Leslie Sean Pruitt v. State
CourtCourt of Appeals of Georgia
Date FiledJuly 27, 2026
DocketA26A2513
StatusPublished
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Full Opinion
Court of Appeals
of the State of Georgia
ATLANTA,____________________
July 27, 2026
The Court of Appeals hereby passes the following order:
A26A2513. LESLIE SEAN PRUITT v. THE STATE.
In 1999, Leslie Sean Pruitt was convicted of malice murder and other crimes.
See Pruitt v. State, 279 Ga. 140, 140 (611 SE2d 47) (2005). Pruitt filed a motion to
vacate a void judgment, which the trial court dismissed. He then filed this appeal,
which the trial court clerk directed to this Court. However, the Supreme Court has
appellate jurisdiction over “[a]ll cases in which a sentence of death was imposed or
could be imposed.” Ga. Const. of 1983, Art. VI, Sec. VI, Par. III(8). Because a penalty
of death may be imposed for the crime of malice murder, jurisdiction is proper in the
Supreme Court. See OCGA § 16-5-1(a), (e)(1); Hart v. State, 322 Ga. 1, 10(1) (917
SE2d 631) (2025) (preserving requirement that this Court transfer “non-death-
penalty murder appeals” to the Supreme Court). The Supreme Court’s jurisdiction
over murder cases includes appeals from orders resolving post-judgment motions in
such cases. See Simpson v. State, 292 Ga. 764 (740 SE2d 124) (2013). Accordingly, this
appeal is hereby TRANSFERRED to the Supreme Court for disposition.
Court of Appeals of the State of Georgia
Clerk’s Office, Atlanta,____________________
07/27/2026
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.