Alabama Case Commentaries

Students First Act Tenure: “Employment … Effective” Means the Paid, On-Duty Start Date (Not the Offer/Agreement Date)

Date: Mar 5, 2026

Students First Act Tenure: “Employment … Effective” Means the Paid, On-Duty Start Date (Not the Offer/Agreement Date) Introduction In Smitherman v. Roberts (Ala. Feb. 27, 2026), the Supreme Court of...

Mandamus Review of Summary-Judgment Denials on Limitations Grounds When Time-Bar Is Apparent from the Complaint

Date: Mar 5, 2026

Mandamus Review of Summary-Judgment Denials on Limitations Grounds When Time-Bar Is Apparent from the Complaint Introduction In Ex parte Alfa Mutual Insurance Company and Jeffery Dimoff (Ala. Feb....

Fluorescent Markings and Construction-Zone Warnings Render Minor Elevation Changes “Open and Obvious” as a Matter of Alabama Law

Date: Mar 5, 2026

Fluorescent Markings and Construction-Zone Warnings Render Minor Elevation Changes “Open and Obvious” as a Matter of Alabama Law Case: Walter v. Branch Hays Farm SC Associates, LP Court: Supreme...

Coats v. State of Alabama — No Standing for Nominal-Party Judges to Appeal Mandamus; Circuit Mandamus to a Special Circuit Judge Is Void; Criminal-Mandamus Appellate Review Lies in the Court of Criminal Appeals

Date: Feb 24, 2026

Coats v. State of Alabama — No Standing for Nominal-Party Judges to Appeal Mandamus; Circuit Mandamus to a Special Circuit Judge Is Void; Criminal-Mandamus Appellate Review Lies in the Court of...

Weaver v. Frios Gourmet Pops, LLC — Post-Reentry Lease Damages: Enforcing Contractual “Future Rent Differential” Clauses as Liquidated Damages

Date: Feb 24, 2026

Post-Reentry Lease Damages in Alabama: Contractual “Future Rent Differential” Clauses Survive Termination of Possession 1. Introduction In Weaver v. Frios Gourmet Pops, LLC (Ala. Feb. 20, 2026), the...

Keister v. Neurology Consultants of Huntsville, P.C.: Expert Testimony Must Be Read as a Whole on “Better-Position” Causation; Post-Judgment “Clarification” Affidavits Are Untimely When Diligence Could Have Produced Them Earlier

Date: Feb 11, 2026

Keister v. Neurology Consultants of Huntsville, P.C.: Expert Testimony Must Be Read as a Whole on “Better-Position” Causation; Post-Judgment “Clarification” Affidavits Are Untimely When Diligence...

Ex parte Stonebridge, LLC — “Bona Fide Intent to Immediately Serve” as an Objective, Statute-of-Limitations Commencement Requirement

Date: Feb 3, 2026

Ex parte Stonebridge, LLC: Filing Is Not Enough—An Action Is Not “Commenced” for Limitations Purposes Without an Objective Bona Fide Intent to Immediately Serve Court: Supreme Court of Alabama Date:...

Ex parte University of Alabama Health Services Foundation — Mandamus for Facial Limitations Bars; § 6-2-3 Requires Concealment Beyond Later Realization of Illegality

Date: Feb 3, 2026

Ex parte University of Alabama Health Services Foundation: Mandamus Relief Where Limitations Bars Are Clear on the Face of the Complaint, and § 6-2-3 Is Not Triggered by a Later “Discovery” That...

Proximate-Cause Gatekeeping in Wantonness Claims Against Pawnbrokers for Purchased Stolen Property

Date: Feb 3, 2026

Proximate-Cause Gatekeeping in Wantonness Claims Against Pawnbrokers for Purchased Stolen Property Case: EFS Inc. v. Lee, Supreme Court of Alabama (Jan. 30, 2026) Disposition: Reversed and judgment...

Minors Are Not Exempt from Alabama’s Six-Month Municipal Notice-of-Claim Deadline (§ 11-47-23)

Date: Feb 3, 2026

Minors Are Not Exempt from Alabama’s Six-Month Municipal Notice-of-Claim Deadline (§ 11-47-23) Introduction In A.G.R. v. The City of Irondale (paired appeals also involving the City of Birmingham),...

