Lawyer 7 89 web

1111

e MONEY MAGAZINE . FALL 1988

That's right. According to Money Magazine, Veribanc and Bank Rate Monitor, Union Bank heads the list as one of the safest, strongest banks in Alabama, and it is ranked among the top 175 "superstar" banks in the nation, based on assets and services.

Union Bank. We're strong. Were safe.

Bank with the independent bank that lives where you do.

Henry A. Leslie - President & CEO

Come Home10 Us. NION

•

ALABAMA ... '''88 $70.95

A thoroughly up.dnted guide to criminal trial practice including pre-trial prActice with attention eiven to federal con8titutio nallaw.

"988

$76.95

The new Second Edition ie responsive to the acute need of llltl proctit-ioner to keep abreast of recent laws and casell 811 well as Federnllncome Tex Contlideration8.

.,'"

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The new Second Edition retains the character of the firet edition in it.a emphasis, and, due to the adve nt. of to rt forml, t realli the constitu tionality of ltatutel limitinlJ damage,.

THE

W HARRISON COMPANY, PUBLISHERS 3 11 0 C,on,"t! P•• k· P 0 80_ 7500 ' Ho<e, oll. GA l0091_1500

1-800-241-3561 88-H8

'61

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be held In w nJ\lflCllon w,lh IIIto .I~I'· b.1 r'1 1989 annual meetlnll.

"Iocalo.'d '" the TWll:ktnh.lm Iti\l(J(k: ()I ~· ,,"e l. II W~ I OIIM inally con,lrucl('(i In Ill'" MId I~te, \oe1"Y('(! a) Ihe horne of LeRoy Pope W •• lkt·r• •1... 01)1.....clt'. tary ofwarfo< Ihe Con.

No Starving lawyers in the Rocket City or One lawyer 's Favorite Places to Eat in Huntsvill e-by H. Harold Stephe ns ... . .. . .. 172

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Method for Calculat ing Present Value of Future Paym ent s in Worker's Compensation Cases-by Timothy C. Hutchinson , . , . 182

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Postmaster: nd addr{'~~ chang6 to The Ala b.lmd l~ wycr, P.O. Box '1156, Montgomery. Al 36101.

Hunlsville- Alabama 's Time Mathe Alilb.lm~ Supreme Court dt'{"l ~ ion chine- by Rebecc:a Turnipseed Since in Sf. R.l'HIS v. I'.tmel!, triil l CO\lrb h~vc Bergqui st .. . .. .... ...... 170 sl(uggled wllh compulalion o f the prC<;l'rit Hunlsville Is J bu stlin g mclroooh~ and the site of many high· te<h Indu H les. For the vi sito r the city offers numerou ~ dtlr.l(;rIOn~ of

I nter('~ lro

hodl yo(mg and old .

value of WOrker compen ~.llion bcn('fit~ , The correer method of cakolimng .1 work e"~ compenS;lIlOn awa,d in ... ol ... e~ u ~e of a formula or ileCt'" to table~,

tNSIDE TH IS Issue Pr(' ~lde lll '" I',ll\l' ht>cullvl.' DIr(,( lo" , Repo rl Aboul Ml.'rnbNi, Anl ong F I 'm ~ 8d! 8f1cf~ 8 uildiog AIJbdm.i" ~ Courthouo;e<; GUlcJtol iflt"ilft'(' 0(,(:1,1, ,11'on ~

Comm'l1 t't'~

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OPl)()tlunili('~

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YO\IIlH I.Jwy'·"· Sewon Reeeill D{'{i, loo,

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167 16'

Legi ~ IJtlv(>

192 194 197

IN 176 160

W"II>- Up Opinion' 04 Ihl' Geller.ll Cou o'o('l Oi\( 'pl<",,1)' Report

196

M('mOftill ~ Con~uhJnt'~

18 7

Corne,

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181 163

President's Page Remarks of the president at the admi ssions ceremony for new lawyers ll !>chalf of rhe ~ome 8,000 members of rhe Alabama S\ille SM, I welcome you as n(..'W

sion for prcp.lriUiOll, whether drilftlllg n con lr.1c1, creating a corpor;1tion or appearinij in CO\Jrt on a motion. Nine ti mes ou t of ten, the prCp.lred lawyer wins. As <,Ul anonymou~ !>.l ge once said, ''Don't learn th~ tricks of Ihe t rild~, leilrn the tr.ldc." members. I congratu J.11C you all your Five: Seek good advice. This profesachievement, but I would be remiss If I sion Is nllccl with I.. wyers poss(!sSI!(I of did nor ill; kn()\vledge the 5Jcrlflces th.11 real wisdom and common scns~. You haw bt!en made by the spouses alld will be the bener for tapping thi s p:lrenlS of so milny of ~ll . Without them, reSourcl:'. this day likely Wtluld nQt h,we been Six: !'r..cl ke self-discipline, Find a wir'f possIble. tl) Control your schedule. You willlc~rn In reflecting over rhe 27 YCil/1i since I qlrlckly thai time is your most jjreciou$ was admined to rhe practice of 1.lW in this commodity ;'lod the most difficult SI,lle, I considered whm I migh t 5.1)' to resource to COrlSeM!. Avoid dependent:e you lhil! would be of some value as you on chemic.lls, alcohol o r o ther crutches. find your w,ly in thi s profession. To give At times of crises In your c~r~r-and advice is pr/:Sumptl'OU5 bcciluse It infers th<.>y will surely come-they will be your HU CKABY th,!! tht! giver has rome SI>eci<l1 knowl. undoing. edge or wl wom, and 1hil1Ihe giver <llwJYS follows the ad.

SC\len: Deill w ith th e rules nf cundu ct the sam c wily th e ROrlliln emperor ell"pcch..>d his ch" rio l d river to: Slay vi ce. I disclaim bOlh of I hc~ IlrC$umprions in IhiS ill~tilnce, There are ten rules that I would rt!Commcnd to you. .15 far away from the edge as po~slble. You may r<.'callthe O ne: Do Illl permit o thers to set yOur limits o r your legend of the emJ:~eror whos~ chariot d rlvN had been 80als. If your law school record is less than what )'Qu killed in battle. As he searched the empire for an other w,mtcd il lo be, remember Ih;lI Charles DMrow flunki!d driver, he ,ailed before him three of the best-kllOWll. To out of law school. If your law school record was exemplMy, the nf$l, he posed this <llIesti on, "When you drive the do (101 re~ t upon it- if wiJlnOf serve you in the long run . chariot, h(y-,y dose to thl,l pu_'Cipice can you come without It ~IJl I is tru{J in thh profe5sion thilt you can be what you having the wheel go OV(!rt' The driver silid with pride, want 10 be.

"Your Excellcllcy, I can drive the Childot within one foot Two: Play f~ irly. Trea t cH~nts, fellow lawyer~ ilnd judges o f the prec ipice, .1nd th e whe~1 will nOt go over:' The wi lh civllllY, goodwill and, 1l1)OV(: II!!, fairnes~. YO\I (IrQ emperor turned to the second driver and posed the same entQring an adversarial occupa tion, but al\vdYS r~member, question. The driver replied . "Your Excellcn cy, I Clln drive you ;Ire 110\ a hired gun. Do not let a client or another the c hilriot withi n si x inches of the precipice, and It will lawyer dictate your ethi cal conduc t. Before act illS or writnOt go I.M!r." The emperor turned 10 the third driver and Ing in wrath, wili l 24 hour~ , s.,ld, "How close 10 the l)rt.'Cipice can you comet The third Three: Keep humilit y. Do not lose your sen se of humor driver replil>d, " I do not know, your EKceliency. When I i\lld do nOt take yourself 100 seriou sly. Remember whal drive Ihe chariot, I st:ay iI ~ fm ilwily from th e precipi ce as your g(.lndmOlher told you, "Pride gc>eth before a filii :' O r, possible." as sai d by a less urbane rela tive of mine from fllra! north Eight : 0 0 not let thi s profeSSion consume you, "The Georgi;1, "Fly high, old buzzard. you' ll sure light low:' lilW is a jealous mistress." Thb quote has been at tributed Four: Dc prep'lred. There is no substitute in thi s prof~ IOI.'VCryonC from Dean Farrah to VOltaire, bUIlt represenls (continued 0111>:181'1 166)

A

'.4

lilly 1989

Executive Director's

Report

Untapped potential ecent rcqllC!Sts for Information on

R

,md addresses of Ihelocal bar as-

sociations In the Slille has f(Xused on a reaUy untapped source for professional enh:mcement ;Jnd well-bclr"lg- Ihc

local bar

a5soci~ lion.

TwcnlY years ago. only Birmingham

had a local bar with it full·time (')(eculivC! sccrel.lry. Now o'vIObilc and MOfllgomcry have full·rlme directors, too. Birmingham imd Mobile have their own hCildquarters

building. Huntsville has a part·time st"ff person who funclions as lIs b.-.r secretilry.

These fOur associations have regular mct!tings and offer continuing legal education programs.

While there are other b.u associations throughout the 5Ia!!! Ihllt do meet fOr other than purely social functions, these (lrc relatively few in number when viewed in the total 10011aSsocliltlon picture. Several areas WiTh smaller lawyer populations have formed clrcult bar associations to aoor(,"SS their professional needs. Within These circuit b..1rs we have discovered COunty bilr org.1nl1.atlons still eKist wiTh their own slille of officers.

The state bar seeks to mainTain an ac· curate ,lnd lIP-tOodate list of local bars and their officers. There .lre times when tnc bar commission desires a professiOllwide consenSlIS or needs to mount a statewide initiative and th e local bar Is the natural hasic unl1. Contadlng the " 10cill bar" Is, too frequently, a problem, There are a number of reasons for thi s: (1) Some, while Th~ puq>ort TO eKest, do nol hold regularly scheduled me.:t· Ings, and, less reStJlarly, elect ofllcers.

The Alabama Lawyer

(2) Some "convene" as n€!cded.

(3) Some loc.11 presidents eMpress unawareness of their dale of election or ex· plr.l1ion of their terms of office.

(4) Some local bars fu nCtion in direct proportion to the le~el of presldenlial leavership and activity 1t.'Vel. (5) There is a lack of uniformity In the "bar year." Those th~ ::are active operate on II variety of fisca l ye::ar dates. Son'U"! ol~rate Janu<lry-Decembcr; some follow the stme har year of June-July, (6) Some associations exist for social purposes, while dockel calls serve <IS the reat " bar associmlon meetings."

The benefils of an active or org.lniled tocal bitr are many. Through social func· tions it affords a measure of collcgiabilIty th:lt many lawyers dl.!cry our lack of today, The local bar allows (or n mearlS for dls§(!mlnatiOI1 of Information where a substantial numlX!r of lawyers can discuss issues and matters of import. Regu. lar meetings ::afford deliberative action instead of oftenTimes " reacting " to matters of I)roft.-ssional concern.

The state bilt, for years, has $ent a weekly legislative newsletter to the local b..1r presidenTs listed in our direcTOry. Not infrequently, a past president will write that hislhcr term of office is long over: however, neither the refiring nor the incumbent president notified bar head· quarters. More likely than not, we were not aware of an elcctlon datc.

The Alabama I.awycr runs a bimonthly " Riding the Circui ts" section.

The editor covets news from the local bars; however, we frequently have dif·

HAMNER

ficulty contacting a source.

We embark on a new stale oor year when Alva Caine assumes the presi. dency July 22,1989. I encourage those o(you In active local oors 10 "begin new ye<H~" 100, If practical. I reali ze somc of otlr more well·establlshc.-d loc~11 bilrs have (IMt.ocI vales and have had such for yc::ars. I do not presume 10 suggCSt yOu change yOur operaTions, bull hope those wi thout a regular meeting or election schedule would consider this.

If your bar Is rIOt as a( tive as you wish It to be, you may be the ca tal yst needed 10 aCl iv"tc it. It has not been so long ago tha t t CMnot recall our armual Montgomery County Oar meeting " to pass the gavel" and memorl::ali1.e the deceased

165

President's Page (conlinvcd (rr)m p<)glJ 164) src;'11 [rurh. You will h;we to learn to delil with the unforluniltc fa cl lhil[ most of Ih{' work in law Sei!ms 10 be a St,:am·

il

less. never.endlng fJbri c, surrendering very little rime for corllcmplatlvc ilMlysls.

Take some l ime 10 plan t, sing. dance, pillnt or pl"y. Gel inYOlvcd with people.

Li ~ ten 10 them and nQurish friend ships.

Friends wllJ lu! of inCil!culable villue.

Over C\(!rylhlng elloC, elevate your family.

Nine: Give something bJck to the

l)uhUe ;lIId to

,h~

profess ion. We lire the

cU5tooi,ln5 of thi. justi c!;: syMcm, ~nd we

have some responsibility

10

acquired a healthy reSI>ect for the prin. clple of ~ wre decls/$, but If you bt:llil'Vl! th at thi s profession Is o nly about Ilreced ents, you h,lVe been misled.

Your generi'llion of l:!Wyers will Ix! cilllL>d upon to re!iO I\~ mOrc weighlY societal I)ro blcms than all other generations of lawyers combined . You will have \0 find ways through law to protec t thi s fragile planet on whi ch we live i1nd to resolve the proper distribu tion and use of Its physical asse ts. Lawyers of your time will h<M:! to ded de such godllke Issues as when life begins and when II end s, and how trJI1 spiantabie o rgJns arc all ocated. You will ha....e to deal with the legal Implications of genetic engineering with both plant s and anima l ~, ~11 humiln be-

ings. The prOI>crty lawye rs will have to dl..ocide wh,lt I:!W gtNems our oce,lIls, the Arctic and the Antarcti c and even outer space. You must grope for IInswcrs in the IITCa of surrogate p..1TCntlng. whi t h shah.'!i the \!Cry fo undations of An glo-Americ.ln jurisprudence. You must finn Wil'y'lo to protect our priv,lCY in a day of COnll)uters and phen omenal electronics. Ifl yOur era IJwycrs will be fo rced to cope with the populatio n l'~plosion, whi c h thre'ltens our very abili ty to SUfvill(!. At times the challenges of the future seem to virtually overwhelm us.

It is indeed an exci ting time to be a lawyer, and I will follow with antici pa tio n your prosrc~s in Our honored professlo l1 .

•

Report

The state bar needs a strong viable net· work of local bar as<;(lci ati ons wilh whi Ch to cooper,lte in strengthening all aspects of the profession. Please look on pages t4-\ 5 of th e n~w (1988-89) 8M Directory Cdition of Th e Alabama L.1Wyer alld scc if your local OJ( Is listed. Arc your o fficers correctly ~O\cd l If not, please wri te and let me ~ now .

If yo ur local b~r would like to have iI program, we wo uld be haPI)Y to arrange for ;'1 speaker on a subject yo u desire.

Our st<tte biIT presi dent~ and mcnloor~ ()( the staff am usually available to sl>cak to yOur group 011 reasonabl y ~ hort !loti ce.

We need to strengthen our local associ ation netwo rk.

Please help us lllalntJin our list of local bar s i1nd ollicers by notifying the AlaQilm(l 5\ilte IJ,H immedi<lll'ly when the~ Is a change in officers o r election date.

