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TOIal am(IIInL ~1IC1ostd: All ortIon InWII be P REPA ID. Allow 2路4 wedlI forddive<y. MKe rn..:k ~yabk to: McELRO\" S ALABAM A t;V IDENCL Mail to: Samfonl UnivtT$ity Pno$$ McElroy'. Allbama Evidcnoc Cumbtrl.nd School of law Dimlinaham. Alabama 35229

THE A1.oI.8AMA LAWYER

Ship To;

N_ A"~

Signal u,"

MARCH 1994 / 65

The Alahama

IN BRIEF

awyer

Volume 55, Number 2

March 1994

ON THE COVER: from 1m _ond noo. '" tho rotund.> 01 tho ,tol. copi''', btlwt<n tho Ilouu ~rW:I Smal. ,ham· lot •• , mural •• nd. dK<>Qtiw l'lI'n! ,.;hornt an bt ... n thll ....... do .. Qntd .nd part",lly inwolltd ~ Rodorick McK ..... io In 1m Ilurin8 lho tho .,.,,101. ovkItnto of tho iN • ......, colo< Ie....... _ diJcGuortd and oppliod 10 tho rot...m surf¥« ond dttaib. Tho 1tIoi~1 boyond .. tho WI1 it ~ IooMd in tho miII·19Ih cent....,. Tho ratond apitoIls an ncirq """""Lotion '" $(yIos and .rtifKu datina from 183110 1992. _ PIlote by 8ud Hunt.., Hunt.. PIooot~. Birmingl\lm {r~ A/dor .... fA_ upra.$G IU grplil",* /0 ,'" AI~ IIWrIri<III and &11 Wood<m<rll hr 1M;,- IJMU/m>r:t.}

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE: W...... f ..1 Blrlh: A ...... ctltloner. C.. hlt t. a N~ Am ••1 B,&JadttLKimIW.. ____ ._ _ _ ._. _ _ _ _ __ woo ..,r", Su..,rriI'oa, N_ Atlt aU_ DO

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IltI J. Mort 11<wI .... _. _ _.. _ ..• __ ...• _.... ....... _.. _ ... __ ....• _ ...............

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11H A1.ba .... CI... Action BI AIIm T. Rogers._.................................. _ ......... ......., .......•..... _ .................. .M t:.ccutno. Oirmoo'. Report _____ .10 YOOOjjI

Uowtr,,' Stcbon

liar Britfs ..... _ .. _

.. _......

._.....• _....U

...... IOS

CLL ()ppGrb.nities __ OioripIinory Report _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . H6

Ltaisl>tiw Wrap-Up

• _ _ _' "

Rt<rnt D<ci>iono .. __ .___ .. __ '"

Aboul Moml>e ... l<mong Finno.

••••• 16

Mern<>rio.b ....................... .

. ......... 12 ~

8uildirl$ AI."" .... •• COIJrthoosa

....... 79

Cluoifiod Notico........ ..... .

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66 IMARCIlI994

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THE ALABAMA I.n\WYER

AIABAMA BAR I NSTITUTE FOR CONT INUING LEGAL

EDVCATION

Aiabamo.

Funda"",ntols ol M"""""1. ~ Soo,hcucm Cotpooo« Low I""IMO. Poitu CkM 'ilIomm in ,I>< lcpl Prof... _ . ~ Limi,«I Liab,I"y Comp>nico. ~ R<p!<O<O'i"i City onJ Coun'y Qo..ocmnl<n'" a.-

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Wh;!o k""" I«I1I" ol ,I>< fac .. «>me< /rom Y<"J'f c\",n,. ABIa..E prow"""" provid< """""p the _"nlty ,a be k_ kdr<>h~ ol ~ in ,I>< Ia.. .. ..dl .. ,he 1'''.''ioc>l ...,.... ol """,i>'~, rrial t«hnlql><l.nd <Iocu"",,,, dmft,"II' CQru"'"lni l.<wol Educo,ion .Ilow> .... '" be be"o, 10..".... to 1><".. ""'0 our chon .. . nd to ''''p<¢>'o ,I>< 1""11" ol our pror...ion.' G. R. ....... ..,.,., ... BD;,d. ~" ""'_<f & Nitlwls RI ''''; n ~hom.

A I.I>omo

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u,.1 W';,il\i:. ~ H<.I,h Lo"" a.- &..:II Erwironm<"",lla ... , GoJf S/Iore,

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a.-&..:II

AiaI:urm au- InWtule for C:ntinuirt:

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Box Si03S4, T u.caloo.:o, Alabama

35487-OJS4

C.II 1-800-6Z7-6S 14 ... l05·348-62JO lor __ ;nl"""""ion.

PRESIDENT'S PAGE

TASK FORCE ON WOMEN IN THE PROFESSION

II ii

or 5e11eral }/far., incoming pruidenu Ila~ startfll Ih~ir year with 10 Teirot for the E~ecuti ~ Com·

min ••. Thi. YUT I tried \0 ""hed"le a ", •• kfnd for th. retreat so thaI all lht E•• ,ulive Committu Ind IMi, SpclUS(S could gtt IOSdh., Ind plan the coming )'tar. Out lovario\l$ connicts in UK,,!iw rmmber schnlulu, I Wffktnd rttrtli _ irnpouible to schtduk and WI' 5tUk1! for UI alL-dq IIlftting 1M day before my first bar tommi,. i~" mutil\ll. Wf worUd hard all morning going ~r the ~da for lhe nUl day and m.oltns 01 impO.unu to "'" lnd the suI. bloT. When

broke for lunch. I jusl hap -

ptne d to si t down with Commlulone r Cl thy Wright and wa. discussing with her so"", of my goals for my commlllttl 11>11 \.uk forcH. During 1M discuuion, Cathy asked me whit I thought about ~nling I tasII fore. on W(IfIlfn in the prolusion. It didn't w.e me bull second \0 rupond th.lot I thought such I tUk force would be I gTul idu. 1 lm well aware of lhe fact lhal women tOllstitute a pproximately 20 percent of ou r ba r (19,3 perc.nl to ~ .xact), and commIt· teu dealing ... itl!. "'Omen in tl!.. profu· siOlla ...... ')I active at the mlioNlll",,1. as Wfll as in other Sll.tts UId III..,.. cit)' barf. Quite frankly. I "'1$ som .... hu embil~ ttw. I did not .ecoeniu the MOd for I task force liM \hi$. Be(ou resuming wilh the rttreal agen· da, Cathy and I agreed that Wf would giw tht propoKd IUk foret 5Orot mQU thought and Qet bJck in touch by ttlephon. in the nt. t lWek or SO. ~ ~t difficultlUk "'&5 to narrow the chokt! for appointment to such a task foret from ~ the many outlbnding worotn in our bJr. Ctlia Collins of Hobilt: and ~laril'rtt Young ol Florenct agr«d to KIW as cothl.irs. I _ 100 pleased to hill! the lion. Sharon Yitt! 0( the <;ourt ol tivil~" and WUIda o.e....ruux 0( tile boud 0( bIT commilliontrs atttpt appOintmrnts, If t ""r h.ad any doubu about why o'Qan,zations such u the J unior Lugu. and PrO IT. 10 s uccessful. they were quickly disptll.d in the organizational meding of the talk

fore •. Th. tnergy and tnthusiasm exhibited by mem~rs of this task force ,,~u almost cm .... helming. If I could llet all committees of Ihe b;.. as .",ited and wmmitted to accom· plishing g<:>als of th.ir commill". the only limit 10 whal our lSSOCialion could accomplish would ~ our own imagimtion. I ...ant to INk. it ~rf.clly dear to anyone who rmy ~ sktptical about the motivation and a;1lI$ of this task foree tNt it is not a bunch ol aur~ W(Imm with tl!.ipS 011 their shoulders buhing men and I mostly INlt-dominated Itg.il S)'Stem. ThtK au committed professionals who au. firsl and fo.effiO$l, attorneys and who ... ish to addul$ ItgitillllOt. tOIl· cernl within the confines of Ihe orga· nized bar, Any practitiontr ... ho will slop and .dletl on the traditioml rolu and tlflKll.lions of both a practicing allor· ntjllnd mother will quickly realize the numerous and inl!.... nt tonOicts in these: roles. This is j~ one ol the lTW1y i$.luts wIlich a.t un;q"" 10 the W(W1I.I.n Ia~r and which IlHd to k OPtnly dis·

".In...working ...ilh this task fore, and

reviewing information p, ovidtd 10 me by ont of Us mtmber s. I hayt I much greate r appreciation for lhe old cigarettt ad",rtiwmtnt sugguting that women haw C(MM I long way. Considering tht fact lilal it ...u not until Nowmkr 7. 1907 Ihat the Alabama Legislature pund a bill allo ... ing women to b. admitted to the st;,t. ba •• and not until October 7. 1908 tilat tht first wolNn was admilled. thtjl haw tOm. a long way and in a relatively Ihort period of time, Th. pf . ctntagt of women laW)lers ha$ irn:.t&5td from 16.1 pt •• c.nl in 1989 to 19.3 pt.c.nt t~y. We un nptClthil ~ •. ctn~ to contin"" to incrtaK u tvidenc:ed by the fici that tht sbtt's two accredittd law Khools. tht Univusily of ~ and Cumbtr~nd. hill! women stucknt bodies ol38 percent and 39 pelUm, reJl)«tilltly. After rn«ting with this \.uk folU and listening to the ron · ""rns 0/ its women, I am firmly convinc:ed this tuk (orce should b«orot a standing committu 01 tht Alabama State Bar, I hope that itl memkrs ... ill ag ree ... ith my &5Kllment

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6$ IMARCH 1994

.00 nWce a recomrnrnd.otlon 10 the: bar o:ommission. [n the: meanl ime, Ihe lask fo rce has planned a Symposium on Womtn [n the: Lega[ Profession for AlIril:1:9, 1994 al the "''yr>' fKY HoI el in Ihe RiYtrchast CalleN [n BirmingNm. [I is my .in«re ho!lt that thi. \.lslc force and sympoiium will bt supported by the me mbe rs of our llsocialion, The issuts and concerns 10 be add rund are Ihou wh ich will increasi ngly

ronfTonl Itpl pndilionus. firms, Nod 1m enlire lepl system as mort ....,....n tnlu the proftuion. 1 ufit thoot of you in rnanagtmenl of ~ firms md c0rporate Itpl departments to tncouri,Qe the women

la~rs

your orga.niu.t ions 10 allend. The Tu k Fora on Womt n In Ihe Proftu ion hu my uneq uivocal support and [Irust it will

ha".., yours.

•

Local Bar Award of Achievement The local B~, Award of AchIevement re<:ogn izes local 1;." J\sodations for their outstanding contributions to their commun ities, AWJrds are presented Jnnu~lIy at Ihe AI,'i.>.lm.l State Sa r's Annual Mecllng. local bar aSSOCiations compele for these 3wards based on tlleir si~e. The thre<.' categories Me large bar as!;OCi~tions, medium bar as!;OCiallons, and small b.Jr associations. The following is a liSl of tile categories based on judicial cirCUli sl~e:

woe, I.h [3th [5th

I'lEDIU~

"h ;Ih 8"

'''' "h '" "h

lith 12th

l6<h '.h

"""I"

'"'I'," 12th

28th Bessemer Cul-cif (di'ision of 10th Circuit)

lith

18'" I'"' 21s1 22nd 24th

25th 26th 2ith

'''h '.h 31st

"'" 24.. "" 25lh

""' "Ih 4.h ''"' 3ilh

The foIlo..... ingcriteria will be used to judge the conteslant.1ot each calegory: • The degree of p.1nicip.1l1on bv the individual b.J, in Mlvancing programs to benefit tile community; • The quality and e>:tent of tile im[)<let of the b.Jr's ""nicip,lIion on the cilizens in that community; and • The degre<.' of enhanc:ement to the bar's image in tile community. Member$ of the s~lIe b.lr'S Committe<.' on loca l Bar Activities Jnd Se",ices se"'e as ju<lgcs fo< Ihe awards. To be consideted for tllis award, loc~1 bar associJlionf must complete and submit an JWJ,d application by April 1, 1994. An award application may "" obtair>ed

bv .... lIIing or (ail,ng t.eith Norman, diredO' of programs and activi_

ties, or Margaret MUrphy, publications di...aor, at the ~tate bar, 1·8QO.354-61S4, P.O. Box 671, "''rontgomery, Alabama36101.

TIlE A/..AllAMA LAWYER

MARCH 1994 169

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S REPORT

Equal Justice Under Law

D I

n an earlier oolumn . [ wrote of the Alabama State Bar'5 host role for the 1993 Southern Conference of Bar Presidtnls Silve, Anniwrsary M«ting. Wilh a

great deal of pride and perhaps a lack of m<.>de>ty. the meeting ;n October was, in the judgment of ITIIIny. til. finest tvl'r .• ubstanti .... ly. rodally and logistically. Many auendees had never wen In Alabama Or the E.. tem

Silo,.." The luintantNe program covered thr« topics-profes· ,iomli,m, legalloervices. bar acti,;lies-in a retrospective for:=~",;,;(h<>w~~'~h<,~"'~d been addr~ by conl._ .tat•• and the J'. I <7'.'tT the last Quarter ttntury. J. 0 ..;,1 EI1 ... nger, an Alabama Stale Bar member and president of

the Southwestern

~gal

Founda-

tion. deli .... red the keynote speech at the opening dinner. Hi. thoughtful and provocat ive nmarko guided the discussion, CNe. the oex\ two days Dfmeetings.

Thos. of us from Alabama were proud of David's contributions_ I have elected to share his remarks J . hvld Ellw _ . with OUr whole membmhip in this column. As a former executive director of the bars of the !}i.lrict of Columbia. Los Angeles and the State Bar of California. he is .... l1 qwlifiro to create a director'. column. Following brief introductory remarks on the "first 25 years" of the Southern Conference. he said: Enough about the first 25 year ....!e!". focus on the years ahead. In the next couple of day< thi> talk will be about: • professionalism • deliwry 0( 1011<'1 !'Mce. • bar activities and ItMa. My remarks tonight will focus on thi>1t thrtt themes in the contexl of my them<: Eq.w J Ul tin Under I..aw. My challenge i. to oonnect my them< with the conference'. thru thi>rnes. Actually, this i. oot a difficult task. l,a....yers are in the justin business. We are the gatekUpers of the justice .ystem. For there to be justice, howe-.1'r, Itgal !'rvico. must be available to all who need them. We, .. Ia"'l"'rs. help to ill$ure that justiel' prevaiis-that the sam< law applies to all peOple, rich or poor, man or woman, blaCk. brny", Or white-that thoo. without" voice are heard. and thaI evtn unpopular vie...... have a forum. We help balance the seal"!. We he lp promote equal justice under law. 70 II>tARCH 1994

It i•• great privilege 10 be a lawyer_And that privilege carries with it certain duti • •. 11 has been said that professionalism encompasses four such dulies, a duty to the profession, a duty 10 the dient, a duty to the public, and a duty 10 oneself, We , as professionals, haw a duty. indero " resporuibility. 10 deliver competmllegal seMees to all who need them. If we fail to do that. justice i. one of the first casualties. The .tar of tIM: legal profeSSion shines brightest when we pnr mote competence and professionalism within our ranks, when .... use our skill and talents to educate ourselves, to protect and serve the public, when we ensure that justice i. p;lrt 0( Ihejus· tim S!/stem. Having said that, one of the great traditiQns oflhe Southern Conference i. the sharing of good ideas. In ~ping with that tradition, your discussions about professionalism and the delivery of legal !'Mce. will g.... you a chance to COfllp;lre notes. to exchange ideas about what has worked and what hasn·t. and 10 plan for a future in which America's citiuns will continue 10 rely on us to ell$ure that the ju.tic., 5)'$ltm will be available to

,""". There i. much that lawyers can , should , and do accomplish

as individual •. But. on occasion, la"'l"'rs work most efftd .... I~ and sptak most efffctiwly not Ihrough the individual actions of ind ividual members of lhe bar bul through collecti"" ",tion and a collect;".. voice. It is altogether fitting that this meeting of the Southern Con· ference, wilh its focuses on professionali.m and the delivery 0( legal seMCI'S, concludts its substantiw program by focusing on the role of the organized bar. The bar's greatest resporuibilities are to be the voiCl: of the pnr fession and to be a cataly.t in promoting equal justice under law. Underscoring the theme. of thi. conference ....... best exhibit our professionalism and ...... best meet the demand for the deliv~ry 0( legal se";a. by committing ourselw. and the Sirenlllh of OUr colleeli,.. voiel' to the raw;e of justice. Om of the best examples i.the bar's successful fight to .,,,.. Ihe i..tglll StMce. Corporation. The voict of the profession i. a powerful one. The challenge to you, the leaders of the southern Conference in 1993, i. to build 00 the traditions 0( your predW:'*,rs, to borrow from Ih<:ir vi.ion, to hetp make certain that laW;"rs of future generation. havt: a strong and effectt"" voice, and to ensure that the peopl t we represent ha,,,, access to a system that cherishes. above all else, equaljuslice under {ow. I want to close with a .tory, while at the same time telling you" little bit aboutth. SOUttw..... tern Ltgal Foundation. 1 now call the SOuth ....1'.tern Ltglll Foundation home. The Foundation was founded in 1947 by Dean Robert Storey. later

TH£ ALABA.'tA l.I.WY£R

to be president of the ABA. Two other ~ ABA. president.! have served as leaders of the Foundation, Leon Jaworski and MOlTis Harrell. Currently. Morris is chairman of the board of trusttts of the Foundation. Over tilt past 46 years, the Foundation has earned a natiOIlllI, indeed intern~. tional, reputation as a premiere provider of continuing legal education. A hallmark of the educational process i. the .""r-pr . .. nt pussibility of a pup quiz, which is t:Qct1)' what )'OIl are going to get riSht now. Now J know that lawyers want to know what all the options are before they makt a jud~t. So I'm llOing to giw JIOlI the question and l"m llOing to till)'QU what the possible options are and then I'm llOing to ask )'QU for the correct answer. The question is, "The phrase '~I justice under law', chiseled in stone in front of the Supre.... Court of the United States, derives from:

1. the Corutitution; 2. the Oedar.>tion of loo.-p.ndence; 3. the Magna Carta; 4. tht Northwtst Ordinance; or 5. none of the above. Now )'QU know what the !'O'Sibilities are and I'm llOing to ask you to select what you think the correct, appropriate answer is, and you are to do "'-' by picking up your knife or fork or SjlOOI1 and tapping it on the table, Wen, thi:! is a brilliant group. Now those of. you who didn't select the correct answer. which is "none of the abovt", sh<;ruld not feel 100 badly because you're in pretty good oompany. Justice Kennedy tells this <tory about himself. He said that the thought occurred to him. after lK'd been 00 the SUPTl'''''''

Court for a couple of Wttlts. that some friend! of his might ellPOct him to know where the phrase "equal justice under law" came from.l'rankly. he didn't know. He WM much too embarrassed to ask his law clerks. "'-' "" docided to ernl:>arlt upon this research project hirnso>lf. Of COIl ..... , he started with Words and Phrases and he found "equal justice under law" and it said. ' chiseled in stone 00 the front of. the build· ing which houses the Supreme Court~ derivation unknown!" So. realizing that he was really into a ruearch project, he thought, "Well . I'm right here at the oriSillll1 ",-,uree, I'll ask the court archivist if I can have actus to the files dealing with the construction of the Supr..... Court." He emptied boxes around his desk and he found a file marked "correspondence". In it he found a letter from the famous archit.ct . Cass Gilbert, written to the famous Chi. f Justict of. the United States, Charles Evans Hughes. The letter went $I.lmf"lhing like this: "You and I have been talking about",-""" appropriate inscriptiM that we could chisel in stone in front of. the building, but ~ are all too IonS-I've decided that the only thing that reall)' fill; is 'equal justice undtr law.' What do you think?" And, in answer to that letter, Chid Justice Hughes respond. ed, "The more I think al:>out it. the moTl' I think it sounds pretty good. Go ahead and do it' "Equal Justice Under law". chiseled in stone on the front of the building th~t houses the Supreme Court of the United States. born of a huml:>le birth. Yel, it i:!loday the cornerstone of our philosoph}' of justice and a part of the bedrock of our democracy. I think of it as an exlwrlalioo to every lawyer, a remimkr to every judge. and a promise to all Americans. •

Notice ,udicial Award Of Merit Nominations Due will receive nominations ro. the state b,,(s Jooicial Award of "'oerit through May 15. Nominat ions shou ld be prepared and mai led 10 Reginald T. Hamner, ~creta..,., Board of Ba. Commifsionefs, AIabatnII Slate Bar, P.O . Box £'71, MOlOtgooroert , ALtbama 3(,101. The judicial Award r:I Merit was established in 1987, and Inc filS! recipients were Senior U.S. DiSlricl: Judge Seyboum H. Lynne and ,eliredCireu it Judge lames O. Haley. The award is not necessarily an annual award. It may be preserned to a judge whe!her >late or federal CCI<lr!, rrial or appellate. wOO i, delooni"ro to ha"" contributed >ignffocantly to the adminiSlr.ltion of justice in Alabama. The recipie<lt is preserned wFth a crystal sa",,1 bearing the state bar seal and the ye<I' of presemation. Nomir>iltiorrs are con>iderW by a Ih<ee-mernber CQIlYllittee appointed by the peidem of the >latel:>ar which makes a """""" mendation to the board of corrm~ with re;pect to a nominee Of wheII-oer the aw.ml shoukl be presented in allY BM!o ywr. Nomi~ shou ld include a deuiled biographical pn:r/ile of the nom inee and a rwralive outlin ing the sign ificant cootribu lion(s) the nominee has made to the administration 01 justke. Nomination< may be su).llXlr"led with \e!ters of endorsement.

The Bo.lrd r:I Commissioners of the Alabama :)(ate

THE ALABAMA LAWYER

B;It

MARCH 1994/ 11

YOUNG LAWYERS' SECTION By Us Hages 111, president

MANAGING CAREER AND FAMILY

III

"<h. """' .d"'oo • "",.

• Istu maguiRe. which is publi,hed by the Ame,;c,m Bar Anocia t ion fo r the Young LaW','fn' Division. the lead ,utick wu -ute, law IIld the 1\>,. suit of B.t~n«.- Th. author. Monia o..Y. diKUHU tht problems l young liwyer flCu in trying to ~linCt his lift_nd wggutJ WiYS to have I lif. SC'pInot. from I bw pnctja while it tho loam. tim. hep OM" Itgal Cca rHr on trJdt. The article is inttmtil1llilOd con\.Iins inrOl'TT\l.tion btntf\CW to ~I )'OUng la~n; r hiQhly rccomrntnd it Duri nS a rtctnt Sunday chu rch KNic., my pastor deliyued a thoughtprovokinll sermon ,n t itled 'Tuch the Childrtn Well. " His words. ilong with the afo~lTOtntiootd articl. written by 8iy, rumphlJiud to me tht impOrtanct. lOS well as tht difficulty,

"When he pic ks up bad language. laugh al him. This will make him Ihink he is cute.

J. "Nr\'er give him any spirilual tnining. Wail until he is 21, and thon Itt him decidt for hilTlKlf_ ~_

"!kgin at infaTlC)' 10 gi~ lho child twT)'lhing he wants. In Ihis WilY. he willgrDW up to believt the world OWfS him a li...;ng.

72 IMARCHI99-t

12. "hepare yourself for a lifeHme 01 Intf. yO\! willliuly haw il" The ~ ruin. whtn I fint hu.rd them from my pastor, hit me like .. ton of bricks. Cutainly. while th ... ITe 110 clnr guidelines to nising children, Ihe "12 ElIY Rules" are a good start. As attorneys. we have responsibilities. We IT. resporuible to vigorously repre JOnl our clienls to the fullfst extent 01 the liw. we a.. respOnSible to mainIlI ,n tlhical conduct lind s!lIndards of practice, and we uc ruponsible 10 .... intain the intttlriiy d our prof..'ion. However, just as importantly.

law Ind lIin I fimily. No doubt there ire miny young!a"'y", who do n(lt ytt have ramilies. Accordingly, the foIkJwina commmlS !Ny M neither

] I. "WIten he tltts into trouble, apologize for yourself by ...yiog, ' [ never <;()Uld do anything with him.'

"Avoid lho UR d tho word ....-.ong". 1\ may daltlop II guilt complu.

of simul~ attempting to ~

inspirational nor applicable to you. Neverthelus, I would gueu there aro j u st at many young bwyus in the proc." of raising families who art attempting to bll~nce Iheir time spent at hom. wi t h their t im. sponl in a law puct ic •. Al though Iht following comm.n!s ~y spoak more directly 10 young il.W)'!n with families, I Ih ink Ih.lol Ihose attorneys without children can &Iso benefit from thonL In Houston. Teus lho police dt-partm.nl illutd " stale",.nl for parenls entilled "How 10 Man a Child lnlo a lkliflQUtTl\; 12 ~ Rulr:s." Thry aJl':

Ihat they art prejudic.d toward him .

WId LM ...,..111

S. "Pick up r\'erything ho ItIVtS lying lIround--OOoks, shoes, clothes. 6.

"Let him rud any printtd matter he ClIn tltt his hands on. Be ClIreful thai the silvt.-..are an.d drinking ~ are steriliud. but let his mind ftlS! oniir~.

7. ""Quirnl frequently in tho presmu

d your children. &.

"eive a child all Ihe spending mont)' ho wan~

"s..tisfy his evtT)' cnving for food, drink mel comfort.

II). "Take his s ide lJIainst neighbors, teachers. principals, touns.lors and policemen. Remind your child

~Iy mort 50,

aJl' nsporu.i-

bit to our bmilits IOnd 10 our children to Ipend time with thom. All of us cerUinly can appreciate tho impOrtirlCe of I qUlllity education Ind. no doubl. we ha~ lin undentanding Ind respect fo r the lilw. We 'ho u ld make every effort to see Ihll our children adopl these lime ideu. A good lawyer newr takes IOnything for grantod. li kewise, that ,ame lawyer should nOI take for ,rllnted tht instillition of good qUIlilin Ind IIJpi rltiOn, in his Or her ,hild r.n. T he preparation of a Sood IIppelliU brief Llku time lind effort; the raisins of children is no d,fftmrt. As tvidmctd by our rtaehing tho plituu of btcorning lttorneys, our pUtnl, look Ihe nOCtiliry lime mel effort in noisine us; we should giYo our children nOlhing less. The above ]2 Easy Ruin. which are now on Our refrigerator at hom., a re ncellent points to remember. •

, - - - - - -- -,.----------------------------------------------------------,

ALABAMA YOUNG SECTION ,, ,,, , ,, ,,, ,,, ,,,

,, the golf tournament. Cr«n fus '

~~;~~~~~?::-;~~~:::~~' "

c/o Alfred F. Smith, Jr .. Trtuurer . . Suite 2400. Birmingtlam. Alabama 35203.

----- - ------------------------------------------------ - ---~

f)"• ,HOS~.~ ,~~O~~£TT~~~RM~~:N[Y

ReSQeC ~ vly

Serting A labama

Since 1975

'CRIMINAL DEFENSE' DIVORCE' CHILD CUSTODY' WORKER 'S COMPENSATION"

H.D.A. IS A WELL BALANCED AGENCY WI~ A PROVEN RECORD. WE GO TtlE E)(l RA MILE FOR OUR CLIENTS. WE SERVICE ALABAMA AND SURROUNDING STATES ON A REGUlAR BASIS AND OFFER AFFORDABLE RATES FOR EXTENSIVE TRAVEL H.D.A. TAKES PRIDE IN EVERY TASK WE PERFORM.

I.o.SK US ___ WE 00 IT MAYBe ___ I .o.CCIDENT ASS.o.ULT BAC KG ROUND BODY GUARDS CHEAT ING SPOUSE TEST CH ILO .o.BUSE & NEGLE~T COURT RESEARCH CHILO CUSTODY TEST CHILO SAFE HOUSE

CH ILD RETRIEVING COLLECTIONS CONSULT.o.TIONS CORPOAATE DISABILITY CU,IMS DISCR IMINATION ESCORT SERVICE FR.o.UD INSURANC E CLAIMS (HOSEY DETECT IVE AGENCY

INTERVIEWS MAlP'RACTICE MISSING PERSONS P,,"PER PROCESS ING AAllAO"'O ACCIDENTS SLANDER

SEXUAL HARASSMENT SURVEILLANCE SECURfTY GUARDS

VIDEO AND STIll PHOTOS IN OFFICE SERVICES LEGAl TRANSCRIBING NOTARY SERVICE DOCUMENT TYPING DOCUMENT STORAGE HARDSHIP CASES

WE MAK E THE DIFFERENCE)

6606 01..0 BRADFORD ROAD PINSON . ALJ\8AMA 35126

THt: Al.o\BAMA LAWYER

FAX 2' HRS.

~"'" MARCH 199-1 / 73

BAR BRIEFS • ItuoId ApoIin,Q. who poom

with Sirok Iii

~r_

ml,ltl in 8inninglI~m. lIu bun

appointed to the Small Bu.ine •• Advisory Sm.d of National LifIt orVtrmont. tlf: is one 0(

(i.ht profu~ional acMson from KlOSS the oountry-attor-

rw)'f rod iIICCOUI1taI1ts ..no woo1c with oo.ncr' of ,mall bUlinusu and those in profmional practlca--trMied by Naticna.I Ilk to aNt in an ~ QClIIcity to the

14J.)'tM-<:>Id......nul ~~_ Apoiinsky is I smior pUtntr with Sirotl:

.iii Ptrmutl t'k is the IUthor d Tat PlanJ1irw lor f'roIessiaIQb,nI XMd as chaiT d. the SnWlIIusina.i CounOI d AmtriCI

fi-om 1991 to 1993. lit is 0IIl adjunct pn)fwor 01 tstate and gift I.Wltion and tstate planning at the Univfrsity 0( Alabama, and an loIijunct proI'e$SOT 0( ts\llte planning al the Cumberland School ollZoll.

• 0 0 .... 1.. C. Mart lnlO n. of the Huntsville finn d JlUrtinson .Ii: Bason, wu nanUy artirted in civil \n;,l ~ by the Nlotional Board d Trill ~. M1 ABA-KCTtdited org.Jniutlon. Martinson joins a group of 1.700 lawyerJ IIIItioowide who t.- become urtifitd by NBTA. Mart inson ~ /I l~ admilltt to the AbbIo ..... Sbtt & •. Undtr appointmmt 0( the CowrTWll' 01

Alabama. Martinson Hrvt<l U lp«illl ~ 01 the /obdilon CCunty ('.(!urt from 1966-1971. iii: tw. bttn • 1JIh'I'ft. of the HuntMlk·~ison County Bar Associalion Jln« ]964 and KrvW

iI$

pruidmt

from 1987.88. li t .Iso KTVtd.u

the

fil'!l{

editor of tht Alabama TriollAwgrrs News/eller (1913-75), which i. now known u tht Journal of/he AlaWmQ TriQ/ UlItywJ Assrxii>(1i:In. Rtquiftmtnll for NBT" urtifiution Include: numerous IrilIlI to jury vmlict Of judgment: continuing 1tgoI muation; submiuion of a t rial ,ourl brief fo r rMew; attorney and Judicill referencu; proo( of good mnding in the I(ill profwion; and a ~1onII Hlmi .... tion '"' IrilIllKhnjques. McItnot and ethics.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

mr. HisIDty 01A/QbQmQ LegoI/nstit.mons

The Abmma ~ Cwrt and State l.lw l.ibrary 0lI! ~ ~ far !ho ...TiIirC oll hi!tooydlhr ~ d Alaham:.s Itgal institutions from their genesis in the M~ TmiIon' to the pmeJI\. The prq.-t ~ should constitute a a;w.,.",'1eI1SM histoly d Abb.lm'l'sltgal instiMioos, indudi~ both the judicial system and the bar. AIIentim stoouId be gMn to the rel.ltilnshi(l d

tI.""c

lhr:!e <nstitutions to tnt histoI). d AlManlaandd the United SI3ta. ....ith specilI V" on the i!r"(Qd d wurt dtcisions ~ fromAlabarm. A"'l.,.~ oltlw: roles pIay(d by ITWI,btn; d tIw: bench and bar in tIw: ~ olthe .....~ rod Iqpl instlMions ol Abbanu -"IOUkl be induiird The histor)' stoouId be a book~ ~ ao:ujbblt far publQlion by a IJfIII.'mity pn$. A ~~ba5<'donlhek>lkM~~penod:s.lI~bo.tnotllWldlkd.

I. II. III. I\'. \'. \1. \'11.

I'rontitr Jllllice and Earl;' Stattl'oollfrom the ~' .ettlen; tl\rouj#ll834)

The Ante·bellum Period; 1834·I!l58 C";I War and Rtconstructioo; 1859-1814 The Constitution d 1875 to tIw: CmstIMion d 1901; 1815-1901 The Constitution d. 190110 World War Il l90 I·I940 World War II to c.:wt Resttucturi<e 194()..1971 Modem~tion and St",,"~ining for the 2ht Cmttil)' 1971_

l'roposals lohould ir.:lude an estimate d. tIw: tilTW

nectS!a1')"

10 CQmI'Iltie the reoeardl and

..,.;ti~

of the histol')" plus the

tslimated D'JSlS b- tIw: pn'ljort Deadlinr far ~ is ~ 31, 111M. Send ~ to the Aillwnio ~ CQurt Mld Stau ....... ibar}'. .:nl Deller A\V1Ue.~. AilbomoJ6104-4i5 1 For IUttI...- irbmation. all n. '-II, IIIIt .......... .11 (:lOS1~7.

