Full Opinion

Court of Appeals of the State of Georgia ATLANTA,____________________ September 23, 2026 The Court of Appeals hereby passes the following order: A27O0008. YAKENSKI STEVENS v. DENISE MARSHALL, JUDGE. This petition for a writ of mandamus was transferred to this Court by the Supreme Court of Georgia. See Case No. S26O1687 (Aug. 11, 2026). In it, petitioner Yakenski Stevens asks for a writ to compel the trial court judge in his criminal case to rule on multiple post-conviction motions he claims to have filed in that case. For the reasons that follow, his petition is dismissed. Both the superior and appellate courts of this state “have the power to issue process in the nature of mandamus, prohibition, specific performance, quo warranto, and injunction.” Ga. Const. of 1983, Art. VI, Sec. I, Par. IV. As explained by the Supreme Court of Georgia, however, an appellate court’s authority to issue such writs “is connected only to such powers as necessary in aid of its jurisdiction or to protect or effectuate its judgments. It does not grant jurisdiction to [the appellate court] to issue process as an original matter wholly unconnected to its appellate jurisdiction.” Arnold v. Alexander, 321 Ga. 330, 334(1) (914 SE2d 311) (2025) (quotation marks omitted). Here, Stevens has not shown that his mandamus petition is related to any appeal or impending appeal in this Court or is necessary in aid of our appellate jurisdiction or to protect or effectuate any appellate court judgments. This case therefore does not present one of the “extremely rare” instances in which this Court will grant mandamus relief. See Arnold, 321 Ga. at 335(1) & n.6 (quotation marks omitted). Furthermore, though Stevens asserts that he filed a petition for a writ of mandamus in the trial court, there is no order rejecting his filing in the documents he filed with his petition. Absent a ruling by the superior court or an impending appeal therefrom, this Court’s jurisdiction is not invoked. See Arnold, 321 Ga. at 334(1). Consequently, there is no basis for this Court to exercise its original jurisdiction, and this petition is hereby DISMISSED. Court of Appeals of the State of Georgia Clerk’s Office, Atlanta,____________________ 09/23/2026 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.