Al so , if there i ~ a local bM that h,ls 110t ix.of!n identified, pl~asC! 1(>1 uS know . •

le"w It Ocl-

lhi1l1 when.....c found II. 'rbur 'liM' pro-

t!!f

fe ssion hOls bct:m granted an exclusive privilege. It Is self-regulated, and each of us owes a duly !O volurltccr time to im· prove our profession.

Ten: It''M n 10 usc the lan guage, lan· guage to the lawyer is tIS the scalpel to the surgeon, th# brush to the painter, o r the clay to the ~ L.llptor. An ilbility to use good English, In both spoken and wri tten form , i$ not a~ allrilclive adornm~nt; it is a necessity. There is not a place In thi s stMe hI whi ch ba sic English Is not l;:onV(!nicntly 11lugh1. Do nOt let pride or procra stination pn..'VI.m t you from master· ill8 these skill s if you do not already h~ve them .

You are entering thi s profession i1t the height of its power ;,lnt! innuencl!'. FQr hetter or for WQr~, the law has nc.'VCr bet!n such a prev,llent force in the lives of our citi1f,JIl ~. Your studies to thi s point hallC brought you into con tact with musty vol umes and ancient decisions. You have

Richard Wilson & Associates Registered Pro fess io nal Co urt Repo rt ers 17 Mildred Stree t Montgomery, A labama 36104

264-6433 166

members of the bar who died during the pn.oceding t2 mOllths or our September (mccting) barbcque at the Ill te T.B. I-HII and Jim Carter's I>ond where we inviled county and c ity officials ;1I\d had fun. We sli!! en joy our local Montgomery bar, bu t I think we all (igrce tha t being organi:l l:d and meeting monthly has affo rded all a richer profeSSional experience.

To those wh o would demur that we have eno ugh lawyers in the more I>OPUI'lted Mcas to hove a mcanlngful associa· tion, I wou ld respond it is not the num· ber presenl, out 1I1e quality of and tom mitment to profe ssi(lnali sm thaI coun ts in bar work . Bilr association mcctings offer opportunities for reflective thought and as§cssmc nl.

TRUCK ACCIDENTS - TIRE CONSULTING • Tire Consulting • RlmfTIre Exp losions

• Trallic Accident Reconstruction Truck - GlJr - Motorcycl6 • PtHiestrlan

SMITH-ALSOBROOK & ASSOCIATES BOBBY O. SMtTH. B.S.. J.D" PresIdent Opelika. AL 36803 (205) 749 ·1544

P.O. Box 3064

July 1989

About Members, Among Firms ABOUT

M ~MB E R S

Fr;mk S. Dodge

Jnnounn'~

thl'

ol)('ninl! of hl~ law pr.l<..tIC(', Offie€!\

,1((' 10(:.111;'(1 ;11 540 North Cascade AVl" nUL', !luil!' 102. Colorado Spring5, Color,ldo 8090J. Phone (719) 473·73]8.

•

MoHy Be th Meyer has bet>n ad· mined to the loui~ianil $ IJle S'1f A~· )OCr.uian ,mel bl'CQnl(.' .1\sociill('(1 with tht' riml of ( h" ife, M(;Call, Phillips.

Toler & S;npy, 2300 EncrKY ({'n1r£', 1100 PoydrJ~ 51('(11, Nl"N Orlt'.lll~, I.OUIWlllt1 70163·230Q. ['h one (504)

565·7000.

•

lohn T. Bender announcc\ tl1£' opt·ninK of hi, nl'\'.' office for lilt' I>racIitc of I,IW ,11 150 C<M:'rnment Street, Sulle 1004, Mobile, Alab,lma. Phone

(205) 433-1835.

•

William H. Hoc announces the reiOC;l1ion of hi. offill' 10 1101 City FlO(!' l'r.lll3ultdlnH. I3lrmlrlsharn, AI'ihill1Hl 15201, effective May l. 1969. PhOlll' (205) 25 1·9930.

•

Thol11015 H. Figu res .l nI10unc~ the rejoc,ltion of hl~ pradice to 212 South l.lWfi'nlC Sir 't, Mobile, Alabam,1 36602 (.lcrO~S from the Mobile Civic Center). t ti ~ m.litin~ ,\{Irtre~~ i, p.o.

Bo~ 2645, Mobt!(', AJ"I.Mmil J(,(,52· 26-15. Phone (205) 433·0416.

•

l) avid P. Shcllhc rd In!lou nce\ the reiOCJtio!l of his office to 913 PI,lnl.l· tion Boul{"l,lld, FJirhol)C, AI,lbam.l.

Phone (205) 928·4400.

•

.'nnounce~ the It.. toc,uion of h l~ omc!;' 10 Suite 2404.

Fi ~t Natlon,)1 B,mk Building in MOo bile. The new mailing addflt~~ i~ P.O. I.!o~ 49, Mobile, A!abama )6601· 0049. I>hone (205) 432·5700.

lohn P. Furman

•

The Alab.1nJil lawyt!f

Ed w.ud P. Meyenon, ,1 p,nln!..'r In til(' firm of NajjJr, Denahur", Meyer' son , l ar ~ aur, M a~, Wright & Schwart z, P.e., W,l~ (> lcCh.,(i n.lIional th.li ll>C ~OI1 of the Leg,ll Aclvi\ory Conrmill~ of the Aml'ri("iln Suhcon· tr,lctor~ As..ociaTlon. TIll! ll1emlX'f'> of the commillee dre .Jtlornt¥.o 1101110n· wide who represent ~tolt(' ilnd my c;h,lple'" of Ihe American SUIx.onll.H..

Icm A\'>OCiiltioll.

•

Rryall C. Duhe' announc(' ~ the opening of hb IlL'W offiLl' ,11 712 Oak Cirdl' Drive. Weq, Mobile, Ai,lb,lm.l 36609. Phone (205) 660..()261.

•

Michael O. Blalock .lnn oun{'(>~ til(' leloc.ltion of 1m offite to Stil le 214, 651 Beacon Pdrkwd)', \I\\! ~ I . ijlllllins. ham, "'ilbamd 3520':1, dfect, \'(' April

24. 1969.

•

D.lVid F. Ovson annaun((", the ft'" mov.ll of hi~ (jffi(:l:'~ to Suitr 120, 728 Shilde~ CrC<!k ParkwolY. BirminHlhlm, AI"bamil 15209, cf(eC'ive July 1. 1969.

Phan(' (205) 670·1511.

AMONG fiRMS CIMIe, ScOIl & Sulli ....ln ,1I1nOUI1<:('\ th.ll leffrey l. luther, J 1986 lifoldu,lll' of Ihe Univcrsily of Alilb.1I11.1 School of 1..1W, joined the firm Seplembt'l 26, 1966, ,)~ .111 ;J~soci(lle II) their Mobile office. rhe firm il l ~o has ,m offke in BlrmlilKhdl11 under the l1i1me of CI;tr1e & $(011, P.e. Mobile Offir;l'" drt' 10t aWd at 56 51. Jo~ph Sllt'l't, p.o. Hox 101<1, Mobile, AlaOOI1'1o) 36633. Phol1t.'

(205) 433·1346.

•

Do nald L. Colee, Ir., and lerome Tucker, 111, ,ulnounce Ihr opt'nUlI( of their law offices, Colt(! & Tucleer, .,1 70 1171h Streel, South. Sui tt, ·1, IIlrm· In~h,lm, "Iabam.) 35222. Pht)!w (205} 252·11 66.

•

To m Estes .1nU MMk S. CMle r .1111l0Iln(e Ihe fOll11J lion of.l p.Hlnt'r· ~hlp (or rhe pr,luice of 1,1W 10 b<, known .l~ ht ~ & c.uter, l()(att.'(1 OIl 931 Bro':ld Sll\!tlT, 1'.0. (10\ 730, Phenix City, Aldbollll,1 36867. Phon!' (.205) 29 1·3070.

•

10hl1 E. Amari .,nd Colel1l,H\ O. Hamm, Ir., dnnOUn(;(' Ih.1! J. Dennis 8.1iley lla ~ b<,(.oml' , j l11l'mhN (If IllI' firm .lnd the c hilnl!<' of the firm 11<1111(.> from Amari & Halnm 10 AII1Mi, H"mm & Bailey. OffiCi" .HI' kx;,l[ed ,11 9636 Parkw.lY EiI\I, Birmingh,lrn.

Aldb.)m:' 15215. Pholl{' (20S} 8366266.

•

Til.: firm I'lf Pri tchMd, MCelt! & lones ilnnounc(.'\ th{' f('IO(iIIion of i!\ offices 10 600 Fin.md.11 Ct.'nter, 505 North 20lh Street, l1irrnln,llh.lrn, AI,l' hn!1lil. Phone (205) JlO·9 190.

•

Harris, Shinn, Phillips & Perry, P.A. ,md Caddell & Sh.lnks ,mnOUIU;'(' Ihe merger 01 thl' (jnn ~ for ,he prMtlt(' of I.IW under Ihe nam(' of H .. rri~, Cold· dt'll & Shanl.:~, p.e. Offic('\ ilfl' kKil ted ilt l1 4 10hmtol1 5111'('1, South"",t, P.o.

Bo~ 2688, Dt't..ltur. AI,jIMm,1 15602· 2688. Phone (205) 340·8000.

•

Willi.lm H. Stt'Clc, fornlt'f d1ld .1 .... \j~tal1' di ~"icl .lItomf'y .ltld tl'\i\ldnl UnitNI S lilt('~ ilttornl'Y, ,lnd loseph O. Thelford. fOnll('f tl)\i\ldni UI \IlIlI dIlOllll'Y. announ("(' th(' forlll.1I;01l of ,) p.1l1nel'>hip, Thetfo rd & Steele.

Ot1'ic~ are IOC:dl('(lolt Suit(' 1702, FiN Nalional Bank Bulldin~ .

107 St.

rr.lnci\ Str(' ... " Mobi h·, Aldh.lmil l6602 . Phol1e i20S} 43J·700Q

•

,.7

About Members, Among Firms •

Milyn,lrd, Cooper, FricrSQI1 & COlic, p,C, dllllOUIlCCS th~t O.. vid M . smith, /arr('d O. Taylur, II, and ,. Micha el

S.w.lge, formerly ,1S!oOClaIC~, h~ Ix...... come members of Ihe finT), ,lI1d Mark l . Drew, Randall H. Mo rrow, laynil t.

P,ut"in, K.l lhryn Pugh .md Mark Strength have joined the firm as .1~SO­

dales. Offices Me IOCMcd 01\ Twelfth Flour, Wi1tl~ Buildinll. Birmingham, AlaIXUl1.l 3S20J. Phone (20S) 252-21189.

• "r:ldley, M.l"l, Rose & While announces Ihm Norman IClrnundscn,

Jr., M.le M. Moorer, Joseph S. lIird, III, lohn M. Johnson, M. Christian King (I nc! Eo Glenn W,ltdrop; Ir" have become members of th e firm. Birm· ingham offices afC IOCilWd ill 1400 Pilrk Place TO'wcr, 35203. Phone (205) 152·4500. I l u nl ~Yl! l c offtC('s ;Ire 10e.llcd at 223 Ea ~ t Side S{IUilfC, 35801. phone (205) 533·5040.

•

Armorecht, J<Jckson, DeMouy, Crowe, Holmes & Re(.'Vc~ ;)nnOllnccs that ,.lllles O. Smith, WiIIiilm Ii. Phil· pot, Ir., ;)nd Michild E. UI)ChuTch h.1\IC become member~ of the firm , and Scoll G. Brown Jild lisa e.

Tinsley h,1\!(! bC!;<ln-.e ,lsSQCi;"Jlf;.'{1with the firm. Offic('~ <Ire located at 1300 AmSouth (Mter, Po. BtlX 290, Mobile, AIJbJma 36601.

•

McF"dden, lyo n, Willoughby & ROIJSC announces tha t leffry Alllrl Heild h<l~ become ~ member of the firm, ;mel William S. McFadden has h<-'(ome .1s~odilteel with thc firm. Of. fices .1r(> luC,I If!d .11 716 Downlowner BoulevJ!"d, Mobile, AI<lbama 36609.

•

Jackson P. Burwell, of Jackson P. Burwell, P.e., lames P. Hess .lne! l.

Thompson McMurtrie of Hess & Mc· Murtrie, and L. OeMl Johnson <l rl· nounce the form;J1ion of Burwell, Hess, McMu rt rie & Johnson, P,C., with offic~~ ill 200 Ru~~eJJ StrI..'Ct,

Huntwillc, Alilbilma 35801. Phone (205) 53)·5300.

•

Koberl E, M(Jrrow lind Thomas ilp Roger Jones .lnnounce Ihe relociltion of their offi ccs to 800 A(abama Avenue, Selma, Alilbilma 36701. Phone (205) 872..7454,

•

The firm of (.llhoun, W,lIld n ~ & Clower ,U1l10UI1CC5 thilt Kenneth W .

Cox, Ir., has become ,I pdrh'ICr in the firm , ,mel the firm n<lme t1<l~ been ehilnged 10 Calhoun, W,ltkins, Clower & Co~. Offiees arc 10C.lled at t04 SOll!h llrundidgc Street, P.o. Box '189, Troy, Alabama 3606t·0469. Phone (205) 566-0 424 ilnd 566-3781

•

McKnight & WirteS, P.c., .111.. nourlees lh ~ t Sandra K, Vinik, William R. Hill, Jr., and Peter M. Nl'iI haw become associ.lted wilh the fi rm. OfOees (Ire IO<:.1\I~d ill 22 lverness Cen1Cr Pt1(k· w"Y, Suite 610, Birminghilm, Ai abilrwi 352 42, phone {205) 995·9665; M(lin Street, P.O. Box 297, Goodw.rtl!r, Ala .. bama 35072, phone (205) 8)9·5809; .~rld M.lln Sl(eel, P.O. Box 568, line .. ville, Alabama 36266, phone (205) 396·5222.

•

PROVIDING EXPERT MEDICAL RESEARCH FOR: MALPRACTICE SUITS (Delense Only). INSURANCE CLAIMS, AND WORKMAN'S COMP CASES. Our service Includes: • Chronological sequence of events • Clarificati on of medical term inOlogy • National Library o f Medicine Medline literature Review • AnalySiS ollhe standard 01 care • Su mmary 01 case weaknesses and strengthS • Medical records organization and indexing

• DepOSition outl ining Recognized by mejor malpractice insurance compenies 188 Pine Hilt Lane. Madison, AL 35758 • (205) 830-6589

166

lu/y 1989

Bar Briefs "A Matte r of law" daily radi o Ilrogram debuted law Day, May 1 Robert D. Raven, prcsldent of the American Bar Association, announced rl'Ccnlly Ihat Ihe ABA Is pJrliclpatlngln the prep.1H1tlon of a new rad io program cailed ':.\ Matter of Law." It Is I)rocluced by Synergy, a New York based media COmpany, in COOI>Cf<11ion with the ABA. The 13·w(''<!k pilot dally radio program, consisting of gO-second fea tures on the law, is bro.'ldcast Imd syndic<1ted 10 radio stations across the nation .