THE ALABAMA L\W\'tR

• C.... rles F, Dan;ell, with the Birmingham firm of Fletcher, Yeilding, Wood & Lloyd, has been elected a Fellow of the American College of Tm.t and E.tate Couruel. Daniels i. a 1973 admiuee to the Alabama State Bar, The College is an international iIMOCi. ation of lawyers who ha"l' been ~cog· niud u out.tanding practitioners in the law. of will •. trusts, .state planning, est3te administration, and related tax planning. Membership in the College i. by invitation of the Board of Regents. • Birmingham lawyer LaVuda Morga n BaUI. was nominated by Pruident Clinton last Summer and confirmed as a member of the Legal Strvic .. Corporation', board of directors in October. She was SWOrn in at White House ceremonies in November. ~ltcI ed to chair the board's ~rations and Regulatioru Comrnitt«, Battl. wm haw significant inAuence on how Legal ~r vices programs operate for the rest of thel990s. BaUle, a JIiIrtner with Corham & Wal· drep. is the first person from Alabama selected by. pre$ident to SI'''''' on the n· member LSC board. Created and funded by Congress in 1974, LSC awards grant. and provides OVI'rsight to 323 local pro-

grams throughout ~ country. (There are four LSC·funded programs in Alabama.) • Cmrd J. Ourwatd ofBinninghamwas rttent!y .lecled to onother lerm on the Board c;i Co:.Ne"..".. c;i the American AI:adtmy of Matrimonial Lawytrs. I)u",-ard is a 1966 iIdmittet to the Alabama State Bar. • The Bankruptcy Judges of the Northern District of Alabama. Southern Division. announce that David P. Rogen, Jr, has betn appoinled Chapter 13 Standing Trustee. effective February I. 1994. Rogers has bun us;stant trust .. and ~n ..al counsel for the office of the Chapter 13 Standing Trust« since September I. 1991. The office of the Chapter 13 Trustee is located in Ihe Financial Center, 50S N. 20th St r«t, Birmingham, Alabama 3S2()3, The mail. ingaddreM il P.O. Box 371008, Birming· ham 35237· 1008. Phone (205) 323-4631. • The Ameriean Bankruptcy Board or CerillIeation will hold rt.. fifth bankruptcy certwcation examination April 29, 1994 at various sites acrw the country. The ABBe is an AIIA- accredited, Washington, D.C.· based non·profit organization dedicated to Sl'rving the public and imprwingthE qual. ity of the bankruptcy bar. ABBC certiJication Sl'rve5 the public by allowing client. to make an informed deci.\ioo in c/Ioo$ing bankruptcy counsel. The ABBe offers SI'pa.' rate certification programs in business bankruptcy and consumer bankruptcy. Th e ABBe program i. the larsest national bankruptC}' certification pro-

gram and i, sporuored by the American BankroptCl'lnstitute. For program information Or a free directory of certified attorneys. write the ABBC at 510 C Street. NE, Wash ington, D.C. 20002. Phone (202) 54&-1200. • Gro.ory S. CUlimano has been selected to serve as a member of the National College of Advoc.acy Board c;i 1"ru:sku of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, and was named vice-chair-

cu ......no

man of that board. Prior to his selection as vice_chair. man, Cusimano .. "",d on the faculty of several National Trial Colleges. the most recent held at Harvard Law School. • The 1994 Judicia l Conference of the Eleventh Circuit will be May 5-7 at the Marriott Sawgrass. Ponte Vedra. Florida. The judges an con· vening the meeti ng to improve the administration of justice in their oou rill. A limited number of spaces are avail· able to any attorney admitted to practice befon any of the courlll of the Eleventh Circuit who wi.h .. to attend the meeting. ~'or more information. write Norman E. Zoller, Circuit Executive, S6 FOr>yth Street. NW. Atlanta, Ceorgia 30303. •

Officially ENJorsed and Recammended by Attorneys' Title Guanmty Furn!, Inc.

Did you do 129 closings last month with 1 computer and 1 secretary? Leacia did...

• We sell tp •• d which makes you money. • Sleek. Fast and Unencumbered. • Contract to Closing Table in 30 minuteS.(U ""' ....... NOwQ

THE ALABA.'lA

~WYER

1U1boc' OSl!' p",,..r Pro""", for Real EsIa\e ClosiIlgs (800)741-6465

MARCH 1994 175

ABOUT MEMBERS, AMONG FIRMS L.lfayl:ll., "lablalN 36862. Phone (205) 864·8884.

ABOUT MEMBERS ,lI khMl W. CanoU

announce, the Open.

ing 01 his offICe lol 2112 Ptlham Parlrway, Suitt 101. Pt:lham, AlibirN 3512.4. The ..wlinC~ is P.O. 8oJ: 1321, Pdl",n 35]24. ~ (2(15)988 8884. Tammo K. Enm.e OIlOOUIltU htr ntw

IoclIlion 112]07 5Ih Avenut. North. Suitt 100, lI irmin gham. Alabama 35203. I'hoor (205) 252·9751. Will iam E. C...... rnoounces 1M ~IOQ lion 01 hi!; office to OffICe !'irk. Suik 522, Mobile. AlWma 36609. Phone (2(l5)

r....o

"".....

Kmnrth 8. TroIttT announcu tilt open·

i"ll 01 hi$ offl« at IlQ] UniYmity Iii"". "'lilY. 1'n:ll>. Ahlwno 36081. The lNilin, Iddnu II P.O. Box 67. Troy 36081. Phone (205) 566-4549.

Willi am E. S mith. Jr . announces

1m opening 0( his o/fiC( It 2 14 W. Or. llick, l\(IultvlTd. Flortnct, Aliblormo 35630. The rru;iling addnw is P.O. 8oJ: 496. Flomlce 35631. Phonr (205) 767.

<529.

H."H.

Jrrry W. anOOUI'lCU IIlI: remlion 01 his <Jfk. to Highlowtr Building. 25 LaFaytUt St reet. Sout h. Sui t. 3,

• CIVIL • INSURANCE

-m

Boyd F. C....plKU annoonct:5 i change 0/ add.en to P.O. Box 230238. Mon t · gomery. AlablolTl.l 36 123·0238. Phont (205) 272-1092.

CiDdeo! DaJo I100m... ~ tho rtlo;.. Qtion of hr. offl« to 1910 Thilll A""nut. North. Suite 302. Bu~r·l'hi!lips Centrt. Birmingham. Alabami 35203. Phone (205) 254':1~. Olrio! O. Gltth Innounc~~ hiJ appoint· ment is deputy attorney general. [)epart. men! 0( HUm&/1 Ruourcu. HiJ offia iJ located IIIl lSO GoYtmrnrnt Strm. Suitt: 105. Mobile. Abbama 36664. Phonr (205)

........

\\lUlIm R. FOilit. 5fflior viet-president, departmt nt of human . HOuretS. Swift Tuti lts. Inc .. innouncn <I change of address to P.O. lIoJ 1400. Columbus , G«Irgia 3199' . Phone (70tiJ 571·7592. Foust iJ I 1971 admiUtt 10 u.. Abbama SutelW. Ewlyn H. Bnnlley Mlnourottl i cl1an,gt of iddrw to 1127 Sprin8s A''mut. BinninehAm. Aillbami 35242. PI'>o<1~ (205) 991 -9062.

Clark SI&n~ Ol\il. CFP. mlJOOnc .. hr has become aslocialed wil h Hainu

Finane;"1 Advisors. roc Offias art local· ed at One [ndepe-ndena Plaza, Suile 61 4, Bi rmingham. A[abama 35209. Phone {2OS} 871.3334. \\iUiam G. IbIlM anoouow <I ~ of add.uI 10 4222 S. County Road 59 . DothAn. Alwma 3630 1. Pl'>o<1e (205)

677·3646.

AMONG FIRMS Gerar d J. Ourward an nouncu thaI Plmelll M. Bums tw btcome m lS$OCi· ale. Offocu Ire Iocattd III 1ISO Financial Ctnlu, 505 N. 20th Strm. Birm~ ~ l521l3.

Connie Ray S tockham and Richlnl J. Stocldlam. III inlJOOl1Ce \hr Iolllllltion d S tockham & Sloddwu. ~ that Mar· tin A. Mi n .... III and Ste ph ln le N. Zoh.r have become associaled with Ihe firm. Offices art localed II 505 N. 20th Strnt , Sui t~ 1125 Financial Center. Birminllham, Alabama 35203. Phone (205) 252·2889. Carll". '" A..ociat • • annOUR(U lhat Loia Ballt,-Cartille. ro.m.riy d Veigas & Co •• tw btoome lS$OCiattd with \hr firM- Offias art located a\ 1710 t>ec.alur Highway. FUltondale. Alabama. 1m mail·

Bachus 0- Associates PROFESSlONAL IN'l'UTIGATlONS 6- SBR'l'ICB OF PROCUS

Phonr (205) 324-6654.

• CRIMINAL

CASES

ATTENTION ATTORNEYS: OIJ, ti,,,, pr<>vklH InvWIg~"" .. rvIcfl lO the i".u,....,.. Itg... ."" corPOrate wet_ We oIt~u <MI' ,5 yMr' 01 e~rns and _iO~"" ~~ Fee Sir""'",.. InlUfltlCe Oocu",.,,_ arid _1M' ..... lIable. s.rv .... I..au.s. (~,

IlOl _

10) tile 1oI1cMIng:

Fl..... 1"....1I1II.1Ion. • ~raon .. ' nlury • FIt'S' . Thl<d P, "1y LIability Acelden" (Inc:ludlllll F.E.L.A .) • Traffic "",elden" • Wi' ..... Location su.vem.nc:e • ~t'S Com~lJon • Propotrty Oa~ • I ..........,. Claim 1"....11~11on . Few S35.OO pot< hour (plus • • pot.....). you can not _ " II> potu up thi$ _ e "" _prod"", .... ~ Fat more inkxmMion _ : Kerry W. Bachu.. Jr. ~'lIroad

lol-Hour Phone:

:lOS/64'-S,84 76 1MARC 1l 1~

1'. 0. !Io> 180066 Mobile.

AI.~ma

36618.00G6

FAX Phone:

:l05/64,-S886 ruE ALAllAMA LAWVER

ing address is P.O. BOJI 121. Fultondale 35068. Phone (205) 841-4063. William I , Harmon .Iii Hardegree announces that Wtl le)' M. Frye has berome associated with the firm. Officn are located at 1130 Quinta rd Avenue, Suite 403, P.O. Box 67. Anniston. AlaJ.>a. ma 36202. Phone (205) 238-8356. Protedwe Life COrpOration announces that John Johnl has become associated with the company. Offices are located at 2801 Highw,,>, 280. Sooth, Birmingham. Alabama 35223. The mailing address is P.O. Box 2606. Birmingham 35202. Phone (20S) 879·9230. G<>n:lon. SillKrman, WiUin • .Iii Cbild, annOunc .. that Amell. H. Griffith. Rocco Cili mun, Jr., Anila P. Rok.· oon and Dtbonh A. Mattioon have become associale •. Office. are located at 1400 SoulhTru.1 Tower. Birmingham. Alabama 35203·3204. Phone (205) 328·

""0.

Loeb Pumoll Rain Hunll announct. thai Gary R. Powell has b«n elected a shareholder. Office. are locaWl at 2200 Ross A~nue. Texas Commerce Tower, Su; le 2200. Dallas. Te~as 75201·6776. Phone (2 14) 740-8()OO. The firm also has offices in New Orleans. Lou;';;""". Pow· ell i. a 19M admillee of the Alabama Stale Bar.

Mill.r. H.mllion. Snider &: Odom announc •• thai nan M. Powen, fanner· Iy wilh the Atlanta firm of Elarbee. Thompson oS: Trapnell. has become associaled with the Mobile office. Offices are located at 254 State Street. Mobile. Alabama 36601. The mailing addrm i. P.O. BOJI46. Mobile 366()1. Phone (205) 432·1414. SlgJu. Moort. &: Wolfe announces a name change to SIgkr. Moo .... Ck'mentl &: Wolfe. Office. are located at 107 St. Franc;'; Street, Suite 2525. firsl National Bank Building, Mobile, Alabama 36602. Phone (205) 4.33-7766. Chambl.. &: Allociales announces a relocalion to 5582 Appl . Park Dri~. Birmingham. Alabama 35235. Phone (205) 856-9111. The firm al50 announoo that Carl E. Chlmbl... Sr. it now of

'Jeffery """". A.

FOlhu .Iii A..odl t.. announcet that Hany A. Lylu , fonnerly THE ALA8A."IA LAWYER

chief legal coun.el for the Alabama DePilriment of Comctions, has become associated with Ihe fi,m. Officu are located in Montgomery and Mobile,

""""""

Kaffer. Pond &: Pipkin announcel that Daniel A. HllllII.n. fonnefiy of Elarbee. Thompson &: Trapnell of Allanta, Ctor. gia. has become a partner. Offices are located at 150 (;ovo,mmenl Street. Suite 3003. Mobile. Alabama 36602. Phont (205) 438-1308.

Potts &: Young announces thai M.ark A. San deTfon. former assist ani distrkl attorney of Colbert County, has become auociated wi t h the firm. Office. are located at 107 E. College Slr.el, Flo· rence. A1a1.>ama 35630. Phone (205) 764· 7142. Smyer. Whit e .Iii Pull announett the 71'location of its offices to S50 Park Place Towe r, 2001 Park Pia« North. Birm;ng. ham. Alabama 35203. Phone (205) 326· ~60.

Afridl &: Angell announces that David R. Bi ker. formerly a partner with Jones. fl<ly. Reavi. oS: Pogue. has becomo a part. nero The new name i. MidI. Ange ll &: B. ker. Offices are located al 230 Park Avenue, New York New York 10169-0639 and in Abu IkDhabi, Dob.li. Jebel Ali and Sharjah. Uniled Arab Emirat ... and Itlamabad. Pakistan. Phone (212~ 697. 0300. Baker is a 1954 admiU •• to the Alabama State Bar. Huie, F.-rrwnbncq oS: Slewart annotJnct. Ihat Robert V. Roger,. Nancy S. Ak.1 and Amandlo Owm Lawson have becomo auociated with the firm. OffiCe! are located at 800 Firsl Alabama Bank Build· ing. Birmingham. Alabama 35203. Phone (205~ 251·1193. Bradley, Aranl , Rose &: Wh ite announcet that Jamu F. Archibald. JII: Jay R. Bonder. James W. Da'-;I; Carol)"n Rud Dougl.. : D<luglu E. Ecnrt: K. Wood lI erren : Ml llhw H. Lembke: JUllln T. McDonald ; J. nnif. r By... McLeod: Am)' Kirkland Mym.: Kenneth M. Perry; J ohn W. S mllh T: Jamu TUlln; and Arnold w. Um,*,h. JII have be<:omt associated with the firm. Offices u e located in Park Place Tower and SoolhTrust Tower in Birmingham and in AmSooth Center in Huntsville.

Lanier. Ford . Shav., & Pay ne anllOUnctt that Claude E. Hundley, JII has become a member of the firm and Anill J. Klmbnll. Rodney C. 1Awi. and EdwmI E. \\."tbon. Jr. have become assodated wilh the fi rm. Offices are located 200 W. Cou rt Square, Sui te 5000. Huntsville. Alabama 35801. Phone (205) 535- 1100. Heninger. Bnrge &: Vargo announc .. that Timnlhy C. 01'-;,. formerly of Gath. ings &: [),;,.-; •• hasjoined the firm. Offices are located at 1500 Financial Center. 505 N. 20th Street. Birmingham. Alabama 352l)3. Phone (205) 322·5153. An .... R. Strlcl<bnd and Shelly B. Mo •• announce the fonrnlion of Stricldlnd .Iii Mon. Offices are located at 1855 Data Drive. Suite 115. Woods Point Building J, Birmingham. Alabama 35244. Phone (205) 733-8555.

McFldden, L)'On. \\.1110ughby &: Route announoo a name change to McFadden, Lyon &: ROllle , L. L.C. Willi am S . McFld den has become a member and Thomu H. Benton. Jr. has become a>$Ociated with the fIrm. Offices are located at 718 Downtowner Bouleva rd , Mobile. Alabama 366(19·5499. Phone (205) 342. 9172. Caknl», Johnolon. Gardnt"T. Oumu &: 0'1'\' ..1 announces that Do uglu B. Kauffman and GIT» W. Filli ngim ha'·e become associotes of the firm. Offices are located in Birmingham and Mobile.

"_.

Don F. Wiginton and C. Donnit liugl>el announce the fonrntion of \\.1ginlon Ii liugl>el. Offices art located at 105 Vulcan Rood. Suite 401. Birmingham. Alabama 35209. Phone (205) 942·9233. Jam" E. Loril, Jr. and Andmo J. Cok'· ma n announce the opening of their offices at the Frank Nelson Building. 205 20th Street. North. Suite 310. Birming· ham, Alabama 35203. Phone (205) 322· 3300. Griffin. Allii on. May, Akil.lii Fuhrmell' ter announces Jul;' C. Kimbrough, for. merly with Crittenden oS: Associates. has become an associate. Offices are localed at 4513 Valleydale Rood. Suite 1. Birm· ingham. Alabaml35242. The mailing addrfSS i. P.O. BOJI380275, Birmingham 35238. Phone (205) 991-6367. MARCH 1994 / 77

Duh t' &: Barnard annOunce. t hlt ChnyI D. ElilIanb has btalme an

iWO-

cillte. Offien IIrt touted lit 1904 Owphin Wand PlrkwlIy. Mobik. AllIblI· IN 36605.

f'Iloo1t (2051478-6899.

Hllld. Arenull, Bed.ole. Gre.,·u &: Johnlton lInnounca thit Ard>lbaIoI T. R_ •• tv has 1xc0<Tll' a .... mhor mil John P. 1<aYanICh, Jr., Douglu W. rink mil u..r. Tln.ky O·H.,.. hive ;o;ned '" usoc:illn. omcn art loxat~d at 3()00 .·int NII\ional ~nk Building, Mobile. Al abama. The mailing address is P,O. Box 123. Mobile 36601. Phone (205) 432·551 L. Sln t, &: Permutl announct, that 00n1Ul K. 1IowIlng, Annotte M. Canfto. rruw;Q tkWt, Canolact 1.. HflIIphill, C. Randal John n n, Wanda S. McNeil . Strphta 8 . I'"oo1I1"1'fltId., Robtrt W. Ruth, mil Jerr", II. Wertheim hive become ,harthOldtr" Offices art louted in Birmingham. Mobile and Hunl.$vmt,

Lightfoot. Franklin, Whllt &: Lucu iIfl!\O\lncu Wt IIIrbn I. Pnle-r. tv has become l partner. Offices ire located at

300 Finlnei,,1 Cen ter, 505 N. 20th Strnt, Birmingham. AlabalN 35203. Phont (205) S81.qr(l(l. Blkh & Bingham lnnoullUS tho fol· lowing new mcmhon: S ...... ne Asht: Marl!: A. CnIu-..bitr, \liU HiD T~ ky, Jr~ IAonInI ChlrIn TUlllWl: Dor, man \I'alller: c.......... Crosby Kimbk: and Akx B. Lath, III. Offices are Ioat· til in Birmin8hllm. Huntsville mil Mont· gomel'l'.Alabama and WMhington. D.C. Hill. HilI. Ciorte-r.•'1"II1co, Colt &: Black InnouncU Ihat Su..... E, Kenntdy has Ixcomt' USO(iattd with tm firm. Offi~ ano w ttd at 425 S. Perry Strttl Monl· gomtl'l'. AllIbalN 36101. The lNiling lIddrUi il P.O. BoK 116, Montgomery 36101-0116. I'hont (205) 834·7600.

Tommy II. Siniard lflIIOlIIIC6 that Jd. fe1)l W. McKinn.,.. formerly of MoJriI, Cloud &: Conchin. IIlII become ;ossoxial· td with the firm. The firm i llO announce' the rtloaotion of offices to 125 Holmu Awnut. Huntsville, ~. rna 35801. The rnaili"ll iddn$S i. P.O. Box 2667 , ll unUville 35804. Phone (205) 5J6.0770.

r - - - - - - - ' H U . l T H CARE AUDITORS. IN C. - - -- - - - ,

I-I C::~I

MFDICAUOENTAL MA1PRAcnCE EXPERfS

Sidu. Dlklby, H. t.l1i I>iclr announces the rtloaotion of their offku to 1310 Ltilihlon A~nut, Anniston. Alabanu 36201. ThI: INiling Ulrus is P.O. !\oJ; 1849. Anniston 36201. f'Iloo1t [205) 237-

6611. Lan ,t. Slm plo1l, Rob inson &: Somt"rYll1t ~nca the opmi"ll of its office, in Montgomel'l' lOt 8 Commerc~ Street. Suite 900. 36 104·353 1. Phone (205) 241·0000. The firm now has offictl locattd in Birmingham. Huntwille and Montgom,l'l'. Alabam.l.. Th. firm abo lOnnounce. th.-.t Thoma. F. Campbtll. Timothy A. Palmer, R. Abn Oeor. J. Fnnkl;n Chm.nt. Beth O·N.HI Roy. and Rebtcu St. PI ..n Dunn l. ha~ Meome po.rtnen in tht Birimingham offICI!, 0avi0I R. r-- has bteome I .... rt n .. in th. Huntsville offiet, and Scoll Simplo •• Oa .. ld A. Norri •• \I'illl,," 1.. \I'ludby. Da";d L. Warnn . Jr.. and OtlHln h L. Shtll.,. hive ~ USO(iattd ...ith the Birm· ing!wn offi~. Jonn &: Bowron annou~s thilt J.ck W. Selden , forme rl y Unittd Stat n Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama. has btcomt a .... mbtr of lilt firm. The firm'l nrw n~mr is Jon .., Bo .. r on &: S. lde n . Th firm lObo announca tNt Amy E. CalUmon and ~ury S. Wt i..... haw btcomt usoci· ales. Tht addrus is Park PIact TOWt:r. 200] Park Pliee, North. Sui te 450. Birminl1him, Alrnmi 352()3. Phon.

(205) 254·9000. • CRATIS MEDICAL TEAM PRlVIEWOrVOUR CASE:"" in depdl ..2IuworI1II -u. ard defir>e (:IO$I!ion. liabiJi~· ard InochIs in IIll'olbn!I of eM

• GRATIS CLINICAL CONFERENOS: ""sholl am..Dylllk,l"" SWPbrSWP.lkouj1 I\IdI ClIO III I,..".,.lhll !\III" din bI ~ b o::>mlllfllll.lntf "lIh (U"$. , ... $lull bo brul111y ~ t (:110 ............ " " mnit, ... If """"I0Il iI p;w:If • GRATIS OJNICAL REl'R£SENTATI\'ES TO YOUR O~l'1CE:

rtriow!.

• CRAns, D[TAIU.D, ~ REPORTS: 5houkl. taO! bo UII"O<J!Ih>olJUlllll. ... """ ,... <IIn<ttoa.. "" sholl bo plmtd lei b-nrd I dtIaUed "P'I1.

• HeAl a..lc fU: I. '%75. You iacII" ""0IIII undllllll~IeI ..... IhtIO:pll"l·I~· " .. lib oII'do>iI. ~ mmll>fl'l'l$.l111 ~ ~. IIIIIIIO (N1 .,..." npon$. /ICAI iI ... I*"",""""'" _ .. "",-JI'O'idod liIipIIon""""' ....... 7(I(IBnnI .......... 1h! us .... hi"" tInItd. "" ........ ~. .. Nt. JUmf" *'-[STAT STAT AFfIDAVIT SERVICE AVAIlABLE I

Boll . 110m. JaCklO n &: Bllity announcu th.-.I "'khatl D. Rogen hid bttomt ~ p.o.rtntr in the firm. Offi~ art locattd at 822 lA:ighton Avenue. Annis· ton. Alabama 36201. Th mailing add rul il P.O. Box 2066. Anniston 36202. Phone (2051237-4&11. r lnkbohnlr Ii u ..ltT announces that Royu A. Raf. III hid becomt' II mem· be r of the firm. The Iddrus is Land· mark SqUirt, 169 Dauphin Sirut, Mobil •. AllIbam.l. 36602. The m.l.i1ing addrus is P.O. !\oJ; 30&5, Hobi~. 36652. Phont (205j438-581I. McEhy &: Ford iIfl!\O\lOCts th.-.t Richird

ileAl Medical Utlla Uon Supporl Team FflWr Sound Co<ponIt c.-

Telephone (813) 579·8054 Tel~opt.,r (8 13) 573· 1333

l Qrponlt Coma ...... SUi", \10 Onno~,.,.. Florida joj6l,

..~ .... """'" 10 fUM l""'" alb

78 1MARC1l lWoi

M. Kemmer. Jr. hid become usociattd with tht fi rm. Thr mailing addr ••• is P.O. Box 517, Cent reville, Alabama 3S042.1'hont (205) 926-9767. •

TIlE AL\IIAMA LAWYER

BUILDING ALABAMA's COURTHOUSES PERRY COUNTY COURTHOUSE

8JI SAMUEL A

RtfMOllE. JR.

The following continues () his/orv of AlaDamo's county cQu rthousestheir origim and sorrre 01 the people who contributed to Iheir {/rrJfI/lh. The AlIINmll

to run

wwrn- plaN

counly's slorll in each issw of/he mQ(}(Ui~. If /IOU hot'll an,l photographs of tQrly or prl!S£tli

courthouses, please fOnL'Ilrd them 10: Samuel A Rumore, Jr., Miglkmi-

co & Rumore. 1230 Brown /IIo, x

Tower, Birmingham , Alab oma 35203

PERRY COUNTY

_nl Alabama ruomu tommemorate nanl he'oKi of lhe War of 1812, indudinQ

r::I L;owrenco Counly. named .:=:I lor Captain James "Don'l give up lhe

!.hip· Uwrtntt.lOd O«atur. lhe coun·

ty iul of Mor,..n COl,lnty, rumed fOT

Commodore Stephen DeClOI ..... Perry County. ,ruttd by the ~ 1A1iJII.. ture on ~r 13, 18]9. if .]$0 in thil 1I , 0IlP. [ t wu namtd for Commodore Oliver Haurd Perry. who defuted Ihe Britis h in the Blltle of Lake Erie in 11113. Perry i. remtmbtred for Ihe famous me$$.iOlle, · We havt mel lhe enemy UK! Ihty a.. ours." Perry wlS born in Rhode Isblnd in 17&5. He WlS lhe iOIl of a I"IMOI oIft«r and HTYtd und .. hu fa.lh .. lS I midshipnWIII lhe age of I•. His brother, Commodore Manhew Perry, btume {amous {or leading Ihe fi,,1 American ships in l O Tokyo Bay and opening Ja~neH ports 10 ~slern trade. Buidu Oliver Perry'. u ploi l> in Ihe Wu 01

TH E ALA8AMA lAlIo'YER

1812, he loughllhe Algeri.n pinln during the Wll" with Tripoli. Perry died from ytllaw fevtr while on a dipiom1llic mission 10 Venell!tla i!'l 1819. ShQrtly Ihern!ter. the people of Alabama named Perry Counly i!'l his hoMr. Perry Cou!'lty is divided roughly in two by the Cahaba River. Many histori. ans bfliuf tht thi. river wu the boundary line bttwftn Choctaw looims on the wut and Creek Indians on the east. It WIS 10 this Ire' thaI M......... the leader 01 the Crftki, I\td following the Indian disasltr at HOTHslIoe Bend inw;t~ma.

The Treaty o! Fort Jackson on Augusl 9, ISIt ended the Creek Indian War.

This IrUIY optool the territory where Perry County now lies to pion«r HUI •• me!'ll One of lhe first t..ritorilltowns ,,-;u an Indian village.t the junction of Old Town Creek and Ihe Cahaba River. Combi!'ling the namu of thue two st.eams, HIli ... cal led the Indian vil~ Cahllba Old Town. The fint known while Hitler in the un was Andenon West. H. built a ubin nu. Cahaba Old Town . Soon other settlen ClIme from the Carolinu. Georgi •. Tennessee lind Virginia. William Ford ""d his iOIlS Hilled in an uta calted Pe rry Ridge. They buil t a sawmill and a gristmill. Thomas Muru ClIme up the Cahaba River and landed 1\ MARCH 1994 1 79

I pl~e callttlllurrough's fury Or Burrough's Bottom, N~thlon Reid, ~tomPl' nl.d br his sons · in -II .... Mich~1 McElroy Ind W,mt, Young. !l'M:Md to the Uti in 1817. McElror, "'ho WllS nkkn~mfd ·Mich~~1 Muckl. " b)' tho locals. built a ubin in ~ during thlot wu soon known as

rIOTninating commissioners., Slore thlol sold whislloy by tho hIolf pint. Th. w;. ood was Burrough's Bottom. which was rIOTninalod brc.iuso it had springs Ihiot IOIfr. thought to hIo~ mtdicinal qlLloli. ties. it was " plllC~ where boy,; could lurn to swim. and il was nUr good

Muddo·sRi~.

Th. first county seat (Ii PUT)' Count~ WliS rorT)' Ridge. A crud. log 'lib in seT\'ed as tho temporllTY courthoun . This site Willi locllt · td on Uw Welt bank (litho C~ Ri~, and remainod the county sut until 1822, In bo~r ~~rs, it btelmt known u Old Perry Court · hooK. It e'Jtn1UIlIy

"""'0.

Willi ablln,,k,,,.d iUld

became part of a large cotton plantation, Onlr I ftw short ~an after thl: territOI')' was opened lor slllloment. Mid,»1 " Muck I. " McElror complained Ihat Ihe lerrilo ry wlS becoming 100 crowded. Although h. lind his family Wf~ the $01t inhabitants <J his . ridgt", he obj«ttd 10 Uw ·O\I!r· populalion" of the surrounding arn lind $Old his holdings to And.rson W.. t in 1818. He moved on to Mississippi, diuppearing from the histol')' of our stale. Soon thereafter. whilt living at Muckle's Ridge, Anderson Wut wlS ol .cto~ tho counly's fi ..1 shOT,ff. Afle r Ihe boundariu of t h. ,ounty were finalized. many residenls concludod that PUI')' Ri~ge WiS not a conw · n~nt location fOI' II pormanent county Kat sit.ind dtmoondttla more «nl,.l . iud location. On NOvtmbor 21 . 1821, the Lt8islatu~ authorizttlan .I~dion of seven co mmissioners ... ho would choost lhe permanenl sile. The com · miniono rs woro oleeted Febru ary 5. 1822 and metlhe nexl month. Th. commlssionon considered four prOJpoct i~ sites, Tho fint was Cahaba Old Town . II ha~ a cotton gin. many sdt lers and, most importantly to the 80 lMARCH 1994

lotte" was suggomd, H~r, sowr;li p.oplt in the crowd wert nativos of Soulh Carotina or had connections to that stllte . They propo,od tho namo 'M~rion" ;n honor of FrlrlCl. Marion. tM Swamp fox of Ihe Revolutionary War. Tho name Marion ~plllctd Muck· le 's Ridge, Thi, Iradition of naming places in ",~st Alabama for South CITolin;ans is also reflecled in the names of Gretne County, Pichns County and Sumter

fis.hing grounds. A third suggestion was 10 ~u.in the courthouse "I Pury Ridgo. The fourlh nom inee WIS Muckle's Ridgo. which Willi centrally Ioc.attd and ~ natural beauty. 1M «lmmissioners deliberated for " full day. Pin"lIy. they decided Ihat Muckle's Ridgo, which belongod 10 tho ~ountr shu iff, was the most cent,.1 and accessible locallon. It wu chosen Ih. county Kat . Sheriff Anderson West immediattly divided his hol~ingl inlO lown lou and HNW illI his own lIuclione.. it • land Hie htld Mil' 21, 1821, Prices ranged from 1150 to 1280 po. lot. Tho sheriff dum! SJ.5SB from tho HI~ 01 !hill Lionel ho bouiht from Mic.....1 McElroy only a lew ~.rs urlier. When the lIU Cli on had concluded . H~r"l poople in tho cro..,d wanted. new name for the town. 5;nn AndeTS(Kl West had II~d in Charlotte. Tenntsset. and Or. Aluandor. a prominent citizen, bad come from Charlotte, North Carol;. na, it W<II natur~lthat the name ·Char.

Tho firsl court · hou so ;n lobrion _ built ;n 1823. II wu er«l.d br Samuel H. Nelms ""ho had como to Ma r ion from Crunt Count~. Georgia. The IWO, stOI')' frame struc· tun W<II 36 f~.t in length, sat on wooden blocks that wor. thru f.el high. ~nd was ducribtd at the lime as hiving tho 'ppnrllnco of " "smokehouK with windows", The j~il constructed .1 the Slm. time Wit I double pen lot cabin C(Mrtd with fin·

ishtd boHds. In 1826. Marlon hlld onlr 144 rui · donu.. Soon, though, lhe 10\00'0 bogan to grow. One reuon w.. t he mov. of t he capital of AI .. bama from ntarb~ Cahaba in l)all.., County to TuscaIOO$ll. A number of Cahaba citiztn. relocated to Marion.

....... ............... A.

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Io.

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d ........... _ _ ... fl....

