Full Opinion

Court of Appeals of the State of Georgia ATLANTA,____________________ October 21, 2026 The Court of Appeals hereby passes the following order: A27A0631. QUADRELL ANDRE DOTSON v. THE STATE. In this criminal prosecution, Quadrell Andre Dotson filed a pro se statutory demand for speedy trial, which the trial court dismissed on June 2, 2025, because Dotson was represented by counsel when he filed the motion. Thereafter, Dotson was re-indicted. Dotson filed a motion for discharge and acquittal under the new indictment number, which the trial court denied on April 20, 2026, because there was no pending speedy trial demand. On August 14, 2026, Dotson filed an out of time notice of appeal, indicating that he wishes to appeal the denial of his speedy trial demand.1 We lack jurisdiction. Pretermitting whether Dotson is seeking to appeal the June 2, 2025 dismissal of his statutory demand for speedy trial or the denial of his motion for discharge and acquittal, Dotson’s appeal is untimely. A notice of appeal must be filed within 30 days after entry of the appealable order. See OCGA § 5-6-38(a). The proper and timely filing of a notice of appeal is an absolute requirement to confer jurisdiction on this Court. See Kelly v. State, 311 Ga. 827, 828 (860 SE2d 740) (2021). Dotson’s notice of appeal, filed over a year after the trial court’s June 2, 2025 dismissal of his statutory demand for speedy trial and 116 days after entry of the order denying his motion for 1 After Dotson filed his notice of appeal, he filed another motion that the trial court interpreted as a renewed motion for a speedy trial. The trial court put the case into speedy trial demand status and indicated that the case shall be tried in the April, 2027 term of court. discharge and acquittal, is untimely, and this appeal is therefore DISMISSED for lack of jurisdiction. Court of Appeals of the State of Georgia Clerk’s Office, Atlanta,____________________ 10/21/2026 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.