The program debuted on Law Day U.S.A., May 1, with it realllrc on 'h:cess to Justice," the tht::me of th is year's annual Law Oily celebra tion . following the Law Day airin& programs will deal with 5uch tOI)IC5 as copyfight law, pro bono publico efforts by lawyers, juror concerns, television hl the courtroom, death ffNI appeals, custody <Juostions, firings w itho ut cause. controlling drunken driving, attorney.. cli e nt privilege. afHrrnlltive action programs, parkin g lot crimc, legal ilid, rights unwed 'athers, and the reliability of eyewitness testimony.

George R. Lo.-elock, l)residen t of Synergy and Ihe t reator of the program, is ca-produting "1\ Mattc r of Law" with former CBS Nf.."¥'IS "6O Mlnutcs" producer I'.lul Lot.owcnwarter. Vc tcran reporter Lou Adler 15 th e correspondent, and his comp..lny, Eagle Medl.1 Production s, syndicates the progfilm nationally.

Since the progr.lffiS Me aired by different stations llnd at differcnt timCS across the coun l ry, It is ~ugges tcd tha t listeners check rh E':ir localllstinKs for an· nountements concerning '11. Mill1er of LilW" bro:ldcasts.

0'

The Alabama Lawyer

AmeriClln Bar A$$oci~fion President Rober/ D. Raven <'It/he U.S. Supreme Court an. nouncing ABA'~ f}<Jrlicil1.1rion III '1'\ Mallcr of LllIv" <lilily r,ldio program with c(caWr Ci.'Orsc R. Lovelock, pr('$i(/ent, Sytlcrgy; PiJulloewenwarlCr, co-productr; Ilnd Ernest Y. Sevier, cfldlrperson ABA's SIilndins Committ(.'C on Association Communlcation5 c hief JuSlicc H o rnIDY addresses the m onitoring of comital cases In Ch ief JuStiCe Hornsby's ween! address 10 the lolnt session of the legislature, he made the 'ollowlng observation fcgtlfd lng Ihe proccsslng of ctlpital Cil S@S through the justice sys tem: "The crisis which ha~ dt.wlol>('(! in this coulll/y COllccrning the death penalty is one which req uires II l1ention here In AI<l b<lma. Whatever deterrent v~lue the death pcnill ty may have is much dept(!tl ated when allpcals last a dccilde after the crime. ThiS delay is iI ler. flble burden on the victum, IJOlice, prosecutors, public d efenders, prison offici al s, and defendants. It Im l)()~CS a drcildful co~1 on I)ubllc confidence and the ability of the

systcn\ of justice to fuoctlOO. While these CilSCS Ilrcscnl the most awesome decisions we makE':, the time rcquin.>d to get th em through the system now is unacceptable." for the alxwc feilsons, Ihc appelltl te toorts and AdminiSlfJllve OIfice stilUs arc g.lthering dilt.1to identify problems ill'ld areas where delay Ciln be redu ced In both the trial (lnd <lJ)peliutc cou rt processes, ,mel also ,lfe in the I)rQCess of Implementing a capitol I Cd ~e monitoring system to track cases from arrest 10 execution of the judgment. It is hoped thilt Ihls syslc m will Identify IXltential problems and assist In the reduction of any unnecessary delay. Any suggestions ~hould I>e sent do AHen Tapley, /\dlllini· ~ trilU\IC Dlff..'ctor of Courts, 617 South Court Street, Montgomery, Alilbllmll

36130.

•

I"

by Rehecca Turnipseed Bergquist

flft.'Cl ilrld the earth sh.lkes. lOurs orlgin.lte

Make plans neM' 10 ,,!lend thc 1989 AlabJma Stale Bar Annual Meeting In Huntsville July 20-22. There Is no bolter time to be In Huntsvillel The Sp.lce Ccleo or-ulon '89, il 5p«lal part of the Alab;ml1l

from the Spilce and Rocket Center, Phone 837-3400, For a windON on the 21st cen tury. driw thro\fgh the nation's St.'cond largl..'SI high technology Cl:nlcr, CUMMINGS RE·

SEARCH PARK,

NeKI stop In the 19th cf:ntuty is oii visit 10 the HOWARD WEEDEN HOUSE built in 1819 and birlhplace of poet ilnd ilrliSI Moiiriil IIc:r.vard Weeden, II is a superb eK· oiimple of floderJI archite<:tJre, nON beau. trfully r~IOrC!(1. 300 G.ltes i\wnuc. Phone 536·7718,

Reunion, I~ luly 15·2 1, and it is {where

olsen in Ilunlsvllle. Come ,111d enjoy the annu.11 !l1eetlnll ;lnc! s,lmplt! ,,11 !-Iuntsville h.lS 10 offer, Bring your entire (,1111-

ily for (un·filled festivities, splendid sights ,u\d e~cI'lng evc,t5 for all, Plan \0 come early ,lIld M,I)' 1~le.

Yes,

HUNTSVI ~ lE

IS ALABAMXS TIME

MAO liNE. The c1tcllemcn t of !he fuMe . md the herildg<' of [he P.1St are all in

HuntWilie. Chart your O'Wn courSe throul!h m<llly Speci;ll momen[~ In rime.

FOr J Hllmpse of the futuro, set your

!Inle !llilchine on tomorrow. Be Illl aS1rO-

!lilut .11 the SPACE AND ROCKET CENTER with mor(' than 60 hilnds-on

C)(.

Huntsville-Alabama's For morc ix>autUul homes con~l ructed In thc 19th <lnd early 20th cen tury, it is the TWICKENHAM HISTORIC DISTRICT and the OLD TOWN HISTORIC DISTRICT. To \.lke a lovely stmll on your a.vn, pick up A WJlkin8 four o( I /untj·

vil/e, A/"b..1m.l brochure ;lVail.lble OIl registr.1Iion. For priv.ltl! ard gloup tours,

COl!! Huntsville

hibits, t.lke.l sirrulalcd space flight Olnd the Sp.lce Shu1tle p.uk with Oln OlUthentlc S.1turn V moon rocket. Bl'Come immersed in the sights ;md sounds of sp."Ice Ifil\ICl in iI >l)eclacular SIJacedome Theater wilh .1 67-1001 domed moYie screen . You will floel whatlhe astronauts fecll I-IIKh\v<Jy 20 West. Phone 831·3400, For mort) of the future and an in-depth vlow 01 Our nation's sp.lce l>r08'.lm, Visit tlU! NASA-Marsl"l!! Sp<lce Flight Center.

Sec test S1ilnds where moon rocke ts are ~ee

170

Now, for a visit to the IMSt. set your l ime machine on yt!sterd1ly <lnd take" horse·drilwn c.uri"gc coach or surrey In the lovely hlsloric da.vntown Huntsville Mca. Phont.' 831·8801. Or lake a walk In Big Slnlng International PoHk, the SII(.' wherc John Hunt founded the City of IlunlsviUe in 1805. Just cast of the l)'lrk Is the First AIOlOOma Bank, on(i oIIhe first chilfleled in the Slilte. Legend has II Ihat Jes5C James jlllllf)t!d off the cliff, da.vn to the Big Sprinll.

j

IClh.1ge Tours. Phone

5)4·7763.

Be ;1I1 Alal>ama settlcr at the CONSTI· TUTION HALL PARK, si te of Alabam<t's 1819 COl1stitutlonal ConVClllion. The charmlllg museum village (lnd its costumed guides bring to lifc this period

with informatiw craft delll()fIStratiOIlS for you and your chlldr('n. 301 Madisor\

Street. Phone 532·7551.

For 19th cen tury gcr..pet music, an oul· door conCert ilt the CtlrrlOlse Barn at CooSl ilution HaU Park begin~ ilt 2:30 p.m..

July 23. Bring your picniC basket and a l>1<lnkcl. Admi ssion Is free. Phone 5321551.

July 1989

For shopping in the 1900~, set your (or IB97 and vi!>lt Harrison Brothel'!i Hardware store, AI"bilmil'~ old· eM OperilllnH hilrdwarc store. It is full of nosI.1lgic Items and wondelful gifts to lilke bilek hOme. 124 South Side Square.

Phone 536·3631.

Tr.lin travel in 1860 find !. you ill the HUnlsville Depot Mu~um , the oldest surv,vlng train depol, fnlOY Inlriguing exhibib and antique engines, For marc fun, the dCIXlt Street eM tr,wel s 'round trip from the depot through historic dO'o"n· lown >Inri to tile SI).1ce imd Rocket Cen· ter. Phone 539·1860.

A vlsi. to 1" unlSvllle'~ (a sclnllling pa ~t must include the BU RR ITT M USEUM and PARK iltop Monte S.lnO, with li S mllgnificent view of Ilun'svllll.'. Sec log cabin s, a blacksmith shop, .l smoke house ,ltld nn old COlll1try church, or en· loy the garden, the n.llurl· trilil s ;md the picnic facllltic5. For informilrton on

1In1l' machine

SI~i"l evcllts indude an open house at NASA-Mal'!ihall Space Flight Cenler Ouly 15), iI (ull·scale shunlc rockel engine tcst firing Ouly IS). MI~si!c and Sp..1ce Old· timer Reunion Uuly 17), thc Von Braun rorum Uuly 17) and il ) trCCI fair for all o( Ilunlsville's vi~j!OfS Uu ly 21).

For baSl.'ball (.lrlS, pl.ln to atten(l the H UNTSVILLE STAR5-0RLANDO TWINS games July 20-2), al Joo Davis Stadium.

Phone 882-2562 for tickets.

For loggu~ of all .lSI'S, try the Ma(llson COUIlty P.lr Cour~e, oJ two,Ill"!.' logging tr,lll with 20 t'xcrciS<' 'l')llons on Johm.on RO.lc! In soulh",.lSt HUl1l5ville, For lfos .. -eountry runnel'S, take the cl1.,l1cI18c of the Country Running P,uk at the 01(1 .l irport 0(( Airport Road and South Memoriill Parkway.

M ONTE SANO STATE PAItK <lwalts YQU with spectaculM scellcry, hiking trail~, picnic .111(1 1)laywound fa c lliti~. RV hOOkups .1I1d c.lmp 5il5. In the C'o'Cning5,

For writers, the H untsville I.Ilerilry As· sociation presents a POETRY WRITI NG WO RKSH O P with n"'lonally I>ubllshed l()Cal poets on July 25. Phonc 828·6083.

For beiluti(ul 111Usic, ht'M GAZEBO CONCERTS Colen Monday evening Jt Big Silfing P.lrk. Phone 539·6653. On fldy 22 and 23, t"wl;)l to Sewanee, Tcnnl'55CC, (or t'.)cuity and sluclcnt concertS at thc Univc"lty of the South. Pholle 161 5) 598-1225.

Time Machine ~Pt'C ial

both

Eilrth Caml) sessions fur children,

d,l)' C.lmp and overnight. phone

536-2882.

In IX!I\Yl'en the exciting future .Inc! Ihc lovely l),l~t , :oct your time m.\Chlne on todilY. There arc Milny other wonderful slght~ alld cvcnh schedull.'l:l for July In I-luntwillc. Most outstandlnK will be the SPACE CELEBR ATION, '69. The celeb'iI' Iton blasts 0(( Jul~' 14 with a '....eck of ac· tlvlties. Sec vi siting astronauts, planetar. lum Lwnts .1nd il ~ p.lce film fe~tlv.ll.

the amphitheater (ciltLrcs cldhlC mms ,15 cntertainment, Phone 539·FtlM. The H UNTSVILLE M U SEUM OF ART, adjacent to the Von B';wn Civic Center, dlsl>I . 'Ys both hl~torlc and modern an.

Phone 535·4)50 for current c~ h ibitiOllS, luclures illl(l wQrk5 hop~.

For the.lIrcgoCf). ~'e " M Y THREE ANGElS," July 20.22, to be performed by the Twi ckcnham Rtpcrtory Company at the \rUn Brilun G\ ic Ccntcr. Phone 536·6301.

Rebccc.l 7tmllp1ccd Ul'rSflllIst received her IIncJergfJdll.ltl· c/eWce from the Un!· VC",I'Y of ~/.lb.Jnlil .lIId law ckSff.'C from tlw UllIvefSil y of Toledo. She ~erVt'd iIS 1.11Y dcrk 10 IudS£! lohn SnodSraSj of rh{' 2J rd ,udit;1tl1 Cirewl .lIld nolY IS an .1 ) )ocia!(' of "Ie Hunlwille firm of Bell, Rlcll:lr{/flon .~ Spirrkm<1ll . Sile ;) a memo ber of rile /"Iulllsvlllc-M.lc1ison County 8M Am>ei.lIlon, Ille AI.lb.lma St.lle Bar ,Inc! Ihe Amer;CJn 8.lf As~ociation.

'flle A/Ilb.lma Lawyer

rrom Alabama's Ars. c.ll)i!al 10 the Sp.1(C capital of the unlve~, Ilunlsville's faSCinating h1gh lcchnology elwironmenl and It5 triid it iQIl;J1 sou them heritage prO-vide rich .llld vMi~1 cxperien ces (or all.

Pldn to come early. Enjoy the Sp.lce Celebrillion '89, p.'lrll('piltc in the many ac· ttvities scheduled for the ilr.lual meeting. and leI the time mJchlne entice you 10 Sl.ly il I1l1le tonger.

MOSt o( .111, have an enloy.lblc time in I llIllbvilic where yesterday alld tomor· • row create an exciling tOday!

II II 171

No Starving Lawyers in the or One Lawyer's Favorite Places to Eat in

Notwith~t,)nding the Ir'lcreaslng numbef~ of l;lWycrs and law firms choosing

10 IOCilte In north AlilwmJ, there tHe flO

slMvlng 1,lW)'Ct'5 in HUnlsvilic- at least, rlOrlC lh.11 go hungry bCCilUSC of the l,u:;!.; of,) good reSIi1llr"llt. VisitQI'S to thiS ~,n"~ ~ 1 ,l tC bM ilnnU;l1 meeting will fhld tha t Hunl$villll offer~ m.lny choices for fille dining. The Ii!.! that foll~ cNtJlnly Is nOll'Xhau~tiy(' and in tended only as the vi~ of the ,)ulhol,

My Personal Top Ten (in a lp ha l>elic.l l ord er)

by H. H ~ ro ld Stephens 1. Fogcu!!cr RCS!.lur.lnl- 380S Univer· Sity Orlve- S39-2121. Offers.l wide V,lri· ely of choicc~ with C!xccllcrl! steaks <lnd ~1Ifoud.

172

2. Fralclli's Italian Re:;tauf,lnt- SQl Jordan lane-83O-1660. Excellent 11OI1ii'l11 food In a relaxed .ltrllOspherc.

3. Greenbriar Bar·e·Que-Hlghway 20- )5)·9769. If yOu like barbecue, you will love CKocnbriar. Ills worlh Ihe drivel 4, Hcril(lge Club- Il l W,lshinglon Slrcet- 53)-0150. A prlv.lle dining club SO you will need 10 gCt a 11Iwyer friend fron'! Hunt~ville 10 treal you. (It Is afnn· ,lied wllh priv.lle clubs in Blrn'!insham and Mobile.J No beller food or nicer aimosphere in HUll1wllle.