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_ _ ............". ,,: .. ... ... '0:10

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THE ALAIlAM"

~\\,YER

Another cause for growth was a law passed in 1828. Up until that time, 1m Legislatu re could change county boundary lines and county seat sites whenever it desired by a simple majority vote. This made it uncertain that a town once cho.en would remain the county seat. The new law required a two·thirds miljority for future county and county seat changes. Thus. Marion and other county sut. we re more secure in their status. and this encOUraged settlement. The upanding cotton tconO!l1jl of the county also supported the county sea!"s growth. An incident in the mid·l830s preCipitated the building of a new courthouse. A local historian records that one night some rowdies, under the innuence of "Bacchus". pried out One of the sup· porting blocks under the courthouse. causing the end of the building to fan to the ground. One local citizen, Charles Langdon. was particularly out· raged that drunken loafers could cause such an embarrassment to the town. He led a drive for a new and mwe appropriately constructed courthouse. The old frame courthouse WaS

replaced by a substantial brick struc· ture. Original plans u.lled fOT the cost to be $5.000 . Before completion in 1831. howe~r, the plans had been so elaborated that the final cost was S9,356. This ex~nditure for the court· house illustrates how Perry County had grown in prosperity. It had become . center for the thriving cotion economy. Many legal transactions involving the transfer of land and .lavu took pl~ in Marion. With the new wealth. Marion beu.me a center of society and culture for the Black Belt area of Alabama. New busintSSts arriW<!. In just a few short ~T>. frontitr u.bins had gi~n way to pala· tial homes. Its prominence is illustrated by the social highlight of 1840. Cene ral Sam Houston. former governor of Tennessee and former president of the Republic of Texas. married Mar· garet I.u in Marion. Between 1836 and 1842, three institutions of higher learning were established in the town; Marion remale Seminary, Judson remale !n5titute (later Judson College). and Howard College for Men (which would mOvt to

date of the bar directories has been changed from December 1993

UN IQU E

CPA

FIRM

FOR LITI GATO RS

Please note: The publication

Birmingham in 1887 and later become Samford Uni~l'SiM. B~ 1842. Marion had become one of the leading eduu.· tional centers of the stMe. Due to its continued growth and prosperity a grande r courthoust was needed in Perry County. Construction began in 1855 on the marble and brick building of Creek Revival design which is still in use todaS. The structure was originally 69 fed by 88 feet. It had twostoT)' pOrti"", at each enlrance wilh lix Ionic columns supporting a large pedi· ment. Over each entrance was a full· length cast iron balcony. Later, on the west pediment. was added the town dock. At the center of roch .ide of the building were convex towen containing spiral staircases. All of these fea· turel. except t he convex towers and staircases. sUNi ... to this day. The architect for this ante·bellum courthouse was Benjamin F. Parsons. a native of Massachusetts. Parsons used the same basic design in the 1855 resideoce he built for David F. McCrary at nearby Greensboro in Hale County. This d ..... ic ante·bellum home also .till stands and is known as Magnolia Hall.

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to June 1994. CAM POS

& STRATIS MARCH 1994 / 8 1

The builden (or the Perry County Courthouse were bmu Didlake lind Larkin Y. Tlrnnt. The iron noiling 01 the ~TTY County CourthooK il identk .. l to other ClISt iron noili"" on the public: buildings 01 that eno in Alabanll. The wnt pilUem W&S used on the Greene County Court· house, Wilco. County Courthouse, f'mident't H~ruion at the Uni""nily 01 Alabooma. and Gorgn House, also on the Univen ily campUl, This type of iron Graling wu pOJlular before the War lktwten the Slales. On the grounds 01. the Perry Counly CourthoUK is a memorial monu"",nt to Nicola MarscNll. Ite W&S an artist of I'rw.silll bKkground, lind I rooted por. Iriil piinter, ind served as i music tucher it the Muion Fern.lle Semi· lliry. In 1861. A.B. Moore. then geMr· nor of AI"bama "nd a resident of Huion, informed reliti,·", in Marion

tllat the Confederate gCMmment hid not adOJlted In official 0141. IobT'KNIl was notified and he submitted thne designs. His ·Slari and &1"1" 1,'lIS offi· cillly HlKttd by the new confederacy, This n" W&S first dispbytd in Marion. The lingle rN,ior structural nnoon.· tion to the Perry County CourthooK took pia« In 19S.. Two inne~u "''frt idded 10 the north and south sides 01 t he o rigin al building. The !tomanuQue convu portals and the Ipira! staircuu on tach .ide of the building Ilad to be rell'lO'led. Belon the rer>O\lation, lhe courthouH bricks wtre unpiinted. After the renovilion. btciuH modem bricks did not Illitch the color or tuture of the sb",,·rnade bricks (rom ]00 ~ifl before, the cntire exttrior wU pilinttd whitt to amr the difftrmclt. The 1954 iltenotions and ~ilions 10 the cou rti>ouH _rt desi&ned by MChi-

teet Mut in J. Lide of Birmingham. C.W. Williiml $Crwd U fent ri ! con· tndo.. As a fillil note, ml,Kh of the movie illdilpl.alion 01 Cf,1'$OIl McCullen' OO\'tI, The Hurl iJ" Lontl, Hunler. wil filmed In !968 in Mirion. The opening KerlU show the Pcrry County Courthoo.IK IIld court SqUirlt. The building is one of only I few ante·bellum courthouses ,!ill in UK in Alaballli today. The auth-or QrJtdully Icknowl .dQes the assistance of Carol WaTfen Giardina in oblainin8 material ff)r Ule in this article. Sources: Pffl'J/ Coonlll flerilage. W. StUirt flirril; A Short lIisJfJrJ1 f)/ MariGO'\, Prrr¥ CounlJ/, AJabomo, lis IIcJmes IIntl 11$ Buildings. W. Stuart Harris: Ant~/um AIaOOrncl, TOO<7I /lIId CoonI". Weymoulh T. Jordon: The HisJOTJI of Mllrion, Shl~h~s of l.if~ in Perry CountJl,AIaOOrncl.SA T~ •

r-----------------------------------------------, ADDRESS CHANGES CompHt. the form btlow ONLY if ther~ art ~ to )'OIlr li.rina in the currtrll AIIII>omo &tr Director,. Out to chlnges in the SWut. eovemil'lll elKtion .. bar comn'lissiontrs, we .-. art rtolUirfd to usell'ltlnbon' off"", add-. ......1aI1'IOI'Ot Is ~bbIo or I ....!MI. Is prohibitrd from rterivina stat. bar mail at the oI'Ii«. Additionally, the AiIIbomD Bor DiNcIor, Is compiled from DU' rNil,", liII and ills impoNnt to use bw.i ...... addmoos for!hit _ _ NaTE: If _ dD no! know olin add"",~. we ClIMOt

. . . the IWCWIIY changa. OIl OUr records. to pIwt notify ",,..fMfI )'OU.1\dd:rw ~ 1'IliI 1_ Bu 67 1, Monttorrwr'l', A.L 36101, ___ ___ _

to: CIorbIir T_tdo. P.O.

_ _ Mcmbor ldtnldIaI... lSociol Sca.tityl NI.OI'Ibor

ChooMono: '":] 1'1..

n M... O HM. O MlM ~ Hs. O Ollln _ _ __ t'uIiNamt _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

IIOnl>d.al< _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ ---- ~ V... oIMrnilOion _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

Bwl ..... _

Numbo. _ _ _ _ _ _ __

"""-------------------------------------.............,_ __ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ __

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ZIPCodlr _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ __

otfiotSUtflMd .... (if<fillortr(from lftIi!ircoOlmol' _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ "", _ _ ZIPCodlr _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ L _______________________________________________ ~ ,~

82lMARCH ]994

THE AI.AIIAMA LAWYER

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MARCH 1994 183

ome years ago, two women, in separate CISe$, filed medical Ii

• • APractitioner's Guide to a New Arrival II}' Belinda L. Kimble

84 lMARCH 19!14

nosed conditions were serious and I ttnn, life altering. pos.s.essing of the WOOlen', nity, bringing physical far beyond that "'tlich \1 ima,gint, Relatil...1y unromplicatod surgical procedures would have ,pared both "'(Imen Iheir ordeals had the diagnoses b«n prompl and accurat., One woman rec;u.oered on her rnedicalntgligence claim IQr I\oilure 10 dettd. caoc:er while il was CUrable. The other woman's claim for failure 10 delect cata.trophk fmI defects while it was possible to lenni""l. the pregnancy was dismissed by the court. Such a claim was not rocogniud in 1967 by the New Jersey Supreme Court in the politically 5I'n5iti"" climate surrounding obstttrical care, the _n'1y diMbkd and aOOrtion. It was likewise not recognized and ",.. diomissed by an Alabama trial court in 1992. Much has changed since the New Jersey Supreme Court issued the OJUnhy's first Opinion regarding wrongful birth and denied the cause of action in 1967, as"";dernd by the New Jersey Supreme Court's reve ... l and r=>gnition of the wrongful birth claim in 1919.lkrman u. Allan, SO NJ. m , 404 A2d 8 (1979). The Supreme Court Iw guaranteed the rorutitutionat right to decide whether to terminate a pregnancy in the first two trimesters, no\'oo,;thslMKling ITIQ5\ stat. action. RrN v. W,"*, 4!(l U.s. 113. 93 S. Ct 705, 35 L Ed. Zd 147 (1973). Medkal ~ in gmetic prognostication and in the dttection of genetic and a;ngenital iIbnonnaIit;es ha\."t provided parent.. new (lpportuniti n to decide wnether to avoid pregnaIlC)' or to Wminale a preg.ancy rather than cooctiv-

nu: AlABAMA LAWYER

....ith the majority d OOU!U ~ the claim lor "'TtII"llIfullifc

illll or bt.ari~ i striowly defroM child. The dtvdopmtnt 01 new lifesaving hut· rnI1ll$ 0I1tUl aro:lrrIaIits both in utero and irrmediittly ~ birth ~ arty prmi' ~

Upoo

drttdion d UIOI'I"IaIies usmtiiL This if

~1y

importlnt lor thoH upK\inl

lor .....tun tnTrOrOOon d the PI!&rwq if not ., 0J00n. In fK:t, ~ r:I Il"IIIlY anon1iIies through blood kW and ultr.wund has beoJmt the obstetrical SWIdard d are, With the 3dvmt d new dlOica ~ttendillll prtQnanq 11M romt incrtMtd judicial reo:tptMty 01 ~ fNtt intelftr. an with thew choim. Almost half d the flatu' hillhut tOu rtf hoo~ toruidered

wrorew

KtionIIor birth. and ~ but t'o\O ~ 11M 'co:eoi:ued sudl iIdions. In /WI .. &nacho _ " ' , , _ .... JuIy]6, ]993). theAlabamio ~Cwrt laDed the issue IfId joRd the ... ~ r:I stain in ~ II cause of iIICtion b "'TOIew birth. The oourt eschtwed political prt!.lUrU preferring imttold to focus on

logic and law. Standing alonr. the tOUrt'f wel1·1'WCIIled opinion 1Ny not supply the cnctitiontr mougtl inIormition to ~ ..... prtpm an:! pr..n: II cbOm b.....oreful birth in the Murt. Thif lIrtkle will ~ on the court's rlItionile. fUggut ~ rlIi$t issuI$ in ntedoffutlm moiodim.

some

W~ birth is but one of KVmI (]is.. tinct prqtoaney. ... iaItd CiIIJ:5a 01 iIICtion the

AWIirN SUprt..... Court t... coruidertd. Any lIltemPt to deIint the QUIt r:llICtion 5houId begin by ~...t.aI. it is not. It if not .... lICtion lor wrungtulli~. wrtIIlgful JlftI/IWl<Y. or~ drah d a Itt......

A- W~1lIf

Medical advances in genetic

-..sinthe detection of genetic and

eot9!Utal abtKNihalities have provided

parents new opportunities to

dec_ whether to avoid pregnancy or to tel mitate a

pregnancy

'aU ..... ttWI conceivi1g or ben illY. seriously defective child.

what Itg;al /oundation if

the tourt to dtttrmint ttIlIl it if beIIer not to 11M been born INn to lit born with driJnnitits? . .. We dttli .. to pronouna judg. mrft in the d' ..... dtJ ... _ d

"""""=

EIIioIt v./Jroun. 361 So. 2d 546. S48 (Ala. 1978). B. 1t'lOPIJiII'ii "'P'lItiq A ClIlN d iIICtion b ~ prf!{p.1IlQI is miintaintd by P/irmts ...00 <XIi\CIeM a child /oIlowina" fl niliution proadurt. whtrt the . t ..iliu.tio n proctdurt WllS inttndtd 10 p~nt ((IrICfptioo. and not specitic:aIIy the <XlrlCt(llion of an unhealthy child. The AlabamIi S«lrtme Crurt 1m ooIy o::nsidtTed the theory of wrongful ~ r:j in one (3Sf, which irMIIvfd the birth of i huIthy l:W!y ioIIo:Jwir'lII i Iai~ ~ ~lJorJn6 ll

MuIJoobw. 416 So. 2d

118 lAb. ]982). The cwrt iu'id this theory suittd 10 a ~ tort ~ unIilrt: i C3a of iIICtion i:w~ life. n lIIkrw<d the ~of KOIl(11, ic n I'OIHOJiI(ll,ic darnagts atlmWlt to the p~ and birth of the child. but ncot the COllIS associat· ell ",i\h raisiflll the halthy child. Wrongful pr'Qn~nC)' may involve tilt birth of an .m..uthy baby•• wdl. i huIthy baby. TIle AIabamIi Sup ........ Court WlIS 11K' Sfnkd II [xl J.ituation whtre II negligent stniIiz:Ilion multd in the OlIUptlo:, lIIld substq ... nt birth r:I an unMillhy child. Elliott D.lJroo:n. supro, The fltrilizatioo procedure ilKl( did no! ClUSf tilt birth deftcts and WlIS not ptrlormtd to p1\'VeI1!

AClIl.I5t r:I iIICtion lor u'l'OOgfuJ lik ari$a in faYOf of a l!)tCial needs child who claims

tht conception of a defective child, Th~ court did not give I name to the paJenl$'

~~hewas~or_

"""'"'" d action. iIiIld it was not tIiso,.secJ in the CIJI8lion. lhder the !WI defwtition. the EIIiolt facts do not CONIitW a claim lor ~ birth. but _ instad I cWrn i:w

notllborted due to the ntgIigtna of the physician. 1M Abbamo Suprtnw Court upo:cal) rtjtaed this ClIl.ISIe of action. Jidq;

THE ALABAMA LAWYER

MARCIl

1~ / 85

r.ru.

death bdore birth 1M. after the atUiru viability. regardless rJ whether the

that prudent medical care-.ouk!

an lriIeaIthy child. Where a SkriIiza1ion was perbmed to pmoerl. the Nadily b ::#~ o;on<;tption rJ a ddectiIoe child, aM a <.\dol;1M: chikl ;,; ~ it ;,; clearly a """'" rJ action 1Or ~ birth.mer I«<i. ~ er, where the sterilization was performed witIo.d. 5pecific irtmt Il> 1M.lid ~ • ddectiIoe Ie:tus.IM. raIher to prevent the cooception of any child. it fails outside the wrongful birth definition, aM is instead • 0>USt; rJ action lOr ~~.

injul» occurs before or after viability. See Husky v. Smith, 289 Ala. 52, 2ti5 So. 2d S96 11m): I+hIk IJ. !sht!{J, 291 Ala. 327. 280 So. 2d 758 (1973):Eichv. TamofGulfSh0re5, 293 Ala. 93, 300 So. 2d 354 (1974). It is sig. nifia.nt to noll! that w'"", the fetus is ronviable. in a ~ death contat and in • wrongful birth conte~t. the focus of the harm ca~ by the '-'leal roegIigenc:e is on the ~ aM not on the fetus.

c. 1f''''''fIla'tk<Nh q/ ~ ktMs

D. 1f'' ''''fIla' birlIr In the Ku/ opinion, the A.lab"ma

have detected the ri5k of a c0ngenital or hereditary genetic di$order either before oonor;>tion or during pregnancy. The parents allege that as a ~mak rtSUIt rJ this negli. gentl~ performed Or omitted genetic counseling Or prenatal tesling. they ~ ~ from making an informed decision whether to ~ a p:::tentiall)' handi<apped child. or. in the e-.mt rJ a ~. to tenninate it.

,,~~ ~ in

the birth rJ

When the Alabama Suprrrne Court was faced with the issue rJ whether a therapeutic abortion of an "fI9IIrtntly healthy 13· week fetU.l that was misdiagnosed by the ~ as doomed to inevitable miscar· riage. eonstituted a daim lor wrongful death, the court ru led that the WI"llnllfuJ Death Ad does not ]lI't..-ide a cause rJ action lOr the death rJ a IlOI"I\IiabIe fetus. See Lollar v. TonIcI!rsky, _ _ '" ~ _ ""- "" 29, 1993), and Q>nby IJ. Gilnuf, _ '" ~

_ _ (Ala. Jan. 29.

1993). ~ .

•

causerJaction lor ~ death will lie if

~birthas:

A claim for relief by parent.l who allege they -.ould h.M a-.cided cono>pIion or -.ould h.we ter· minated a pregnancy but f<Ir the roegIigera of ~ charged "ith prenatal testing, genetic ~ titaling, or ~Iing parmts as to the likelihood rJ giving birth to a physically or mentally impaired child. The underlying premise is

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1530 AmSouthJHarbert Plaza Birmingham, Alabama 20S.71&-7000 86IMAllCH 1994

IIRd IJ. Banach. .lip Op. at 4-5.

Supreme Court ducribu an action for According to the court. a plaintiff must prove that but for tht negligence of the defendant. the pregnancy would ha"" ""en avoided, or the fetus would ha"" ""en aoorted. Wrongful bi rth is first and f<lremost a claim for medical negli~. utili~ing the basic lort principles of duty, breach of duty, pro~ imate cause and injury. Th. daim alwaY' invol""s a defective fetus. Without question. the fetal defects are not caused by any act or omission of Ihe <lefendant The plaintiffs are alwaY' one or both parents. The de/endant.l are always heallh care Pn)l.;ders. This claim primari· ly deals with prople who """" a strong desi re to have a hnlthy chi ld.... evi · denced by the desire to awid the conception of the defective child or the desire to lenninat. the pregnancy upon the d~ er)' of significant fetal defects. In ever)' case essential information about the IdIIl condition is either given to the parents inco rrec tly or is omi tt ed altogeth .. through negligence. The calWtion nawing from the misinformation is always tither the conception itself or the inability to II:nninate the prtgnane:y becaU$( of the advanced gestation of tht fttus. Injury occurs from the establishment of eausa· tion and continues until the demise of the fetus or child "Wrongful birth" is a misleading and unfortwJale term A IOOre a;lI title would be "'WnlngfuI infonnation. • The ""fllIl1Ul emcb:t is not the birth of the child. Alter all, the parents anticip<Ikd a 1J;rth pOor to coo· ception or UjlOO discoYery rJ the pregnancy. The focus of the ~ is on \he infonna.. tion pnJ'I'ided or omitted, and not on the actual birth. as the misnol"ntT suggests.

m E: AlABAMA w\WYE R

,--

s.cmne

duct It the ~ n.s C3UII: d ao::tim is tradiUDnil medical. irg a xtion. and an bt IlIiirUintd by the pmrb ~ bd>llf <Jltcdlild~anxtionb ...~ birth by the tQ/'II'IlI.

The .t.Iab.lrnIa Court 1m drawn NII'tIW coriinn lor a'l xtion for ..TOI1ItUI birth. Thm are lit ' - ' boo} poJttnioI Ql.I5l$ <J Ktion. and pnlbII:>Iy othm thit fall ju5t oo.JUidt the strict ~ birth d!finitioo. and v.tlich are rwneless, or misnamed as .I

~clxtion u~birth.

A"",

One scmario is wile" the pmnts claim thai due \0 the inoornd pre- or post~ ~ption t rt~tmtnl or information by the drftndant. tilt)' _ iojund when they Io5t the choie. of whtthtr 10 conceive or ...nrther \0 ttrminItt the prtgnancy. For

The duty OWtd to th. parwtl by the helIth Qfl! prOIIider is $tt IOrth in Stction 6S.S.2, the Medic.al Liability Act of 1981, Code ofAJabamiJ, I 6-S-54Z: "The standard of em illhat It\otI of RJd1 ~ em, ikill n.I dilig11na:. othrr oirnibrt)o 9tuaIld huIth em p!'(Po'idtr$ in Iht same gmer.ol lint of prxbor. ordinarily ' - n.I ~ in like CIK$, •

~ •.,SJwlJvn II. SL~:S ~1ft:IiaJl

CmIw, 781 S.W.2d.a (Me>. 1989).') 5Iatt stalutf prohibited an lCtion for wrongful birth whtn the pbinliff daimrd to havr been preckxIed from Iml'IinIlir\II the rnararocyli.le to ~ oromtted irW:Jrml. lion. The MiMowi ~ Co:lurt htJd !hot the Shtltonl" complaint successfully cirCU!lYI3Vigated the statute by pleading thai tht\' IIad betn deprill(d ci 1M choiat of ..t1elher to tenninalt the ~. In \his soenario, the parmi.! are U01IbIe 10 sa)' what choice tilt» wool\! ~ ~. 1lwy only cLaim that they wm dtpriytd (/ the ClJIp:)r' tunity to chooIe ~ the Nibble Wtnativu. InfNl/tl in Iuc:h a CUI' would pn::bobIy tit rtSIricud \0 ft'IlOtionil distms nllTItI'OI ~ Anathtr ICJINrio ~ Illqp!io ... !hal ib to the dtftndant'l pait-«n,q6::.. floi~ ~ to ~ ftQI ddeds, the paf!f'ItS did not 5lIek a'l Mlillbk mtdio;:;oI trolnwnt in ukro tNt wouk\1\aw <;:OI'ftCttd or mini· mlztd thtir child', drftcts. or the birthing facility w H not prepared with Idvanctd n«II"WaI ~ that would h.M 00I'I'ected 01 minimiud tht in(""r , condition or """n saved his lift. Sum ,) QU5t 0( action is akin to that 01 a viable and oi.Mrwise 11&1111)0 fetus or inbnt that is rTlOI'bid!y or rnortaIly Qund in ultrtI or ld birth duo to the a:IIl-

....

""""'"

B. a--.'I orDoq

Stction 6-S-5t2 JtI$ forIh tho ddinDxl of \Iv booi:h of Iht standard d em: -A breach of Iht standard of c.art is Iht failure by a heallh c.are pTOYider 10 comply with the standard d em, which f.tilurt pi"O'XimateJy causes ~oonaI injury or ~ <leiIth. • The K«I ~ iIM:>Iwd tho alt.g.d foil· Urt by Iht physician to proptrly interpm ultrasound imagu and ~rform prenalll tests tNt would 11M: TtVUItd _ multi· pie CO'llt"iul 'f'inlI cord aImrrnaIitio:s in Iht fetus. which. if ~ 10 Iht pannU.

.....

~"'"-II'''''''

.. '!IIIiI_Io..,

...,.,"'" .........~ ~ ~

THE ALABAMA LAWVER

wnilj.~ofbiudltS~~

coaptiar physiciin filled 10 disdost !hit .¥"IlicorMllsant mtdic3tion gj\'tIl to mochtr arritd high Nk of birth dekds (W!\YImg..

lonl; failurt 10 w~m of increawl risk of nc..,,·s Syr.dn::me in womm o.oer thirty.-fM: (No>w Vor1<J; fallurt to a.Mse of.wailability of ;unniocmltsis (New Jel'5t}'l and failurt to timrly nport its results (DeL1wm); t.ilure 10 ~ ~II in mochtr. ~ in RIbtlb S)11drome chikl (kWloI. -.l1IIi~

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IjtrtIy mkN dtd ~s blood. ~ in i,, ___ opt. etnttic 0llIfI5dinII-.l1ht birth of a child with ~ Ois&w (ntmis}; wled VUKlorny raulled in I third chikl

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would ' - PI'QI'IIIlttd Iht I!:RTt:iII! of Ihrir COI'lSlituUoNI ri;It 10 terminate Iht pregrlIflCY. Thm ~ INffl ~ siIu360ni ~ a ~ /aib 10 ~ rm>(If>IbIo: cart, skill n.I diligma beIoft alnC:q>tion and aflu oonception. Eumple.. of situatiOllll occurring before con«ption: physici4n 1IM5ed parents that Ihtir first child's QJfIdition. l.I:bn's CongmiIaI Arnall1'<JI4.1 herroiUry form d bt~ was not heltdiUry (CoIondo); ~'s negligffit iItOtIic c:ounstlin(l induced parents to conceM and 10 1M birth to a _ond child _Jy aIIIittcd with.wdnJtic I!dI.:dmn>l

51,495.00

LANDTECH DA T A CO RPORATION

(80(1) 937-2938

:lO3 C ... ....,ty Building . 120 Soulh Oli ve Aven\.lC! • w~ rat", Beach, FL 33-601

MARCH !99-t / 87

to adl,ise of the

of Rlklla in

prqtIa/lt IOOI.htr ifella5).

c. n_i,......... The Alab.lma Suprerot Court agrees with oIhfr 0JUrIs that the plaintiff 11"USt powe a C<ousal connection between the deferWi's negligern and the conc:eptioo (in the <:ase of pll'.con<:eption negligence) or birth of tht dekctiw child (in tht <:ase of past.wnception negligence). In order to tstlblish o:ausatioo. it is necessary b the plaintiff to show that. had the deftndanl not been negligent, the plaintiff would have bem awaIl' of the p(:IMibility II\;ot the child would bo seriously defective. and either the child would not haw been conctived or the p~ nancy could have and W<luld ho"" been legally tenninated. Therdoll', ....·hell' the defendant is made <I\'>I'Il' of the defendant'. negligern bekw ~ or in time to legally tmninate the ~, there is ro causal connection to support a cause of action M ....TOIlItuI birth. Uk£wise, COI1CtIl' Iioo or the ~ of the date by whlch to legally tenninate the pregnarq must occur in order to establish causaticn C<JurU initi/illy re,s;,;ttd TfCogni~ing a C<oUSO': of action M ....~ birth bo<;aUSO': the physician could not haw pmoented the hann to the mild It is now geooaIly underm..xIlhat the nature of the tort of ~ birth has nothing to do with whether a defendant caused the injury or hann to the child but, rather, with ....t.e\htr the defendant's negligern ....,.. the proximale ClI.I!Ie of the pmnts'lcI6ing the Opt;on d;Miding o:o.::eption or, in the <:ase of ~, of making an informed and meanir¢ul decl· !.ion either to ~nninale the pregr.ancj> or to lIM birth to a potentially defectiYt child D. . . . . .

The Alabama Supreme Court points out in Ka!I that tht basic rule d tort <X>mpen. salioo is that the plaintiff should be put in tht position that he would have b«n in absent the defendant'. negligence. AIaba· ma lias mllowed this rule in other medical negligence action., H<l"'ever, like any action invoI'.ing pellCJ<\al injul'}', returning the plaintiff to his previous position is irrlpoMiblt, and a monebi)' ~tion is the only Il'medy available, It is also a basic rule of tort compensation thot any bonefit ensuing to the plaintiff should be

88lMARCH 1994

offset agairut the damages award, Some courts feel thot the joys and bonefits of haYing an)' mild, M'n a def<:dive child. should offset all damage award" The Alabama Supreme Court disagrees, quot· ing a justice of the Ceorgia Supreme Court: More importantly, we W<luld not e.om oonsider tht theoIy that thejoyd pmnthxd should oIfstt

the dalI\ilgts, Would anyone in their right mind suggest that where a healthy fetus is injured during deliwi)', the joy of parent. hood should <ifsct the ~1 Thett is ro ITlOR joy in an abnormalletus come to full Wm than a .-.onnaI fetuo; permanently injured at delivel'}'. !loth are heartbreaking ron(\i!i0n5 that demand far ITlOR psychological and financial resources than those blessed with nonnaI children can i!Tl.1gine. Allan/a Obstetric; and Glln«aiogll Group lI. AiJehai, 260 Ga. 711, 398 S.E, 2d 551,565 (1990) (Smith. 1., dissenting), To e:sbbIish a prima IiOe ~ in an action kIr a wnlngful birth. it is neoe=ry for the plairtifl'to plead and prIM! actual injwy, The supreme court ~iw that the birth of a .mousty deformed child ~ in injul)' to the child's parentS. ~, the court 101lows the trend allowing only the TeCOJei)' of the ;d;IitiQnaI costs d trealirelt and 5JIWaI ....ourc.s "" the child, not the entire oosI of rearing the child. The emaonlinary Opeil>es the plaintiffs are entitled to recover are those incurred ~caus. 01 the child's .rr..aIthy anIiticn including hoI;pitai and medical costs. medication, and education and therapy, The court also I\:Iund darn.1ges for unotionaI distress ouffemJ t.y the pmntl rtCOYerable, noting that a ju!), could conclude that the defendants, in I3iling to inkIrm MI'$. Keel d tht possibility of giving birth to a child "ith severe multiple congenital abnormali\ie$. directly deprived her, and derivatively, her I>.tsb.nI. d the option to accept or Il'j«t a pall'ntaJ Il'lationship with the mild and thus caused them to experience ment.1l and emotional anguish. Emotional distre56 would presumably also attend the re:aring of the Special needs child.

The court concluded that an)' medical and hospital expenses as a result of a phys>. cian's negligence were compen>able. This likely includes the child'. expei\\eS and the mothefs eJqlel)5eS. Physical pain JOffemJ t.y the mother and loss d consortium are also compensable, It should be remembered, however, that the physician's negligence does not result in hann until oonce;tion or the ~ of the last day to Ifga.1Iy lenni· nate tht ~, Dan-oagfs oornpensabIe are only those which OCCUr after the establishment of causalioo and haon. Another basic tort principle, not dis· Cll5Sed by the Alabama Supreme Court in KreI, but mentioned in other opinions. is that the plaintiff should uS<' reasonable ~ 10 mitigate his darmgeo. Sa>, rr, f'.X<ITIlIJk,8rx.n? 5<qIrtI, at 123, It is the constnWS that damages in ,,~ birth cannot be reasonably mitigated. In Ml action for .....ro.,gful birth imoMnt! the precooception negligern of the defendant it is not necessary to abort the ftlus should the defect beoonv: known befort viability in order to use reasooabII: measuJ't> to mitigo~ damages. Causation is established in such a <:ase at conception. and ....t.e\htr the ~ is tenninakd or brooght to term does not interfere with the existence of damage. Certainly, termination of the pregnancy wilt extinguish the damages associated ....ith the exlr.lordinary 00iIts <i. raising the <le/ectiYt mild~, aI:tendant medical expenses, loss of consortium, the rnothefs physical pain and suffering. and the parenti' elTl(ltionaJ distr= still exist and Il'main wmpensable. By the same token, where the negligern ispast~ the pmntsof an impaired child"re not required to put their child up for adoption in order to miti· gate damages. However, if the parents decide to institutionalize Or give up for adoption their impaired mild, a cause of action b ....~ birth will still lie, C0mpensable dama,ges still ."iSI and remain compensable. minus Ihe extraordinal'}' expei\\eS awxWed with raising the child SIItW of UmibtionI In CoIbum v, WiM,570So. 2d652 (Ala. 1m), the Alaba.ma Supll'me Court had bef<Jre it a wrongful birth ~ <i. action involvi"ll the negligent performance of a sonogram which failfd to detect hydrocephalus and spina bifida in ~ fetus. Thr:

THE ALABAMA LAWYER

anomalies _

drttctod I:dort birth. but

noI.,tirMto~ the~. Tho

trial aut d." .... d the aoit.l\II;rC IhaI. it _ time·Wnd by tht Malut( ollirniQtionI. The q>rtmI! 0)Urt ~ ...itto,t dtciding. ~t the pb.intifb hi<! I IqIJIly ~ cwse Ii artion. and ~ with the IriaI court ~ the tirrJe..bar.

The r.levant facti au as follows: The plail1lif& ~Iegtd in !heir oompIaim thai the NO'>'fmbtr 1985.tOr"o011rarn WiIS performed rwgIigtntly. on rebruuy 31d or 4th, 1986. they learnt<! of the PUKn<:t of certain dtftcts; kiI~ further ttslS, Ihty learned the ctmt fA tht tw,Il ddeds; they 1rlSUC· ~ ~ CO ~ lor I ttrmimtion of tht prt,rwonc:y; thoy rouived counsdlirC nI thr baby ... born Marth

31. 1986. Suit _1iI!d WI Man:h 1988. The pbinti/&; lrgutd ~ tho ~ 1965

neg\igerloe pmoented In wIy diagnoois of the phyibI ~ ¥"d ~ them d. the 0J!IlQrtunity tottnrinal. the~. The court ;ijlIllied the statult ollirnitolions under the Alabama Medical Liability Act which Tequiru that all actions M broogtlt "within two years ilfter the act Of omission Of failure ~ ri.w to the daim.' Ala. COOt, \915. §6-5-482, and also the GN ~ statirlIIlhat the 5IaIW doa not begin to run tRil the act ~ of ~. IhM is,.men alllht tla,,,,,lISoi. the m:n Itt pmmt---«Jty, brP:h. c:;u.121loo, W if\jury. and an actiQn <Un IN!: mainWnrd.. Ibnq II. c..rtm. J9.I So. 2d 2 (ALl. 1980); Gut"rie ... Bio.'kdiruI lAboratories. Inc.. 442 So. 2d 92 tA1l. 1983). In ITIO$I ~ ~ medical rweligftn. the pIainIift" is injured du~ the oorrmis&ion of the act or omission by the coortt\ker, and the injury is disoowrtd fairl» QUiekly. It is ~, ho:Mo. IM'I". b' the injury to OCCUr all Later da10 or lor dilaMry Ii the irVury to occur oW. the injury occun. OtMou.!ly. a.wation and injury will nM' occur ,ft.. diS(:~ry occurs. In CoIbum thr court dtttrminrd that thr a11tgtd ,,'rOfCIuI act 0CCI.II'ftd in ~ 1985.and thM "at tilt blr$I:"the calle Ii ICtion iI:CnIld (OiurYoa:umdl 00 f'ebnary lfd or 4th. 1986, ~ the diso:w~ tNt the child would "" born with ar-

SUp"'''''

Wn dtf«ts.. In tilhtr~, the the March 1988 fi~ ",;!hin two )'UrI clthe birth cI the dilld, was

.,.......