Mandamus Requires a Developed Constitutional/Statutory Basis to Compel a Jury Determination of Prevailing-Party Contractual Attorney’s Fees

Date: Feb 3, 2026

Mandamus Requires a Developed Constitutional/Statutory Basis to Compel a Jury Determination of Prevailing-Party Contractual Attorney’s Fees I. Introduction In Ex parte Vestavia Hills, Ltd. (Ala. Jan....

Marital Presumption as an Absolute Bar Under the AUPA When the Husband Persists: Ex parte Jarrod Sessions

Date: Jan 28, 2026

Marital Presumption as an Absolute Bar Under the AUPA When the Husband Persists: Ex parte Jarrod Sessions 1. Introduction Case: Ex parte Jarrod Sessions, Supreme Court of Alabama (Jan. 23, 2026),...

Limited Safe Harbor Under Ala. Code § 34‑3‑62 and Unilateral Post‑Settlement Fee Increases: Commentary on Blevins v. Alabama State Bar

Date: Dec 21, 2025

Limited Safe Harbor Under Ala. Code § 34‑3‑62 and Unilateral Post‑Settlement Fee Increases: Commentary on Blevins v. Alabama State Bar I. Introduction The Supreme Court of Alabama’s decision in Jerry...

Dendy v. Ryan: Clean Hands as a Bar to the Relative‑Hardship Defense in Restrictive Covenant Enforcement

Date: Dec 21, 2025

Dendy v. Ryan: Clean Hands as a Bar to the Relative‑Hardship Defense in Restrictive Covenant Enforcement I. Introduction In Dendy v. Ryan, decided on December 19, 2025, the Supreme Court of Alabama...

Laborde v. Citizens Bank, N.A.: Limiting the First‑Breach Doctrine and Clarifying Pleading Standards in Alabama Foreclosure Litigation

Date: Dec 21, 2025

Laborde v. Citizens Bank, N.A.: Limiting the First‑Breach Doctrine and Clarifying Pleading Standards in Alabama Foreclosure Litigation I. Introduction In Laborde v. Citizens Bank, N.A., decided on...

“Timely Amendment” Under the Alabama Medical Liability Act: Commentary on Ex parte Coosa Valley Medical Center (SC‑2024‑0767) and Ex parte Marble City Family Care & Obstetrics (SC‑2024‑0770)

Date: Dec 15, 2025

“Timely Amendment” Under the Alabama Medical Liability Act: Commentary on Ex parte Coosa Valley Medical Center and Ex parte Marble City Family Care & Obstetrics, P.C. I. Introduction This decision...

No Automatic Vacatur of Domesticated Foreign Judgments Upon Reversal in the Rendering State: Commentary on Shumate v. Berry Contracting, L.P.

Date: Dec 15, 2025

No Automatic Vacatur of Domesticated Foreign Judgments Upon Reversal in the Rendering State Commentary on Shumate v. Berry Contracting, L.P., Supreme Court of Alabama (Dec. 12, 2025) I. Introduction...

Substantial Compliance with Public-Works Bid Advertising under Alabama Title 39: Commentary on Pinpoint Locating, Inc. v. Water Works & Gas Board of Red Bay

Date: Dec 9, 2025

Substantial Compliance with Public-Works Bid Advertising under Alabama Title 39 Commentary on Pinpoint Locating, Inc. v. The Water Works and Gas Board of the City of Red Bay, Supreme Court of Alabama...

Ex parte Best Choice Roofing Alabama, LLC: Clarifying Alabama’s “Seriously Inconvenient” Standard for Outbound Forum‑Selection Clauses

Date: Nov 27, 2025

Ex parte Best Choice Roofing Alabama, LLC: Clarifying Alabama’s “Seriously Inconvenient” Standard for Outbound Forum‑Selection Clauses I. Introduction In Ex parte Best Choice Roofing Alabama, LLC...

Southampton 100, LLC v. Alabama Department of Revenue: Limiting Dismissal Sanctions for Rule 30(b)(6) Discovery Violations and Encouraging Hearings on Contested Dispositive Motions

Date: Nov 27, 2025

Southampton 100, LLC v. Alabama Department of Revenue: Limiting Dismissal Sanctions for Rule 30(b)(6) Discovery Violations and Encouraging Hearings on Contested Dispositive Motions I. Introduction...