No. 25-5287

Andrew W. Bell v. Karli Swift, et al.

Lower Court: Georgia
Docketed: 2025-08-06
Status: Denied
Type: IFP
Response WaivedRelisted (2)IFP
Tags: constitutional-guarantees due-process election-contest fourteenth-amendment judicial-jurisdiction service-of-process
Latest Conference: 2025-12-12 (distributed 2 times)
Question Presented (from Petition)

1. Whether Georgia courts may dismiss election-contest petitions for "failure to perfect service " when O.C.G.A. § 21-2-524(f) places that duty on clerks and sheriffs —not on petitioners?

2. Whether the Georgia Supreme Court 's transfer of a discrete election-contest appeal —despite its "exclusive jurisdiction " under Ga. Const. Art. VI, § VI, Tf 11(2) —violates both state and federal constitutional guarantees of judicial access?

3. Whether denial of actual notice, refusal to re-enter judgments, and failure to apply equitable tolling deprive litigants of due process under the Fourteenth Amendment?

4. Whether repeated judicial and administrative breakdowns in Georgia — exemplified by delayed hearings, docket mismanagement, altered certification documents, and conflict with Eleventh Circuit en banc rules — require federal review under 28 U.S.C. § 1257(a)?

Question Presented (AI Summary)

Whether Georgia courts may dismiss election-contest petitions for 'failure to perfect service' when statutory duty for service rests with clerks and sheriffs rather than petitioners

Docket Entries

2025-12-15
Rehearing DENIED.
2025-11-25
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 12/12/2025.
2025-10-23
Petition for Rehearing filed.
2025-10-06
Petition DENIED.
2025-09-11
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 9/29/2025.
2025-09-04
Waiver of right of respondents John Fervier, Sara Tindall Ghazal, Janice W. Johnston, Rick Jeffares, Janelle King, Blake Evans, Brad Raffensperger to respond filed.
2025-09-04
Waiver of right of respondents Vasu Abhriraman, Dekalb County Voter Registration and Election Board, Nancy Jester, Anthony Lewis, Susan Motter, Keisha Smith, and Karli Swift to respond filed.
2025-03-31
Petition for a writ of certiorari and motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis filed. (Response due September 5, 2025)

Attorneys

Andrew Bell
Andrew W. Bell — Petitioner
John Fervier, Sara Tindall Ghazal, Janice W. Johnston, Rick Jeffares, Janelle King, Blake Evans, Brad Raffensperger
Stephen John PetranyGeorgia Department of Law, Respondent
Vasu Abhriraman, Dekalb County Voter Registration and Election Board, Nancy Jester, Anthony Lewis, Susan Motter, Keisha Smith, and Karli Swift
Brent William HerrinSmall | Herrin, LLP, Respondent