0JW1 ruled thlI

disoJSII thr t&d cI ~ clthe a.a cI Idion on the $bIlW cI ~ RatIwt. it rusontd tNot if attn.IIl _" 10 No"" 0!nII"mI lCIOfl disaMoy. the suit was not filed within two )'W1 clthe K:CrUaI diu, D was tirnH:amd. Section 6-5-482 abo thit "it' the CiIlIit clldion is not <.IisI;:()ytrt<,! ~ could not ~ havr bem diKoYtrtd within ltwo)'l'al'$ akr the act or omwionl, then the action may bI'

PfO'_

commrnctd within six months from t/,., dill( cI JUth disoMoy." This statute pro,oi-

,.;on fortKts that ~ C¥l occur JOITIttim!! 1iI.ff.:>:ruil.~, thil5iJ:-m:rth pnMNon would ranI)' bI' put 10 .... in , a.a clldion Ior~ birth. Discovrry clthe!"-or 1Ql~ Idion oo:urs. /lithe ~ ..tim the p.ums Ir¥n clthe fda! dt6etu IWlIess the y:arenU knew thai a an;ri.oed thiId \OQIId probably bI' ddec:tivr. ... in the . . cll failed ~ inttndtd to prrvrnt the conctption cll liRly

dtI'tdM child. " in JUth ........ ~ cI thr a.a clldion may oa:..- ...nm !tor prtiNflCY is disa:NemI). In any the time it t.aI<ts for the pWntiffs 10 discom that ttwy havr • QI.ISe clldion ,,'ill ~ bI' Hl(ft Wn 11ft rrcnt. ahr the ad 01' omission.. ~ry will oocur Upo<1 the birth clthe Yisibly dtkctivr dIild or J(Ul

-=-.

thereafter where testing Or the o.... t of symptoms Ire necusary to detect the iIbnorTnllity. In ""oy tart cases wiU serious ddtclI rtmllin undiJgnoud for years, f!QIIiring the practitioner to ... Iy on the six·month dllcovery provision. Two )'urs from the accrual of the Ktion is tIM tilnt within "'hich ClUKS 01 action for wronQful birth will nOTnl.311y be

b_,

AI what pOint .... iIIl the dements 01 a cause 01 action for wrongful birth pra-

-=-

m!? In the 01 ~ ntgIi . jjftn, ~l eltmrnts .... plUmt at the time

CORRECTION The JanUllry 1!8t edition of The Alabama Lauy" reported the ...marks made by Senior Circuit Judgt John C. Godbold at an OctoMr II, 1993 curmon)" al ...hich a portrait 01 him ....-as prestnted to the United Slates Coort of AppWs, EleYI:'nth Circuit. Judgt Godbold discussed ...a)"s in ....'hich Alabama Iw progressed .inct he ....-as appointed to the bench in 1966. Our article errol'ltOU$Iy described one of the changes discussed ~ Judge Godbold as: "Litigants, civil and crimiJ\ill, an:: nt.7W ~ing their legal disputes decided 1».' juries dra...n from the more afnuent segments of the community:' Unfortunately, our article omitted part of the sentence of Judge Godbold's tnt. What he actually said about changes in the jury S}ostrm ....<IS: "l.itiganu, civil and criminal. are now ha\ing their legal disputes decidrd b)' juries dr.roo.n from tIw ClAM _II at • • ,.tJw,,.,,

jwlatiAl .. lMdol.tJ..di#.d___, ~ad"'{ .. _ e-Ihlm the ~ affluent segments 01 the community.~ 11Ie AlaIxlmo Luwvw extends its apologies to Godbold for this ovenight in reporting his remarks.

In QXbum tIM su)m1l1e court did no!

MARCH 191M 189

The~

CmTisOIl BmTetl

Fl/llClionai and ..atM,;"

+ .. fw law limu, c...

Group

<MJ~ daigntd 1<1

rt!ltcr r'" de.iTtd

imo&< af a pmindar /)Netia, rt""i... tM snuititu" af an o:perimctd cm:hi:«M. 0Id inurior. linn, 1M Ganiwn Barn!! qn..~ has jIroo;./M 00"" ....-ita, indwdm, frir, Jml!r~ and .""". Jliannmg, {or fl''''''''''''' !qui firm> rh""'lho.' rh. Swr"=, and hw born """rli::td l.,. In.. ABA JOVRN.".L {or ill des;,.. """,.d..

810 SH A DES C REE K PAHWAY • SU ITE <+00 • BI RMIN GH AM, AL H10 9 • 101· 870 ·1090

~onte"tion.

The defendanl h•• his duly 101M pl.intiff. the bruch Iw proximlltely caused the ron· aptjon 0( a cItfed~ irtus. and the con· «ption ilKlf is tM injury from "'hkh etonomic and noneconomi~ dim~ges 5lml. A catIH 0( ~ion Cln now be main· t~ined. The d.te of ~onceplion could ne"" r be accurately dettrmined. but it should fait within the 38th and 4200 week prior to the due dale 01 the baby. In the cUt of pOIt..on«ption ""gbge~. 111 elements ire "raent ilter the upintion of the last day on which the ~Rnts could tlJ,VI' leil'lIy termiF\lllt<.l the preiNrIC)',.nd the co ...... 0( action for wrongful birth Iw then acaut<.I. AI ttlJ,l lime. the defendant Iw bruchtd his duty 10 the pLlinliff, the brtKh Iw coused the pliointiff to mis$ the opportu. nity 10 legally tumiF\llte the pregNn<:y, and the missed opportunily iUtlf is the injury from which economic and noneconomi t damlgn Jlem. Again, such a ~ale could neVI" be accu ralel y <!tlermintd. but il sr.ould fall within the nnd ,nd the :NIh week 0( pregnarlC)', An ~ioF\IIble lort <In n.i.lbefort tho plain t iff's discovery of Iht injury. Although unusu,1 in I medicol negli. gence iKtion. deLlytd diS«Mry of tilt i'\iury is the rule in , CIust 0( lICIion for wronaful birth. Tht diK~ry of Ihe defect;'" condition 01 the felus cornu .ftcr the i'\iury first (lttlJn, that is, after conception or after the lasl day the pregnancy could IIavt betn termiF\llled. Naturally. the diKCl'Jery of the ddeets along with diKtMry that the pRgn;tnc)' "n no longer be terminattd, brings with il more l'\iuries. emotional dislress (compenRblc not becauK tho ... rents , rc dillressed at the news 01 the condi· lion 0( their child. bul b«ause they are distrnstd at the news 01 having 10 bear this child and btcomina ~rmts 10 this child) Ind possibly inc ruK~ Ind spe· ci,liud medinl CiTe nuded IS the pnan,ncy comu to term. These inju rin only appur 10 be the fi .. t inju ries suflntd b«auw lhey are Ihe (irsl inju rin of which 1M ~rents are Iware. lJId IhtK are the injuries ,,-hieh probably Itad 10 Ihe dil<:overy of Ihe physician's negligence lJId the C>UK of action. In CQlbum lhe court conclu~e~ br~acMd

THE AU\BAMA l.o\\\lYER

tNI the parents knew on February 1 or 4. 1986 ItIJ,l the baby would be born wilh de(ects. The brief opinion s~tu ttlJ,l "it is at thil poinl that they would havl bnn injured and would have begun to ,uffer damlat," CoIbum at 654. Although Iht words ustd by Ih. court appear 10 sute tNllhe first dam· ages 10 the plaintiffs occurred upon dis· covery ttlJ,l the ba~ would be born with delects, it should be remembered that tho court was not making a delermina· tion of lhe dIIte 0{ accrual 01 the plain· tiffs' (.lUll' 0{ iKtion, bul only '~Iing tNt RCn in the 1i"'1 moM fa~le to the plaintiff, the date of the disawuy of the dtfrcu is the folest dale from ,,'hieh the St.lllute oIlimit.lltioN <In run. W thit. therefore, Ihe March ]988 filing date _ lime·bamd. TtKCoibum opinion is not I determi· IIilion by the Abba"" SUPR"'" Coon of the date from which the IW<) -y'" SUlute begins 10 run in i cauK ofaction fo r wrongful birth. The praclilioner should not rely on the current Michie's Code annotatiOns or We.t's head not •• which pOSSibly il\&Ccuralel~ reflect the court's opinion 10 determine the statule date. Rithu, Ih. prucitnt pnctitiOMr thould u.kulale 1M Slilule of limit.ll· lions using the Alabamlo Medical Uibili· ty Act', "two yurs aflfF the .el or omisIior\.: Tht IUlutt of limitations iI far too imporunl 10 pul 10 the ItSt 'lht blHl pouible" accfl.lil date of the dis~ry 0{ the defech, or "",n the suggestion herein ItIJ,l Ih. accrual of the cauU 01 aclion (lttlJn upon conception fnr pre-concelllion neglige",e and upon the ~. of Ih. I... t day to legally ter_ mina le tht pregnancy in Ihe case of pOIl-conctplion negligence. Allhough the CtJibum dt<:i.!Iion was an unfortunale mull for the pbinti/fs. the dtcil.ion is ImporWlt btu.uw il locusts the CItIU 01 ~ion on the pan:nU. lJId not the child, and it Ttcognius ttlJ,t "Wrongful birth" is a misnomer in tNl Iht birth of Ihe child is neilhe r Ihe wrongful act nor the injury coused 10 the poormts, lOd «rta.inly is not the date of the accfl.lil oIlhe u.uw of aclion. Consislenl wilh Coibum is lhe court's decision in Jones v. I>kDo"old. __ So.2d _ (Ala. December 17. 1993).

whenin the court UiIH ItIJ,l under the Alibama Medicol Liability Ad an lICIion mwt be filtd wilhin two years 01 the lICI 01' omWion, lind furthermore, ttlJ,t the Act dots nOI tIJ,,~, 101linll provision ,,'hieh l/IIIliu the rontinui~ treatmenl rul •. The negligenl acts Or omi ... iom from which Ifill' I COUll' of aclion for wrongful birth are not a part of the con· tinuing pre·conception or prenatal care by 1M physician. SpecifIC lests at .poeif· ic points in Hme are done before con· ception Or urly in the pregnancy by obIttlrieilns for the pufJlOlJt of &'M,ssIItndic ~lity or feul ~II-being. On Ihe advice of 1I reliabLe uport. the priKlitiontr should ~ 1I COIlKMlM delermination 01 the date on "'hich the negligent acts or omi.ssions ocrumd.

rna

ColIClutlol'l TtK cause 0( lICIion for wrongful birth has withstood much critici.m from its npponents. Opponents h,ve charged Ihat such a caust of action would incRase abortion" incrtaK the COSI of prtF\llul CIIrl! as t~ ruull 0( more prt· natal teSllng.lJId Lel-dlo, reduction of obItetricians prllClicing in the Slate. TtK Alabama Supreme Co url has dult squarely wilh such cr ilicism. ind ipprOOlched the CJUH of action wilh inlellectual honesty, nol po1ilk •. '" Ion& IS tht ~ of 1M Lmd allow and prolKI the riahl 10 lerminale I png· F\II1lCY. interference wilh the righl will be coa;niublt at l,w. Oppontnts haVl' also chargtd that partnl. cannot bt damaged by Iht ~efendant's breach becauK the bi rth 0( any and all human life is a jo)'ful and enriching ",,,,nl. TtK court has faced such charges ar.d simply diRilretd. The ,u"estion lhat bearing lJId rai$ing a _rl!1y Iwtdicoppt<.! child brings wilh il 00 utraordiF\llry sorrow. llIin Of dtpmsion could not corne from lhott braw ~rtnts who 1M. pray and ~ep with their unhullhy thild. Now \hoM: ~ parmts who 1ft tht vic· tims of medinl negligenet can ha'" lheir claiml adju dicated by I jury of their pet... Perhaps the jurors' box "ill deflect Ihe polilical win<li surrounding obslelficol carc, Ihe Kvtrely disabled. and abortion IS well as did the justices' bench. • MARCH 1994 19 1

ALABAMA STATE BAR SECTION MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION TO joon ..... '"

-.;.,.", ~ Ih~ Iorn> .... ,IUd> _

i»Y_ 1O e..:h _"'" you

.... <hocI<.

W;'" 10 jodI.

''"' ------------------------------------------------------------FI RM OR ,o,GENCY _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ CfFKEADDRESS __________________________________

~FKElOCAT ION

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

OfFICE TElEPHON E NUMBER _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

AN NUAlOUES

SECTION

_ _ _ ADMINISTRATIVE LAW ...................................................................................... ............. ... .. .................... ........ $20 _ _ _ BANKRUPTCY AND COMME RCV.L LAW ........... ...............................................................................................120

............... _..,s 1 5

_ _ _ BUSINESS TORTS AND ANTITRUST LAW . _ _ _ COMMUNIO.TIONS LAW .......................................... ... .................................... ..

. ..... ___ ... ___ ... _.. .. .... ,$1 5

_ _ _ CORPOAATE COUNSEL .......................................................................................... ... ......... ... .......... ............. ..... $30 _ _ _ CORPOAATION. BANKING AND BUSINESS LAW .................................... ... .......... .... ..... .................. ... .... .... .... .$ 10 _ _ _ CRIMINAL LAW ... .... _.................................. .............................. ........................................................................$ 10 _ _ _ ENVIRONMENTAL LAW ... ..... .

.. _. _____________ . _____________________________________________________________ ... _______ $20

HEALTH LAW ........ ........... .................... .... ......... __ ._. __________ .. _._._ ......

....... $ I S

LABOR AND EM PlOYMENT LAW$IO IF PRACTICING LESS THAN 5 YEARS, lITIGATION ._ _ _ _ Oil, C,o,s AND MINEAAL LAW

no IF PRACTICING 5 OR MORE YEARS

....................................................... $ 15 _______________ .................................... $ 15 ___ SIO

_ _ _ REAL PROPERTY, PROBATE AND TRUST LAW ............................................•......

_ _ _ TfW\TION ......... ............................................................. .......................................................................... ....... .. $15 _ _ _ WORKER'S COMPENs,o, l iON LAW ............................ .. .... ........ ...................................................... ................. ..$10 _ _ _ YOUNG LAWYERS' . ____________________ .... ..... ......... ... .

. .......... .............................. ....... ..................... 0

TOTAl REMEMBER, ATTM:H A SEPARATE CHECK FOR EACH SECTION. /MIL TO: SECTIONS.I\lABA/M STATE BAR. P.O _BOX 671. MONTGOMERY, Al16101

9 2lMARCH 1994

THE AlABAMA lAWYER

KIDS' CHANCE GOLF TOURNAMENT PLANNED !lUUrtTS Association (ASIA).

Tht cost to mter

four-prJ"

son lam i, S.OO. AII.TN-

elil tht Kid $ • Chanco Scllolarship Fund will be held on Monday, May 16 ~t Chtrok« ~ C0un.try Club ntU Huntsvilk. Tht iou.lU.mtnl il bting 0''''' niud by tile Ab.b40nuo Stlf

---......,,-,---........ ----,--_. _ --_."- ...... ---. ,,~

NIno UfI, c:..aI;)'

""'"'"""'"

1oIao . . ,..... 1nt.

livel y, lny individual O. group can JPOnS(lr I holt and have tht right \0 tiller I four·~rson learn for S500. Anyon. wishing to play in

tournament or Ip(iIUOr I holt may conllCl Tracy

the

~~Ilt mk ~r t>udquIor_ ttn br furthrr infomv.lion. Kids' Chanet Wiu tsnblisIltd in Dtctn*, 1992 by lilt Worktn' ComptllRlion

~-~

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IIIuo CotoIo ..... IIIuo SIoid..:I .~

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CWtioIo, ............

-'1IjnwI JumP.c.n.o,.t11

~tlc.n.o, ~~

........

IhtIooF.c.r..

THE Al.AIWlA LAWYER

fir5t Ih ••• scholarships wtrt awarded at the 1993 annual meeting 01 the AIWrnlI SUit B.a •. Over $56,000 in 1IonIotlons haw betn m>riw.d fn:wn ~ busintSMS, and medic:JI iIld rtNbilitation proiasionals sin<t the fund was

.w, ....,.,.,

I4t

_ r.c..-o. ... ~L~

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,-......

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"'.-,.... -,_D. Er>zmuo

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...... lloi_W. Loo Loo,~oi_

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Mr. oi Mro. _ Dr.' Mn. _

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t.too.'Eo:I) ,...

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-~ WiIIiIm It. Hililft,1r. Hinto, RioIo:4:ohi oi J. _ _

~.4.lIIoo ~TNot

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an on-tht-job accident. The

abbIished. A list 01 tontributon ~Iows that rdIeds '-all irwoMd in workers' compen$.l.\ion ;"uts have IUP. POI'Ied the program. Kids' Chance is administered by th. Alabama Law Foundation. If you would lih to contributt to tho KhNrship fund. pluse mail your <»ntribution to: Kids' Ch.lInct Scholuship fund. AI"b"ma uw Foundation. P.O. 8m 671. Montgomny. At 36101. •

",.."'~

1oM1. CoIcmon.h. IoMI.CoIcmon.IlI

_Sd'-....~

5Ktion 01 the AIibunI StItt &< throogII the leDnhip 01 Ch • •l.$ F. elf' to provide schoIir$hill" to chiklml who Iwll parmi killed or JM:rffilnently and totally disabled in

_ o.Drob

C.~0050m

DorritR. ....... l.oo:o><io W.Pole

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11. .......... \\......... w..Wolft IonwJmyWood

OMoISooUW,;fo It'-It Writ< y...... ~. -

MARCH 199-t / 93

OPPORTUNITIES The follou:ing programs have been approved by the Alabama Mandalqrg Ccnlinuing Legal Eduwtion Ccmmission

ror CLE credit. For information regarding other oliUilabie approved programs, contact the MCLE Commission office at (205) 269-1515 or /-800-3S4·6154, and a romplele CLE calendar will he moiled 10 you.

18 FrI,,-,

MARCH 1 Tuesday

KEYS TO SUCCESS IN A REAL ESTATE TRANSACTlON

BANKINC ~W Birmingham. Wynfrey Hotel Alabama Bar lrutitute for elE

EMPLOYMENT lAW Birmingham. Ci~ic Center Alabama Bar Institute for CLE Credill; : 6.0 (800) 627·6514

Credit.: 6.0 (800) 627·6514

Binningl\am

National Bu.\;ne.s lnstitut~ Credits; 6.0 Cost: $138 (715) 835-8525

COMMERCIAL REAL

ESTATE ISSUES IN THE 1990s Birmingham

Lorman Business Center Credit.: 5.5 CO$t; $135 (71 5) 833-3940

CORRECTION! In t he 1992-93 Bar Directory, on page 130, the telephone number

fo r t he Montgomery County District Attor-

ney's office is listed as 834-1 850. The comet number is 832-2550. Please make note of this in your di rectory.

94 lMARCH 1994

11 · 12

25 Frida,

BRIDGE THE GAP Tw.caloosa, Law Center

INSURANCE lAW, BAD PAITIl CLAIMS Birmingham Lorman Busil"\tss Center C,edill;: 3.8 Cost: S135 (7]5) 833·3\140

Alabama Ba, Institute for CLE C..diu: 12.0 (800) 627·6514

1S T_adtl, ALABA.'>IA APPELLATE PRACTICE Birmingham Lorman Bwintss Center Crediu: 6.0 Cost: $135 (7151833·3\140

TRYING THE AlIr0f.10BILE CASE IN AlABAMA f.1ontg<>mery. ~mor's House Hotel National Business In stitute Crediu: 6.0 Cost: SUS (715) 835-8525

I'tlNOAMENTALS OP BA.'1KRUPTCY LAW &: PROCEDURE Birmingham National Bwinesslnstitute C,ed iu:6.0 (M;t:S l38 (715)835·8525

TRYING THE AlIr0f.10BlLE INJURY CASE IN AlABAMA Mobilt. R3mada Resort National Business Institute Cr.diu: 6.0 Cost: SU8 (715)835·8525

APRIL

ONA FINGERPRINTS

IN FORE NSIC ANALYSIS Hunuville Uni\lt:T$ity of Alabama at Hunll;vill. Credits: 15.0 Cost: $625 (205) 895·6372

8 Frida, FUNDAMENTALS Of ADVOCACY Birmingham. Wynfrey Hotel Alabama Sar Institute for eLE Crt<lits: 6.0 (8OO) 627·651 4

THE AlABAMA LAWYER

13 Wednesdey

29 Frid.y

WORK£RS CO)olP£NSATIO~ FOR SEI.F-INSURERS Birmingham Lorman Busin.... C.nt~r Credits: 6.0 Cost: $125

LlMIT£D LIABILln' COMPANIES Birmingham. Carraway Conference Center A1lbiIma Bar Institute for CLE Credit.o;: 6.0

(715)833·3940

(800) 627·6514

ALABAMA LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT LAW Birmingham National Businus Institute Credits: 6.0 Cosl: $138 (715) 835·8525 15 Frlay

ALABAMA LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT LAW Huntsville Nat ional Busin.... tnstitute C"d it.o;: 6.0 Cost: SI38 (715) 835·8525

"'"" YOUNC LAWYERS· ANNUAL SEMINAR ON TIl E GULF [)est in. Sandestin R.sort Alabama Stale Bar Young Lawyers· Section (205) 263·6621

... REPRESENTING CITY AND COUNn' COVER1'lMENTS Orange Reach. Perdido Ileach Resort Alabama Bar Institute for C1,~; Crodit.o;: 6.0 (800) 627·6514

6 Frid.y

Please nole:

LECA!. WRITINC Birmingham. Civic Center Alabama Bar lrutilute for CU; Credits: 8.S

The publication

(800)627·651 4

AI.ABA.'1A LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT LAW Mobi(~

National Business Institute Credits: 6.0 Cost: SI38 1715) 835·8525

20Wednesav Al.ABAMA LABOR AND

EMPLOYMENT LAW Montgomery Nationalllusiness lrutitute C"dits: 6.0 Cost: SI38 (715)835·8525

21-23

SOUTHEASTERN CORPORATE LAW INSTITIJTE Point Clear. Crand Hotel Alabama flar lrutitute for CLE Credits: 12.0 (800)627·6514

THE ALABAMA LAWYER

date of the

13-14

ENVIRONMENTAL LAW Gulf Shores. Culf State Park Alabama Bar lrutitute for CLE Credits: 6.0

bar di rectories

(800)627-6514

has been

15-16

ANNUAL LEGAL SEMINAR Birmingham. Sheraton Civic Cenler Alabama Association of Housing and Red",.lopment Autttorities Cr.dit.o;: 7.0 (205) 263·0003

changed from December 1993

16·18

ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS AND R£CULATIONS Huntsville Uni .... rsity of Alabama at Huntsville Cred it.o;: 22.0 Cost: 5845 (205) 895·6372

to June 1994. L MARCH 199-1/ 95

WRONGFUL SUPERVISION:

New Attention on an Old Tort By J. MoIrk H.irt

hi6 t "., OIllJljrtd ...ill! other torts. r.egli~nt Of "'&IlIon su~rvis.ion has r«tivfd ~I'M ~ltfnlion. nl rtcently this "quiet" tort has bttn \!aU ' pulled 10 ~romintnct by tht $26.000.000 Jury verdict in NOTlhIWSIem "'u/wl hu. CO. II. Sheridan. [Ms. 1911110. October 29, 19931. _ So. 2d _ (A.IJ. 1993) Jnd tht SU1OO.OOO jury ve rdict in Big B. Inc. I). Col/ingham, [Ms. 192<1746. Sept. 10. 19931. _ So. 2d_ (AI&. 1993). Whilt authority lor the ton has txisttd in ~IN it lust sin« 1910,' its uisttl1« 11M bw1 questiontd it tilllts, lnd tht tort Iw "'in n~ntially dor~t until tht J99Ot. The 10rt'1 ori,in litS in tho common Ln.' ",1. of liability of the nwtu lor ineompl'lmry 0( his ","NIDI. S« SIou.slltfr~/d Sim .. Iron Co. II. Bibb, 164 ALL 62, 51 So. 345 (1910). SubseQutnt AIaharnlI CUtS thus turned prirrwily 00 the question of the competent)', w/II(lrI, 0{ the employtt.' SH ' .(/. tan. II, Cenl r(11 Banlr of Alabama, 425 So. 2d 1098, ] 100 (Ala. 19S3l\rejtcling liability of employer for nrgligtnl suptMsion

96 IMARCIII994

ure

where plaintiff "tw not tsublished thit tm ~ occumd bwouse of lfIY incompttmcy" of thr nnpio)fll. Actually the tort is ~ win of «Iattd clai"",. wllich lor 000~nienct !Ny be grouptd into ~ tort 01 "wrongful suptrvision." 'The cauSts of action within tM tort include negli~nt or wanton (i) hiring. (ii) JuptMsion (including training and monitoring). and (iii) retention in tmploymenL Wltile at firs! blush a fairly $I.raightforward inQuiT)'. the tort's

TtOmt and suJ"i')fising potmc:y merits camwlXlNider.r.tion. ,Sem. ~ tIImhokI questionoi in IIPPUtIll: MIIII the ~oofl PfO'o't iICtual ~ rJ the ~ or may mm o.nkilHulness or"'· pt .... 1Ct 1l.Iffx:t? Is the tort prtn'Ii$td...,on rapondr<ll RIptrior or i$ it an it ... pt ..... g wrong by tilt fITII'lIoyrr1Cal tilt fITII'lIoyrr be 1UbIr.....tlHi tilt ~ _ not attire within the lint and S<XIpt rJ the.....,loymmt] Cal the ~ M 1~1e lor its .dotpe .... ,t ~I ronduct if tIlt~ i$ txmtr1ltt& can the ernpkJjoer M liable in i differing iITOCUlt Ilw1 tIlt~? In elWTlining the qUtstions tlTltrging in tilt ~Io!)ing tort. it u u .. lul to group the ~I in cattgories of (il wrongful hiring and retention. and (iii wrongful suptNision.

TIlE AU.BAMA LAWYER

Wronlfullrlrl",."" ~tifm AIaNm;a w... till be ~ thai. ~ lkiIl MId acacity_ I'tCJIIiftd II) kW,ij)liIh ..., .... dt,tokiiig. ~ is .4illtla on !hi! part d !hi! ~ notlo~ prn(lnJ hiro;rgJUCh ",.JiN ....... MId thai. ad! negJigmet will rmdu ""'" IiIIbIe b ~ 10 third prn(lnJ ..xu..:.....:1 1hmtJy:~. $1 So. 2d 11347. ~ pi,... till ~ IoR:ludo not only lkiII MId ap;ldty, tu.the !eI .....,.. ,"', ot (J.DIilieI d the penon ~ ..., ~ tIIIi cUy 10 a.'Oid hiq..., ~ who is~. ~ habib.1tmpmmmI. ot ~ to ileal with the pmons H.ittd to the premisa ~ the ~ er: lb\lrI.. II. Vanilg Fair Mills, Inc.. 291 Ala.l!O, :m So. 2d 815 (1973); _<140 53 Am Jur. 2d,lbler & .s..t.uil, I ol2Z (1970) MAin ~ mo.y Ix liable to a third peoon !\:or the ~r's negI~ in hiritlI or >Ttainit1IIi 5tMnI who is UiW, .... lmI.ot unlit i.' Thw. an lCIiOfl for wrongful hiring reQuiru i Ihow;ng of inoompnmcy. whkh in this conttxl JTIt.liN "Unfit, C(I(lSidrring the nM<m d tilt ~ mel the rWt lit I)OIfd to Il'ioft with ....tIom he woukI ~ liloSOdl>~: li<1d indWei unfitra1 in ability. t~ or chi~er. I'a/de.t ... 14'<rmtr, 7U P.2d 511. $19 (NJt1.. App. 1987)(bar 1iab1t for hirirc ~ with hiItory ohiolmt conduct/: $« also Shrihn, (Ms. 19111 10)._ So '" _ linsurn IiIbIo lor hiring lIgmI with utmliw hisIory d ~ <:Onduct): tlrd!ru:ritm iris. Co. ... PunIie, I~S ClI. /\tIP. 3d $7, 193 ClI. Rptr. 248. 25$ \l983)(stcn waslil1bk lor hir. i"41 citric with violent tendmcies): Cramer I!. Housing ~uni tks Comm'n, 501 A.2d 35. 4(} (Md 1983)(corMliuion could Ix liable for insptdor with prior history of rape): Scott u. BkmcheI I/igh School, 747 P.2d 11Z4, 1128 (Wash. Ajlp. 1987)(<10 liability for W<'Orlj/ful hiring whue nothing in Imcher's background tlIist~ to indic.ale he would haw.w:xual rellotionship with Jludenl). Ctnenlly.the "'TOf1ItUI CI'JnCb:t d the agent muot Ix co",intd .....;tm, the lint MId ICIlPt of his ~ See c...:.rc;" o.~. 492 So. 2d .us. 44(l In.. /\tIP. 1986)(no IiIibolity b MSIUlt ...tIm conmiw.,l outsidt 1ft MId 1CIlPt); Scott I!. BItnd>d. 747 P.2d IIU (no liability ~ -.aI rdaW>ship ~ tadwr MId ~ 0iXlImd ater school hours 0If1d ~ school Pie,, ' H ). The lint lIXI ICIlPt ~ iNbs-.lfthe ~ofthe COl ..... ' is ~ ~ .. pmon, thm. ordinarily IiobiIity should only Milich !\:or iICtS COI.,oit~ in furthrrin(! the ~ Indtfd. AbbirN ~ this NIL ~ tJJ.lJmrn '" I'''';/g Fair MilJs.lnc., 291 Ala. l!O.:m So. 2d 89J, 89$ (I973)(''\1011i1t _ "" ~r._ must use due care I() I'>Qid the stltction or rttmtion d an ~ whom he knows or should know is a prrson unworthy. by tWJ;ts. Itmr>tnommt, or i\litUI'f, to deal with tht r>trsons inviltd to the pmrises ~the ~r _Itlhe 00I1'q)hirrt 1I0o'I not ~1e9t tm\ the stMill was a<ting within the Iino mel soope of his ~ II the time of the IiSSlUIt nor that the '""'" was in lI'i)'~ ~ the mooItr's busirotSiIliI. the time 0If1d pIaoe "the -.It. i. Thus, If ;0 ~nol Nit. tht tltmtntl " i wrona/ul hiring or retfntion cllim (.Ill lit sIlit~ ... 101.....""

I.An incomr>ttent tmplo)u;

2. Who o;ommitl i """""I(ful let in tht line iUId K.opt d hiumployrncnt; 30 \\'htre the ~r hid .. duty to irMstig.l.1t the ~ bt{ore hiring him (or f;oiltd to discharge the tm~IQyff upon iidual or CQnStructiw notice of his inoornptImcy);

TIlE: Al.A1iAMA LAWYER

4. Which duty the trf1lIoytr b<Uchtd.. i.e... Ii) the ~ Qlltd to ir1l'Qtilllott ~Iy (or to monitor). (bl an appro~ri;ott in~stliition (or monitor) would hi~ r~led the urtJuillbility for the p.lrticullir ,,"'Ork Or ~ in I/fntnl. .... (d hiring tht ~ was iDl~ in liiht 01 tht inlonm.tion tht t~r kntw or IhoukI haw known; I « Grnril, ~9'2 So. 2d liI 440; 5. Proximately ... winQ; 6. Actual darrugt to the plloinliff.

