 Ga. App. 676, 70 S.E.2d 39 (1952); Bibb Mfg. Co. v. Cowan, 85 Ga. App. 816, 70 S.E.2d 386 (1952); Wall v. First State Bank, 86 Ga. App. 118, 70 S.E.2d 917 (1952); Aderhold v. Zimmer, 86 Ga. App. 204, 71 S.E.2d 270 (1952); Albert v. Albert, 86 Ga. App. 560, 71 S.E.2d 904 (1952); Hall v. First Nat'l Bank, 87 Ga. App. 142, 73 S.E.2d 252 (1952); Craig-Tourial Leather Co. v. Reynolds, 87 Ga. App. 360, 73 S.E.2d 749 (1952); Gardner v. Celanese Corp., 88 Ga. App. 642, 76 S.E.2d 817 (1953); Banks County v. Stark, 88 Ga. App. 368, 77 S.E.2d 33 (1953); Hammond v. State, 88 Ga. App. 804, 77 S.E.2d 836 (1953); Fidelity & Cas. Co. v. Swain, 90 Ga. App. 615, 83 S.E.2d 345 (1954); Life Ins. Co. v. Lawler, 211 Ga. 246, 85 S.E.2d 1 (1954); Dennison v. State, 91 Ga. App. 143, 85 S.E.2d 179 (1954); Estes v. Collum, 91 Ga. App. 186, 85 S.E.2d 561 (1954); Adams v. Ricks, 91 Ga. App. 494, 86 S.E.2d 329 (1955); Hayes v. National Life & Accident Ins. Co., 92 Ga. App. 540, 88 S.E.2d 750 (1955); Pack v. State, 93 Ga. App. 737, 92 S.E.2d 824 (1956); Henderson v. Henderson, 94 Ga. App. 64, 93 S.E.2d 822 (1956); Logue v. State, 94 Ga. App. 777, 96 S.E.2d 209 (1956); Adams v. State, 95 Ga. App. 295, 97 S.E.2d 711 (1957); Henderson v. State, 95 Ga. App. 830, 99 S.E.2d 270 (1957); Henry & Hutchinson, Inc. v. Slack, 96 Ga. App. 56, 99 S.E.2d 465 (1957); Republic of Cuba v. Arcade Bldg. of Savannah, Inc., 104 Ga. App. 848, 123 S.E.2d 453 (1961); Godby v. Hein, 107 Ga. App. 481, 130 S.E.2d 511 (1963); Huddleston Concrete Co. v. Safeco Ins. Co. of Am., 186 Ga. App. 531, 368 S.E.2d 117 (1988); State v. Chambers, 194 Ga. App. 609, 391 S.E.2d 657 (1990); Republic Title Company, LLC v. Freeport Title and Guaranty, Inc., 351 Ga. App. 408, 829 S.E.2d 172 (2019), cert. denied, No. S19C1616, 2020 Ga. LEXIS 168 (Ga. 2020).

RESEARCH REFERENCES

Am. Jur. 2d.

- 20 Am. Jur. 2d, Courts, § 29 et seq.

20 Am. Jur. 2d, Courts, §§ 32, 125 et seq.