5. 1·louse or MandMln_ l312 South Memorial Parkw.1Y- 882·9262, I would put their hot and SOllr SOlll) ilnd MOO Shu O(.'Cf up alpins! any Chinese restaurant.

You will find Ihe manilgemeol and ~r­ vice friendly, as wei .

6. Mlchael's-J502 South Memorial P.ukway-881.f)120. All 'round ~II ­ prej:)ared food offerin~ two dining room s, one morc casu;!1 by th e pool and the other morc intim:!te (I n other words, It is darker!. S tcJk~ and fi sh are eSI>eclally good; their lunch menu offers a wide choice of r"lICat S and ycgetables.

7. Mr, Steak-1508 South Memorial P,ukw<ty-68J-2001. A I lunlsville tradl· tion and certainly o'"le of our besl, My favorltCS arc the s.-tmpler (choice of chicken salad, ta co salad or 5eafood salad served wi th fresh fruit) ilnv 21 Shrimp (count t hem~.,nd , ils the name implies, their steaks arC ou tst<lnding.

July 1989

of menu sel (!('tion~ and \t'ry good food .

Rocket City 6. Olive Gardcn-)730 University Orilltl-SJ9·1954. II wonderful italian reSlilUfan\ with a ~ry ni~e atmosphere.

The ~hrimp primavera ()hrimp OYer fct· tucirw) milkes you feel like you arc In Florence (Italy, Inal is). And, the brC;ldslicks Jrc ....~II 'MIrth your dough- just be sure your spouse and/or dille holS somt:', 100. The 8Mlle w ill protect you both from vanmires (or the rCSl of the w{.'ckend.

9. 0 1' 1'leidclocIg- 3807 UniW'f'Sity OriYe- 536-5246. One of my l>CrSOnal

f,worilcs, this b Huntsville's Bavaria. You will nOl find a \)(oller Gcrnliln restaur,ln! th i~ side of Wic.badcn, From schnitzel to Cernliln SilU SIl8C, the menu Is consir.. [emly good (lnd the service Is excellent,

10. TGI Frldily'S- 493S Universi ty D,ive-830-2793. I kOON-11 is a member

of il restaura nl ch,lin, but the food is wonderful. The kid s wilt IO\IC their burgers (I do, too), and the menu's only problem Is there are tOO many good choices, 00 as I dO-Order one oJ each, O th er sure choi ces Many of the fol OINing arc likely to be Includt.>d in otllcr H untsville I,'\wyers' top ten choices, GrOUI)ings are by catcgory for your convenience, JAPANESE 1. Mik<lto Ja,l..l!lc!tC Ste,lk Housc-4061 Independence 011\11.."-830-1700.

2. Shogun- 3780 UnivcrSlty Orrve534·)000.

Both alc cxci!'lIent choices and great fun for groUI>i of four or more. Best to call for rese(V,lIiOnS. CHINESE

I. Empress of Chlna- 20l2 Soulh Memorial Parkway-539.S797.

2. Peking Chlnesc Restautan t-3790 Unlvcr$ity Drlvc-533·66)).

Somc people (illduding my wife) would pick one of these as Huntsville's beSt Chinese reslilurillll .

MEX IC\N I , Chl·Chi 's MeHie,ln ReSI;1Ur<lnte5901 University Orivt_ 630·4404.

2. ChIH's- 492S Univcrslry Drive722·9620.

3. EI 1',llacI0-2008 South Memorial PJlkway-S)9·6075, If your tastl] buds arc k-eling like somethlllS sou lh of the border, choose one of the above, AMER ICAN

1. 8ools-1522 South Mernorial Park· way-5)4·9369.

2. l o fton 's: HUilI svl lic H illon & T()Y.t{!rs-401 Williams Avenue-53)·

1400.

3. I(uby Tue sday-S901 University DrlV('-630-5440.

4. Steak & Ale-3807 Universi ty Drive- 53)·7460.

5. Twlckl'nham Station-509 Williams Avenuc-539-3797.

All of the above are truly outstanding rVSlilur,lnts. You will find il wide Vilru~l y

N. I-larol(1 Stephens received hi5 under. graduate degree in hlsfory from fhe Unl· verSIfy of AlabamiJ iJnd law deBree (rom che Un/verillV of Alabama Sc/tool of Utw. Upon gladu,rrion, he servecl 115 an assistant Ullited Sfates Allorney for the North· em DiSlrier of Alaham.l In Birmingham. l-ie currenr/y Is a member of the Hunfj· ville frrm d l.anler, fold, Shllvcr & Payne,

p.e.

The Alabama Lawyer

Shoppers can cnjoy Ruby Tuesday ilt Madison S<IUMC Mall, ilnd loflon's and Twi ckenh;1rll are both lIeaf the Civic Center.

8AHUECUElCATFI SH

1. CmOsh Ilioon RI,!Stil\lf,lnt- Highway 231 South, Union Grovc- 881·7279.

2. Glbson')- 3319 Soulh Memorial P;ukway- 681.4851.

3. Nolen's 8",bequc- 9001 Sou th Memorral Parkway-66J.a515.

Who hilS Hun,svmc'~ bt.'St b,lIbccuc~ Ask Ihrec HUlltsvnte illlorn{~, and you will gel three answers: Gibson's, Grt.>cn· briar, Nolen's. Try all three. And the best c.ltfiShl Most ~'1Y it tO~s· up between C,'l' fi ~ h Haven, Gib~n's ilnd Greenbriar.

SANOWICHES

1. Bubba's-I05 WMhinglorr Strect53 4·3133.

2. Duffey's DeIi- 2324 Whitesburg Drive-533-4179.

3. Gorin's-l Ol W,lShington Strcet534·3848.

4. Thl;' Mill Bakery & Eatery-2003-B WhltcsOOrg Drive-534.4455, or 311 lor. d"n lilne-637-8SSS. If you ilrc In a hUfry Of JUSt wallt !tOmething light, pick OIH! of lhe above.

SOUTHERN/DOWN-HOME Kitc ~n- l004 Andrew lackson W.rr-534.9550, 2. Five Point) Rcstaurant- 816 Well. miln Avenuc-536-7356.

3. Mullirl'~ - 607 Andrew I.H: k~on W,ly-539·2826.

4. lvey'S-3 1O Governors Drive53 4·2828.

If you JUSt wan! §orne good old Soulh· ern.style cooking (.lfld 1011 of ill and II romantic seuing is not II I'II.lCeSsily, you won't go wrong with any o(thc ill)OVe selections. BreakfMt al Eunlce'i wa s a t luntsville tradition before some (ellow named Brennan ever mO'red 10 New Orleans!

I hope this ti st offers something for C\lCryont', ilnd trU St 1110lt you will Olld dinIng Out In Hunlsville 10 00 an en joyable c~petience. If you do have a I)roblem at these or any other reslaur,lnt~ in Hunl!>ville, telllhl'm Gilry Huckaby scn! you.

• Bon appellt l

I. Eunu:("s Country

173

Building Alabama's Courthouses

by Samuel A.

Ru nlart~,

Ir. called OCQCOPOSil, the tndian word for "cold W.l!l'r," The IlreJ Wil Sofnclilily incorporiltl'd by th(' Alab.lIl'l,l Stilte Legi slaturl' on Dt'C('lllbt' r 20, 1820, as Co ld W,l ter, AI;rh.1lll.l. 'i001l tiwrCilft('r. on June 14, 1821. thl' n.lm(' W.h ch.1nged to Big 5prrng.

The followin lJ continues it history of 1\1;,. bama's count y co urthou$~s- Ihc ir orl· gins and some of the people who can· Irilmlro 10 their growth. The A/oIb"ma uwy~r plans to run I;JnC ( o unt y's story in cilc h issue of the magazine. If you have a ny pho tographs of ea rl y or present courthouses, please forwa rd them to: s..'111ucl A. Rumor(l, Jr. Miglionico & Rumore 1230 Brown

Mnr~

Tower

Birmingham. Alabama 35203

Colbert Counl y Colbert Coun!) enjoys a spt!dJI place

in Alaoonlil hiStory. Along Wi th EICMI,lh and 1.1mar counties, it W<lS established, discSlilblished and then reestablished.

Recon stru ction-era politics caused thi s

l>hcnolll11non.

Originally Colbert County

W,lS

the

nonhcrn-rnost ,un of a larger Franklin County. More than half of the pol)ulation lived In this northern (lrea, including a majority of the bLSincss profession.11 nlen , There Wil5 no lugical rCJson for the~ people to tril~1 a long distance oYer pool' roads to their county se.l!; they w.mlt.'d .. new coonty with a doser coorthouse.

Their effOlb to est.1bli sh il nl"'" county wcre given Iml>etus by f(econS!ructlon 1)QlitiCS In AI"banl') , FolIO\vinlS the CI.... i l War, the competing interests of north Alabam" and the B :lck Belt of south AlabilmalntenSifit>d with the Cr\lancipil tion and enfr,mchiSCl1'cnt oitlle (ormer slil'w6.

The crC<ltlon o( a new predomin;mlly white county In the northern hillf of the Sl,lte would resu ~ 1 in an ildditionill rel~ n.'!tCntatlve for th e state l.egi ~ lilturc 'lnd, therefore, more political clout. So, after some legislative malleU\f(!ring. Colbert County W,H t'!>tilbll sh(l(1 Feblu.1ry 6, 1867, A Con ~litutlond l Convention convel1('(1 Ihill 5,Ime ye,lr, In lis dclibcrJtian ~, Ihh body, known as the Radical Con stitu -

aoo

174

Iional Convention, Jboli~ht'(l Colbt'rt Coun ty on Novemlx>r 29, 1867. Tho l1('xt convcnlnglCJ;i~I.1 I ure i:)rd('fI'(I.11I tl'(OId~ .1nd public prop('rty In Colbt,rt County rCllIrncd to the prob.lt(' Iud)!e of Fr,l llkllll Coullty.

'11«1 ~:Ir~ I.rter, ,I n(W l eKI~lil l U!(' WOo pmcd to r<.'-C~tablhh Colbert County, prOVided tI\,I1 a majority of \'Otl'r~ in Fr.lnklln County ilpprovf'd, Tlwel('(:tloll in lanuiJry 1870 confiml(>d tilt' ((l'.lllon o f the new ('o(mly. Anoth('f ('1(>( tl(m w.l\ held ~ thc ('itizen\ could t:hooo,(' ('ither Tuscunlbl a Of Chl!f()~('e 01\ till' ~e,lt of government. Tu~<.urnbl.l won th" elec· tlon by il \'Ow of 1,36' to 794, .1Ild It Il<l~ scr\ll'tl <''Vl:t ~1I1(e.H tho ol)ly ('oullty ~',l t of Colbert CouIlty.

The coull ty WJ~ IlJ!TI('(J lor t\'VO promlnenl hrolher<; who W(.'rt' Joc,II Chid..I ~.1W Indian chlcl~. Thl."!' \\\'1\' G{'O'lI1' ,lTld l<.... i Colberl, ,on~ of Janll'"o 1.0K,1I1 Colblm, .1 Scohm.1n who came 10 tilt:.' are,1 In 1740 from Ih(' C.lrohna~ .lnd m.1Hl{'(1 il Chl{k· ,15<lW Ind i.1I1. GcO/ge Collx'fl o lX'rilll'd a ferry aCro5s the Tennl'~W(' RiV('r on tIll' old N,)\l.h ... z Trilce. II w.h r('I)Ort{'(! thai he c.uned;H much .1~ $20,000 iUlnu,l lly frOIll hi~ lerry '>{'rvicl.' for lX'op ll' ,Ind

Alll'ltX.tlun w.h Iwld tn 1822 to decide thc town\ l)('rnl,1Il('llt n.IM~. Local IOf(! rl'Counl~ Ih,'1 , ....'0 I,.,nw\ \yt're I>ropos<.>d for tlw t(MOn, Onl' W.I~ Tu\turnbia. for the tndlom (hlt,f who \1111 lilll.'d in the area . rhe other pmp(J~.lI W.I~ to honor Annie, Ih ... inf.1nl d.)ughtl'r of Mili"l(l1'1 ilnd Sene Di(.holl. who WilO; til(' flrlt white child horn there. Aff('r ' he town "".1\ !laml!d 10 hOllor the (hiof, 1111' I{'HI'nd \I.ltl~ Ihat he 8r')Clou~ly g,Wl'.1 p.llr 01 IlUnlature moe· C.l~jn~ to h j ~ dpf('.I1{'(1 flv.ll, llll> tOWn OffU;:i(llly lx><:.1nlO Tu,>< umb,.1 D<x:(!ftll:><'t 31, 1822.

Culb(>fl County Ihld no courthouse durmlS thl" fir~ t Yl"lr~ of (t\ cxistence.

When tht' t:ounly WJ~ rt,· .. ~tJbli~hcd in 1870, the Horn 110uw. 1()(\lt<.'{1 <It the 110rl heil~ t ('{Irrwr of Fifth 51'Cl'l .mel Main in Tu'-C'umiJi,l, ~e r....ed .,~ ,I tcmpomry ,ourthnu!>('. Thl~ Ihr('<... ~to,y hOlel, wi th ilS

Iivc~ toC'k .

ltw /11'.1 white wl1 ll'l\ ()f prl'~('n t-day \\ft!f\! MI{h,ICI Dl(k~oll alld Iw. wifl', S('nt' Wfili,lIll' D,d,on, of Rcy. nold)bufg, TcnnCS~l't'. Thl'Y ,md Iheir (')mily '<OUKht ,1 nl">V h~me in Ihe Tennessee Villlcy afler milr,lUdlllij tndlilns h.1(1 destrO>j'l.xJ R<''Yno1dd:M B, In till' spring of t815 thl'Y \l'ttled in 'In.I(('.1 known far Its bill ~ plinK'. Her!,' Ihl'Y ml'l Chid' T.1Sh-k.IamiJi,l, who'1t! naml' 11Il",lnt "w.lrrlor who kllb" but who bCt:dlIlC the Di c k ~on's fril'lul.

The place where tlte Di c k ~on filmily ~l1lc<l hilS hild many nilmcs. II wa s first TU ~(Ulllbi.1

Samuel A. Rumore, Jr., Is if sraduille 01 the Univer5lty of Notre Dame and the University of ~/,lbama School 01 Law. He 5erved as (oundm8 chairperson of the Alabama Sla le 8ar's Family Ulw S~tion !Jnd ;$ in practice in Birmingham with the firm of Miglionico & Rumore.

luly 1989

of thl;! building. courts Io'.1!fC held at the TuscumbiOl Operil House.

In 1948 il north annex wa s added to lhe courthouS(!. The colun\f\S alld jXlrtiCO .,.,Iere removed from the north side of the Iwilding. The architect for thi s Iltoject WilS I-I'!\' Griffith, Jr., and t~e builder wa~ N ,S. I latcher.

In 1962 another e:o:pan~ion was needed, .mel a courthouse imm.'X and the

county Jail wcrc COml)JCtC<l on Fifth Street .11 a site del<lched from the main courthou~e

building.