WI'O",1it1 sUJW"1i,'on . Wrongful $upervi5ion cl~inu similarly iilCludt a showing of mwmr>tttncy of tht tmployH . for ii\$WKt. in L.arn! u. Cenlral Bank of Alabama. 425 50, 2d 1098 (All. 19831. when the blink sued ;0 dtbtor to reoowr Ofl;o note. tht dtbtor counltr. clloimtd for neglijltnt supervision d the loan officer. In affinning dismislal of tht countul:lloim. the court sIlittd: Wt M! mindful of this rule iUId the bet IhliI thiJ Court rec:oeniza i ... ~ 01 klion ~ the ma5kr to-<! upon tht ilk..' ..... lmcw of l/w IIm'<11>t._. Assu ..... ing Lanr his btm ~ ~ the kIs of Mills. which he his not dIown. he has not estliblishtd that the ~ • occurred btcouse of Uiy incontpelmq on Mill's part for which the blink might coraMbIy bt liable. fd. at 1100 (emphasisadded);~ Perlrimu.lWn. 570 So. 2d 1217. 1220 (Ala. 1990){.wmmary judgmmt affimlfd.: no evi<\enct; mtntal health center "hid I'dioe or knowItdat fao:h.ial or presumed) d Ithe ~'sl alltgtd iIJu>' ..... I<">'K)'ift<I~ ¥i' added). 1-bo.Ym. illrQ)' not ~ Ix nec:euary to pnM~, or ~ per se. IIecaust the b;us of this odion is on ~ lion. Iiibility IrQ)' ~ br hInn rt$UItinfiI &om llYn' io ItIqX'i ieo a ot onoItilIfi.olne whicti fall Jhort d a::tuaI it iW I..,.,.....,. ot urIil. ness. rot n.t.rn. in Cut",. ... TOImof~. 0498A2d 316. l'lO (N.H. 1985). pbQifI's..,.;su wm ~ ~..., II'mt whon ..., ~ poIioe oIIim it.... ,taIy ~ pIloirdI' in sud> ;0 WIti Ihallht IwD:uIrs CO'IIirurd to ~ IrIIillheywm mr......t iii. the poIioe sIiotion, ausit1[ darnaet to his nodiM nrrve The poIioe oIIictr ..... ilICqUitttd in .. !brn;oga suit. but I "ft'did. """ awarded ~nst the city lor negligmt SUptMsion. The court held that the dettrminatNe issue """ whether the officer _ incompetent. ina. pm....mf. or unsIdlkd, and that the city could be liable lor failing to traln its ijlmts in the proper use d instrummulitie!l employed in the lint MId ICIlPt dthtir dWa.1d.lil.l'lO ("I t _ clear to '" that rule is ~ in situations the wtliIored ijlmt ........'itUngly ... uses injury which ......as ;0 risJI 01 hlnn IIIm<.bnt to tht ~..nidI the ~ hid.-on tokJmet. "). Simi1uly. in AndmOll u. Hall, 755 r . SUPR. 2. 5 (D.D.C. 1991), I climt surd;o Ilow firm for failure 10 suptrYiK .. OW<>clil. in timely fi!ii'llli ~uit,....toert the client', suit......as dismissed on I $blUit of limitations drit1\M, The court held tIIIt failure to ~r.m rorutitut~ I IfIIlilly cogniQblt clloim. Praumably, ntithtr the new police offICer in Otl/tr nor the JCIWlQ liloSOdl>lt in Arxkr:.vn was I~mt: cerWnly, the offia\' could haw been taught how to clasp the handcuffs and the lawytr could haw hem taught .. diary S)'SItm. Thertfore, liability

J!'t

.rt

MARCH 199-41 97

was not lased on the unfitntM, or ino::orn!lettTlC)', of the ~ bill upon Iht tmploo,ou's failurt to SUptrviK and Instruct

proptrly. AcoonIingly. unliko ~ hirq or rmntion. which tum on ....tIrthrr tilt tmp/(Jvet is fit lor tmpioymmt • .....rongI'u1 SUptrvision 1M w ily tn~b;, failun' by the ~ to SUptf· viK. lnin. and monitor tilt ~ and 00es not ~rily """,i.. ., -.ldilional showirc <II the ~·s un/itntsL WrorcfuI ~ .. with "nreut I'Orq. ordroarity rtqJira that the ~ be: ~ in thr lin< and $Olpe <II ~ ...tIm the iIItged ~ oa:ws.~ e.g.. f\.orti1s ... n.u., 570 So. 2d 121 7 (Ali. 1990) joo liability where affair beIwetn so:w:::W WCIIi<cr and ditnt did not start until w r the IOrmer's ltTminalion <II ~ mcntl; /.ftJIJdter ~. 1Jnj1/.'d Amerio.m Ins. eo.. 624 So. 2d 1371 (Ala. I993Hoo liability where actions <II agent we .. "unff1al!<l1O \he busi· IIQ!; <II insul1\lltt" and ijImt had mded ~ btm hann btgan); SaJlI ... lJiant;JwI, 747 P.2d at 1128 (-...J ..1U:n beIwetn teadwrnS5IudtntOCOJmdcdpttl, - and~schooI ho;our$). Tht.. In' silo eltmtnts of I wrongful suJ)tTllision claim: I. An ;l'iOOfTIII'!ltnl. unskilkd, or inr2proitnud tmplo)w: 2. Who commiU , wrongful act in the lint and KOPt of his employment; 3. Whm tilt fIllI'IIoytr hid l duly 10 iUJ)tTViIt the ~ 4. Which ckJIy tilt ~ brtlChtd by failine IO~ ruSOOIIbIt cmor ~ in rtddtss disregard d II u-n rille; 5.l'Tolimalely Qusing: 6,AcI~ 1 damage 10 Iht plainliff.

Sped.1 prvIJltnll willt ~/i"..nd I~~ The re cin be lilll. ding .to ment Ihat it is fa; . for Iht employt. to be: llible for his """11 iltgligeilU whtn tht tmployH wu act.i", in tilt KOPt of his nnpioyllltnt.' IlO'We'Jtr, pfOb. Itms nist in UltOO;ngli;o.bility for ~ ouWlk tilt ]il"Ol' lind KOPt. particululy lor crimi~ acts.

BecaUK wronglul suptrvision il iln emplO)'mtnl lort. in on. stnK il is unflir to hold the .mplo~ . Hib). lor ids Ix)QfId thr ~ For ~ f l o:orpor.ok ~ I/IltS lOa ~ for Ion:h and gets into I fistfi;oI om the week· end baI!g;Ime. 00 0l"OI' f>I)eCU tilt ~ to bt IiiIIlIe. Thus. Itcff is o;orum ilr.mnlini IiKoiIity beyord the In and soopo. for .... ~...wId ~ be:., insum d thE!.Wty <II ~ penon -...M happms 10 ClJIIW into 00IUcI ....wh his ~ sin1lIY beaust d his stat.... ., tmpIoo,ft." Bates v.lJorig, 502 N.W.2d 454, 4S9 (llL "'"'" 198ti). In anochtr _ , ~,it is unf.,jr to permit the ~ to rsc;spe any ~ d his rvg1igfra. _tethe fIoct that thr ac:I was cormoilt!<l outsido tho """'" <II tho ~ for irIstara. aonskItr the ci~ in which an ~ (M'!leI" gM>:s a ~ to an ~ with a prior history of rapt, wit!-o::u having irM"5Iig>led the~. and u.. ~ J)I"OCftd:s to.rur., ~ with the ~ and 0Jil1i11it:s I rapt, Pontiaa ... KMS 1nt1f!Slmm4, 331 N.W:Jd 907 (Mim. ]983). What. u.. ~ gains critial ioWnnalion through u.. jot!, ..tid1 tniIbIe.s him IMtr to c:ormit iI crimt? Set Mcf:Jun" Ari!a1a

.se..

1+oIedioII~, 609 P.2d 1{8l tAm. "'"'" 19!!O)(tonroer ~ -...M nstaIkd burglar lIarm IlItr ntumtd, ........ ~ abrm, ond burgIimI hoose). AIIln.oj#lI airoWoiI-.Il iI ~ the Iinr and """'" d the ~ the rotgIiftrt ~ <Ilthe pmnises

or instnrmtnbJity ~ ., iIiCmI or inIonn.u.ion IhiII mabItd tho em... whidl OllIE' wiK Il(IU\d not ~ tIttn ..... In \hal situ.u.ion. where the crime. or the ability 10 o::omnit tht crime. had such I sub5tantial iXIfV'ItClion with u.. job. it mr,o be: awroprWe 10 ~ liability on thr ~ b- ~l~ placing I dar1geroo$ ~ in u.. p:.l'illon to do harm TM.e/nrt , tht extenl of liability i1\Iiy be deltnnin. d by coo· Jidering tht nature 0( "tht lnstrurntntalities entrusled" 10 the lIgtnt 'nd the prtQutions "I prudent I1\lIn would I~ke in stltcling tht person lor tht btlsinm in hind." CornlTltnl d, Rtslalemtnl of Agtncy 2d. f 213: SN peneroliV 30 CJ.S. £mpiover·Cmp/<IfJH, It 186- 189 0992). Tht IrWlional con-

,.,it!id

Order Supreme Court of Alabama II is ordered that the last paragraph 01 Rule IV, Rules Governing Admission to the Alabama State Bar, entitled "Limitation on Examinations: be amended to read as lollows: "D. Limitation on Examinations. The number 01 times an applicant may

be examined for admission to the Alabama Stale Bar shall be unlimited. "(Section 0 amended effective April 28, 1993: and January 6, 1994.)" It is further ordered that this amendment be effective immediately. Hornsby, C.J .. and Maddox, Almon, Shores, Houston. Sleagall, Kennedy, Ingram, and Cook, J .J ., concur.

98 /MARCII 1994

TilE AUJIAMA ~WYER

~pts

01 duty and proximat( u.lJS( prOYiIk i frl.mtWOrk for tllis

lPJlI'OKII.

""~ The pisCtnc;c ol6uty II; I

qtJQtion oll¥N for tnt court. lAd/1filn-.624 So. 2d at 1373. "Iluty is a tIIruhoId inquiry ._ IT)IIe: trial court must Ikunni~ ... IIe:1h« a duty niSiN and. if 10. tile: o.\(nt 01 that duty: {d. "Orw: 0( tnt fundllmmlil (\(mmlJ ._ i. the o.isttnCe 01 a duty........J to the ptrwn ... (to) <.\tmon. strate that M il ... itllin the woe of risks lhat aR ru$OI\Ibly foRIUabl( by tile: dtfendant." Garcia. 492 So. 2d it '39. Duty i. rdative. Section 213. oomment d. 0( tM Restatement of Agency llrovidu: "Ont u.n normally iWume tllat anotller wi><.> oft"UN to p(rform .imple work i. cOIOp(t(nt. If. ~r. the work is likei>' 10 wbjtct th.ird !":'I"JQO$ to Rriow risk 01 iffat hann. there is i JpeCial duty of invntigation: ArronI. Cromw. SOl A.2d II '0. As sugges\N by the Ccm:Wl court. "It is ntClWlIry to coruid(T tM type of work 10 be d<.>ne by tM prosp«ti"f tmp~ .... Ir. lor irtJw..:t. an (mploytT wimu to live In tmployte!he indicil. of ~ty to mltr into !he 1M'" QUoIr· Ur'1 of ochm.. 1M tIllJ)Ioyer hu !he mponJibility to first iTlltitipte IS to 1M wny 01 JUdl idion: /d. at 441 . On thr oU.r hondo "lwIMre!he tmployrt·. dutits includt ouWclt worI< with only iociclmtal toolaCl with. others _. l~) is no oblillition on the PlOtt 01 the tmp~T 10 nWce iIII indq)mdent inquiry into In tmployee', pi.t." /d. The courl concluded "wlltrt Iht intendN dulies will require only incidental <;QIl\lld with othtrs. the requi.ite lewl 0( inquiry is oorrespOndinSly reduad ." {d.; acrord. f'ontlacs. 331 N.w.2d it 912·13. The G.vd.t court lIso offmd instnction is 10 the degrft 01 irMatig,ltion tIIII fulfills the Wty. For an ~ wIltre the ~ lOt ......,Jd "tnttr inIo the ~ ",.wrs d othm _ ., ~ inwstig.1lm _.....:)UId newt UlrlIac:tirlIIthe ~', ,tIt'tnas nI prior ~ kor inkwrnation." ~. whm mIy incidental ptjJIic ClIfUct II; irM;Wed, "obtainire Pi5I ~ HonNlion nI ptTS(lIlIII dlitI obirC the ntiaI nnww ~ be NIicimt." kI.AIso, 'eMclenttbearq~ lilt difticulfyotOOlld ~ sum ~ ""ltIid be n:IevInt in ~ 1M ~ oflilt inquiry."/d. ~oif..... otIy. tho DOUr1 aIIoaddld: E"fn wmn: the circumstances dictate tnt need ~ _ indtptndtnt inquiry. howrwT.then: II; no TtQUirtment. as a matttl 0( Ia.... that 11K . mploytr make an inquiry ....itlllaw enforcement agencieubout an employee'. ]lOIoSible criminal record, e.tIl where the tmpkIyH is to ~larly 001 with the public. ... If lilt tmp~r malces

Mquite inquiry or othe~ ~ J wifki(nt basis to rely on tM ~. tMre is ,.., need 10 inquin about 1 pouibIe criminal TtCOr'IL Even actuaI1cnowItdQt d III ~'I criminal f1ltOfd does not esUlbliIh,lS l fTIIIt· krolllw.the ~. ncg1igma: in him.

hi.....,

III. ButSHCrIm!er. 501 A.2d 3S. In Lahiur. 624 So. 2d 1371. lilt cwot htId Ih.:oI. two inRnrlo% .... ' ___ itsdid nottM't I ~ ....i\h. resped lOao:ticndl fonner . . .

oWidr t/'c JD)pr d his ~ Ro.bi I.etxtttr IUId FnIin. I fonner iroIwva JjJtnt. 1\..0 i-lsurirn ~ nI othm (Mr an :llieged fr.wdulmI: 5CIwmt of Famin. Whoen finnin Q]1fd on l.e.kt·

ter to xii her i-lsurirn. he <olio ptf$I.iadtd her 10 irM:st $110.000 in F:!min's WTI ~ (which lilt inwrtrs Iontw ~ lbolt). Famin paicll.etxtttr run:st on her ~ b- I timr nI then c:ewd. Ledbttttr did not ittrmpt 10 hold the insuras IiabIr on mpo:nIQt ~ in F'nWI'.~ her 10 irM:st lilt $110.000 with FnIin. bU: insteiod IIIIatd "t~"ot tirq. ~ Iild ~ The out6mal ~ ~ b- t/'c Dun:rs. The COOr1 hotId \he WuTm ~ no oUy to pIairti8". ~ 1M ~ ....'i\h f'InIin"wen: unn:bIed 10 lilt business of insurM'U," nI F:!min hod ..-..led 1-0$ oIiIItJw;y with lilt in!o.mn ~ he stowed the irun:st I>l)'rI'Ii'fltS u.:bIler an be o::ortnosIfd with Sh!ri-

dan. (Ms.. 1911110). ....t.icIt held that t/'c imum did hoM a duty wi...-. lilt acts by t/'c agent ptTtairoN 10 lilt imlIn:r's POlicies and pian!.. I'rorIlINt. UlUt

Jf 1~lity ~ ltt;och for ids outsi<.lt thr KOJlf 01 empIoymmt. then the qutIIion beC(M, ... ....t\iIt is I Iii. limit 01 tN.lliability. ()n IiDIity bqpn 10 Ix in'C'OHd on ~ kor acts

d their ..

,opIc,- WlIide the ICIilpt of ~ Ihr;

co.IrIJ ~ fIad with lilt ,ooceaity of~DTit r.ltioniI """" b-1irriIq: lilt botnborits d 1h.:oI. liability; othmo-a. ., ~....wId be ., Ii»oIutt ~ IIId JtrirtIy liabit kor any lids .... by IIiI ~ IiIPinst any pmon o.rdtr In)' d!n.mstn::es. So.d1 mrestricttd IiInlity would bt .. intoIooablt nI unfair burdtn on ~ Only ..nen an ~ his I(II'Ilt/l(Jw bten mpcnsibIe bbringing a third perwn into (;()IlIaCI with ill empJoye.e. whom the ~ kJ1oo".os or Jhould hoM known is pn:dis-

'.'lintd

ALABAMA ASSOCIATION OF LEGAL ASSISTANTS

~n ~mlla't or Nat ional As5ocliotlon or ~al ~lstanH, Inc. ",. _ _ _ l4'I_tMlAl _ _ _

Th~

.. M,.Mt .......... <> • • • • •' pos&i .. """ .. - . . . . . - .. _

.......

AAlAi..

F ' '100

FOIl FURTHEII' ......OMU.TJON. CONTIooCt. J4IoI8E1IISHIP (;:HAiRI,IAH

_ ,'. c-

,~,OIleo-I_

,,0. Bot 50SIm

10,,010'91*'" AL 362M

---

J - . .... ~ N .... _

, CIioI""".)

~M'

MARCH 1994 / 99

posed to committing a wrong urdtr dl'CUll'lStara$ that.;n;ato an <JIII'.lf\tmi1)' or mticemmt to commit such • "'~ .Ihould the ~ i~ liibilityon the~.

Catril,492 So. 2d at 439.

For iruIance. in crome.. v. HoosiJ'!I ()pportuniliis Commh. SOl A2d 35 (Md 1983). the O'Xlrt held thai the housing corrunission employt. could ~ liable for a rape of lenant committed b)' its emplo\lte. Slater. The commission hirtd Slater, an ~ "'ith a prior history <i rape. ""thou! inYe:$lig,lting his bad<groond. ,u part <i his job, he "''''' brought in contxi "'ith tenants _. Iglvenl ~ to their I1omes, and under some drwmsunces to the keo,1 to their home:I.ld, at 83. Slater. as part of his job, inspected plain\ilf$ ""it and a9<ed her qut$Iion:s which rtW<lIed that plaintiff""" a woman living ~ with he. twocllildrm Later, at night. Slate. enured the unit. apr>:Il\'I1tll' through a partially 0fJI"'. first Iloor kitchen ",;nc.\ow, and raped the plaintiff. Clearly, a criminal as&Iult. committed at night. after wo.k hou.s, is an act out$ide tile; employment. The court noted that probably Slater did not r.ave a key and that he mtertd through the k~dlen window. ""hich """ 00serv.\b~ to the public. Nooetheles5, the emplO}lt. could be liable because Slall'r "had used his pOSition to obtain the knowledge that Appellant and her three·ye.Jr-okl tv.ins v.we the sole occupantso( the home." Id at 43. which the court concluded """ the motivating factor in the attack. Thus,. substantial COf\nf:ction "'ith the employment r.xWed: Slater acquirtd the decisive information about the ~ 0( a male rt5ident during the unit it'\SllOCtion he ooodocted as part 0( his job. Then>fort. liability could be fairly im~ on the employer. In cont ....t. howevtr, the court cautioned that it is not $Umcient for the emplO}'t.'s liability !hat the act r.ave some relation with the employmmt. observing that "if Slater had been negli· gently him! but had amlultJ:<! a lenant of the HOC previ(lllOly unlmuwn to him. in a nearby showing center and during off· duty hours. there would be no causal relationship between the hiring and the amlult." Id. at 39; ammi, Vanily Fair. zn So. 2d 893 (no employer liability ""he re emplO)'ff took hammer furnished on job but wenl to other premises and assaulted plaintil!) , It thus awears that the emerging rule is that there rmy be liability kif tUside-!he-soope acts "'nere the i!d had asubstantial cmnection "'ith the emploj.momt. &e Valdez v. \.j.~. 742 P.2d at 519-20 ("tlII're !t1,1S\. be a ronnectiQn between the ~$1:IuIineIs ;nI thr injurtd plaintiff"; bar held liable...t.en ~ in bar parking lot amlulted customer who had damaged emplO}lte's car): Pntill v. lWeIin, 68S P.2d at 1354·55 ~ real estate lictrl.w is"analogous \0 thr ~ _ in"(liIl1S a "pOOna of ",liability"): futefam v. Grabrim. 763 P.2d m (Colo. 1985)(arthdiocese coold be li3bIe kif i!d.s of priest "'ith prior i!d.s of misoonduct ",+.ere prim ""no ""iIi! ~ in marital ......... ling. had affair with ,..;re he """ .........ling); Bales" Dt:riz. 502 N.E.2d at 459 (1U(Uiring "cmnection" ~ the plaintiffs injuriesand the fact 0( ~ no liabi~tyb rape b)' o:«.ruty deputy sheriIIl: SaXI ". B/I.n:het lIi;11 Schooi, 747 P.2d 1124, 1m (Wash. A;lp, 1987)(schooI had no liability kif ..rIair occuning ~ Ifadwr and ~ aIkr school hoor>. <if ~ aI~ teachor had COll!'\\I'Ied student lIS part 0( dutits; "responsibility for supeMsion at time rJ the alleged activities had 5hifIed ""'ll' from the school, so that '"'pro>cimity between breach 0( dutY' .nl""alleged injur)o is so remote" that "pratimate ause Wert as matter 0( 1aw1.

IOO IMARCH 1994

Thus, in trying to mark u.. limits of this emerging rule ofliability for acts beyond the SCOpe of employment, it appe.ars that a substantial connection. $hort of literal line and 5COpe. can $UPport liability ""here the job involve. entering people'$INing quar· ters. o. dealing extensively or intimalf:ly with the public. On the other hand, jobs requiring outside....m.. factory work. or limited public contact more readily I"t<lui.e a shcM;ng 0( line and 5COpe. Using "substantial connection" as !.he litmus tm. WI' can begin to establish cootOlJrs for the rule ""ith the Ian~ in Val~, holding an act is in the line and scope, if (i) the act """ "fairly and naturally incidental to the .mpl~r'. busi",," ;wigned to the employee: and (iiI the employee "was engaged in the employer's business with the view of furthering the employer's interest and did not arUe enti",i)' from SQTYlO' txt.mal. independent and per" sonaI motive 00 the part 0( the employee: Valdez. 742 P.2d at 518. Restating that inquil)'. if. through the elTljlloj.ment and not totally for an exkmaI. independent. or peTSOOllI mot .... 0( the employee. the emp\oyee commiued the wrong, or acquired an inslrumentali· ty or actt5S ""hich enabled him to commit the wrong, then I substantial ooonection can "",ist, suppi)ing proximate call$e. As with duty, the element <i proximaII' ~ can be factoml in on. $liding scale. Th .... the more dangerous or intimate the pOI.i. tion given the emploj.ft, and the more prominent the empJoo,ment in enibling the crime. the Ies5 li~1y that the fact that the e~ ""iIi! acting from "some exII'mai, indeptndent and per>OOal motive" will breakthecatNI chain.s.... e.g.. Cromer. SOl A2d35. In Valdez. for instance, the barwa. ""gli,gmt in hiring as a bar employee ant "'; th a "background of Yiolent behavior, for a job where he would be in C<.lf\Wlnt contact "'ith members of the public, ITI(I!;\ of ""hom would have been drinking and many of.....t.:>m might tend to ~ argumentative: 741 P.2d at ll29. Hoo.oewr. it may be perfectly reasonable to hire that same person for a differ_ ent job, not involving drinking Or potentially \IOlati l~ public contact. Otherwise. people are condemned to their past. ""hich is inconsistent with u.. Ia~r societal policy $tated in Garcia: "ITlo say an empl~r can new r hire a perwn ""ith a criminal record al the risk of being held liable for the employff's tortious ;w.ault. 'flies in the face of the premise that society must make a reasonable e((ortto rehabilitate those who have gone aslray:" Garcia. 492 So, Zd at 441; acroro, Vanitll Fair Mills. 277 So. 2d aI8%; Am/iacs, 331 N'w.2d at 913. In questions 0( duty and proximate cause, it is difficult to lay oo..TI hard and fMt ruI<:$. To the "",tent a rule may be stated. there .oo..Jd be a bias in f.m>r 0( no liabi lily for acts outside the 5COpe. Othe!Wise. the =ep\ion swallows the rule. That bias. ho>oewr, may be neutralized...t.en the ~ ..... tht enabling co,.,. in a signmcant invasion 0( the plaintifl'. physical or tnXJtionaI security. as in the criminal assault and theft cases which v.we enabled ll» the employment and in tht counseling rebtions!Jipcases. Sepansk Or differing liubilit, In Sheriti>n, (!>Is. 19111101. """"re \he juT)' .....-anled $12.863,624 against the irrurance agerL and $12.863,624 ~ the COITIjlaI1y. the

court rejected the OOTl"{JarIy'S contention thai. ~ was iI1coosistent"1o assess damages based on <Iicarious liability and to assess. again. damages based on that defendan\'$oo.TI misconduct. "l:<; stating

THE AL\BAMA LAWVER

JIMn aile the ~ may be l~ both on the

In i ~

thIlI. he_pmmat,.~onfon the~ lhM the cmdl.lct I<IiIS within the 5a'I'f' d anpkr,omenl Nesiot<mtlll (StanI)oINmq, 121l 11 (1958) (~.,;kWJ: AroJrd l,aI(' 11 QrlbI:II &ri"oI/rIQbQmQ. NA. 425 So. 2d 1008 (Ala. 19!Oj.

w,., .....

Shen'dan. slip OJIinion It ]0. Thr oourt did not diKu5s it.! aftr3ry hoIdinI1 in Ex pa;k Cit# 01 I/U1tIsviIk. .t56 So. 2d 72 (Ala. ]984). In thlI~, ~ntiff surd both the City and a jailer for iI'\iuritS he SU5Iaintd whilt incarctrat· ed. He sued the jailtr lOr awolt and billlt!)' and the City for (i) >l$flOIldtat.wptrior Jiabj lity and (ii) negligent hiri"ll and $\lj)trvi. sion d the jailor. as the City had n:ctiwd other eornpIaints IIOOut the jailer and had not acttd. Thr j.llY.....ardtd S500 against the jlil· tr W S5.OOO ag.J.inst tilt City. Thr City ~Itd uguing that the

ornIict -..as inoonsisIent. ~ (i) the differing iIllOUI1ts constjbrtfd iPPOrtilhlltllt iITIOt1I! joint tDrUwon and (iii I pMcipal cannot be 1iabIt b' ilargt1 iIIl1OUl1l thin the \oI'tIQsor . . . . T1>t supreme court ~rHd. holding thit "[w[htrt one i"llppropriatt TtSUtt flows from two. lrguab/y distinct QUHS. thr ju ry is not pmnitttd tulloWt ~ • fd. .. t R 11-. SJ.riJon ~ fn:m prior ...... lhIer SJ.riJon, beau50e the liability d the ~ b' the tort d wn:w¢Jl ~Won II; not bistd on mponcIw. suptrior liability, but on the principaJ's indtptndtnt wrong. .. princiJ)lo! may be liablt for an additional amount than that ~ lOr its ~t .IlJPrrior liabi~ty. It II; unclear, hcM>em, whtthtr tilt prircipal may be held liablt in a dif· fering amount than the emp~, /)<' whtthtr the ~ may be liablt when tilt ~ is lICqUitttd. Cw!pore CuJler, 498 A2d J16 wilh 30 CJs.~~, f 186,II 262-63l"p1aintift' must first tslablWiliability on the part dthe ~,.

Jus t Solutions Law Day USA • May 1

he theme lor 1.,.,' Da}' USA ]994 is "Just Solutions". This theme will be used to tnCOOl"ag.! various Pilrticipants in law Day rr0jtct5 and ewots to look to their needs and experiences to comider improvements for the j~~, and. at the 5."II1lt time, \0 appreciate and prestr\'e the many MPtcts dthejustkt system that are in I/OOd worki"ll onltT. Tht purpolt d law Da}' US>\. altbnlted <ItIIlll."II1y on Moly I, is to.--r.oe a ~ day d a ltbtallon by the Amtrian people in ~ d thrir libertlt$ and to pI'O''Idt an occ;I;$ion kIT ~ to the ideals d tQuali~' iIld.justia undtr b'oo.'S." law Da}' U&\ WlO$ tslablishtd by Unlted StIlQ PmidtrJtiaI Procllmotion in 1958and ~ by aJoint RaoIution dCongrm in 196]. Tht AnYric:In I!.:or Awri>tim, ... the na1D\a15p."mlr d ~nr,.l&\. prepln:Sadrtailtd JD . io.g~ to awt.l; 1V.u.w.>nI~ , 1izabot 1S ~ ~nr,. ptogta,1S. lnnlibon. theAso.!llOIktsiNlilable tna1y ~ptiord ptOt,(b;oIlll.nl~. mMionaI maltriaIs. ~ fmn OOttons.nl baIIocns \0 Ie;Ms, broctues. booklets. speed! texts II1d mock trial scrifU. SUIt.nt Ioc<II b.v .-ssrxi>tim!.linnts. 0JfllI"I"U'Itty ~ dwI:s. dudw:s. bweroM""iitl~ ~ 5ervictdlbs. ~ ao.ocili.me:s, lind ~~art iIITiOIlII: the tna1y ~~ u.w Day U&\programs and (\oerQ. Thtt\\:2't5 from!lO)<OlllqJl1 ~ mock-tri.1b. oourt ateo'l(Ilit$. and po5Ier.nl t=y~ to Irk-.Wt.nt r.Idiocall·in ~ Rtttot i~ programs hoM included CO()fdiNi!ion with Sj'lOr6QfS of1ocal ~ ~nst dn1nk driving. ()Ulrtach progrartlS to sertior eitiuns, oorrununity particiPiltion in dispute resolution prt0amS, "mtet--.l..judge" and "peopIe'1 bw school" proje<.1.\. ..or ~ infomo.Mjon about iz,,'1lay US>\. write for a free COpy d tilt iz,,'1lay Plannitqj Guidr II tilt Amtrican Bar AIoociation. 750 North Lakt ShoR [)rjye. &II floor, Chicago, Illinois 6061] or phone (312) ~]34.

"""*

StMt BIr ~ COIiIeIt On ~ sQk It\'tI. the iz,,' 1lioy Committ« dthe am b.v is ~ an i':W)' contest Loc:al b;ln; ",;U hold thrir ""',. oonttsts and gta<.It the mln.s. ""arding prizQ lOt the Ioca1IiwLWinnmand hononbIt tnmtio:.lm art thm b'I."ardtd to the Jiatt bar IQr o;:(lnSidmtion kw swew;& prius. Tht thtmt lor the i':W)' o::nWI. is "JU$I, Solutions" ",toich is also the thtmt lor law Da}' US>\. Entries ITIIISI be n:ctiwd at tilt Jiatt bit headquirttn by May 2, 199-t. For iOOR inlorm.ltion, 0J0tact kith Norman at the sta\t bar at ]-8Q0..354~I!>4. A]

' .

THE Al-'BAMA lAWYE R

MARCH

/ 101

--------------------------

Caution! Attorneys in Active Practice in Alabama Be sure that you have the required occupational license in your possession! If you are actively practicing or anticipate practicing law in Alabama

between October 1, 1993 and September 30, 1994, PLEASE BE SU RE THAT YOU HAVE THE REQUI RED OCCUPATIONAL LICENSE.

The dual invoice which was mailed in mid-September provided you with the option of paying special membership dues (if you were not in active practice in Alabama) or buying the required occupalionallicense to practice (if you were in active practice in Alabama) on this one invoice.

Direct any questions to: Christie Tarantino, Membership Services Director, at 1-800-354-6154 (in-state WATS) or (205) 269-1515 immediately!

102 lMARCH 1m

Tm: ALWA."IA t.'.WYER

P"ni/i/Jfl dQft",~1 Puniti\oe damages !T\a}' not be ~ lor negligent wpeMsion. flowewr, they !T\a}' be ~ lor wantonness. proyided each element i:; pr(M:d by dw and oorMncing eI'idenct.. ~ &llfir¥; Co. United. Inc. '" StripImg, 622 So. 2d 882 (Ala. 1993); /NIcIoamp;. If¥:. u, MrKga11, 601 So. 2d 442 (Ala. 1992), Two recent decisioos h<we affinned punitive damage lIwards rorwanton wpeMsion.

In Big B, Inc. v. Col/ingham, (M5, 1920746), 1I SI,ooo,ooo punitive dunage verdict wa.o; returned for a5Sault and battery, false imprisonment, and wrongful 5upervi,ion. The punitive claim wa5afrormed, but remitted to 5600,000, An ass4tant WJI'I: ~r. Vaughn, detained plaintiff Cottingham when her companion allegedly WJIe merchanda. and fled. Vaughn summoned the poiice, but after the offlCtr left without arre5ting Cottingham, VlIughn detained Cottingham in a back room d the "on!. ""rbally ~ her, and for<:ed her \0 perfonn 5elC acts upon threat d prosecution. The IXXlrt affinned a ""rdd for both ~t :superior liability and ...TOIllIfuI supervision. E\.ideoce ...... .ro..~ dVaughn'5 incompetency, or un/itness. The mother d a 16-year-oid femak part-time employee had rtp:')rIed to \hi' compan)i that Vaughn had n\IIde WlWalTal1ted sexual advances toward her daught .., Although the supervisor5 reprimanded Vau$In, they did not interview the minor e~ and did not for· v.Md a thorough report of the ioddmt to the ~ office. Also. the supervisors failed \0 review with Vaughn the company's lraining manual as to the proper way to detain and question a,Woplifting suspect. The court held thallhere ...... :sufficient evidence ofwanton· nes$. pointing out tha~ "the jury could haw reasonably inferred from the evidence that !the .... perWon! CUlScioosIy cho5e to 00..... play the incident in order to retain Vau$In, ~;ng that to do so would give Vaughn another oppmunity 10 demean or otherwise mi5treataftmalecwtomeror~" Slip~ionat II, tn Sheridan, (Ms, 191 1110), the court afronned a 526,000,000 verdict for fraud, brtaCh of rontra.c:t, and wanton supervision, although remiuing the verd ict to 512,000,000, lkhr, a Northwestern Mutual agent. engaged in a broadscale scheme of fraud and deception. r.sulting in tosses to the Sheridans on their insurance policies, ~ualifie d retirement pen,ion ptan and defuTed compensation plan. When Behr absconded, his secreUry totd the Sheridans that no retirement plans existed. and 'that they were all crooks: Slip Opinion at 3. The court held there ""'" suffocient evidence of ~too hiring and supervisi(n Evi<Imct ~ estabtished that (l) while PJ'OCU'" ing Behr's employment application the district ~r learned Behr had mis~ted 00 his application that he had I10MT had a busi~ insol>Jency. (Z) the manager did not inves1il!\i'lte Behr'5 financial condition (8thr had been ...00 16 times in • two and onehalf year period with SM'I1 ~its claiming fraud; he had 13 judg-

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" s,:.o... Gil«; o:.-n., B. . & _

IWIl5 and w. tax liens rocorded against him indMdual~ and 171 judgments recorded against him or hi.< <mpOration): (3) during Ilehr's errq,Ioymentwi!h the <X>rrIfW1Y. ~ ilClions were brought against him and his bank account ...... garnished; (4) the company had notict <:i other fr.>ud lawsuits during the tirrw. <:i hi5 e~ (5) other <X>rrIfW1Y agents testified they had ~ !lehr forJIe ~Iire$ 00 ~ and ~ion choc.ks payable to other agents; (6) tI»se ~ requested transfer \0 another offia away from Behr. and (1) during this time the 0JI1lPiIIlY continual~ pt'OO'IOted Behr. The court conctuded: !TJhe jUI)I could also have concluded that Northwestern Imew of !lehr's unethical conduct and not only tolerated . but actually exploited. that Mhavior ... McallSl' of Behr'. large sat.. volume. ~enUy, it could have concluded that North ....e.tem conscioU5ly factored in the possibility of adverse judgments against it and Behr a5 an acuptahte busineu experl5e. !d. at 18.

