Background
In 2017, Ralph Williams pleaded guilty to murder, three counts of felony murder, and other offenses. The trial court sentenced him to life imprisonment plus 25 years.
Williams later filed a motion for an out-of-time appeal and other pro se motions. After the trial court denied those requests, Williams appealed to the Court of Appeals of Georgia.
The Court’s Holding
The Court of Appeals held that it lacked jurisdiction over the appeal. Under the Georgia Supreme Court’s current jurisdictional practice, non-death-penalty murder appeals must be heard by the Supreme Court of Georgia.
Accordingly, the Court of Appeals transferred Williams’s appeal to the Supreme Court for disposition. The court noted that the Supreme Court has announced its intent to stop exercising direct appellate jurisdiction over non-death-penalty murder cases docketed after July 1, 2027, but that change did not affect this appeal.
Key Takeaways
- The Court of Appeals did not decide the merits of Williams’s request for an out-of-time appeal.
- Non-death-penalty murder appeals currently fall within the Georgia Supreme Court’s direct appellate jurisdiction.
- The proper disposition was transfer, not dismissal.
Why It Matters
The order underscores that jurisdiction over Georgia non-death-penalty murder appeals remains with the state Supreme Court under the current framework. Practitioners should account for the Supreme Court’s announced prospective change for cases docketed after July 1, 2027.