On June 22, 1975, a new t wo-~t()ry west wing waS dedic.ltlod for the Colbert County Courthouse. 8.1'1. Craig COilstruction Company of Florence was thc contril!; tor, and Northlntltl;m, 51th,

Colbelt County Courthouse first·floor SJloon, had been built around 1835 ,IS d Sl{lgcco.lch SlOP. Loner, courts wert! held on the third floor Q( the MOl' ~onic Hilii.

Finally, In 1860, lhe site (or a perma· nent courthouse was chosen. Capl.;lin A. H. Keller, f.lthcr of Helen Keller, with Other local citilCIIS suggested thc seleclIOn of four lot~ between Third and Fourth Strt"ets at Main Stf\!Ct. On Decem· ber 13, 1880, the coumy purchased this prol>crty for $2,Coo. Thb location was the site of the M~n sion House, an eally hotel In Colbert County.

On May 10, 1681, a contfi'lct was awarded to Wllli.1m OO'o'lIIng 0/ Chat. tafloogil for the COfl~t ructlon of a court· house, Edw.ud L.lurt!rlt of Nashville was archltcct for the projecl. The building w.u completed .1nd occupied AugUSt 29, 1882 . The cost of constr~lctio n was $14,750.

The Colbert County Courthouse was a two-Slory brick structum of Itallilnate design . On one clld of thc building WilS a lunct contilining a four·sided clock.

Thl~ building ~uffered extcnslve fire dilmage on the I1lght of May 14, 1908.

Parts of the roof and se(Ooo floor wert! dewoyed, but the e~ t erior walls remainC(1 Intacl.

The citizens of Colbert County rebuilt their courthouse In 1909. H~r, its architectur<ll ~tyle wa~ ~illnifiC;lntly ch.mged. The arch teet (or the r'i'Storiltion w.u Mr, Pe<;kinj>dW of Nashville. I Ie chanlle<1 the building from its original itilli3JlJtC design to its current Greek Re-

lIill,l l style by nddlng four Ionic columns and a l)Ortico 10 cae1 of the four Sides o( the courthouse. I Ie also de~igned 1111 octagonal open-arched clock tower (Wer the center of the building. somewhat reminiscent of the stil te capi tol dome In Montgomery. During the rCCOIIStruction

Kranert, Tomblin and Assocla tl~, also of Florence, W(!rc ilfchilCCIS for the project.

AIJbama Supreme Court Chief JuStic!.! l'loweli T. Heflin, OJ wside1t of Tuscum· bla, SCM.'<I JS the dedic,ltion speaker. The addition of th is west wing and the rcnoYiltions to thc mJin courthouse buildhlg cost O\'Cr two millioo dollars, Remodeling, in the milin building Wil~ com· pleted In 1976.

•

The Alahama Wills Lihrary h~ , \I1tltltl·~" ( 'Il I1l]lIlI C I ~ C I \\ llt" 1'he prtI&flIlllS

.~,

muhiple<hoke Ind and l~n co.,,· IRilorcd docunlenl< in minule.~. Ttm

olher .ndttlf}' docUmc:nb.

Llbrarle) for tn l t r \' h us 'I'ru , ,, ( 49~1) , tl oll n Su t ~~ (4934), Cnu d" fIO.~ wm~ Ubr~ ry (C~I 4\130) prepa!\', ,,,no Sulu (493"). Co m' l M ~1I1 .; uy te \,;"ol rlcI1 (4917). ornce Lu~ Mlders pie alld comple~ ",Uts prQYldm, ~p.:i .

(4938). Store l.tll 'e Hiders (49)9). rule di\I1O'IIlOfl' 01 l~t~(lItat erfeel~ r o.' ct LCil ses (4940). lim ited Ind re~hy. cU.\h beq\le'I ~, nnnu· ONLY I'u rtn u rs h l p.~ ( 4'J4 b), Sepy· l1ie~. lhe IImnllnll MrwJ uert'i'4: tll llt", Alrnmenr~ 149.\3). of powera of Ippolnlmenl, Ihl.\ h,I'~~ Sm lc~ 14~4 7). Irld credl l equivalency lIu i l S fin ,i n·lhe ·blan~ qut.\l;(ln~,

rot

$200

S h ~rC " llt d tr~ 1\ 1trtemCH1 .~ wuh OTII' pro",,101';, mari o 30·day (4'148 ). ure avml "bl~ for l~l dcduel'OII Itll., I). ch~rit".

AlabAma II S20() eteh moncy back ble remAinder nUII~ , Dnd Updbtc' .,1\ free rhe r.r~l guorantoo 01 olhe. di'po!iirlO1I\. 'flMo tesid· yenr, SIO per ,Ii.k Ihcrcufltr. sotl s factlon uury e~HII C "la), be divhled illiO tBM or compat ible compute", equat or unequal .hlire.~ wilh ellCh Specify ~ tW or 3 t/2" ~I~k . Cln ,h~rc being ,Iven Ie) one or motc Bernice WlIllam~ , (IIOO) 22t·2972 bcnencilfies ourrl,hl . or Vatlel), for ,nfomtulion on lhclie .nd olher of Ir\!'I~. Trust) 11my be: lCtllllnlllCd

lit.

or pUIII.Il)' dimlbuled ., weclfic lIjte~. or ma), tMI fOf lhe hfe or llie beneficiaf}'. Ahern~l~ Dnd wccesSO/' benefi ei.tics rna)' be ~~cined. The

prollfBnt "1<0 prepW'c5 Ii"inll will decl.rAllons. powcr~ of anorne),. f~mll)' Irce .fflduih. ~uel lum· mUflC~, e~ccu l lorl ,he~ ~lI s1~. lind

prolltBltls for i\ IlIbIIllll,

~celsJor-Lego.l.

InC.

62 While SI. New York, NY 10013 (800) 22L·2972 FAX (2 t 2)43 III

t·"

175

Uniform Guidelines for

Attorney Fee Declarations Recommended by th e Ind ige nt Defense Commhlcc of Ihe Ala b" m" Stille 8ar PREFACE The foliomng !)uldchnes were promul. galt.>d by Ihe indigent Defense CommltII.'C of the Alab<lma Stille 11m, and adopK-d by the BO(lfd of Bllr CO!ll!lllssloneI'!. of the Alabama SI,lW l1ar, to ;mist and guide lawyt'fs throughout the stale

with respect 10 billing procedures in cases in whit:h they arc appointed by thc (OUr! 10 rcpft."Sen1 persons aCcuSl.>d of crimes who haw al~ been dClcrminlod

to be Indigent. It i, thr hopt! of the Alabamil Stilte Bilr thilt these guidelines will provide guidance to lorwyers .mel SCf\1) as i'I ~ t'1!ld<lrd by wh ich que5tlonable conduct c,m bu judged.

Those lawyers who follow the letter and ~I)lrit of these guidelines will be protected from chilrges of impropriety; those who do not will hiNC no ilddPd protection from chilrges to the cootrary. In short, these gUidelines, though designed chiefly to ,lid and ilS!ilSI members of the bar, also stand a~ Ihis bdr'~ self-policing mechanism for qutSlonable fee practi ces.

Dispute Settlers Wanted

The Alabama Stale Bar expresses Its shlcere ilPI>rcciation to those who dedicate themsel~ to the reprcscnlilt]on of those who do 1'101 hilYe the ml'ans 10 him

I. ACTtVlTIES ARE TO BE LISTED SEPARATELY All activilies for which com pensation is claimed shall be listed scl)Jratcly on contemporilneous lime rccords. In order to rcceive Ilayment, acti vities must be IiSI(,,,(1 in Ihe nppropri,llC spnces on the fee dt.>daration form or, if conU!mpor"ncous time mcords Me ~epl in il l'Ilill'l ncr that CQnforms to the fee UL'Clarillion form, the colltcmporancous records may be themselves submlltcC without Ihe necessily for rransfcrrlnSlhem to the fcc declJr.ltion form.

,.

STANDARD TIME HEPORTtNG All time shall be dl.'CIMcd in increments of. l hour ($Ix minutes). Counsel may bill for time spent under six mi!lutcs ilt a minimum rille of .1.

a lawyer. At the Silme lime, il Cilulions anyone who attemplS10 lilke .ldv.lnlilgc, either of Iheir clicnb or Ihe Stale of Alabama, by pr.lClices such as double-blU. ing. thm abuses of thii oonorJble sYSlem will not be tolerated

3.

PHONE CALLS

The purpose, nOt substance, of phone calls should be briefly SI>ecHied. For cxample: "phone cilil 10 defendant's

Arbitration Forums Inc., II non·

profit orgllnizll lion with over

40 yeafS experience in resolvinB Insurance related disputes. is looking for Alabam(l bllr members with demonstrated

objectivity

\0

serve as IIrbitra-

AUBURN E x p e rt Witn ess Se rv ices

lors/medhltol1 for our Accident ArbltrlHion/ Mcdiation Forum.

I:!leclrtc Sbock • Autolllo tln J A,, ' atl ol&!MlLt la'

As an arbitratorl mediator, you will be asked to resolve ally

II ltc troalc • • Medical De"ICt Falin• • Co mputer S" tem •• MI cro ..... lI u .,.d, • Biomedical S" I. III. ·HII ...-Macillae hle,r.Ct • Gtlle.al 11111111",1111 - lfum .. I.IId Social Sct ..c••

insurance relnted dispu te either through binding arbitration or

Ildvlsory medilllion.

For more Informndon call:

(800) 426·8889

'"

Dr. Michael S. Mo rse Dr. Thaddeus A. Roppel (205) 826· 6610 2)7 V."ae Slreel, Au butll, At., )61)0 • Ih pel1 Itllumll Welcome

July ,989

brother re: rJlSlng bJil" or " phone call to defendant re: trial date." Each call should be listed SlljMr.ltely (on the con· temlx>rtmeQus timt= records, not on the fee dedar:lllon form).

7.

TRAVEL TIME TO A ~O FROM COURT TrilVl!l time to <Ill(! !rom a coort appear· ;m(e should be billed as out-of-court time, except ullder the follOWing circum· stan ces, where It may not be claimed;

4.

A. Travel time to Mrillgnillellt when counsc1ls not assigned ;1 dc(()lld.1nt prior to Mralgnment; and,

MILEAGE The ra te for mlleage shall conform to A/abanl" Cocie (975) §36·7·22 (ilS of September I, 1984, this r.lle is twcnty-two cents 1$0.22] per mile).

,.

EXPENSES Cert,t ln elq)(!nses must be ,lpprO'lC{l I)rior to the lime they ilrc incurred.

AI"b..lt11.1 CO(~ ('975) §15.12.21(d). A gen· eral definition of e), lX'n~es is imprJClicJI. Therefore,.1 deflilition Is given by way of whil t Is ilnd what Is not In eXI>tlnSC whi ch requires DPI)rovJI prior to being incurred. Coun~1 should file the i1PI)roprliltc motion In cases of uncen.linty. In cases where courl ilPpr~1 is required, counsel shilll file ,I eopy of the courl'S pretrial order along wllh the fee dl.'(:lara· tion form in order to obtairl lelmbUf)(!· menl .

The following are example) of cx· penses which do rcqulre Jpproval priOI to being Incurred:

B. Tr,lVCI time to <lrralgnmcilt when counsel is assign(od a client plior to M' raignment. but counsel fails to file a W<liver oI,lffalgnmem (where Hwaivcr" is Illl)'.'ick-d bv loeall;w.' or othern'isc) without ju~t rt'ilson. Some ex,lmples of JUSt reasons for fililing to [ile a walYer Include thm the dient refused to waive arraign.

ment, or that counsel could OOt loe,lte client priOr to arraignment. etc.

If lravel time illvolYe5 more than one Casc. it should be divided equally Jmong the case~; e.g.. If tWO ca~ Me Invol ved. one-half of trayci thne ~ hould be billed to elleh casco

8.

ARRAIGNMENT O nly the aclU<l1 time spent Jfr,lisning a defendant is compens..lble unless counsel is .1sslgncd a client prior to Jr· raignment .1nd counsel Is required to wait due to circumstances I)(¥>nd hiS con trol.

Such waiting time may be bilk-d as in· COurt tim€' .1I1d should be noted as such on the fee declaration form.

A. Prlvilte Inlo'CSllgJtors

6. Expelt

wltne~ses

C, TrJnscripts of trials or hearing~ not otherwise ,lVililabl@

D. IntCfjlreters E. ScientlOc tests The following are ex..lmples of expenSCS which do not require .1pproval I)rior to being incurred:

A. COP'ring (limited to twen ty.five cents ]$0.25] per copy, except in ex· trJordinary cilcumslance~)

6. lollS distaf'lce phone call5 C. Travel

6.

OPENING AND CLOS ING CASE FILES CounS(J1 may bill for thi s activlly, but the maximum time which may be billed (for opening rilld closing combilll.'(j) is hour.

.s

The Alabama Lawyer

Will Your Insurance Covera2e Allow You To Bounce Back'?

In a 1«000 your life could chanse drutlally. "n accident or UlrIC» could leave )'OU dlublcd. AI>d the life iruura nce you own can do little to help. Your Javi.ng:a can be depicted In month •. The iltCurity of home, family and bu.lnt.. i. at rit:1t.

Protect your mon valUAble autl, your tamed Income, wit h Ma.sMutual'.

OilO'bility Income inJllrancc.

For more information, caU u. today.

~~UTUA ""' t..........«u . ....

Scott P.uker - Tony JenJd n.

T he Mobile " seney One St. \.Qui. Cfcntre, Suite 04003 M obile, "labama 36602

(205) 493-8600

177

,.

lime !;''Yen in the C\lCIII you arc proffcrt'(!

HEARINGS Af\D TR IALS OF CO·

DEFENDANTS OR DIRECTLY-RELATED CASES AIICndJrlCe al the hCJrings lind triilts of cCKlcfCIldnllts or ( <Ires directl y rclah..>d \0

your clients should be bi lied

<IS ou l-

of<ourt time <lnet your tlUcnd <'lnce ~ hould 00 justified by an atlJchmem to the dec11If,lllon. t-I()\Nt.'VCf, in cases where a co-

the stale's wi tnesses (or IntervlC\'o' .lnd Iht) preliminary is therc~ft e r waived, However, inlcrviewing wi tnesses after your client'Sprellmlniuy hearing is concluded should be billed II~ out-of..cour\ time.

W.lliing time required by circumS!anCI;!S bl;!)'Qnd counsel's control may be billed as in,cOllr11ime and ~h ou ld b(> nQted as ~uch on the fcc dec ar.ltion form.

(!cfilndilnt'$ C<lSO h.'ls OOCll consolidated with your case, II'I<ou(1 acHvitlcs may be billed as in-court hours.

10.

PREliMINARY HEARINGS An aPI>CMancc al your ellcnl'S prelimitwy hearing should be billed;ls in-courl

11.