&_nct or U{HIfYlk td/ll1 In a ....rongful supervision claim, evidenc;( of other acts of the ~ may be <Wnitted to.ro.o both incorr¢rncy and ~ to the principal1ltis may be done by sr.::..;ng ~ acts d ina:Jrrvtency and bringing them 00me to the ~iedge of the master, or by

WE SAVE YOUR TIME., ,

' !-L ameli

Now legat re5tJn:h ."i'lantt ....allabl. when you rl«d II, "'"hOUI lh. """,SIlly of .<!ding a full -time .!SOci.l. 0' clerk .

L E G A L Research

Wilh ..:cess 10 Ihe St.,. lo", l,!>rary ond W."I ..... "'. pro"i"" f •• rrr"" eni """'e_For dudhne "'ork. ON, can ""liv", ,"formallon '0 }'ou .ia Nmmon COrner.

,.nd

F~r. 1 E~pre",.

or FA X.

Famell U:.Ilal R."'.n:h ~,"mi"", ,he "''''s <horouShly through q ~. l"y re ...",h. b"ef "'flllng.nd an.IY~'$ Our rat., 3,. $35 .00 pe' hour. wilh. 'hree hour minimum, Fo r Research Assist<lnce contact: S arah Kalhryn Farnell 112 Moore Building Montgomery, AL36104 C~ll

(20S) 27m37

~''''_Gb' '' ''';'' '''''~d'''''Y _ '' !>o

..l:>j '«1

d ~"""'~dy.......",.pthm«1Ily_ ~

TH E AlABAMA lAWYER

MARCH 19941 103

~ them to be 0( such nature. cha!acter. and frequency that the masIn. in the """rrl5e 0( due are. must IIIIw had them ~ to his noticf ... _ although such specific acts 0( alkgod ~ rnnnot be MIown to pn:to.'I' that the servant Wi'IS negligent in doing or omitting to 00 the act ~ 0( ...• Big B .• $lip (IJ)ini<:n ill 6-7. quotingLane" QnUal Bank. 425 So. 2d at 1100. Thus. prior acts of the ~ are not admissible to pn:to.'I' that the ~ Wi'IS r.eg1igtnt or ~ but ~ can be admisslbIe to sOOw ;,lCOillPtttnq> and ootict to the principal Thio.<ituatiOJn ~ oimilM to I negligent entrustment case. where prior o:ooduct cannot be admitted to sOOw that the ~ Wi'IS negligtnt in using the instrumentality. but it CMl be """'ittl'd to}.show both that the ~ntrusl« Wa.I incornpet~nt and that the "ntrustor had r>Otice. In entrustment actions, the defendants are entitled either to a severaru or to ~ 1'lIlf; triab; of the claims. so that the tvidera of prior acts. which is admi>sibk on me claim. ok8 not ~ the jury'$ ~ of the other claim. s.... II-'ilder v.J'JiF'ia=J. 481 So. 2d 1091 (Ala. 1985). The.arne rule $hould apply in W\'OIlIIful supervision clailTl$.

PoIic¥ CfIIUilhrrltifJIU At Iea& to I degree. oor .society promote$ the principle that people

muId be IQrgr.m fqrthrir I"SI- ~and otIered another ~ This principle will be thwarted if the law is "WIled SO mechanistir:al1)I as to Il'I.W employers insurm rJ their ~ This tension was the _rce 0/ the $ktplicism ~ by the ]'ani/v Fair coort ~ the tort of ~ SlJPl'ovWon: ~ofthe conflicting inttmts to be o::midered (the proteCtion II inro:ent third penons as opposed to the possibility that ~ would not hire those with I l:wI p.>SI). \W ",,'ail a proper CiI9: fqr the .'IdopOOn of a proper rule in such instances: 277 So. 2d at 896. A<:oordingIy. the tort rJ ~ supervision must be applied through the balancing of competing intm:stsandwithmudl~~

There are tl<i$ting evidentiary rules that can aid this proem. First, fqr evidtnce to be reie'oant and adrniMible. ~ must be pr0bative. If evidrnce is too remote. then it is inadrniWble be<:a1.1Se its prejudicial effect ou""'ighs Ml)' pn:obati\oe vaI..e. C. Gamble, MeEi1'0!1~ AJabama &idence. § 21111(2). Many people with a tn,oubled I"SI- dewlop into solid, upstanding ci\izen$. In ruling on the admissibility 0/ prior acts. the trial coort $hooLd apply the !\lie of rem0teness in order to insurt that.,.,.;dmre ..... a bona fide proballYe valllO:'. Seolndl)l. before other acts are admissible. a foundation of sob$!antial $imiiarity between prior acts and the act in question is rtqUinrl/d. al$oat §§ 64.1)4(1) &8101(1), This~requirt ment can al$o be an ell'trtiI>o tool in balancing the competing inter_

nuPllON£

fACSt MlLE

(lOllJI8-9111

(IOl)JI6.IJI6

ANN A LEE GlATT1NA ArrO~I;E\"

LlO$tly, e".jdence $hould be excluded wherwer iu prejudidal iu proo.ti".., valu •. ld. at § 2! .ot(4~.

~fft<:t ou~igh$

CondlUion

With the wrdid$ in Sheridan and Big B. the bench and bar are likely to wi~ an incr~ing oocu"..,nce 0/ ~I ~uper vision dairru;. That is a natural a><>lution in OUr \tgal system. As some questiOl1$ are answered. others will arise. One «minty is that i$ the bench and bar del1ne and explore the tort, they ml.l$t keep foremQ$t in mind . t I"""t three competing interesu, the interest 0/ employers to offer jobs, the interest of the public in proltclion from inrompetent at untrained employee$. and the • interest 0/ tho5t ....i!h pa$I.$ to eam a living.

The aulhor graleful/II admowkdges lhe assWanc'I! of Margarel Mary Ham. librarian. Spain, Gillon. Grooms. BIan & Nell/R$, who provided invallK1bl~ assistanc'l! in preporotion of Ihis artid£.

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Th<!'1.,. ..... idint., 00ii<. Pori< SW" li S· 1111 El<>'.",h ,<." ...... Soo,h I:\omo.,.n.... A4bonoo JllOl

__ ._M._....._.•_. ____....___. ._· 104 /MARCH 1994

w in I W!'tIngII.oJ ~ caw of pro4ecting the public and pro. viding the public joJI:05. These policy ~ can be tff~1)I balanced by rigorousI)I ~ this kIundationaI requirement

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THE AlABAMA LAWYER

THE ALABAMA ClASS ACTION people, someone with in one eye is an expert." SI. Raymund

Patron Saint of lawy ers

By Alan T. Rogers

hile we see more of thue suits filed in Alabama ~tate C(}Ilrts than just a

r",,· j'<"!rS

ago. for many of us. an encounter with a class action requires a refresher course_This first artkle and one to follow are for the refreshu candidate. This

fiT5t article deals with basic class requirements and

class In)"s. ~neral

conlidention' Class actions in Alabama are brought under Rule of Civil Proc edure 21, idenlkal to Fed.R.Civ .P. 23. Although the Alabama Supreme Court has addr •• ""d class actions on several occasions. federal cases are legion. The Alabama Supreme Court lias stated that federal dedsions are persuasive authority for cla.ss action

determinations.' Tht class must mut the

r~uirements

of Ala. R. Civ. P. 23131 and must fit within one of the types of class actions set forth in Ala. R. Civ. P. 23(b). Ewn then. certifiCIIlion of ~ class remain. within the discretion of th~ trial jud~ "after considering practicality and manageability of the litigation. "' TM United Statu Supreme Court has written thaI claM action. "may only bt certified if the trial court i.... Ii.lied, after a rigorous analysis, thai the prerequisites of Rules 23(a) haw b«n ... tisfied." General Tel. QI. of Soulhw(!Slv. F(1lcon, 457 U.S. 147. 161 (l982). "Mer. mimicry is insufficient to undo rgi rd a deei,ion either way on tM propriety of class certification.'" Although a trial court's d«ision on certification will be reversed by the Alabama Supreme Court only for an (1buse of disCI'I!lion, the court has been willing to rewrse improper dass certifications.'

THE AlABAMA UlWYER

MARCH 1994 / 105

A clus ~ bt certifotd for only a p<>rtion of the aM. A clus 01 defendants rNY ..Iso bt certified. Subo:laJ.ses I1\i)I bt c_ttl! to IwIdIr conllicts or individwliztd Wuu. but uch JUbtlus mUil. i~ndmtly n1ftI ill of the rtqui~mrnts for .. ,Iw.. ....'htther ICIus ~ bt «rtified should bt detmnintd · u iOOIl ~ proctialbk .. tiff thr COIT\fI"Oeroctmmt 01 thr 1CIion.... ~UK of the pn)Yisional natu re of a clap certifiation, such .. rulina an bt clwlged throughout thr COUrK of thr protftding. The courtl1\i)l illso rnal;e orders u may bt roecn· Sil)I to l\'(lid undue rt"J!dition and compliation in prtsent.lo. lion of arQumenU or evidence, allowing moldinQ of the liti gation. Once certified. a elass action Il\a}' nol bt dismissed or compromised without the appl"O\'3.1 of the court.'

Tho 23(a) l"Wi utftmenU The four requirements of All. R. (iv. P. 23( .. ) Irt often referred to is!

thert WlU "no Mderoct 01 any kind btfott the tNI court indi_ cating thr numbor 01 rostomers 01 the ~k that prtpojd their inJl;llLmmt k>ans." Ftdtrallaw has ge .... rally hrld that, it I c!au numbfr is at ltut numorosity is mol' In Jooes ~. FiresIon6 Tirrt & Rubber Co., Inc., 9n F.2d m , 53t (11 th Cir. 1992). the EllMnth Circuit noted that 21 mtmbtrs is "gmt"rlI]1y i~\IIIIt.·

so.

Commonality The plaintiff mll5\ show there Irt common quutions of fact or law bttween illl mombtn 01 thr c\u.s. Alaba~ cues ~ rlIrely focused upon the commonality rtquirement.~. e.g., Town oI Ec/eclic u. MOIlS, 547 So. 2d 96. 102 (Ala. 1989) Icon· cluding lhat "undtni~bly. there are common questions of taw .. nd f~ct"). The trill court must. however, i<knlify the com· mon issues 01 fact iIId law to define the cLw (or claJ.ses). Tho cLw annot. for UllTlp~. include plf,intiff$ who ~ no right

10 I"KOYtry.' Numer(l5ity; Commonality: Typiality; Adtquacy of ftrwuent.ition. Nu_ l t ) ' While thert is not ill AlaIwn;o decision discussing. in depth, the numorosity requiremont, the Alabama Supremo Court in Rowan u. Firsl Bank of Baaz. 476 So. 2d 44 (Ala. 1985) reversed the trial courfs certification of the elus ~cause

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Tho cw",; ",pusent.ItMs·$ clf,jm mUil. bt tJlPiml 01 the (\u.s claims.. The idu is lhat differmca bttwftn the clf,jrns <J the ",pre#nlative and thoM of ~r mombon 01 the .!au will OJ>< rat. to the detriment of class membtn. Some federal courts have ",quired the representative'l claims to bt " (0utensive" with the cllims of the dan members.' Courts lOmetimu blur typiCllity wi t h the nQuinment that tht namt>! plaintiff bt an adf Quate reprt sent.lotive of the claM.-

AI&bIm.a aHl on \wk.Illty The leiding Alab'lI1"li aM II Ex pa,te Blire Cross and BiUII Shk/d, 562 So. 2d 469 (Ala. 1 991).l'IIe~, Ihrfl: clus ftpre#'" I.IItivu i1~ged that Blue Cross hid mlint.iintd ill excess con·

tingency rut"'" .. nd uktd for .. n Injunction forcing Blue Cross to distribute that ,_"". The Iri.ll o;ourt ",rt;fltd the dass Ind granted J>l'rtial lum~ry jud8ment. 81 ... Cron SOUiht I writ 01 mandamus, which _ grllllted by the AIabi· m.a S,qmmo Court. Evidtru Ihowtd that the named plaintiff$ hid either not bttn injum! by thr illltgtd excess contingency rtse"" or hid actually ~fitted in rtduad rlIlts. The court rlMutd the (\u.s "'rtifiaotion. finding that thr claims 01 the named plaintiff. wt", not typiaol of the class claims. In Amawn u. First State &mIr 01 Lineville. 369 So. 2d 547 (Ala. ]979)," a d.btor brought a elus action agairut l b."onk alleging fraud and nCnS finance charges. The trial court rtfused class cerlifiaolion iIId the supremo court affirmed this holding on the buis that Ihr named plaintiff no ~r hid ~ indebltdnr:ss 10 thr b<mk, and rtt SOUihI to "'rlify a cLw of thoM who did ~ indebtednw to thr b<mk. In Butkr u. Audioffldto AlIi/min. Inc.. 611 So. 2d 330 (Ala.. 1992), .. plaintiff sought «rtiroaotion <J I class in a "biit and switch" consumor frw<! action. The trial o;ourt tknWd ",rtjfication and the pWntiff appealed, ""uing that I c\u.s iCtion wlS Ipproprille btuuse of the ' pervuivt scheme. " The supreme court affirmed. ",lying on the trial court's "painstalcingly' written or<kr that found thai, in order to establish a violation, each class membtr would hAve to bt questioned to I$Ctrtain why he or she had gone to the ddtndillt" •• tort and

THE Al.IJWotA LAWYER

purchased the item, whether he or she was SIIti,fit<l with the item, whether any injury occurred, etc. Furthermore, certification was preventfd b)' the fact that the atteged mi,representations may have varied from one da.s mtm~r to another. and the plaintiff was SIItisfi ed with her purchase. In Harbor Ins. Co. ". Black":lIlder. 554 So. 2d 329 lAta. 1989). participants in a self·funded insurance plan for employ. ees brought actions alleging fraud in the inducement arising from the failure of the plan. The Alabama Supreme Court affirmed class certification. Allhough fraud cases are not usu· atty cand idates for ct .... certificalion because of the individual. ized nature of communications that may occu r between different cI .... members and a defendant's Tl'presentaliws. not to mention individualized questions of reliance. Ihe Alabama Supreme Court held that the c.. tification in this particular case wa;; not an "'-'use of discretion. finding that the misrepre· sentalions to the cta •• members were the same and were redressable under the same thwry of rew>-... ry.

Ftdenl us .. on typitality Fedenl authorities agree that the major reasons that a plaintiffs claim witt not be typical are (I) .Ianding. and 12) individualized deie", ... An example i. uvint v. Bu g. 19 F.R.[). 95, 97 (S.[).N.Y. 1978). in which the court declined to certify a class because the plainlifffailed to m«t the burden of showing that his claims were typical of the class. Th. roo rt noted specifically that Ihe plaintiff. testimony had been so vague and unclear thaI it was imp(>SSible to assess whether or not the plaintiff would be subject to unique defenses. Another example i, BogII v. Crow-Bright(ln CQ., 96 F.R.[). I, 3 (W.D Okla. 1981) in which an ""mer of a lot in l develop· ment alle~d that the d.veloper made fraudulent repreJ.enta· tions aoout the construction of a clubhouse. Typicality ",as not met because there would nnd 10 be a determination for ewry cla$s m~mber of the statements that were made to them, by ",hom the statements ",ere made and whether the developer had any connKlions with theJ.e ,tale menu. Ther. WOuld also need to be an individuaUzed determination of the extent of relianet. Most federal courts now agree that the t~picality requiremenl: May hav~ independ<!nl significance if it is used to screen out cla$s actiom "'hen the legal Or factual pO<iliom of the representatives are markedly dif. f..ent from that of the other members of the ciao;;. even though common questiom of law or fact are raised" This formulaHon addr..... Ihe danger "that the unique cir· <umstances Or legal thwry will recei\'t inordinate emphasis. and that other claims ",ill not be p ... senl~ with equal vigor Or will go unrep .....,nted.'"" In Seiler v. E. f. Hullon & Co_. 102 F.R.[). 880, 890 (D. NJ. 19841, the court held Ihat typicality had not been met because the defendant brokers in a secur;· ties action had made individual deci.iom on what infonnation to J.end their cli.nu and the repreJ.entations to make to their clients. In Brooks v. Southern &11 Tel. & Tel. Co .. 133 F.R.D. 54. 58 lS .[). Fla. 1990) th e court noted that the United Slates Supreme Court interprets the typicali ty requirement as mean-

THE ALABAMA LAWYER

ing that tt>. named representatives "must be able to establi.h the bulk of the elemenu of each cla$s member's claims when they prove their own claims." Adequacy of rePft"nlation A Irial judg. must view a cI .... representatiw in a fiduciary role. The representative must protect the class members to enable the class mechanism to conclude their claims. If the class representative tacks sufficient knowledge of 1m (acts or claims, has interests adverse or potent;"l\;, adverse to 1m class, or is a meddkr or interloper. the court may ""flY class ctrtification.

Al&buna a.MI on adequacy of ",""","nllti<>n Perhaps tt>. leading Alabama case on this requirement is Ex parte Blue Cross tmd Blut Shitld. 582 So. 2d 469, 476-771Ala. 1991). The Alabama Supreme Court unanimow;ly reV<tTSl!d a class action certification. Among the reasons. the named plaintiff. COIlld not adequately protect the interests of the class sinct the evidence showed that the two named plaintiffs would have a c(lOnia of interest with t~ in the purport~ ciao;;. Comider alsa the recenl Alabama Supreme Court deci,ion in a shareholder derivatiw action in Elgin v. AJfo Co'P_. 598 So. 2d 807 lAla . 1992). There, the Alabama Supreme Courl found that ont of the repre.entative. for the .hareholder derivatiw suit was inadequate. The court noted that the plain· tiff. unfamiliarity with litigation may indicate that he is not an adequate representative and noted that the repreJ.entatiw testified that he knew "virtually nothing about the subject matter of the complaint," that his knowledge of the complaint

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arne from tIIt".-.s mtdla", ttu.t .... tw made hi!; deo;ision to tit ~ plaintiff rrcrtly a w«k bdono tilt depoiition. but tw not SM1 the CXII'I1I'Jbint until tho doy 01 tho drposition iInd tw not rod it II)' lhm

fldenl cuu OIIidtquacy of ~tltion Adto:ruKY 01 rtprtsmt.1ltion hu ~n ~ hotly o;(IRlultd iUUI! in ftdml tuG. first, tlw federal courU IuYe Ion,g held tNt the ITIO$I impOrtlnt factor in det~rmining ~UK)' is ....mther lhe r~pruent.1ltiw an show thaI his interat win Ind him to J)Tooe lhe .1I~gatloru of tlw class ti.~ .. all of the lll~galioru of Ih~ d~$IIllnd whtlh~r his int~Rsts IR in eonniel with the dass." Steond, what comtitut •• an ad.quat~ repRsent.1lli~!S g.n~rany 'o'iewed as I question offact tNt depends on I.... cir. cumst.1lnces 01 nch case. Third. it i. the plaintiffs burdtn to pr(JW; thl.1 the d~" r,preHnt.1lti~ is lKIeQuate." In ~ilion to eumininQ Ihe plaintiff's inttruts. the court win tumint, IITIOrli other thin~, fl) the rtprumlll.livt·, knowItdlt 01 lilt fact.s and invoMmtnt wilh lhe suil. (2) tht ~rtsmt.1ltivt·s romplian« with discoYtry, (3) the rtprtKllt.1llivt·, crtdibility. (4) the rtpr~nt.llivt·. honr..ty and tonK~ntiousntu. (5) the rtprtHnl.li~·1 lawyer', .bilily. upuienct. connktl and tthics, and (6) ..wlilt. other pWnliffs ha~ Ihown an ;nlemt in the litigalion. ~re.rt many ftdtnol castS rtgarding the rtJ)Tt$tnt.1lti~·1 lroe inttruts. An u:ample is Crreleg o. NUt Noval Dutch AirIi~. S5 F.R.D. 697, 700 (S.D.N.Y. 1980) wheR' pasHnger who rduKd 10 settle a claim agaiml the li.line for losl and stoltn baggage was 001 enlilltd 10 certificalion of I class thai

WOlIld indudt pasH,,*,rs who had Sotttled, linc. thert was 00 assurance Ihi! lhe plaintiff woutd '"Vigorously litigite" the quulior.s of filet and law UfI!"o«tISV)I to his individwl dlim, but wmlial to rcaMry lor the ~rI who ~ Sd.11ed.In assessing Dquacy. the cou'" art especially wary of cooHim (e\'tIl potential coonicu) bttwtm lhe rtprtsmlalivt ilOd othtrs in the clost. An ~It oia pottnlw conflict drfating I clost is PkIrou:ski". RoUton Purina Co.. 68 P.R.D. 443. 45253 (M.D.Ca. ]975) ....mrt I fonner customer broughl • clost ",tion 19ainst J rmnuflClurer of Iud products base<.! on ~n alleQ.d illegal tyin8 of fud purchuu to advlncem~nt. of loans. Tht court decHnt<! certification. holding tNt tht plain· tiffs claim W35 nOI typical ~nd that he WM nol an adequate rtpreSotntative, finding that the plaintiff had difftrtnt inte1"e4ts from those of wholesalers. dealer•. growen. ranche .. and farms who had good rtlalionships wilh lhe defendanl. bul who nooetheless wert purporttd rrcmbm oilhe clast. Another key factor in assessillll Mquacy is the clost repre . ....... tiYo·.lackof~and/Qdrof~. An r=npit is i.a:n 0. Berg. 79 f .flO. 95 IS.D.'" V. 1978). There. a plaintiff brought. class Ktion bast<.! upon the Securilies lIId Elu:hangt Act. Tho plaintiff could not rtQ!lthe bets and ciT' cumstances tNt prompted he. acquisition of the stwt:s of the corpor;otion, could not TtQI! conso]ting rtportS and ttslifitd thot 5ht g~ only briei1y Ihl"tll4h the complaint before il was filed. ~ court concludtd Ihlt the plainliff'5 depOsition revealed an "alannillll adversity 10 unearthing facts" and a '"total rtliance" on her counsel. The court nottd that having a quali· fied counsel is not ~"""I!h to satisfy ~ .ctequaq ffiluirt ..... nts.

UNTIL I\(M( nllE CDv1I¥.NIES WERE AEOlJf AS EASY lD CXlMl1\RE. Thtse days. 1 lor oIbdr ....... • daim 00 ~ f..-.cially ....... fkII IOOoIIra. ..bII Wy ~ . . ""'-\...,. ... - - . . . . . . . . . . InIe ........... ol 1'inanc:ioI-..gtb. In foa.!hoy" ofIon miI/oe;td;"IAt M~

v.,. T"1Ik. "'" saw "" ~ tbr

-.ianlizcd clai""1'l)·i",... liIy ..inp for tiIle ,nsur=. Th... , wfly .... aIlc<l 00 ~ IaICd by Swdaod &. Poor's. W• .....-e gi= an A+ _ lilt hi&htso ratl", from S&P in Itw:: lid. inWs!ry ooo:b1c _ atona willi our affilialt and coW>.bwri1<r. Ok! Republic NarioMIlide Insur:n:e COOIl'I"Y. who~.-ed an A+ noina for Itw:: StCQnd ye..in 1 row. A>!; aro1htr 1i1It ....,.... ') ror 1IInr ""'" from SIano:bnl II Poor'L Iflhtydon'l why. Thtnall

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Another aample isEpifano v. Bo'lId'OOm BwiTwsJ Products. fm:.. 130 F.R.D. 29S (S. D.N.Y. 1990). Tlltre. the plaintiffl brought a stCUrititi m.ud lCtion. and tIw court ~ ont of

tIw elm rqIf"tMn~ '"" inadrqu;otr brc.ause of bdo of know\. ~. The ~wM: IQd 00 ilM)/vmornt in the film, of tilt ~l.aint and IQd no ~ of it had not spokm to tilt Itlomt)' lira tilt filing of tilt c:ompIainl. ind had indiwtd a wiUingl"lW 10 Kltle lilt ast if persomlly mIIde whole. The court noted that "In Idditional cmsidention in asswing alit· ~ II lilt Vlttnt of tilt plaintiff'1 inttrtst in the ast in tUTns oflCtivt involvtmtnt and limo ~nt. A plaintiff who il not serio ow.I)o intrrt$led in his o..n liligalion cannot bo n:lied upon to vigorously pursue tilt claims of others." In Ehw U. NolWnwick Corp., 98 F.R.D. 703, 706·07 (S.D. Ohio 19&3). tht ,ou rt concluded that the attorntyl . and not tilt namod plaintiff, wen: lilt "driving foTU" in the litig.t.tion. The court WJS t51)Kiilly conctmtd""'t tilt "unfeltered dis· , n:tion" !hit tilt plaintiff lwl gNm hr. attomq'l (I""h 10$ tilt ritht to hirt new couns.tl. trilol counsel and uport witnwa .,;thout ewn Inlorming hitr)." AnoI:hrr cmsidmlion in determinil\ll tilt idtquKy ol rt~ mtnblion is tilt bitun: ol tho pWntiff 10 COt1IPff whokhitart· edly and fully IlJilh 1M diM.vJwry uquirwnmls. Otht. COUrti considtr that the clus rtpresonlativt·s fock of crrdibifilllo$ an importanl faclor in delerminil\ll tlltir l<kquacy of rtprtKnQtion. In K/im ll. Wolf. 702 F.2d 400, 402·03 (2nd Cir. 1983), tilt distrid court found I.... t the plaintiffs wert vulnerlbl. to KriOll.llttackJ on their credibility and WeTe subjecllo unique dt/eOKl ItYflielll of tilt Ttlt of the class and. therefore, were not adeqmt. repreKnt.>th"". In panzirer II. Wolf, 663 F.2d 365. 367·68 (2nd Cir. 1981) the Second Circuil affirmed denial of dus certification, writing that Ihe clus rtprtHntatiyu "loKk of credibility is abuncbntly clar in tilt n:cord. SIlt no Iw tNn lour ~rsioos of hitr corM:l'SlItion .,;th Iltr broker. [The court tl1m describod thit foor ~rsionsJ. The crtdibilily of a pLaintiff may bo ronsickred by the lrilol iWgt: in dderminina tilt plaintiffs ~ u • clus n:pmontatiw." In WoWing idtquKy. courts ha~ also looIced at ~ raclon iUCh II honuty and cooscientiousnw.. In Kmdfer u. F~dtToled IHporlmenl Siores, Inc., 88 F.R.D. 688, 694 (S.D.N.Y. 19811. lilt court found thai a char~ ICQ)Unl CUI' tomer whoK rtt(Mf)' in. clus action antitTUlI lawsuit would likely fall bolow the amount unpaid on a prior account Wil$ not a proper c\i1$.S r.pn:unlali~, e'pecially ~aust her current charge account might be 5ubject to canceliation baHd on lNCCUTlIte l!atemoots in her i\PPlication. Another key con$ideTlltion for adeQuacy is tilt clus rtpre· Kn!ati~'5 COUOKI. The court will uamine (I) counsel', competence and flperienn, (2) (ounnl', conOid" and (3) couns.tl", fthiQ and lCtionl io thillitiption. It Courts upect couns.tl 10 Xl in a fiduciaJy mit to prOItct the clUl and will uamine tloKly lhit couns.tr, OIOTI potential cooflict 0( interest.-For tlIlI11pit, some astS halll' held !hit it is. cooflict of inttm! for the plaintiff, IUonvy 10 ICttWly be I mtmbtr of the clw. In &xhman rI. PeriJChulr.. 437 F. Supp, 973. 976-77 (D.O.C, 1977) the court ruled that an IttolmY could not bo clus coulISfl whert hi, pellOf"oal inlere$1 il$. dus mtmbtr and u a pfr$Oll pmently employed by the defendant cruled a con·

nict of inttn:st. There an: many CIKS holding that ~I for tilt clus annat also bo i c(Qss represmlQlive brc.ause of tilt inhtn:nl clll5s cooflicl" 1'urthr~, _raI courts hIIIII' staled that a clus rtpn:MntatiYO annat bo allied with the clus ~I or hwt. Wnily n:l.I.tionship with tilt dw Cl)lJmeI." As i eener.ol mattrr. (t,no.,1d be: noted that the etJti<:;;ll c0nduct ol tilt class couOKI is I rtlevant factor to cmsider whm cmsidtring their alltqUiC)'." For imtancf, some courts ha,-e looIced with skepticil.m upon clus counsel wOO soIiciled the dilSS rtprnentalives and, tlltre/on:, soliciled tilt lawsuit. Even lhough such solititation 1NY not viollte the Alabama Rui n of Professional Conduct (provided there wu no in·person ",(iei· lIItion, or direci phone contact and that all solicitations were filed with the slllte bar)"· the court elIn find thai the clau counMl is not an appropriate or ~Ulte dilSS COUnMl." Finally. courts wilt somoli~ consider whtther otlltr mem· bors of the class hIIIII' inlef\l!Md in IUpport of lhit plaintiff in dttermining the pllintiffs .... quacy '"" I (lui n:p~ta~. For instance. one court hils writtm that. "Nont of the puStnt CUIIomtrs of the defendant hIIY! sought 10 inte~ in this Klion e\'efI though it his bftn pendina ,inet &pttmbtr 1973. The couru ...... n:wgniud., II a neaoti~ factor to clUl certification. this bel ol illlertSt in mttril\ll the ~ I .......... Thlft clau twu The plaintiff must s;otiliy tlch of the requirements of Rule 23(0) ond fall wilhin one oflhe elItegoriQ of Rule neb) which itemizes Ihree types of clau aclions:

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MARCH 1994 / 109

Rul.23(1))(11 (b) Cilis Action . Mainbinabl •. An ~ction "",y be main· tained as ~ class action if the prereQuisitts of subdivision (~) are satisfied, and in addition: I. Th. prosecution of separate .ctions by or

agai ~t

indi o

vidual members 0( the class would create a risk of: a. Inconsistent Or varying ~djudication. with r.spect to individual membtrs of th~ class which would tstablish incompatibl•• tandanb of conduct for tho pa~ oppos. ing the class. Or b. AdjudiClitions with resp«t to individual members of the class which would as a practiCliI matter be dispositive of the interest of the other members not parties to the adjudiClitions or substantially impair or impede thoir abili\)' to prottd their intertst; or AWoam. cues on (b)(I) typo <las,

There has only been one Alabama c.ase to discu .. Rule 23(bIUl." In Taylor v. uberIg Nal. Life Ins. Co., 462 So. 2d 907 (Ala. 19M). a plaintiff sued. alleging misrepresentation regarding a burial policy and collat.rally attacking a prior class >ction ~. The prior action did not include individual notice to Taylor as required by Rule 23(b)(3). but not required by Rule 23(b)(1) and Rul. 23(b)(2). Th court analy.od whether certification of the prior action W1luld have be.n proper under Rule Z3(b)(1) or Rule 23(b){2). The court determined that 23(b)( 11 certification would not have been proper: A rule 23(b)( 1) action is proper in cases where the rights of individual cl .... mtmbers would be pr.judicOO if the suit were brought individually Or in ~s in which inconsistent adjudiClItion among the partits might re.ult if the suit were individual rather than class; ... More simp/g. if Ihe relief reqUeslM i$ pre<iominanllg mOntlarg. Ihe action muSI be broughl as a 23(6)(3) suit. . . 23(b)(I) and Ib)(~ classes by their nature are more cohtsive than (b){3) cLw.ts. FtoIen.1 cues on (bj(l) type <las, Rul. 23(b)(l ) actually tstablishes two somewhat unrelated types of claM actions. A Rule 23(b)(I)(A) class action is used for lhe beru!fil ()( lhe defendant whue "thUt is risk of inconsistent resu lts leaving the party opposing the dass in a quandary as to how he should govern himself... "" "'ore mwt

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~ a real risk that separate actions will occur. otherwise thero is not l dangH of the courts fashioning incompatible stan· d~rds. • Furthermore. mo.t federal courts hold that if the threatened inconsistency is the possibility of having to pay money damages to on. and not another. Rule 23(bl(l)(A) is not md (i. • .• 23(b)( II(A) is not appropriate when til<: threat· ened inconsistency is that the ddendant might win one indio vidual damages lawsuil and lose another)." This is especially true whon til<: daM action is brought by COIl$Umtrs with small claims. because the risk of multiple actions is remot • ." Instead, the courts and commentators usually assume that 23(b)(I)(A) das.o;es are only appropriate when the defendant will truly be in a "conflicted position" (i.e .. when different results would impair the defendanfs abili1tto pursue a uni. form. continuing course of conduct). Further. Rule Z3(b)(1)(A) clas.o;.es are los.:! likely to be appropriato when there are more ind ividualized issues. One federal court has sone so far as to suUtst thaI if there are any individualized issues. M Rule 23(b)(I)(A) is inappropriate. The classic example of a Rul. 23(b)(I)(A) class action is where suit is brought agai~t a riparian up-river lan<kMner by a down·river awner. as it would be chaotic to permit various individual la""Suits by different down·river landowners." Rule 23(bHU(A) action. are appropriate where a defending part may be "obliged by law' to treat all similarly. An .xample would be where an action is brought against a municipality to invalidate Or modify a bond issue or asses.o;mont." Note that the Eleventh Circuit and most courts hold that certi fication for Rule 23(b)(l)(A) cases is limitOO to cases seeking injunctive and declaratory relid." A Rule 23(b)(I)(B) c\as.s action requires that the adjudication might be injurious to the contentions of other individuals. I'rttedential effect or stare decisis is not sufficient. but the prejudice nud not ~ as devastating as a defense of res judica· la." According to the notes to the Federal Rules. an example of thi. type of class action is a suit by shareholders to compel a dividend Or recognize preemptive rights. or an action by an indenture trustu to protect the holders of securities." Rule 23(b)Il)(B) c1 ..... e. can be seon as a tYJl" of an interpleader action. that is. where there is a limitOO fund Or a singl. object and many claimants. Rule 23(b)(II(B) is not appropriate. usually. for mass torts. One recont FOO..al district court has written that. "Some have argued that Rule 23(b)(I)(B) should be used for mass accident claims or other circumstances where there i. a pTO$pe<;t of depletion of assets of a defendant by multiple claims for punitive d,}mages. but this appears to have ~en rejtded by most courts"" In fact. courts have been g.nerally hesitant to certii)' any t}"pt of class action for mass tort casts, especially Rule 23(b)(1) class actions that do not allow a plaintiff to opt out."