LAW CLERKS, PARAI.EGALS AND ASSOCIATES Time sl>cnt by qualifil;!{:i law derks and piHilleg.lls working il l your direction should be billed .lt O!l(l-half the hourly out-of-court rate, and the name of the lilw

clerk or Ihlraleg.ll should be noll.'(l on the dcclar;lIion. Time spent by q~'<llIfied a ~­ sociates working ilt your di'l.'Ction should be billl.'tl at the Statutory rOlle, provided thi'l t (aj the associatc'~ a~~i>lance was required by ci rcumstances beyond your ContrOl ilnd (b ) Ihe llalllC oi the Olssoclatc Is noted on the declar,ltlon. An associOlte will nOI be permitted to SCM (I~ IC<I(I c()umel withol.l1 prior Olpproval from the court.

12.

ACTUAL TIME RI!COROS Ac:tual lime I"(•.'cords. notations or memor,1I1d,! sh.!11 be fll"int,llllt'<1 contempor· 'lI1eously.

13.

TOTAL BILLING IS REQ UIRED A dl.><;lar.ltion ~hou ld not

III the case hds reached

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be filed

conclu~ion,

~m­

e.g.,

It Is nOt permissible to llIe;, decl<lral iol1 after 1I prelimirl,lry hC.lrillg where the (1(>fendant has been bound over ;,nd bccn Indicted, When, h()Y,l(.>ver, Ol cliel1l fail s to appeOlr or ab~cond 5, il declJfiltion may be filed Sixty (60~ d'l~ Ihcreilfter. Simililrly, if new counsel is aPlXlinted or ret,lined, a declarillion mny be fiI{.'C1 imm~.'d i ately. HO'Wever, the continui ty of courlsel provided by stJlule Is to be strictly adhered to ,mel should be depafled from oilly hI those C.lses In whi ch Ills absolutely necessary 10 h,1\Ie new coun ~c l ,

1'1.

SEPARATE DECLARATION S ARE RE. QUIRED IN MULTIPLECHARGE CASES In the past, it hilS bccn th e normal prilctice to file a SCI)'lr;l1e ft'(\ dcclM,ltion form for each separate Cille rllllllbl.'f, ill caM:!S involving muiriple CO Utl1 ~, defend!lnIS, ;,ndfor hldlctnleills. That wa s prior to lolndm and consolldmlon lInder the ncw teml)Orilry rules of ~ rill1 in JI procedure. These Cilses 110 longer should be treated sepamtcly, but rather ~hould be bilil.>d in the followin g m~nncr.

All cases (1 ri sing out of the same tran ~­ actiem shOll1 be billl.'t1 as one case. Fore)!;ample, If a cliell! is Chat8€'d with breakIng and cll tcring and burglOlry of the same dwelling. and Ihe c')ses <Ire ioinf;!(!, they shall be tre.l!ed as Orle case. If, at the initia ti on of th e proceeding5, till'

July 1989

ca~es were liMed

SClh1riuely, shllply list the additional case number on the fee cieclar;uion (orm with ,In l!xlJlaniltion thilt the ca se~ wt.!nl con~olldatcd.

In con traSt, if (a!>C~ ;Hbu out of 'lCp.lrJte tran sactions, they may be! billLod individually, even if t'lcy hiwe been consoli· dated. For e)C.(lmpl(', If a dient COll1mit~ thrl"e sep.lrate ~nd diStinCt bUfgladb al 111Il..'e ~parilte Ioc;uions, .:Ind the CJ5eS ar(' con~olidil!cd, they m;ly be billed selhlratcly.

Double-billing will nOI hI.! tol(!rMl,(1 onder any cirCUIllSI.1nCe~. Thmefor~, if you are billing lor nl0f(' th,m one case, be careful not to charge fOr Ihe SOIm(' work more Ihml once.

Finillly, thoogh payment will be I>CI-

REMINGTON Prl v~ l t'

Plact'me nt.

Levet.lgN Bu)'oult Term Debt Financing Project Anal)'115 Acquls illon Financing Debt RH truclore

Lana E. Sellen G. RuHner Page, Jr.

BuslnH s Valu.a tlon.

mitred (or new tri,ll motions ;mel like pro(('{.'dinS', im;I(lding sen tencing, all soch billing shall be UC;UL'(! a~ tdill, fOIlher than post-conviction, billing.

IS. " IN·COURT" VERSUS "OU T-OFCOUIW TIME Con~f5tenl with sections 6 anel 10, sopril, <It! wili ling time at the cOllrthou"C for a schcdultod courl '1 1'PI.·Milnee, cau~ed

The Rem i n g ton Fund, Inc. Ve ntu re Clip ital National Bank d Commcl'tt' Huilding 1\)1;;1Offke Box I)686I 8irmjngh ~m, Alabama 352021 Thtephonc: (205)324-T109

by circum51ilnces b('yond

counsel', COntrol. m.I)' be billl'(l a~ incourt lime Jnd <hould be notL'<l as !ouch on the fee declarJtion form, I.e .. that l)Orlion of the total il1o(:,oUrt hOof) whl(.h rcf!l'CIS necessary waiting time should be Spt'Ci ficillly noted ,h "waiting tltllC" on Ihc deciaratiQn (ortll.

16. rEES COllEO£O FROM Tt IE CLIENT Any f{'i?s 01 {'Jtl)l!n'i(! money colle<Ied (rom the clienl lor from .,nyone on the clien t's behall'!. before. during or <lfter working lhe case for wh ich coun~el h.1S bt..'t!11 "PI>oinled. shJ1J be leportl'ti. All ,1mOUntS received ~h.111 be dl'<lUCtL't! frQf1l the ilmoont finally Ihlld to th e 1.:awyt!I. In th(' ~nI of ch.lnged circumst;lIlce!t (I.e., Ihe clienl becomes .. ble to rel.lin counselor !tt"(;UlC) out~ide a5~i5tance to rctain counsel), toun<.el ~h all imme<iiJteIy notify the COurt II1l1t hclshe h.15 been retained, and Ihe al>lXllntment ~hilll be wfthdrilWn. Retained counsel wit! not he (e(Wired 10 file " fee decl.lf'l1lon form, bee.IUse no <;1.111' funds will be pdld .•

Don't Risk A Valuation Penalty. Introduce Your Clients to Business Valuation Services.

John H. Oavu 111. PhD. MA l, SRPA. ASA. I)I'CSidcm orBUiincss Valuation Services Inc •• Is the only designated ASA Business ValIlmlon {lppr,' i~ r in AI<lbama. Business Volumlor, Scrvlcl'S provides COltsllltat io" by the hour, appm's..'!1rcpot'tli rmd experr [CSt imOt'y j"

cases 0(:

o Estate plmming o Esrate settlement o Madral dissolulions o Recopit:\liziltions

o B{lnk ruptcy proceedings

o Mctb"Cl'li or acquisitions o Buy-sell agn:cmems

o Dissident srockholdcr suits

o Employee btock ownership plans Cont"Jct John I-I. Davis 1[1, PhD, MA l. SRPA. ASA 4 Office Par~ Circle · Suite 304 • Binn'ngham. Alabamo 35223 P,O. Box 7633A • Binningham. Alabuma 35253

(205)870.1026

179

Committees

Mo re mid yci'Ir repo rts frolll Commillces and Task Forces Task Force on Citizenship Education

has applied wi th the Amcr!c,," Bar Association to become a pOlrti cip;ml in the b.lr/<.ehool partncl5hlp progr.ttll. This program is (I cooperMive pro gf(lm between

the slate bar i1nd the sl;!le dcpilftment of educ1IIIoI'I. 10(111 bilr aS$(lciations and local school boards. The purpose of the

progrilm is

10

promoW law-related edu-

ca tion . The three largcl areas (or this YC;H'S pilot program ;Ire Birmingham,

Mobile ;10<1 Opelika.

CummiUce on Corrcclio nal Instit utiO nS lind Pr(l(Cll u rc~ sclectl.>Q the

Juvenile Justice system as its priority for review and conslder'lIion. AI the camrni!tcc's flrsl mcctlrlg. problems In the juvenile justice s}'Stcm were defined and three 5uocommiltet's created, eilch to ev,lluilte the three fo llowing areas: the Beneritl WilY in,titutions are used to hou§(! juveniles in the state: the .waHability and trai ning of judges and lawyers In the juveriile j usti~ :Irea; lind alterrltl1ivcs to Institut ional Incarcerati on lor juveniles. Due to Ihe facl Ihal Ihe Chief Justice of the AIJbo1mo1 Supreme Coun aPI)()intt.>d 01 blue ribbon to1 sk force in Februtlry 10 ilddr~ 55 the problems tlsSQciated with juverile justice system, the (OnlmiIlL>C has fO(used i l ~ allenlion on w.lyS 10 bener prepal'l:! judg('S and Iav.-ycrs to work in thc Juven ile Justice system.

Insurance Programs Commillcc memh3Ve spenl much lime educating bill members about the critiCill imporlilncc of forming and capitalizing the bar's CilPtive, Attorney's Iri~ur .. ~ce MUIUIII of Alabama, IItc., and has been the cornrniut.'(!'s mOSI Imporlant project, L.1W Day Comm ittee members prepJred J booklet describing recommended l,..lW Day i1(l ivitie~ and distri bUled them to aUcounty bar presidents, or CQunty Litw Day cha irf'Cl1ions with a rC!cluest Ih .. 1e..ch COUllty bar pl.. n .. n ..ct/vit y In observance of Law Day. Commiltee all Llwy<'r Advertising ," id Solicit ation l)rOOuced public service announcements 10 inform the pllblic on l.1wyer solicitation , A sll bcommiltec W.1S nanll>d which l)ref)<lreQ ilnd submiul>O itn applica tion for a grant from Ihe Alabama Law Foundation for fundin g thi s project.

Alabar'lla l..'Iwyer Rtferral ServIce has run articles In The Alabama L.1wycr en· couraging pa rt icip<lliOn in the service ,l nd is designing printed notices !O be mailed to various leg..ll and jud icial officl:1s (i.I:1., prObal1:1 judSt;', ci rcuil cll,lrk, ctc.). Thl! postt.,(j notices would st"te th<lt tne office cannOI give Icgal advice, but woul d give the name and address or reo ferr<ll services around the stme, legisl"live U"ison Commillce members met with the bar's legislaTive counsel be~

prior to di scussi ng proposed legislation of interest to members of tne profession.

The c hair~ f$On and Sl'VCral committee memOen assisted in monilorlng and alerting bar membcn 10 contact th ei r IcgislJlors to defeat specific bills n01 in the best interest of the "dmlnlSlrJUon o( justice or the profession, Prepaid l egal Services Commillee reo I)()rl{'(j Ih...1during th e yt'iIf, two Icg(ll ser· vice coq)()r<ltions had qU<llified with th e Alabama DCPllrtltlcrl1 of Imurance. There are now (ive legal Insurance companies operating in Alabama , The commi ttee furth!!r reported tn.1l, due to Ihe likely future proliferation of prepaid legal ser· vice plOlns In Alai),lmil, it hilS been in communication wllh a suhcomminee of the Permar\ent Code Commission concernlr1g regulal lons and l)rocL>dures for the bJr's "pprCN<l1 of such plans and corresponding disciplinary rules, Committee on Public Relations, Infor· mittion and Media RcI<ll ions is STudying long-range prQgram~ fQr recommend ~­ tlon to the board of bar commissioners.

Commiltec on the Unauthorized Pr<lel ice of L1 w lli!iXlr1cd the following acti .... ity: 1988 1989 Number of compl;llnl5 recetl'ed 29 6 Number 01 filto'\ dOK'CI 2)'; 01 the 23 files ( 10-;00, Ihey wen.. t:iw.'d by the fo llowing itcllon: NO fu rlher a(Iion W~~ n~'Ce~IMy 6 3 Signed ceare and desiq ,'flidil~i t 15 I Tot<l1 pending (tIes lor 19U8. 1989 Is 13.

•

All The Law On:

DEFENDING THE DRINKING DRIVER IN ALABAMA (Inc luding Jury Charges) Cost $5000

115 pages order from: John Edmond Mays P.O . Box 655 Decatur, AL 35602

180

July 1989

10-12

ele opportunities

DEPOSITION PROGRAM lo~ Alllolt:I(I~

25

N,ltlol1(ll IIwilute (or Tri~ 1 AclVlK<lCY

tuesday

Cf('Cltl\: 20,0 (21,)) 239·7770

HAZARDOUS WASTE ISSUES IN ALABAMA

'<amadO! Rc~o rtlBcltline II1!\hwilY,

Mobilt· N,1!iunal Credl t ~:

Uu ~ine\~ l n ~ rlll1l(',

6.0

Co~ t :

Inc.

$98

(715) 8)5·8525

25-28

17-21

SUMMER CON FERENCE

ESTATE PLANNING \o\\'~lin H01('I, DillIll~ Soulhwe~rl'rn leg.11 Found.llion

Pt'rdldo Beach H ilton, Or,mlll' Be.u'h AI,lb,ml.1 D iwict AHorm,¥,> A.. ~i.l t ion

{ZOS) 261·4191

(214) 690-2377

18

tuesday

HAZA ADOllS WASTE ISSUES IN ALABAMA Birmingham N,ltion.]1 Bu~ nc~\ In ~ rltute, Inc.

Crt'(lih: 6.0

Co~1:

july 28-aug. 1 1.1 ChillCilU Fronl('I1a(, Qlll'bec In~tilU I ('~ on Bankruptcy I.IW Ct.xlit~: 17A C(j~I: $475 (<l00l) 535·7722

ANNUAL MEETING \k)n Brill,lll CivIc ({'Iller, A),lb.lllHl 51,111' fJ il r

Mohilc N,ltion,11 Bu\ine'is InSlI1utl', Inc

C,(.'<Ilh: 6.0 111 5} 8)5·8525

24

Co\l: $98

thursday

SPORTS LAW

Cutlworlh HilJJ, Birmingh,lm Cumbt,fl"ntl ln~tllull~ fot ClE Crcdlb: 6.0 Co~t: $115 (lOS) 870·2865

WORK SHOP ON LEGAL WRITING

Ilrll0n,

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York lilW lrhlllute Credit,: 10.0 CO\I: {212} 765-5700

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friday

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ri orcncl'

AI,lh,lm,1 11M I n~li ll11(' fQr elE

(205) 269·1515

Crcd lt~: &.0 (205) 348·6230

24-25 INSTI TUTE ON EMPLOYMENT LAW

3-10

110 F Jenner & Block Conference ( t'nler, Chicago

ANNUAL MEETING

I'rJoislng L,l\Y (r('(liIS: 11.0

COMMERCIA L REAL ESTATE LEAS· ING IN ALABAMA

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NOHTHWEST BANKRUPTCY LAW INSTITUTE

20-22

tuesday

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15

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The Ala bama Lawyer

Cmt: $450

Iionoluiu Amcric,ll1 Bar A~,oc ,Ilion (312) 988·5000

31

thursday

WIl.l DRAfTING Mohll('

AI,lbJnhl BM 1l1Mitutc for ClE Cr(.'(l it~: 6.0 (205) ]018·6230

18 1

Method for Calculating Present Value of Future Payments in Worker's Compensation Cases

by Timothy C. Hutchhlson

This article shows how 10 calculate the! "presen! value" of 11 stream of paymCr\IS in light of the recen1 decision by the Supreme Court of Alilbama in Ex PJrlC 51. Rl.'gi$ v. !'arnel/, 53550.2<1 160 (A l~ .

1988), rC{juiring Iha! "upfront" attorney fee awilrd s in .....vrker's compen~Mi O!l C:JSC!l must be ba~ on lile! pt~nl v.1Jue

of Ihe compensation awarded.

I( ~u need to h~vc a I)rcscnt v;Jlu!! cnlculmed or verified, I rccoll1m(md Ihal you purchase a financial cillculmor. III such a purchase, the overriding considcr.:.tiorl

must be the number of dcci mill places 10 whi ch the calcu!(Ilor computes

il

value. While 11 may not seem th,u a small difference in the eighth dccim(ll place is significant. this dlffer!'!n cc COI n cause the final result 10 11.11"1' on different calculalars. Because all c,' lcuIDtOI'S u ~e the stune formula to ca lculate J present Vollue, the di5P<lrily in the results obtained by dlf· ferent e<'l lculators is C<luse<! by the round· off error in the limited internal memory of {' ..ch rc~~t iw CJ leulator. Al so, the number displJyed by a eilleulmor is Ben· er"lIy less accurate than the number <lC· tunlly stored ill intN!lal I'Ilel'rlOry. These fJctors may cause dissimilar results.

My eXDmplcs d$SUflle that the employee is to PJy Ihl! Jltorney fet'. Jnd for pur· I)()SeS of eonsiSllmey and dJrity the <It· lomey fef! awarul!(jln ('Jeh cXdnlple will equal IS I>crccll t of the benefits awarded to the employee (though J court Il'lJY award a lesser amount). Also, all caleulD· tions lIse a 6 percent annUJI discount

'82

rale ilS provided in Ala . Code (1975) § 25·5·83.

The followin g formulil can bc used 10 c,' leu late Ihe pre~ent value of any payment slre(lm, if: (1 ) Ihe pllymCl1lS ilre made al the (!l1d of tllc I)ay (>cri ed; 121 illl pay periods Jre of C<IUill duriltion; (J) alll),'lynlents me of an C<tunl amount; and (4) the Interest rale is the same for each pay period . III the fo!mula, "I'V" is Ih/: (>resent value of the paymenl stre<lm, "j)MT" (s ihe a!1lounl of the paY!lll,!nt for cill;h period; "11" Is IMe l1umber of POlY l>cdods; :lnd "I" is the interest r.ltc per l)Criod. The formula CM be wrlnen as follows:

PV .. PMTx 1·11\1 +

I)"

Because Ihe discou n! rale Is ~el by statute, "I" will be the s<lme In all cases.

Using !he d;:tla (rom 51. Regis, Ilwe arc 208.7143 vvcck s in a fom-ycar period. In one year there <Ire 52,(78575 weeks (208.7134 + 4). Therefore, the interesl rate per wt.'ek e(lu~ls 6 percent + 52.17857 o r .l t498972 pNecnt (If .0011498972. In the iormula, "i" must equal .0011498972, rIot .11498972. The follov.dng is a step-by-step computati on of the ()fesent v"lue ascertained in 51.

Rc8;S~

1. 1 • .O()114969n

~

1.0011496972

2.11.0(11496972) 211t.145

~ 1I.J15652S9

). 1/11,31585259 ~ .08637160 4 I • .o08l'ltiQ ~ .9116l640

5. .9116211401.001149/1972 - 792.7912165 b.

(792.191 2 1651[19~1

.. 1531101;196 .. '15).801.50

The quotient calculated in e(IUaliOn 5, I.e" 792.7912165, is the Silme !lumber you would find in an annuity table for 2111.145 pay periods lind In .. Mual dist ount of 6 pC!rcent or .11498972 percent l>cr period. letting Ihis quotient equal "F", the for!1lul a can be simplified to ,'V .. (PMT)(F). Conversely, the payment call be calcuiJled as PMT - PV!F, Therefme, in Sf. Regis the weekly benefits 10 be paid the employee during the period of his life e~Pl"Ct,'IlCY can be ea l C'ul~I!)(III$ follows: I. '153.i10150 ~ 15 p(!!(cnl .. , n070.22 2. '153.80150 · Ul.oro.u .. mO,?l t 211 l . StJo,7J1.261192.7912165 .. 511>4.90

II should be noted Ihal 5164.90 is 85 of $194. Thai is, !he employee will receive the same weekly be!lefit whelher the 15 percent a(torncy fcc Is paid in i'I lump 5um or in weekly P<lYIllents equal to 15 pereenl of the weekly benefits awarded 10 the employee. per~nl

I\clllillly, it is nOI necessary 10 calculate the prt!scnt villue of the weekly benefits In ord(!r 10 Coml,ute thl;' eml)loyce's rl,>Illilinlng weekly benefits, if the auorney fee is to be paid CI1t1rely from future benefits. In thi s situation, the employee is to receive 100 (>crcenl of the 3WJrd, less the perl;cntagc <lwilrdcd ilS thc 1IlIorm.,), fcc. If Ihe attorney fee is 15 percenl, thc!1 Ihi! CIl'lI)IO)I('e is to recei~ 85 percent; <Ind If the attorney f~ Is 10 perc(!lII.

luly 1989

then the Cml)l~ will receive 90 percen t, and soon, In 51, Regis, the attorney fcc WilS 15 percent, or $29,10, of the weekly award, leaving the emtll~1;l 85 percent, or $164.90 per week.

The preSent value of 529.10 ~r wCl:k for 2111.145 weeks dlscountoo at the 6 percent discount r.lle Is 523,070.22 ($29.10)(792.7912165). In other words, Ihe amount of the al10rney fL'e i~ the same whcther thl,! prllsent villuc of the weekly benefits Is calculated and then the 15 percen t :1110f!1CY fL~ b determined, or 15 percent of the Wt:!ekly ~nefi t is calculated first .lnd then thi s amount used 10 calculate the present v.llue of the mtarney fee. The result is the same.

Anotherway 10 view the SI. Regis rule Is tha t the IOtal COM to rhe employer is the S,lme re8.1I1:lIcss of the amount of the allornf!y fLoe or the method of j>ilyment.

111 St. Regis the total COSt to the employer W.15 limited to a pr<!scnt p:lynU!I1t of $153,601.50 or $194 per 'NC'Ck fOr the lifl'lime of Ihe eml)!oyec, assuming he otherwise remilins entitled to benefits. Ufe ex1)(!CI;mcy is used to give a definite tim(! lX!dod for calculating the I)resent value of th(! benefits aw.Hdl.>d when the employee is entitlt'cl to benefits for the rr..'111.1lnder of his life.

KnO\Nin g the mechanics of cillculilting the pres.cnl v.lluc of .1 l>ayment stream, and the various constraints to calculating the j)fesent villuc of a worker's compen~il!ion ilwilro noti1bly that the totJI cost of the iltlornf..'Y ~e is !o be borne by !he eml)IOyL't!, it may be useful to ilpply the foregoing arUlly,is to a k",." pfiu;ti c,ll examples. When a IUillil sum illlorney fee I~ awarded, there.lre nt least three possible scenarios in which It n,:,y be nece~路 sary to c.llcu late the presen t v.lluc of the lM.'ekly ocnefits ;r.V.1rot'(! to the enlpl~.

1, Tnl,! attorney fee 15 for secUrillg future benefits only.

2. The attornc.'Y fee I~ for s(!curin~ past and future bcnetib, .lnd the employer ha~ withheld I)(lst bencfits sufficient to pay the attorney fcc Cilrned for securing past benefits.

Scenario 1 This is the situation involved in 51, Regis. If the 11l1orn~ earned a lump sum "lIorncy lee for securing only future benefit ~ for the employee, then th"t fee is to be PJid from future benefits only, and the {Ina lysis ilOOve ~hould be used to calculate the plesent wllue of the benefits awMdcd 10 the emplOyee. To compu te the lump s~m ,lItorney fee, calculate 15 percent o(the present v.llue of the benefits. In thi s situa!ion, for the remilinlng period of tile employee's life exI>cclancy, the employee will receive 65 percent of the benefits. If the employee sllrvi\IC~ heyond the period of his life exJ')E'Clalll;;y, then hb benefits will increase to the llmOuntto which he w.,s originally erllltled (the "upfront" ,IllOrney fcc havIng been fully repaid by the enlllloyce at this palm).

Scenario 2 Itl thi s situation the problem C,ln be broken Into two distinct pariS. First, the ,1Il0rney fcc (or sc<:urlng past benefits should be paid from the fund s held by the employer; ilnd the balance of thc past benent~ shou ld be p~ld to the employl>e.

Second, ilpplv the ilnal)'5is abovt'! to the fulur(! benefit~ i1warded in order to calcu late the allOrrll'Y ft.\(! for sccur in~ fu ture benefits.

For example, Suppo~e th::lt in SI. ReSis th e employcr had rClairK>d thtl $19,766 of paSt benefits and that the iltt ornr..->y had earned a 15 percen t allomcy fe<! with rl.... ~1X.'Ct to these benefits. Th(! employer Simply w(lLrid have I)ald $2,968.20 ($ 19,788 x 15 percent) to the allomey and the balil.lce of $16,619.60 to the employ-

eo. Thus, the att orney would have Ix.>en I!ntitk>d to a total lump surn attornL'Y k~ of $26,038A2; ($2,968.20 -+- $23,070.22 for securins future berleflts). The fu ture weekly benefi ts to whi ch the employee would be entitled is equal to benefits Pilid under Scenario I. Scenario 3 In this situation the cmployct!'s rcnlahlIr1S weekly benefits will bc less than 8S percent of the benefi ts originally awarded. Again, using the datil from St. Resis, if the attorney had earned a fee for 5(.'Curinjj the past benefits of $19,766, but the employer h"d alreildy paid the se l>enefits to the eml)loycc, then the I)resen t value of the future weekly bl!nefilS aw.,rded must be rt.'Cluced 11)1 the attorrlr..'Y fee applicable to both past arld fu ture benefits.

For e~ll11plc, suppose tha t In 51. Resl~ the attorney had earned n 15 percent fee on those benefits already ilccfued and paid h) the employee. This ilt10rnt.'Y (00 of $2,%8.20 ($19,788 x 1.5 percent) mUSt be dloducted from the lotal present villue of $153,801.50 along wi th thl! $23,07022 attOrney fcc for securing fu ture benefits; thi s would give the employee's futurc weekly benefits a present value of $127,763.06. To ca lcu late the employee's remilinlng weekly benefits, divide $127,763.06 by F, or 792.7912165, (or a w<!ekly bencfit of $1(,1.16.

As ~tated in 51. Regis, if the employee II~s 1)(.'yond his life eXIx.'Ctancy then the wL'f!kly be.,cfils, undcr any SC:cnario, wi1l Incre<lsc to the original ar"lount awarded because the employer at that point will hilve recouped the amourlt of the lump

Tlmolhy C. I-IlJlchlnSOt), an 115)oci.1lc in the DJI/a), T('I(':h, firm of Geary, Stahl & Spencer. p.c., .'5 J KfJdU<lW or rhe University of Alabama School of L,lW. lie Is .1 former law clerk 10 /{IsHce fanle L 5hort.路~.

3. The t1\torney fec is (or securins past and future benefit~, ,1I1d all past benefit ~ h(lvc Ix~n p.lid to the empl~e.

The Aillblima t.1wyer

133

sum attorney fee. Simply put the employer is fC<tuirl'd 10 leod the amounl 01 Ihe attorney (ee to thc I.!mplOy'C(! and the employee Is required 10 repay thc employer, ill .1 6 percenl OInnuOlI percent路 age (aiC over the tcrm of his life eXj>CClaney, by having the employer withhold a portion of the weekly benefil~, Once the IOim is rCIl.lid, the empll7r'Jr I~ no longer entitled to whhhoid any of the bencfil~.

There is f'I() iuStiflC.l~on (Or dislinguishIng bel'N(!(!n a l'ixcd duration award tmd a lifetime awJrd when calculaling a IUml) sum OIltorney fee and the duralion or amount of the emplO'j'CC's future ....-cekly b('nefi l ~, Remember, the 10lili cost to the employer must be the same whether the .lwilrd is p<lid in IN{.'Ckly p.1YmenIS or II luml) sum payment. This fact, more Ihan thc (act tha t it is impo'sible to determine when the back-etld ot a lifelime award

will occur, is the ralionale for requiring Ihat a lurllp sum attorney fee be based on the I)resent v,llue of the award, and reqlJiring the empl!1)'{.'C to repay Ihe attorney fcc by ha... lng II l)OrllOr\ of Ihe w('Ckly benefits wi thhcid by the (lmplover oach week.

The following ex.1mplcs demonstrate Ih.. t the forc~oinK anilly~is should apply to fixed durallon awards. In aU of Ihc (,')C. "mples, assume Ihatthe emplOyt.'C is entitled 10 $200 per week for 300 weeks and Ihal no aUorney fre has been awilrded for securin8 1),151 benefits, The presenl ....lluc of $200 per week for 300 wt.'eks, usi ng Ihe anillysis above, is $5o,nO.61. Therciore, the IQlill COSl lo Ihe employer (annot exceed $50,720.61 in "Ilresenl ... aluc!" doll.lls, rcK-1 rdle~ s Ilf the amount of the altomey fcc awarded or the melhod of reP<lYmcnt Inlposcd Ul)On Ihe employee.

h aml)le 1 Assume that the lfi,,1 courl awards 15 perCent of $5O,120.6J, or $7,608.09, as the allorney fce, and r(!(Julres Ihat the anorney fee be paId from the back cnd of thc award. Di ... iding $7,608.09 by $200 results In 38.04 week s being taken off Ihe back end 10 rep.ly the anomey fcc. There(ore, Ihe eml)laycc would receive $200 per IN{.'Ck fo r 261.96 week s, The present ...,llul,l of $200 per week for 261.96 \YCCks discounled al the 6 percenl ilnnual dis-COUnt ralt"! is $45,214.86. AddinK the al路 lorney fee of $7,608.09 to the presenl value 01 $45,219.86 resul ts in a lotal present value COSI to Ihe employer of $52,822 .95, which Is grealer thar' $50,720,61, and conlr.Hy 10 re(Julrement th~llhe employee pay al! of the 1I11OI'ney fcc.

Example 2 Assume thll! the trial cour' awards 15 percer" of $60,000 (300 x $2001, or 59.000 as Ihe 3110rney (ee, despite the fact that $9,000 is gre.lIef t~n 15 percent of $50,720.61 and order tlMt th(l ft.-e be repaid off Ihe back end ci Ihe award.

Dividing $9,000 by $200 resul ts In 45 W拢!Cks being I<lken off the b~ k end 10 reo p<ly Ihl! att orney ft...:. Therclore, Ihe em(COlllin(led on page 186)

18'

luly 1989

Young lawyers' Section somC'imcs-ovcrlOOkcd author. ity of the Ala b<1ma Stille Bi'lr, pilrlicularly by young tawye r~

A

who arc nell fam iliar with the fu m:·

IlorlSor our org<lr\ll:al1on, is th e boord of bar commissioners. There arc 54 members of the board from around thc state compri sing Ihc 39 judici al circuits and the Bessemer Cut-off.