2. "'e pa~ opposing the dasses acted or refused to act on ground. generally applicable to tho class. thereby making appropriate final injunctive rolid or a corresponding declaratory relief with respect to the class as a whole; or

TH E AU\BAMA LAWYER

Rul. 23{bU21 is lpprop.iate for injunctiw or declulto!')' judgment actions. but in addition the class pl'O!)OTIent must s"-' thlt the otJwr Plrty "1cted 0. refused to act on Qrounds Qenerlily lppliuble to tht ellU." This tr~ of di" wu dni&ned prilT\loriiy to IwIdle to~itutioRlOllnd ciYiI riJlhll arat lnd hu lbo bHn atmsMiy used ~illit jjOY!mmtnlll unill. lor HWilOnmental cwms. lnd fur pottnt d..11T\$. • If the predomil'Wlt relitf SCJUiht is ~. the CWI should not be u rtified uncler Rule 23(bl(2). Beu.use 0( tht notiu MId CWI •equiremenll impoHd on lilt plaintiff in Rule 23(b)(3J. clUl plaintiffs and tlltir counsel somttimes attempt to impTOPt.ly involl. Rule 23(bU21 by including in thei. requuttd .tlid a demand for an injunction or dtclarat(}J), judgment Alablllll eIIK' Oft {bl/2)1).'pe cia.. The 1t1llinQ Alabo.ma tw; di5C\IMing tho diff.renct betwotn {b)(21 MId (bl(31 is TOJ/IOT II. Libert!! National Lik IruuronCl Co.. 462 So.2d 907 (Ala. 1984). discusstd~. The AbNllliI Sup«me Court obJorved t~t the major distinction be\'Nftn (b){2) l/'Id (b)(3) cbuos is tilt notiu .equi .. ment lor (bl{3) cLwH illYOlYin,g monrury relid. The toUrt tmplwiud t~t notice is mandolO<'¥ in (bN3) closs suits, IS 0JII)0Kd to lho discrdloniry notiu diKrdiorwy in (bUll lfld (bl(2) lUi\$. The Abbama Supreme Court Iltld that urtificotion 0( a (hl(2) cia$s involving claims for moneta!')' . elitf without individwol notiu to the clus membtrs amounted to .. dtprivation of tht due proceu rights 04 tho class membtrs. Tho TOillor court found thit, since the dus had bun incorre(tly certi fied under Rule 23(b)t2). the class ;!(tion did not command ff!sju<ikala. The

MEDIATION A

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court noted spttifiully tht the fedt.11 complain t had requested injunctM lind monetal')' relitf. but noted that the firIoI ~lIkmenl 0( tho kilenl tw; was ont primarily il'M)Mng _Ill')' reliri. making tilt equillblt demands .. "1TIfTt hade croatt<l by tho origiRIOlly RIOmed portiu." 1\ WI'1Itt. "Mofe simply, if the relid requested is pRdomiRIOntly monellr)" the action must bt brought IS I 23(b)(3) suit" FeOmd cues on (11){211ypt dl.. Federal castS art unanimous thit I suil sttlling p.edomin~ntly money d~mlOgn should never qualify unde r Rule 23tbj(2j." An example is im/ioow Siole g"'piogees A>soc. u. ftldltmo Siole HighUXlJl Com .• 78 F, R.D. 724. 725 ·26 (S.D. Ind. ]978). The. e. the plaintiffs (state employeu) sought .eimbur$tment of forced politi~1 contributions ~nd d.daratory and injunc\i"" . tlitf. Tho «Klrt .tjeelfd tho pl.aintif!s· nllU' ment thit tllti. clus qUl.lifltd uncle. Rule 23(b](2). sutinQ t~t tilt indiYidwolizt<l OlIturt of tilt clus membtr cLlINge claims "'as such t~t tho damage iuut in tilt C3st would predominate or OYnWhtlm it.suu oIl/H1tnl~. equitable relid. Rult 23(11)(3) 3. The court finds I~t tho questions of law or f;!(t common 10 the mtmbt ... 01 the class prtdominate we. any questions afftdinQ only individ",,1 members. and thaI a class action Is superior to othe r ~vai1able methods for the fair and efficitnt adjudication of the contrwtTlY. Th. matt ers pertinent to the finding. include:

TRAINING

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The inte.. ~t of membeT5 ofth. class in individually controlling the p~cution or deferut of ~parat~ actions;

The extent and nature of any litigation concerning the controversy already commencod by or agaimt membeT5 of the claM;

The deSirability Or undeoirability of concentrating the litigation of the claims in a particular forum;

The difficulljllikely to be encountered in the management of. class action.

court, 'deleat the manageability require ment of the class action:" Fedenl C&HI on (b)(3) Iypf clasl

Rule 23(b)(3) i. primarily a damafl"$ da ... and has been used for actions such as consumer Tights. securities law viola· tiom and antitrust law violatiom. Courts have conside.. d this type of cI"-I$ to be Ius cohesive than (b)(2) and (b)(l) dum and have found that the reasons for d"", certification under (b)(3) are less compelling than the reasons for certification under (b)(l) and (b}(2). Under Rule 23(b)(3l. individual notice i. r~uired to each class member (who can be ddermined with diligent effort). Furthermore. the standards for certification are more stringenl under Rule 23(b)(3). AW:>ama <25e' o n (b)(3) Iypf clas,

No AI.bama case has directly construed Rule 23(b)(3) in determining whether a class action should be certified. Never· thele .... several Alabama C1I5t5 have det~rmined that das~s were not "mana,guble" and therefore. the cI;w.es could not be certifiod. A case illustrating the "unmanageable" factor is Buller v. AlldiQIVideQ Affiliate:>, Inc.. 611 So. 2d 330 (Ala. 1992), involving allegations of bait and switch consumer fraud by a department store. The trial court rejected class certification and the Alabama Supreme Court affirmed, having aoalyud the proposed class under the standards of Rule 23(b)( I). A ~cond major Alabama C1I5e di5<:ussing the "unmanage· able" factor is Marshal! Duroin & Co. v. Jasper Utilities Board. 437 So. 2d 101 4 (Ala. 1983). There. the Alabama Supreme Court found that a elM' was not proper beCitUU approximately 28 percent of the proposed clM' would be .ubjoct to compulwry counterclaims for delinquent gas ~Mce accounts. mean· ing the cI .... woul d not be "manageable". The court noUd that "each of the~ accounts would be subject to dden .... which would complicate the litigation and. in the words of the trial

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Rul e 23(b)(3) is intended for claM actiom inwlving .mall claim •. oft.n comumer claim •. ~ Rule 23(b)(3) lists two requir~met1IS for class actions: (I ) common questions predominate. and (2) the cI .... action " superior to other methods. It alw 1"15 four factors (not intended to be exhaustive) to be analyUd; ( I) individual interest in controlling litigation, (2) other ongoing litigation, (3) d.sirabililjl of concentrating litigation in thi. forum, and (4) the manageability of the potential class action. The first "'qui .. ment is common que:>liom must prroominate. Whil . this ,tandard ha.o; never been quantir.ed. it i. not sufficient that common questions merely exist. The cases in which courts ha~ refused to certify c\M' actiom under the predomination ",quirt ment often involve a potential for ~pa rat. adjudicatio,," of each claM m.mber·, claim or d.f...... or where thue are compulsory counterclaims. An example is Estalt of Reml~V v. Amoro Production Co .. 100 F.R.D. 419. 421 (S.D. Tell. 1983). There. a class of oilleloWrs was not certifi. d in an action against a cOmmOn lessee when each lease. beCitU~ of unique qualities. drained in a different manner and .t a different rat•. Thus. although lessors might show that the I . .... ,y,t.matically drained each fi.ld. each would be required to prove individual injury. Another uample is Wilcox Dtv. Co. v. Hrstlnttrslalt Bank. NA. 97 .'.R.O. 440, 446-47 (0 , Oregon 1983), There. the plaintiff. alleg.d that a bank and its holding company bnached their contract by charging plaintiffs an interest rate that was higher than the bank's lo:rw· est rate. The court found that this was not a proper (b)(3) class becau~ questiom of clas-s memb..ship involving each d;w; member', knowledge of the "prime rat." predominat.d. A third example is Schmidt v. InterstQte Federal Savings & Loon Association. 74 .·.R.O. 423. 428·29 (D.O.C. 1977). There. a fedeTal court refused to certify a class of plaintiff home mort · gagors. Thes. plaintiffs wer t located in th e District of Columbia. Maryland and Virginia. The court held that it would be necessary to apply three ~parate and possibly locomistent bodi.. o/Iaw to tho breach of a contract and unjust .nrieh, ment claims. BeCitU~ ( I ) the presentation of the claims on • clM' basil was unduly complicated, and (2) the case would rai~ many question. of law that were neith. r common nor predominate throughout the clas.s, class certification was denied. Note that there.re several cases finding a lack of pre· domination because of the pre~oce of multiple states' laWl," Compulwl')' counten:laims ",m also lead to a finding of no pre· dominotion.An uample of common questiol15 predominating is ROperv. Consurve, Inc.. 578 F.2d 1106. 1113 (5th Ci r. 1978). There. credit Citrd holders brought a clM' action against a national bank, alleging that cr~dit Citrd chargu "" .. usurious under Mis.sissippi law. The plaintiff. argu.d that the individual fact determinations could be reached by using objecti~ cTit. ria and the assiltan« of a computer. The next requir~ment il that a class action musl be superior to other available methods. Thi' analysis is designed to

THE ALABAMA LAWYER

ddennir.e whether the objectives of the class action procedure will be served by this analysis. and should involve a weighing of the advantages and disadvanuges of claM treatrn<nt as "",II il$ possible alternatives (such as joinder. intervention. joint discovel)'. administrative treatmen\' and test cases)." In examining the merits of class treatment. the courts have relied heavily on the four factors listed in Rule 23(b}(3). An example is Parker v. c-y., 7'/wmpsQn FOflt Inc. , 83 F.R.D. 378. 381..s2 (N.D. Ga. 1979J.the court ruled that the class action failed the superiority requirement when dass certification would result in a relatiwly small TeCCIYe1'Y for individual class members while exposing the defendant to large ildministrati"l: C05ts and requiring substan· tial amounl$ of court time for supervi5iQn of the actiQn. The first factor under Rule 23(b)(3) is the interest of individ· uals in amtrolling their own suits. Cases that find that this factor has not been satisfied usuall~ invol"e larger claims." An<:>tMr .ituation in which a party l1\IIy haw a .trong interest and individual control of the litigation is when there .re ani· mosities within the class.Another cQIISi1itration in determining the interest of indio viduals in controlling their QWn suits i. the possibility of coun· terclaims ~in>t them. In Carter u. Public F'inancf! eo,." .. 73 F.R.D.4S6 (N.D. Ala. 19n). the court refused to certify a dass action lor possible violation. of the Truth.in·Ltnding law. The court determintd that 85 of the potential 383 class members were in default. that the defendant had pOtential counter· claims against each of these class members and that such counterclaims were compulsol)'. The court noted that these members coold find themselves exposed to greater liability for the counterclaims than thty could ewr hop" to ruover in the class action and. therefore. probably would newr have chosen to bring individual actions. The court. therefore. cGncluded that the 'Up"riGrity requiremt"nt had nGt been mel and that there was a likelihood that large numbers 01 the class memo bers would ~ tG opt out of the class. Finally. the court held that there would not be a predomination of commGn questiGn> bealuse of the numerous counterclaims and also noted the admini.tratiw difficulty impO$ed by .uch counterclaims. The secrmd foclor listed wi thin Rule 23(b)(3)(b) i. the "extent and natu~ of any litigation concerning the cont_ sg alreodg rommem:ed bg or against members of the class. " The third factor is the "desira6i1ilg or /iJUksiraMlitg of con· centrating the litigation in om forum.· Wright. Miller and Kant write regarding this f~ctor that: First. a court must evaluate whether allowing a Rule action to proceed will prevent the duplication of effort

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and the pOssibility of incon.ist~nt re.ults. Indud, in defendant clas$ action •• it has b.en .uggested that clau.e (b)(3)(c ) instruct.. the court to take into account the impOrtance of protecting defendants from being subjected to "the expensive ordeal of continually having to d~rnonstrate their innocence at trial." In !his regard. the third factGr is closely related to the second cGosideration enumerated in Rule 23(b)(3) _ the utent to which other actions have been instituted. The other coru;i&ration a district court must take acCOl.lnt of under subdivision (b)(3)(c) is whether the forum chosen fGr the class action represent.. an apprOpriate place to .. ttlt the controversy. given the location of interested parties. the availability of witnesses and evi&nce. and the conditiGn of the court's calen· dar. The analysis is similar to that used in deciding a tram/.r of venue question under Section 1404(a) of Title 28." The f()Urth factor is the difficulty to be encountered in the of the class action. Thi. factor is closely related to the superiGrity detennination. Sewral f.derallawsuil$ haw found that propOsed class actions under Rute 23(b)(3} wert unmanageable and, therdGre, should be dismissed. A leading case is Eisen u. Carlist. & JdCq!J.~lin. 479 F.2d 1005. 1010·11, 1017 (2nd Cir. 1973). There. a class action was brought forodd lot inve.tors. The court held that lhe only way that the dass action would be manageable was (1) to give less than individu· al notice to all identifiable claSli members. (2) tG have the defendant share the cost of the notice. and (3) to provide IGr a nuid class recavery" instead of individualized relief: therefore. the court dismissed the action because it was unmanageable - Rule 23 provides fGr none of the .. procedures." In deciding the manageability QuestiGn, federal courts ha"l: also sometimes considered the counterclaim. Gf the dden· dants," rntmQge!l!f!tI.t

Con~lu.lon

Although our trial courts are given discretion in molding class actiGn suits. certificatiGn of such actions should nOI occur in the mall)' case. that do not satisfy the fundamental requirement.. of Rule 23(a). Additionally, factors involved in deciding the type of class under Rule 23(b} may tither operate again.t certification Gr in favor Gf restricted or cGnditionat certification. The trial judge mu.t carefully avoid the occa· .ional temptation to grant class certification based ,imply on broad allegations and willing class representatives and attorneys. and instead carefully serutini.e the purported class and the named plaintiffs' claims under the Rule 23 guideline •. Tht nut article in a future issue of Th. AlolN1ma Lowger will fGCUS Gn issues of venue and jurisdiction. pretrial motions. statute. of limitations, diSCOYeI'}'. certificatiGn l)ear· inS" notice. appeals ... ttI~ment. and attorneys fees in Alaba· ma class actions. Endnot ••

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11 41MARCtll99(

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ALABAMA STATE BAR ANNUAL MEETING July 18-21 PerdIdo Beach Resort • Orange Beach, Alabama

rI.,.

.0,1."""0......

THE ALABA.'1A u\WYER

and It ..., ,....",otIOII lena. _III •• In HI_

.011 SOOIl.

MARCH 1994 f il S

DISCIPLINARY REPORT luapenslon • On Octobe r 26. 1993. tht Supreme Court of Alabama

utablished 1I patttrn of wltlfull~ neglecting legat matt en entrusted to him. [ASII No. 92·552)

,\llpended 8usemtr attorney JCllln H. McEniry, III fo r I period of Sil months, tffectivt lhlt date. McEnil'l' wu ro taintd by I el itn! from St. Louis, Miuouri to rtd.em I hol,lse in BtIMme., which had been lOld f(lf delinquent wo. McEniry was origi.wly rrui~ on or about JanWl'l' 6, 1990. &Iwun that tim. Ind the limt of his discN.r,. on MIl' 7. 1992. McEniry look virtu"Uy no action on the

mailer. H. lIad been ~id I retainer of $425 at tht time his retention and had uu,,,,d I check kiT tht delinquent \lXU. Tht cli.n! hi r~d couns.1 in St. Louis in an attempl \0 gtt somt communication from McEniry. Aflu h. WlS fi red. McEniry rdurned the check h. nad betn Hnt i ynr

u r licr lor the delinquent tun. It WiS unntgntiittd.

,.ievanc.

McEniry flil.d 10 rtopond 10 the or answu tIw for· mlll chugu filed lIgainst him by Ihe b.... A ddllul t wu entered lIglinst him on tIM: meritl. He did not "p~u It II hellring to determine discipl ine. Mc[niry's prior discipline

Public Reprtm.nd • Montgomery lttomry J ohn A. Taber ftaived " public reprimwd without ~ne ...1 publiation on &pternbtr 17. 1993. Taber filed II products liability cur lOgIinst Allis Chllmm lIrisin, from II work.rtll1ttd injury. Aft.. tIM: I.o.wsuit was fiI~, Taber was ;wIv;K<i that Allis Ctwmers lad filed .. petition in bmkruptcy. Therufter. Tabtr decided that the products liibili · ty d,lim I>ad no merit md theftfor. did not iii..... ith u..: prod· uct liability tm,tN! for Alii, Chilmen with the result thit the lawsuit was dismisstd. Throughout the representation. Taber flliled to lIIItquatdy rommun;(.lle with u..: di.nt, iIOII, speeill. (.lIly, toiled to inform the client thlot thr dirnt had no mtritorioous dum against thr Allis ChaJmtn Product LYbility Trust. Taber plud guilty to II vioilltion of Rule 1.4 (1) for failin, to keep the client fully infoolTOld ~ming the status 011 1$1 mIOtler.IASS No. 92· I65J •

NOTICE OF SUBROGATION Do you represent a client who has received medical benefits, lost wages, counseling, or funeral or burial assistance from the Alabama Crime Victims Compensation Commission? When your client applied for compensation benefits, he/she signed a subrogation agreement pursuant to Code ofAlabama, 1975, Section 15·23· 1, et. seq. The attorney who has filed suit on behalf of a crime victim should give notice to the Alabama Crime Victims Compensation Commission upon fili ng a claim on behalf of the recipient. If notice is given, attorney fees may be awarded in an amount not to exceed 15 percent of the amount subrogated to the Commission.

If you have any questions, contact Anita Drummond or Sara Myers at the Alabama Crime Victims Compensation Commission, (205) 242-4007.

116lHARCH ]994

LEGISLATIVE

WRAP-Up

By ROBERT L. McCURLEY, JR.

1994 Regular Session o""r 1.000 bill$ ha"" b«n introduced in the LegislatuT •. However, the only topic that is making the n~ is .du~ tion reform and il5 accompanying tax ~form.

There are numerOuS items that

laW)'eu should be aware of. many of which rould paM. Any I",,~r ha>'ing a concern with the legislation IfII'ntioned should contact thei r state unator or state repm;entati»e to voice the;, ,U~ port Or oppOsition.

chang.. in the Uniform Parentage Act are ma<le in ano\h.. bill. Also pending is a bill that allO\llS a withholding order to be terminated when t he children reach majori~ by the payor parenfs fiI· ing of an affidavit. The terminat ion order becomes effective unless t he other SpOUse objects within 20 days. Several bills are pending that WQuld

a• • _

1I"ille. In January, the supreme court removed the maximum numb.. of times a pe r son could sit for the bar

.xam. [n response, the ugislature Ius before it • gtneral act and a constitutional amendment, both of which limit to five the numbe r of timu one may

take the bar. Thtr.;'; also pending a bill to place twn district judges on IN Court of the Judicia· ry and the Judiciallnquil}' Commi$sion. The Adminjstrati~ Office nf Courts has a bill to regul.te court-appointed attorntjlS by establishing statewid. proadures promulgated from AOC.

Bu. I,.. • • MPnluotlon . Pending is tilt Law Institute·s revi5M Rusin,," Corporation Acl based on the Model Busines.!; Corporation ACI. See May 1993Aloooma Louvr. A bililhal propOSes a cornprehonsive schemt I.'i regulation and pOlicing I.'i char_ itable funds solicitation is also pending. F. mlly I."", A bill has been inlroduced that estab· Ii.h.s that a judge must award joint custody in ewry case except for 1'lIft" cir· cumstances and that a \3·year-old child determines who will be his Or her cus· todial parent. Another bill provides that paternity cases may be relitig.:otoo e""n after a final judgment when there is new scientific evidence thai u cludes the legal fath.r. Several significant THE ALABAMA lAWYER

allow the pft"sent valu. of retirement pension benerots to be included in the sj'X)USa1 estate and subject \0 a property sdtlement. Crimi...... "",. Several bills are pending that would add to the list of offense; that constitute capital punishment. and require life ...ith· out parolo for tho6e who commit a simi· lar offense twice regardless of the degree I.'i the felony. Thore is incr~ punish· ment for: hate crimes; crimes against ju~ and court perwnnel. young pe0ple. and the elderly; and sexual abuse. Anothtr bill excludes from youthful offender 5latw anyone 16 ~rs of age Or older who commit> violont crimes. Last ~ar. the bail system was Wii5M. Ponding again by the same sponsor is another bail reform bill. Several bills have betn introduced concerning handguns. One bill restricts handguns from schools. Another bill

allows cities to regulate handguns. whil. a third bill provides for increased punishment for the use of handguns. DrIving I."",.

Al so pending are bills to reduce the amount of the alcohol content in the blood for presumption of driving under the influence from .10 to .08. One bill allows the director of Publk Safety to revoke 3 dri'"!!r's license upon an <lrre:!t for DUi. in one bill a fourth DUI will be a f(loO}'. Another bill pr""id" that an .rrtst for driving with a revokoo license will caulot a forfeiture of the vehicle. Another proposed bill will require 3 new t.ag every time a car is sold. New boating laws aTe pending that would require a license to ope rate a boat and restrict drivers to those 14 years of age and older. Further. there is a propo$/ll for a DUl law for boat opera_ tors similar to the vehicular DUllaw. In one bill <I person who subleases a l(awI car will be deemed to ha"" corn· mitted a crime.

Aeal •• t. t. One bill requir(s the address of the grantee to be on the d.ed. while anoth· er requires the grantor. grantee o r attorney to certify 011 the deed as to the actual value of the property conveyed. Still another bill makes it a crime not to satisfy a lien. Li. billty Bills art pending to provide immuni_

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ty from civil suits against all peace officers. architect.s. engin~rs and build.!rs. Much of the legislation that passes this year will probably come in the l;l.lt few days due to the priority given to education rd01lll. The Legislature is not expected to adjourn until Monday, April 25, 1994. However, it will be approximately September before pOCket part> to the QJde 01 Alol>ama will be available . Nevertheless, copies of these bills can be obtaintd by contacting the ucrdal)' of the Senate OT clerk of House.

New deen

1'ht Institute is !loused at the University of Alabama School of Law. Upon Dean Nat Haruford's retiroment, ProI•• SOT Ken Randall was appointed tile new <lean.. Dean RandaJl joined the faculty in 1985 after practicing law on Walt Stree!. He has a l.S.D. and LL.M. from Columbia and a itCOnd t.l..M. from Yale. His specialty is intemationallaw. POT lurth.. information. contact Bob McCurley, Alabama Law Institute, P.O. !lox 1425, Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35486, or call (205) 34S_7411: fax (205) 3488411. •

Beginning Monday, January 31 , 1994, The Law Library's New Hours Are: Monday·Frlday 8:00 A.M. · 8:00 P.M.! Saturday 9:00 A.M .• 5:00 P.M.! Information on hours and services, call (205) 242-4347. General legal information, and Information about cases call Reference @(205) 242-4957.* Information about the coiiection and photocopies call Circulation and Document Delivery @ (205) 242-4953. Outside Montgomery, call toll free 1-800-236-4069 To telefax dial (205) 242-4484 • The Law Library staff Is prohibited by law from giving legal advice.

118/MARCH 1994

THE Al.'.BAMA

~WYER

NOTICE OF ELECTION Notice is givtn htre'oO'ilh pursuanllo the Alabamll Slote Bar Rules Got.>I!ming Elff:lion of President.elect

ami CommWionet:

COMMISSIONERS Bar

to mmi ~5ione rs

will be elected by those

lawytrs with their principal offices in the following circuits: 2nd; 4th; 6th, place no. 2; 9th; 10th,

placts 00. I. no. 2. 00. 5, no. 8, 00. 9: 12th: 13th. plate no. 2; 15th, place 00. 2; 16th; 20th; 23rd, plitt no. 2; 24th; 27th; 29th; 38th: and 39th. Addi tional commiuiooers will be elected in that cir-

cuil.$ for uc;h JO() members of the state boor with principal offices therein. The MW commiuiOl'ltr posiliolU will be detumined by a ceru;m on Marth I. 1994 and vacancies certified by the 5tCretary on Ma rth 15, 1994.

The terms of any incumbent commissioners are

All subsequent terms will be for Ihret years. Nominations may be made by petition bearing

the signatures of five members in good standing with principal officu in ttlt circuit in which the tltdion ....ill be held or by the candidate's written declaration of candicbcy, Eilher must bt rtttivtd by the secretaI)' no later than 5 p.m. on the last

Friday in April (April 30. 1994). Ballots will Ix pupaml and mailed to mrmbtTl bttw«n May 15 and June I, 1994. Ballots must Ix \/CIted and returnrd by 5 p.m. on the .second TUes· day in June (June 14. 1994) to state bar headQuar· ters.

relaine..!,

Dear Alabama State Bar Member/Spouse, The Alabama Judicial Department is no...' in its new building. Requests 10 see the Judicial Building and learn about Alabama's Judicial process are at an ail·lime high. Here is why I am lI.'rilinglo )'Ou. We have established a successful Docent Program composed of spouses of the justices and judges, members of the bar. stale employees and relirees. Unfortunately, we do not have eooullh volunteers to co,'er our busy tour schedule, We are looking for capable, informed people to gh'e us a hand in educating Alabama's citizens about our judicial process. People such as you, who are already im'olved in the judicial s)'Stem, can offer so much to the sctlool children and adults who visit. We would be delighted 10 have )'Our participation. Many of our docents volunteer four hours one to ,,",'0 days a wuk: howt\'er, we can arrange the schedule 10 accommodate )'Ou. If )·ou are interested. please contact me as soon as possible so that I can provide )"Ou with Ihe training and materials necessary. Phone: 242-4349 or lI.'1'ite: Mr. Bob Warren Tour Coordinator Judicial Building - 300 Dexter Avenue Montgomery. Alabama 36104-3741

MARCH 1994 / 11 9

RECENT DECISIONS By DAVID B. BYRNE, JR. and WILBUR G. SIUJERMAN f"iture lxu.USf' civil forf"ilure

UNITED STATES

"~tl400a" .. nt

SUPREME COURT lit mn forio:lture of rnI "Ilk reqllbu DCItice ..... ~ United Slates v. Good Rtal t>ror-16. ~ No. 92-1180 (Deafnb(r 13. 1993),

Must ~mmtnt .n(5, abwnt SOITl( uigtnt circumsunu, notify rtal HUitt ownm and lIrord them 1I btIort Kizing pn.>perty urmr civillorleilurtl TM Supreme Court. in 1I fivt to four decision. ans'\Wred )ti. TM Suprtmt Court', decision in this

tho,.

hurl...,

""",,Iimitt<! 1I ~ wupon in theWJf on drugs. JUSli« KtMtdy held, inl", mid:

Altllough Cong.ns dol,ned the drug I'ontiture statute to be a powe r ful instrument in enforcement of the drug lam, il did not intend to depriw ;nl'l()etn! owroers oIlhtir proptrty. Continuin£, JUSlice Ktnllfdy nottd: the right to maint.l.in control ~r lorw'I]~. and to be free frum IiOYm'menbl inlerltrtn«, is 1I pri,.. lt inlnu! of hi$loric

ilnd continuing imporUnol: thlol demands due pTOCHI befOR II em be stripprd~. The pOIia found d"'lll and d"'ll pm. phemalii in Cood'i home. Good pI9ded guilty to prornotina:" harmful drua in vioblion 01 H.a.....ii ~. M~ tNn lour yU.B lalU. the United SUtes filtd an in I\'dI action _king eMl forieituft 0( the ~and Land under?1 Us.c. 881W(7). on tho truund tho! the ~rty ~ IIftn used to corrunit or IKiliwe th! /;IlfTImi$. Wn 01 a iedenl dl'Ull oIfmK. A Us. Mi&ilt.ate Jud8", in an u: parle hurin8, issued a warnnt authorizing th! ~r' ty's Hirure, and the !iOWmment Hiud thor property ...ithout prior notiu to Good and without an advtrwy hwifli. Good 5QUght tilt mum 01 th!: property arguin8 that he had betn dep.ivtd 01 it without due p. ocess. The government argued that compliance with the Fourth Amendmtnt .umen when the govern, ment HiR> property lor PUI")lOHS 01 for,

120 !MARCH 1994

.5I:fVU

PUfJlOSl'".

The Supreme Court. through Justice Kennedy, rejected that ugumtnl, KknowIedging that thor Fourth Arnmd· ment doeo pba rutrictions on Hinlm conducted for purposes 01 civil forfeiture, but ttated that th!: Fourth Ameud" .. nt is not the solt oorutitutiorW proYiJion in quut i(ln WMn tM SOWrn"",nl Hius property subject to forfeiture. The Justius re~ that both !hot Fourth and Fifth amendment.. _re impliC<lled and that the prtI!)t. question _ no! which amendment controlled. but whether t ilht. _ violated. ~ Court <;I.lllCluded that it would 101· erate nceptions to the general .ult requiring pre · de privation notice and hearing only in txtrao.dinal')' situation:! in which somt valid govtmmenW inter· est is at stalle that justifies postponing the hwing until aIte.!hot event. Signifi· unt\)'o thor Supreme Court held that the Hizure 01 nil p1"QIItrty under ISSI (1)(7) is not on, of Ihou exlraordina rv instances; unless uigenl cirrumstlmOtS art pres,nl, Ihe du, pro«st ,tQUS' mquires lhe gawmmmi 10 <ZffonJ noti« Qnd a meaningful opporlunillllO IH hNrd Wrn ~ rwrI prr.f)erl1l subj«t 10 dvillwftiture.

Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals ,,"",ltCulor'. comment on c1efenobnt'. Iiktw:e __t1t\l1a; ptaln ....,.. 1'rJt«{1 ... $IQ/,. CaH No. CR-91-152Z {Se ptember 30. 1993). In 1987, Powtll wu convicted of the capital offenH of muRk. duri", !hot CQfTIrT\iMion 01. a robbel')' and muRkr during the comrnWion 01., buralal')'. He _ Hntenad to d&lh.. On dinct Ippeal. the AIWma Court of Criminll Appub '~THd Po-..'tli"s conviction based on the pms«ution·. discriminato ry u.~ of ptromplory challenges in violation of BtzISOl'l V. Kim· tue/CV, 476 U.S. 79. In 1991. Powell _ retried and found guilt}' on both counts

,I.

of Ih~ indictment and wu once I,.'n unttneed to death. In In opinion iuthored by Judge Bowm, lhe court 01 criminal iWtils found p~in tlTO!" lind m'tJMd and mtIlIldnIlor i new I ..... During the closinQ 'r&!umtnt II lilt guilt pIwt, the district lIIlomty iIated: "Anothtr couple of qouestioos that yall _ ~ ibout Iduro 'na wir dirt tuminationJ has 10 do with dinct lind circunulin· tiaI ~. '{'all probibIy have lIitht.ed th'()!JQh li,teninQ to HYtfiII days of ttstimony in thi$ caH that thtrt _re two people involV1'd in the commi .. ion of this crimt. The victim. E,lher He . chen . oeder, II dud. She unno! comt in iInd tntify. "Tht H(and ~ ,!(In inYOlvtd is the defendant. Timoth~ Powell. Tlltre art no ~tnuses to this crime. There two ptapie involved. So whit do ~Ou have to look it if )'OIl don't have ~1nW testimony? You haw !lOt to lID on circumstantial evi" dence." (R. 19n.) 111m was no objection by tht oieftnH counstl to this IfiUmmL IioweYer,ln I death penalty QK, the 0JI.lrt of criminal "I'I'fals is no! fom:loHd fnm rnritwi"ll !hot mtirt record lor "plain trror." Pmiding J~ 80wm concluded that the prostcu to", comment advuHly afft'Ckcll't)woll', sut.bntilol rill/lt not to be comptlltd to giV1' evidtnce llIinst himstlf. A/Q. Corut.. Article I. Stction 6: 5« iboAIrL ~ (1975), t 12·21 ·220: If the dlstrid IltomtylTllke$ any c0mment cooctming the de~ndant'l tailurt to talify. a new trial must be IIf311ted on motion filed within 30 days fnm tnll')' of the judgmtnt In .eviewing the prostcutor', com· ment., the Allil<olN Court of Crimillil ,\ppta1J followed the "ptr.5l:" lint of casn ...ith the followina iodmonilion: In I o:aH whtre!hotrt has betn a di.ect rdtnnce to a ddendanfs f~ilu.e to testify and the trill court has not ICted

_.t

THE AUllAMA LAWVER

promptly to CUI'! tNt commt11L

the conviction must be

r~rHd.

lIltim.lt(ly. tM lPP(ILit( court could

not agpr tM conclusion that the prosecutor'i ili\(mmt ...... mlllifut]y initnd· rd to be. 0<' wu 01 $UCh d!.J.l'lIct~r thiol the jury would nlIturlllly and necwarily ~ it to be, I comrntrn on the ~Iurt d the KCUKd to tntify." Set &'ptnte !til· son. 571 So.2d at 1261. quolm,g fofarIlkn v. MOOtY. 847 F.2d 1536. 1547 (11th Cir. 1987), cerl. denied, 488 U.S. 983 (1988).

Bankruptcy Decisions

..-

Sixt h Circuit ruin ban knlpt(:)l «jurt III.IIY JIOI modify a1111iOC1)1. maintmanat

h0r Fi/:gerald .,. John P. FillgerTJ/d. In rY John P. Fil~flVGld. No. 92-6520 (Nov. 10, 1993). 9 F.3d SI7_Prtviously. SiIth Cin:uil J~ Comelill Kenoojy in Long~. C4/houn, 71S F.2d 1103 (1983) held thiol b.vIkruptcy courUu£ em"""" n ed to oonsider the prestnt needs of parI its In deciding whether an obliga· tion is in the nlIture of al imony. support or IOlIln lenlntt. but thaI the ttsl WlS limited to $itw.tions where the n.atUR of the ooliSition wlS unclur. In F'i/zger. 'lId. tht partin, who divorced lifter II )'tilTS, IIIITftd thlt Pf;YRItIlIl to the wife Wert for her $uppOrt unlil dea l h Or re mlrr ia,e . Howtver. her tlminss incnliKd from SI ,Soo to S2 .5OO per month, and the dtbtor·h...twld ortued thlt she no ~r required suwort. An lWtliI wu tlihn from th( bankruptcy tOlIrt diKhariinl: the ongoini require· mtnts. U Wfll u $90.2500 in bac k sup· port . Both tht district court and Si~th Circuit r(ViirRd. Judge Kt nn.dy held that the · pruent needs" tnl il used only when 1M diY(lfCe court dtc:rft does not make plain the n.alure dthe obligl· tion, but when it is cklr and undispulrd ilIimony or suwort, Conarw tw deter· mined that luch "",yomnll C/inno! be discN.~.

COOl Ol t llt! In J Maine I>.ankruptcy """ich there Wo1I an obligation for the debtor to contribute to /Iii dlildrtn'i coIle~ fd\Ql ion. the court hold such to be non..!iscN.rtW>lt on the iheof}' that oolltit tducatlon wu nwltial beClU~ both plrtntl wert college educaled. (Wonm u. ",,,mn) Nw. 4.1993. caM'. in

THE AU.BAMA U.WVER

Toxic tor1 1IIlgation JIOI a1100ftd 10 cor· rode jud&mml: bukrupky iud# annot .lIy mfo, c.",,,,1 M :Ie. . bond £dwQrds ~, Armstrong ",orfd I~ IriG, 24 B.C.O. I«S: 6 F.3d 312, (51h Cir. 1993). In III asbestOi poisoning ase. plaintiff obllin(d jud gme nllglinst debto r. Debtor obUointd a superwdeu bond to It.ly tuaJtion while a.ppuI Wo1I pending. Alter losinS the appeal. debtor filed for Chapler II. Under Section 105(11). the bankruptcy cou rt stayed execution o>ga.ilut Ikbtor. whith stay applird to the enforcement of tht lu ptrudu •. On IPflUl. the Fifth Ci rcuit held tllat Sec· tion 362(a) 01 the &nkruplcy Code did not apply to tM JUrrty.--(lpon Io6ing the

01'01"'.

appal. it bea.me Ii Hpal'llte and individ· ual cut. and th.at Stction 105(11) did not aM the b.vIkruptey court lIuthority <MT ustU not property d the tstate. BaAknapicy Court ""'11tttP1 b tt rIled complaint If cndItor ...tIu on hanbupt. cy court', , •.coo oed dtadlinot In rr Thtml/. 6 F.3d 688 (1 0th Cir.

19'm. The bankruptcy cou rt. on • petition filed Stpttmber 17. 1990. Ht the Section 341 mnting for October 22 , 1990 and in the noti~ namtd INctmber 21, 1990 as dQIIlint for obj«tinl: to di$c~ or to txttpt II dtbt from disdwlJI:. Aft.r a con· tinued Stction 3041 meeting, the court smt iIIlOIher nota KIting Ftbruaty 15.

The current term of the office of United States Magistrate Judge John L Carroll is due to ellpire on Novembe r 24. 1994. The United Statts District Court is considering the reappoint· ment of the incumbent magistrate judge and is required by law to establish a panel of citizens to consider the reappoint· ment of the incumbent magistrate judge to a new teml of office. The duties of the magistrate judge position are demanding and ..... ide·ranging and will include: (I) conduct of most pre· liminary proceedings in criminal cases: (2) lrial and disposition of misdemeanor cases; (3) conduct of lIarious pretrial matters and evidentiary proceedings on delegation (rom the judgu of the district court: (4) trial and disposition of cillil cases upon consent of the litigants; and (5) examination and recommendation to the judges of the district C('' 'I !'! in regard to prisoner petitions and claims for Social Security benefits, Comments from membe rs of the bar and the public are invito ed and should be directed to: Hon. Solomon S. Seay. Jr. Chainnan, Merit Seledion Panel c/o Thomas C. Ca\'er. Clerk United Statts District Court P,Q. Box71 1 Montgomery. Al 36101·07 1I

Comments shQuld be receit'ed 1'10 later tharl Jurre 15. 1994.

MARCH 1994 / 121

TAKE

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122lMARCH 1994

"",

THE AI.J.8AMA lAWYER

1991 as the deadline . When a creditor filed complaint on february 14, 1991. the debtor moved to dismiu because the deadline unde r Rules 4oo4(a) and 400 7(c} had been ucuded. The bankru ptcy court and district court held that the ban kr uptcy court had authority to correct its own uror. and ruled for the creditor. The Tenth Cir· cuit affirmed. stating that a court has inherent po'I'o.. r to correct ill; own mis· take; that a creditor should be entitled to rel y On a court'. own orders; and . further. thalli U.S.C. fIGS(a} gives the ban kruptcy court the power to prevent an abUK of process. Inl ider guanntor' . hopolul lo ... twocy dots not conltaute In ««ption to DePrizifJ Rule .. f III .. wlol one·yo.. period prKCding bankruptcy to determine prefertnct In re Robinson Bros. Drilling, Inc•• 6 F.3rd701(1OthCir.I993} The insider guarantor had a negalive net worth of $96 million. The alleged preference payment reduced the liabili· ty only $175,000, No nethelus, the Tenth Ci rcui l held Ih al the be nefit requirement of 547(b)(l}(b) and 547(4)(B) is satisfied when there is a "Quantifiable monetary reduction" in the guarantor's financial liability to a Ihird party. Com mont: In this caK, which defi. nitely affinned DePrizio. One small bit of comfort for lenders may e~ist in die· turn by the court. when it opined lhat Da_I.

• .,...., Jr. Qo.\c! 8 . &,tnt... . .

11'-..... --.

..."."'-"~-'rIio

-<>,_ . ". ."....

~., WI_.O.

-----. .. _-... 80mov" ,,,,,,,or Woggft & Ct!IQo, ••

ootr_ .... __ ootr

.. ,..._from ....

--..... -..,.".~-'" ' - ....

THE AlABAMA LAWYER

there may be the pos.ib ility of a pre· p<!tition transfer of property 50 valueless u to render the preference provision i!\ilpposile. Ntn though it did not apply to the fact5 of this case (sn page. 703, 704). However. it appears reasonably certain that the bankruptcy bill before Congr.... if and wh en enacted . will reverse DePrizio. E1e ... nth Circuit hold. Florld. ··opt· exempll .. n .tltuto for ~emp1O)'tt benefil pl.n . il.bl. for Ch.ptor 7 debtor u it i. not prHmpted by ER ISA In re Schlein. 8 F.3d 745 (11th Cir. 1993). Schl~ in Wa5 an emergency room physician working as an ind~p"ndent <ont . actor who. with hi. wift, filed a Chapter II pttition, Schltin has made p.e.p<!tition dep<)Sits to IRA! and set up simplified employee pensions which were combined into accounll; at each of two banks, After conwrsion to Chapter 7. debtors claimed a5 exempt all moniu in the IRAIS£P accounll;. amounting to SI70.072.40. The bankruptcy judge sus· tained the trustee's objection on the basis that ERISA (29 U.S.C. §1144(a)) pre.mpt> .t.}te exemption laws as they relate to an ERISA employee benefit plan. The district court affirmed even Ihough the Florida ""emption st.}tule was consislent with ERISA's requiremenll;. The Eleo... nlh Circuil "".. rsed. hold. ing that ERISA does 001 preempt .tate uemptions passW pursuant to the opt· out prO\lisions of the Bankruptcy Code (II U.S.C. i522(bn. In 50 holding. the court of appnls construed 1514 of ER ISA, 1522 of the Bankruptcy Code, and the pertinent Florida exemption statutes. Although florida had opted out of the federal uemption scheme of f5Z2(d) of the Bankruptcy Code, it has opled back in as to 1522{d)(10) which covers. inUr alia. pension and profit sharing plans. The court held that the Florida ""emption .tatules "relaled 10" employee benefit plans covered by 151 4(a) of ERISA and that but for the ....vings provi.ion of §51 4(d) of ERISA, the Florida statutes would be preempted. In 50 holding. it relied e~tensively on Shaw v. Delta Air Lint s, 103 S.C!. 2890 \1983) and the Fiflh Olnd Eighth circuill; in similar uses. the reasoning being thai the ·opt-out" ""clion of the Bankruptcy Code would be indfectiw if out~

.....

the SI4(d) ERISA exception did not apply. Comment: With this opinion. it would ..em that the Alabama amendment to Saiion 19.3-I(b) and (c) Alabama Code, should lik<:l'.'ise be consid.red "-' not pre· empted by ERlSA. It may be that the Alabama statute is not affected by Paller· son u. Shumate. 112 S.C!. 2242 (1992). In 1987. Chief Judge Pointer of the Northern District held that the Alabama Spendthrift law did not protect a chapler 7 employee-<leblor's company's p<!n· sion. In rt Pilkington, 89 B.R. 911 (N.D.Ala. 1987). Following this in 1990 the Sp<!ndthrift Kction "'''-' amended to add sub·sections (b) and (e), Alabama, "-' Florida, has opted out of Ihe federal exemptions and a deblor should be able to uempt an IRA, SEP, company p<!n· sions and profit .haring plans. But. a5 this subject is greatly involved. the read· er is urged to do the necU5a1)' study and reach his or her own conclusion. Plta$t note also that Section 19-3·1 Alabama Code is not an exemption statule as such. being listed in the Code under the chapter entitled Trwts. •

ALABAMA

DO!ENT ASS SO

SLY ARE

$200 each

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~.~

.....

62 Whil, Str ....

NYC 10013

MARCH 19941 123

• l\1·E·l\1·0·R·I·A·L·S • Annelte Clark Dodd

Recognizing the importance of Anotue's cootributionJ 10 the legal profusion and to the Cumberl"nd School of Law. many of her friends and forme r students haw established an endowed scooluship at Cumbe.· land to bonor he r memory. Students w..e always her primary cOnce rn . The endowment, proYing rlHd·b.utd schobnhipS to....:ood and Ihird'rear law $Iudents. "'ill enible de.serving young men Mid "'omen to (:Omplelt tht;r legal .ducation. 111. in~uenct of a greal tucher thus will be perpduated in a useful and ,ignifica nt

AI"b"ma wh ... he obtained hi. undergndUolOte dtg.H, iU ~1l as his Uni\'trsity 0( Alabama School 0( ......... deg'H in 1958, and Wgan practict in Mobil. and a long membership in the Mobile and Alabama State lia r associ. ations. He served his country with distinct ion in t he U.S. Ai. Fore e, f.om which he wlOS .. puated with Ihe r"nk of cipl"in. He nrved IS di",cto' of the U,S, Small Business Administration SOutheast Region in Atlanta. Mil ler spedaliztd in corpo· rate .eorgan ization and ban kruptcy law. and was widdy known and respected by both his fellow lawyors and his di.nu. He "'lOS .. membu of SI. Paul's Episcopal Church, u wen U the

Lion's Club and the Ath.elsl3n Club. H. "'as i\so actM in loa! and sbt. poIitiao wilh the Republican Party. Miller WidemiR wu a oltvoted husfalher, leaving lurviving his band wile , Ba rbara May Wide mi n of Daphne, Alabama: two sons, Mill.r Arrington Widemin. Jr. of Mobile and William Reese Widtm;re of Ibt· tilburg. Mississippi: two brothers, Edwin Luther Widtmi .. , J r. and Dewit l Parker Wide mire. bot h of Mooile; and olher relati"eJ.

th~ high~st

he Cumb er land SchoQI of

Law and Iht legal profusion wffufllil sigillI· iellnl Ion wilh Ihe du t l! of Professor AnneU. Clark Dodd on ~·ri· day. October 1993. Annett. began Iltr long and useful t.l.rHr at Cumborland in 1967 ~n she was IIoI.med Law libr;r.rian. Silt twld thlt polition until 1973 .... htll she wu appointed usociatt profenOlr of law. In 1978 she was promoltd \0 the rank of profuror of law. H.r 26·yt,r caretr at Cumbuland mad. her the most senior ","mbo. of lhe cumnt faculty. Sptcializing in property, d«edents utaho and <.Iomnlic relations. Armettt was gtnuintly devoted to lit. students and imbutd them with both

Miller Arrington Widemire

,hereas. ,

Mobil.

Bar Association nous with T.g•• t th. unu· pee l ed and un · timely dnth in Mobile. A1abarm on Augwl 26, 1993 of memhu Miller Wid. mi ••. Now, tho",kIr •. be it rtsoIYed tNt MlIl.r "''as Ixml in Sylacllug,l, Alaba· rna and IIUendtd th. University of

124 lMARCH 1994

knowledge and an appreciation of idnll 0( th~ law. Her C1ICI'\I)'. st",ngth of $pint MId KIlSot of humor tndcared hu to all "flo knew h~r. We remember with rupect ~r tal~nts as law)'tr arxl tucher and will nev .. fo rget her un t irin g comm it· ment as a frimel and atNoaote for her studtnts, Annnte Dodd not only was MI10rlg Cu~rIMl,:rs most I'JOI)Ular teachers, slit WiU greatly appreciated for her work on behalf of. the ltlio'l profession, After graduation from t~ Uniwrsity of Alabama School of t.aw Ihe wal ~ a judiceial clerk for JlJIIict Pdham Merrill, thus becoming ooe of the first....unen to cleric lor the Alaba· m" Supreme Court. Active in t he Alabama State liar. !.he iUSisted in the rmOO of the Alabama Probate Code and authored tht Rules of Practice in Juwnil. Court. The advisory commit· teu for the Probate Code. Juw nil. Justice, U:g..1 EducMion, AlttmatM Dispute Resolution MId ludki.;r.1 Arti. tie Implementation benefiued f. om her txptTli.'it and tnugies. /I

~n. r .

Anntttt Dodd, 55 ~ars old at the lime of lit. death. "'as" devoted wife and mother. fl e r hUlbJnd, Hube Dodd. hn child r.n, Michael. David and Hube , Jr .. and a legion of her friends and former !tudtnts will sore· Iymi"h~r.

P.m. ... WiUi.ms "1~PrrsUlmt.nd f)n"

CtmtIwrl.nd School of LA", of s"mfOn/ U"iM'fit,l

aoo

11Iomes

E. 8,,,,,,1.Jr.

Prrsjdml

Hobilr IUr Au«i.IIOtI

TIlE ALABAMA LAWYER

• 1\I·E·1\I·0·R·I·A·L·S • M. Louis Salmon

no "'''"

Cl.lrn>u L Watu. ... oot.d kif his participation in tile famtd Scotb-

baro trials. Louis

M._born

Salmon

in Mobile. AllIwnIo on AuaU51 3O.1923.Mlddt· p,arltd this lif.

Louis' law firm grtW and in 1989, Watts. Salmon. Manning & Noojin.

fo rmerly Waus, Silmon. Rob.rt., Mannin, & Noojin. muged w;th Lang •. Simpson, Robinson I< Somerville. whe •• Louis I'.actked until Iris death. Louis is survived by !,!is ",ife; his two

September 26,

children. John Houston Salmon and Margaret Eli sabeth S. W.st: and two

Louis gradualtd from Murphy IHgh School in Mobil. in 1940. II. rtttiwd a 0$. dtglft from the School 01 C0mmerce lond Ousiness Administration. Uni\<enily of AlabiON. in 1943. in LL.8. (!(gree from the Un"'tuily of AIabamI School d law in ]948. where he was a mtmber 01 rarrah Ordor 01 Jurisprudence (now Order 0I11le CoiO. and . in 1988. he ...a\awarded a Doctor of Yws from Ihe Uniwrsity of ALlb.t· ON in Huntsville. Louis KIWd hi. counlry in World War n , r.UroptM Thuter of ()p( ra· tionl.mdwa.~ in 19016 ...ith the nnk ~ captain. infintry. and wa. .....-a.rded the Purple Ilt.art and Combol InWltry6adge. In 1946. Louis married Eliulxth Echols Wall$. H. mowd 10 Ilunl$ville wilh hi. wife in 19SO wh . .. h. enttrrd Ihe pl'3dico 01 law ...ith his father·in·law.

grandchildren. Ashlyn Elizabtth Salmon and James Louis Salmon. Lou ... W,".'1 an admiml and ~ ,Moe and busi11U1 Lader. He ,,-as on the bo,ard of f,nl Aillbarna Blink. Hunts'ilk. lind First AbIwm &nco Ill('.. lie $l1Wd his rommunity and his profession u p~ident of the HunlS\ille Rotary Club: president of

Gilbert Ernest Jones, Jr.

Woodlawn Grarnnw School and graduatod from Ramuy High School; and. \\'hOrtM. G. Emt$I. .loots graduaUd from the Unr.<ersity oJ Abbama and the 8irm ingham School oJ Law; and, Wh ereas, G. I-:rnnt Jonu was a r~cei";ng attorney with the Depart· mmt oJ Justice during the 1940s and WilSl vmnn ~WorId Was 1I;and. ""'lv:rus. G. Emt$I. .loots pr;lCticed ...illl Bttawn. Jones &. .Joots MId Iatn .loots &. .!ones; and. Whereu. we wi,h to upr ..s our

1993.

e it resolwd. by the t::~ecutiw Commill~ of lhe 8irmingham liar AssQciation. ilia!: Wheras. Cilbert Ernesl JoroeJ WO\$ an iId.iw .... nt>or ~ the ba.r 01 thi!; city MId the SUI. of AloIwna. fur rn:::n than 50 yean and deparled Ihi' life on AuguJI9, ]993; and. Where». C. [ """,I Jones lllended

TIlE ALABAMA ~WYER

.mre..

the Huntsville Industrial Expansion Committ«; chairman 01 the board of trusttt. of tilt UnMl'Sit)' of Alabama Hunts-ill. Found.ulOll; mtmbe. of the IJnivtorsity of ~ Praldmrs (:ab. inti; a truSIU of Randolph School; presidmt ~ the ~ Chambtr ~ Comm~"e; prt5ident of the Huntsvil!(·M.adison Coonty Bar Ass0ciation; a melTlbfr oJ tilt board ~ the Un iversi ly 01 Alabama Law School Foundation and former p r~.iden l; presidtnt oJ the Uniwrsity oJ Abbama La...· School Alumni Association; and

gent",l chai1"TlWl-law. Uniwqity oJ Alabama Law School Compldion Campaign. I.ooi • ...a\ a recipient oJ the Distinguished Sttvice Award from the Huntsville·Madison Counly Chambtr oJ CommuCf IRd a m;ipienl ollhe ~ Associ.ition ~ ChriIIWIs MId Je...-s Btothtrhood Medal. louIS "'"i\S an iId.iw mtITIber ~ the Twichnham Church of Chrisl in Iluntsvillt. Abbama and dtdialtd to its texhings. No memorial about Looi. would be complete without noting his <kvoIion to the Republican party. and his low for the Univ.uily of Alabama in Huntsville. the Uniwrsity oJ ~ in TUKaloosa. tht servict to Our young pe<II)Io ""hkh thoK institutions providt, Md the Uni\l!'!"Sily"s storitd footbi,lItta/m.

Thi5 kind and gentlo man ..."i\S well known for his friendly personality. legal ability. trusted judgment. and tolll concom and dtvotion to his lami. Iy. oommunityand church. Louis...a\ oroe 01 thoK ...ro lived li~ 10 ilS fullest and 1Ndt. ruI difftftflQ' by his pm.enct. The Itgal profession. his family and his many fritnds and climts will miss him. fullk 1(. Noqjin, Jr. IA~.

SlmpsooI, Robi_

&SomnrI{k

d«p regard and KIUe of loss in the p.u.s;ng 01 our brother in our honorablt profession. Now, thtrdore. it is hereby resolved. thai this lt$Olulion be splYAd upon the minutes 01 this E.eculiw Commill~ and thai copies thereof be Knt to C. ErnUl Jon .. ' wift. Elizabelh Ann .loots. uod his daughter. Eva PmQnl.

W........ N.lIri,

81rm1"l}hlml &r Auoci«ioo

MARCH 1994 / 125

• M·E·M·O·R·I·A·L·S • Douglass P. Wingo e it resolved, by the E.ecutive

Committ~

of the Birmingham

Bar Association. that Whereas. Douglass P. Wingo """ an acti"" member of the bar of this city and the state of Alabama for nearly 70 }'elrs and departed this lif. on June 2(), 1993; and. Wherea:;, I)ougla~ P. Wingo had """" a citi""n of this city since 1900 and graduated from Birmingham High School in 1914;and. Wh ....... Dougl"", P. Wingo lovW athletics and sports. having played quarterback for his high school football team and continued to play hand·

ball regularly un!il he ",as mo •• than 7S)'el1'S old; Md, Wherus, Douglw P. Wing<) W<IS a graduate of Marion Military I",titule and th e Washington and Lee Law School; and. WM'eas, Dougl .... P. Wingo was a member of the United States Narine Corps in combat service in France during World War I and again selWd with the Marine. in Okinawa during World War II; and Whereas, Douglass P. Wingo was a Quiet and principled man ,,-no sought to help othe.. through instruction and training by teaching at Marion Mili· tary Institute and selVing as a roach at Birmingham·Southem Collegt; and. Whereas. Douglass P. Wingo was the

pre$ident of the Birmingham Bar Associatton in 1942 and acti"ely practicrd law until 1977; and. Whereas. we de.;re to express our deep regard and sense of loss in the passing of our brother in this honor· able profession. Now. therefore. be it hereby resolved that this resolution be spread upon the minutes of this Executive Committee and that copies thereof be senl to I)ouglan P. Wingo'$ wife . Ethel Ray ""ngo. and hil 5Ofl. lIan.-q> Wing.:..

WiUillm N. CM. Pmident Blrmlng/tllm &r tluocifttion

James Francis Beny. m

GBdy Joclaon Long

Admiltffl: 1949

Mmit/erJ: 1939 I);erJ: October 13. 1993

Cui_

Died: November I. 1993

Edward Laughton Colebeck

"'""'"

Admillecf. 1950 Dit<d; Docembtr IS.

1993

Ben A Engel Birmingham

Admitted: 1935 DierJ: D=rnber 31. 1993

Arthur Freeman File, Jr. AllllillOO

Goo..ge Wllson

o.an. '"

Admitted: 1948 Died: Decernber30.I993

John Howard McEnity, Jr.

"""""

AdmillerJ: 1941 OctoI;!er 16. 1993

I);erJ:

Connie Walter Parson

Chesil!TtoU'fI. Maryland

Birmingham

Admitted: 1951i ();ed: [)ea"De. 7. 1993

John Peter Kohn, Jr.

Admil/erJ: 198-l I);erJ: De=rber31, 1993

Admilled: 1925 I);erJ: NO'>'en'ber27, 1993

Hoyt Massey Elliot Admitted: 1948 0ecembe.28.1993

126lMARCH 1994

M,,,,,,,,,,,,

LreJ..... " " "

""'' '

MmiJlerJ: 1936 October 15.1993

I);erJ:

THE ALABAMA ~WYER

CLASSIFIED NOTICES RAT ••: III I b.~: 2 !fee istlngs 0/50 WO'os or less per bar member per calendar 'fNI EXCEPT for "posilion want· ed" or "position otf8f&d" listings - S35 per ~ 0/50 words or less, S.50 per addl\ional word: NOIw_. ~ Irs: $35 per inMnion 01 50 WOfds 01' less, $.50 per additional 'NOI'd. Classified copy and payment must be .eceived ilCCOI'~ to the tollowing publishing schedule: lUrch '1M I•• ue - deadline January 31 , 1994: ...,. '94 I..... _ doodline Marcl131 . 1994: no deadline extensions will be made .

Ser>d classll ied copy and payment, payable 10 The Alabama Ls"'1'6', to: Alabama Murptly, P.O. 60K 4156, Montgomery, A1a.bama 36101.

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POSITIONS OFFERED • REAL ESTATE ATTORNEY: National titJa WIau'WIOI compeny MeI<in\I MCN' ney lor po.lllon 01 11 at. couns.r in Birmingham Iocarlon. MU lt ba e . pari· anoed In 01 ... "tate·related matte'l. Send re.u",a to 'Atto,ney POlltlon·. P .O . Bo. 2265. Mobile , AIabema 3660t.

a' .._

• LITIGATIO N ASSOCIATE : Law tirm ~ In IIbeI1a. ....., Iitigatiorl is Hel<ing In Ittornay with two to Iiva y ...... a~IaoM;l In lid\latlon p<actica. Slrong aca6IMnic bad<Qfound r8qUinrd. Confidential reply to P.O. Bo. S50219.

8irrn1n\1ham. AlIbam& ~. LITIGATIO N ASSOC IATE : An estab-

L8~r

Classifieds. c/o Margaret

1iI/Ied, \IfO\"Ing law firm '" Mon\gornefy IIIIIka an associat. with thr. . to lour ,... 01 e~"M;I . Strong civilliIiI!alion experlaoM;l desired. Salary com· menlu,ale ... ith educalion a nd ~ . PoI:itiona, a I ............. ~. Serd ........... 10 ~ Part· nlf . P .O . Bo. 4992. Montgom e,y .

AIabema 3$103-4m. ATTO RN EY JOBS: National and F....· "II Employment Report. Highly rega,d· ed monthly 115ting or ano"'ey and law·related)obe with 11"4 U.S. Gov· ernment other public/prMlte employers In W . . hlngton. D.C. th'oughout the U.S . • nd ab'old . 500·600 new lob. each ...... $301 tor three t'I"IOI"Itt.; $58 kit Ii, motI1he. F....aI Reports. 10tO

"'' 'ied

vermont A _. NW, ~AB. wan.

""01On.

D.C. 20005. PhD<'.- (202) 3933311. VISAIII"Id M-can:t ........... Y EDIATION/ARBITR ATION OP PO R· TUNITY: Anom&\" w!Io

owns a

1.000.

plu. cas. per Y'" ADR company ...... Birmlngham·based aHOITII)'l') 10 ...1'1 In building .Imlla~y • ...censtul service In AI,bl",a. For Info'matlo n. w,itl to Jo/1n D. Rothm.n, OkIa~ma

MedI,tlonlAtbUratlon s.,.,.c., 7666 E. Slit Stre.t. Suit. 335. Tulia. O~I.· ~

7'1)3.

SERVICES • DOCUMENT EXAMINER : Examination at QUlltlonld Documenll . Certifild FCN.nlic H,ndwriting and Document Ex.mlner. T""",ry'''''''' years experiItIOI .., all torensic docomant problems. Formerly. Chief Ouestioned DoaJmant AneIYI', USA C,lmln.1 Investigation

MARCH 19941 127

labo<.lOt~ • . Diplomlt. (cer1ilied)Briti,h FSS. Diplom.tl (cen ified)A8FOE . Mlmb.r: ASODE : IAI : SAFOE : NACOl. RIIUml Ind I .. adIIdul. upon requ.st. Han. Mal"'r

Gidion, 218 Merrymont

Drive.

AugUSIII.

~ia30907. ~ (706)~267.

• LEGAL RES EARCH: Leoal reS8a'c!I r.eip. E. parlerootel anomey. member of Alabaml Slati Bar Ilnar 19n. Access 10 1111. law hbary . WESTLAW aVlil· . . .. PfompI dMdina saarches. Salah Katruyn FaIn". 112 Moor. Buildillg. Mon1QOmlry. Alablomll 3611).1. Phool (205) 277. 7!i37. No ,.",'SIHIlalion i$ INde IIW /he quaoIiIy 0I/he /eoIII _ . ...,.. III N ,..Ioom.d;' graatBt INn /he qua/iIy ,..Ioohl&d

01. -""'-

"'--

• DOCUMENT EUM ' NER : Certilied Foren.1c Documlnl Eumll'lll. Chiet dDa.rmem ••• mlne<. Alabama 0ap.at1. mini 01 Foran.lc Sciences. retlr.d. 8.S .. M.S. Graduate. un;W,sity·based "lIdent Ic!IooI In documenl ..... mlna· lion. PubI~ nallonally and Int&mally. Elghilin y.... Irlal experl.nce. Ilatlllld... 1 courts ot Alabama . Forge.,. 111••• Uon. Ind docum.nl authilillidCy~. c.iminaI_ non-crIftWIeI ......... Amarican Academy ot FOfI-n.1c ScltotM:Il. American Bowd 01 Foranak Ooa.wnant &an*>..... Atnerican ~ty OueslionMl Documenl E. .mln.... L.ma. Mill .... 3325 Lorn. Road . • 2·316. P.O. Bo. 3601199. 8itmIngham. Alabama 352360999. ~ (205) 9884158.

, EXPERT WITNESS : T.8HIc 9ngin" •. conlu ltant/upa" wltnlSS. Graduate. raglst ..."". proteulonll ang"-. Forty ,"pa.lanc:a. Highway and city roaa..-ay deIIgn. Iralfic: c:Q1tro1 deW:es. dry .".,Ing. Wrila or call lor ",urna. I. . .. Jack W . Chamblila. '21 BIlle· hu"l D.lv •. Montgom.ry. Alabam.

Y""

3111011. Phone (205) 272·2353.

• MEDICAL MALPRACTICE CONSUL· TAHT: 0.;..., J. ~. M.D. h.nllva cua In.ly.il of medical mIIlpra.;t;ca. partonai Injury and worI< • .... companaatOon. Asllst attorneys On disc>::r.wy. Medical expert witnesses pro'lldacllprep8fed. 0amaQaIe..-se anal·

eo.r-v.

1281 JANUARV 1994

)'IiI.. MldiclilIagII-.rdI. f)u CX>NUIIaion. MIofcII rill< miII..". __

macIcIII

nw and.,... ~

No! ......... ....-..0.. Phone (305) 8561027. Fa. (305) 285-1271 .

highway Ind lI!\lClural design. TIl.".,.

,,,,**a In I~"'IY. railroad, ""'""'" ciaf buildings and powe< plant _1n.IC:IIon. Cal or -...ita lor ........... ' -: Lamar T. ~. 601 V.,;tavill }'NIl:

P_ay.!IlrmirogI\&m. Alabama 352 t6. • VIDEOS : MOv l. Tal.vllion A,tilt. want:I to htlp your firm save lime and monay . A. Allbama·, fI"t a ~d !>est legal prO(fuetion lacllity. we p.epa'i ..W.m.nt video •. doposiUons and othlr video pr. . .ntations Ih al win c . . . . .nd k.. p you. firm moving allIad. For mora Intormatlon. plean write 10 MovIa TIIIYision Mists. 3-121

P!lona (205) 823-306/1. No"",.,-· lion ;. made fila! the quality of theleQal ..rvle .. f~ be parform.d Is fl r.llier !han 111. qwtHty 01 lefIal services per. form«J by 0"", iR")'8IS.

C«* Crill CWda. ~. AIabe·

rna 35218. " ' - (205) 94G-1S36 . LEGAL RES EARCH AND WRmNG : $t5 par hour. u.::...sed Alabama anor· nay . Award·winning b.I.1 ""';t •• • nd appellet. a<MICill. Contact Un6a K. t.lc:KniQ!II. Phona (205) 3-194606. No rllfli"lS¥'r.tion ;. made !hal !h8 quaJiIy 01 the JagalII<TIf\'Ioes 10 be P8f1orm«J Is ~IIH fhan!hl quafiry at the i6ga/ S<H. ...,.. parloIrr,.,;i by oIher /aWy6t:$.

Please nole:

PROfESSIONAL LEGAL INVESTIGA· TOR : llcanMd...,;t bonded. SpeciaIiz. Ing In linanclal and IlCUtities related CINI. ext-", IlfIIrianc:a On whit, ccIar 1nYa''9"!ionI .-.d ease prepara· IiDn lor trill. For co.:idel,1iaI COI"ISUb. dons or oopy 01 C.V. .-.d relenonces. contact Wyman O. Higgins It {lOS) ~·8392 or P.O. 80. 211071. Mont·

date of the

gomery.

J6121 .

FORENSIC DOCUMENT EXAMINA· TION : Haroct<orilirog. typewriting. al1ared <:Iocum...,t,. Crimln.t and cMI manllfS. Med icil "cord •. wills. contracts. dUd •. eh.ekl. anonymous lalt.... Coon qualillad. TNrty years 00fTib0'I&d '.:parianoI. ABFOE CIf1ifiacI. Mernbano. Am .. lcan At:ad.my of Forensic $eI. ata. AI,M'\ea. Soeie!y of CUes1ioned Document Exam'n .... International Anod.,Oon lor Ida"lifi"a1ioo L Carney & NIIIon F-.Ic Ooco.oonant LaboraIory. sass Jimmy Cart.. Boulevard. Nor · c:roa (Atlanta). GIorgIa. 30071. " ' (4001) .16-n90.

The publication bar directories has been changed from December 1993 to June 1994.

EXPERT WITNESS: Prolessionaf angI. n." and allornay with. practic. 01 ..".." t"limony In construction . satety. THE AlABAMA lAWYER

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