The~ bar commi ~s ioner$ .. re (!ie<;tc(i by bar members within their rCSj>eclive judi cial ci rcuits M d ilrc their repr<!scmDlivcs and voices on manors of busi ness coming before the Alabama State Bar. Among the many dulles and powers of the board are the (ollowlng: 1, determining the qualifi cJlion and requirements (or ildmi ssion to the pr,U:licc of Iilw; 2. form ulating rules of coriduCt fo r attorneys; 3. irwcsUg:ulng arld nelll)S Oil compl31nts concerning conduct of members <lnd {lpplicilnls (or ildmission; 4. admini51erlng discipline by l)ul). lie or private repri mand, suspension I)r di~b'lrmen l ; 5. making rules and bylaws on selection alld tenure of officers and comminees, and for th e cOl1 tro l and regul atiol1 of the business of the board ilild the bar, G. eSlJblishing local b;Jr associa· tions; i;lnd 7. conducting educ;uional and social m(!(!tings and publi shing iournals 10 Improve lhe ethi ca l alld educational slilndlng of the bench 311d bar.

As one can see, the board of COmmissioners h;JS ;In awesome responsibility, ilnd it is necesstlfy ,md essen-

The AlabanJ,l Lawycr

tial thm e;Jch lalA/yer keep hislher commissioner informed ilbout hislher posiTion on matters coming before the bar or on allY other manerS" ffeeting the practice of III .....'. Young lawyers, csp&lally, should kl10w who tlwirb..1r commissioner Is 1I 11d keep lil tou ch wi th him or her concerning the ongoing business of the ",klooma Stille Bar. The more one is Informed ilbout the ongoing funcl ions of our organiza. lion, the grealer th e likeli hood that he or she c;"ln cOl\1ribu I~ to milking It a bener organlzatlo,I. It certainly has been an enllghtcnlng and enriching experience for me, J S president of th e Young Lawyers' Secti on, to h;Jve Ihe opporlUnlty to sit in on the busilless of the board of commissioners, The commissioners <Ire very CQn$ClentiOu$ regarding millll!fScoming before them Ihilt might MfeCI Ihe YlS, 1\(\0 I liPplaud them for thc way they conduct Iheir business, Spring admill CCS On May I S, 191.19, the bilr admitted 137 new attorneys 10 Ihe practice of Illw In Alnb:una. An <ldmissions ceremony was conducted by thc Alabama Supreme COLlrt and appellate courlSII! the Montgomery Civic Cellter. New Associ.l1e lustice Mark Ken· nedy spoke to the ildmittees ilt the luncheon following thl! Ceremony. I again offer my congratulations 10 the admi nr'!(!S ;"Ind wi ~h th(>m Ihe bc~t of luck wi th theircMcer In the legal profession, M y thanks olso to Rebecca Bry,ln of our executive commillce lor the fine job she did in puning together

N. C unler C uy, Jr. YLS President

the ,ldmission program, I ;Jm h;JllPY to learn that the AItorney's In ~ ur;Jn ce Mutual of Alah.1ma, Inc., will become a succe~s deSl)ite thc fact it did not meet its orlgln.11 goal to cil!)ITalize at $2,500,000. AIM did r(!Cell/C In cxcess of $2,000,000 which will be enol,Jgh to begin oper,ltion and SIMt I,Jnderwriting allorneys fo r inSlIr;Jnce on (lr i1bOUl lIlly 1, 1989. Once '.lfY1in, I encourilgc members of the YLS to take 1m active roh"! in AIM,'H I believe that it will bc of grc;Jt benefit to you in the lon8 run with reduced in. surance COSts. On July 20·22 Oflhis year, Ihe stale bilr will hold its i1nnUill meeling in Huntsville, Alabilma. AI Ihill Time the YLS will CondUCt ils i1nnuill business meeTing with Iht' election of offir;:ef1;.

As per usual custom, the YLS will sponso~ iI social funCliOll Thursday nlghl, July 20, for all members of the state b;Jr. Entertainment wi ll be provided by "Chevy 6." Am)' Slilyden i1nd Fr.1I1k Polls, who Me members of our ext'(:utive commi ltce, h(lve worked hard to make this ~oclal functlon;Jn enjoyable event for everyone.

You do not wan1 10 miss the IIfe.. t "Ounds of "Chevy G," ;Jnd I enCOUr·

185

1988-89

Method for Calculating Present Value (COllTinu~d

ALABAMA STATE BAR DIRECTORIES

$15.00 CAll 269·151 5 OR WRITE:

P.O. BOX 41 56 M ONTGOM ERY, A l 36 101

YlS agc everyone 10 make plans 10 ancnd the annual bJr met!cing and the VlS p.1fty.

In the past, our secliOrl has received some excellent ideas from the various meetings I>fovided by the VOlmg law. yers ' Division of the American Bar Association 10 1>el1er serve OUf profession lind the public. Weexpt'(!, and hope, [0 have delegates allfmd as many of these meetings <IS possible dudng the nC)(1 year. The mcctingswlll be in Vancouver, Can,le/a; Los Angeics, California; Miami, Florida: ilnd C h ic~ go, illinois.

Although the v~rious committees of the Yl S l>r(!S(!ntly ilre working enthu-

siastically. Ihere is always a need for grC'lIer involvement In the hands-on activities of thc section. The only re<lulremen! for the membershil) inlO the st.'CTion is thill one must be under 3G yeilrs of agc or In his or hcr first three years of practice. If you are in eiTher Cill{lgory and wish 10 1x.'ColT1e Involved In our sectlOll, please COlllact me Or one of my executive committee members.

•

I ••

from pa8c 184)

ployt.'C would receive $200 per \Iicek for 255 WCt'!ks. The presen t value of $200 per week for 255 \YCCks di)(ounted OIt the 6 percent i'Inn\lill discount rilte Is $44,18 1.19. Adding the .1tt0l!1ey flOC of $9.000 10 Ihc pft.'~en l Villue of $4:1,181.19 f(.'~uhs in J tOl,ll p!"l!$t;!IIl value COSt to the employer of $53, 181.19, whi ch 1\ grCilter than $50,720.61, ,1r1d (Ontrilry to 111(' ft..... (lulrement that the ertll)loyt.'t' llaY all of the IIttornl'Y fee. l! should be d ear th at ."lwOlrdlnl:l the .It~omey fcc in a lump sum, and Then Ilay" illS The empJ~ lull weekly bl'ncfll ~ th,lt terminate when the rcmJinlnl! wt'ekIy benefits equal the attorney fc.oe paid would require the employer 10 beM .1 IX)ftion of the total Cost of the attornl'Y fee In contril1.efllion 0( the law. Thert.>fon>, eiTher the eml)loyee's WC(.'kly benefJt~ muSt Ix> reduced (or Ihe entire period used to calcul<lle Ihe pf(SCnt value 0( tilt! lump sum attorney (ce, or the number or pay periods must be rcduced to the appropriate numbl'r of weeks SO Th.1I th e employer Is not required to p,ly ,I l)(lrlion o( the award.

U~i ng the dilta from EXiUll11le ! ilbovc Ihe present v,lllre of $200 per week 10; 300 weeks discounted iit the 6 percer"lt ilrlllual drscoum rate is $50,720,61. R(.... ducrng Ihal pr('SeI1t value by a IS percent allorney Icc 0( $7,608.09 ICaves.1 remarnIng presenl value of $43, 112.52.

Knowing thm the prescm valu£' Is $4],11 2.52 and th;u The ....-eekl y thrymen ts arc $200, we C.l 11 cakulale F, ,lnd (>ventually n, the numbC!r of weeks the elllployee ~ ho uld recel~ $200. The fo llow· ing Is a stc!l-I¥step computati on of n using the form ula F ' PV;PMT: ' I 43,l12.52flOO _ lI5.S61fl 1 tlI5S62&IIOO114989121 _ .24711748) J. 247117485· r· _ JS1IJSl7 4 I·V.152IJS1S>r.1I _ U29~66 T!wJ QUOI;f'nl ;, mulr'pllt'd t1l' ·t It! rI,"Ulldlt' nl"gollOl'I' numlM.",-

s. 11.0011498'1721"

_ I )29S~6 (, lnnOO1t4989W" _ In''.J~9%6) 1. Inl 1"110011496972t _ .234852Hl 6 (nl!.OO I14'J21bJ f - 284852571

') n _ 28485151.11001149H&1 10. n _ H7.8b21ll&

Thu s, If Ihe allomcy Is ,1w,udcd ,I luml) S\lm fee of $7,606,09 and the employ<.'C r('Ccives the full weekly beneflls of $200 far 247.1162386 wt..oeks, then the lotal cost TO the «mplayer will be $50)20,61, In Cooll>liance wrth the workl'r'~ COOlp('1lS,l lion st.llutes.

Again, for The lawyer who handle~ worker's compensation ca)(!s, I rccom· nlt.'nd iI finilnciai c.lkul;nor, These formulas Me al rcady prograrllllied Illto till! c,liculill(lr ilnd the ,111$Wi.'rs are avallJble ,II the touch of a bulton , Howwer, be w;!rncd that some caicul;IiQIS m.lY nOlilCcept fractronal p<'y p(!riod ~, but would rc(IUlre you to "rouIKl" the fiSUf{.><;, 'K) thill 2111.145 would Ix: I!ntercd.ss 2111. Also, the ca!),)city of the calcul;II0r llt.1y ilf(l'Ct thl.' itCcuracy of the answer due to mundoff error. Even if you use a fin ancial c.1 lCUI.ltOf Ihis a" leI£' ~ hould hell) you under'!>t.lnO how It c.llcul.l tes a present value. Addition ally, an annuity table for weekly paymentSof $1 discounted at an " nnual <lISCO\lll1 r,ltt! of 6 perc:ent Ciln be oblalned on rt.'{lue~t from ·'il £' AI.10<.tma !..lIvyer, P.O, Box 4156, Momgomery, Alah.1ma ]6101. This table Is use(ul 01) .1 MUlde 10 calcula ting the I)res{'m value of a Strl.'am of Wl..'"Ckl y P<lYments (or up to

.3,600

~ks.

Bccau!.C there is no ex.1C1 answer (in fact, some of the v,lluf'~ may hiNC! tin infinite number 0( dcclmal l)lal;e<;l, The best you can hope for Is a very close approxi· million. Therefore, the v<l l ull ~ in thi s itrlide ilnd those ill Sr. Regis nrc provided a~ guides T O computlng.1 present valull, .md due 10 (" clors ~u(h as found·off error, you should nOt be concerned if your resu lt ~ deviaTe slightly (rom the values In thi s article.

Finally, I thank )u \ tic(' Janie L. Shores for giving me the pllvill!ge of being a member of her staff. Her guidance ilnd leadershi!) h.wc prOltCr\ to be irlV.lluilQle, .lnd I hope thaI the ~maind er of rlly I('gal career is ,IS rl'WMdlng ilS my clerkshlp with her, •

July 1989

Recent Decisions by lohn M . Milling, I r., and Oavid U. Uyrne. I r,

Recent Decisions of the AI"bam" Court of Criminal Appeals Asse rlion of Fiflh Amendme nt privilege by w ilness ca nno t be employed as hammer by p rosecu· lion Limbaugh v. SliIle, 7 Di .... 945 (April 26, 1989J-Limbaugh W,15 corwicwd of murder and sentenced 10 life 1m· pri5Ollment. Earlier, Umb..lugh's c<Klefendllnt \ ijames and Helton, had pled guilty to the gruesome murder and were curren tl y serving time in prison.

At the condJslon of the case for Ihe defense, the state called Helton as a rebullal wi tness. When the prQS(.'Cu, tor's (IUestioos focused on liehon's guilt lind the guilt of Limbaugh, Hel· ton rcfllSt..'CI to answer any fUither (Iliestions invoking his Fifth Amend· ment privilege ag.llnst self·incrlmlna· tlon. The trial court, however, ruled tha t the witness had no Fifth Amendmem right since "you can'l incrimi· nate yourself If you have already oc'Cn convicted or semenced" and lX'Cause the l ime for appeal had eXI)lred. The court then instructed the witness to answer, bur he continued to rciuse, whereupon the prOS(,"Culor "ttempled 10 read Ileiton's Slatemen! line 171 line under the guise of (Iuestioning him.

The Alabama lawyer

On llppeal, Umbaugh alleges that the tdill cau rl comw[tted r(.'versible cr· ror in nOf gr;mting h s motions (or mistrial as a result of the serious inferCllCCS and innuendoes of gui lt read into the fl.-COrd under the guise of quesl lonirlg directed to Helton who steadfastly refused to answer. A unanimous AtOlooma Court of Criminal A,» peals reversed and remanded, The al>pell;lIe court'S deci sion lIuthort!(! by presiding Judge TllYlor provides an excellen t overview of the Sixth AmCl1dmL'I'I t confronta1ion righls nHlde applicable 10 the stilte under Poimer v. Texas. In Shockley v. Stille, 335 Sc.2d 659 (Ala,Cfinl.App. 1975), the court of appeals Slated, " Regafdless of whether the witness had

Wilivt'Cl his immunity from testifying.

so that he could notlawfull)' refuse to tCStlfy during ex tensive questioning, the fact that this Fifth Arrendmenl claim may flOt h.lYe ixocn valid did not rerl'\Q\lE! the prejudice from such questioning. In essence, we held that II is not the witness's right which Is In question, bUl filther, the righ t of a dcfendtl!1ttO iI fillr trial whi cflls ill the crux of such a mllttm:' The court, In reversing Ihe limbaush decision, relied on the Shockley rati onale as follows: "The prOSC(uIOr'S persistent confron tation dlhe witness .•. with multiple questions ... even though the I>rosecutor Iknew! thllt [the witness] would

John M. Millin& I~ , is .1 member of Ihe firm of Hill, Hm, Carli'r, Fran-

ct\ Cole &

Black In

. He

,.,

not testify, supports a reaso nable Inference that th e pros{.'CutOr preferred to PilrOOI;! Ihl,."Slil qut"i~lion s before the Jury, Ihereb'llmprcssl ng them with Innuendoes and inferences of guilt wejudiciill to dl;!fl:ndaill.

"The trial coon commi tt ed error in permitting such interrog.1tion, although no iln ~wcrs wi!r(! made, If for no Olher reason than thai Ihe deflmdanl under such ta cti cs w;tS denioo confronliltion, a right of cross·examlna tion, assured under Ihe Sixth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution."

Recent Decisions of the Supreme Court of Al aba maCivil

Civil procedure ... attorney/client privilege, work

product and Rule 26(b)(1) discussed Ex parr() C f(llil American Surplus Lines /,lS. Co. (In fC: Uniroyal, inc, v. St. 1',1(1/ Fire & Marine Ins, Co.), 23 ASR 1091 {February 17, 1989i. By pelition for writ of m"'ld,,m\JS, Great Am(!ri can asked thc sllpreme court to va ca te the circuit court's order compcliit'lg Great American to prQduct"i a "coveragc oplnionleller" of GrC!at AmC!r1can's leg.11 counsel. The COurt Issued the writ.

L.1WSuits were fi led against Great Ameri can's insufl,.'{\s, and IhL"I dClilandcd coverage. Greilt American denied coverage. Being challenged by the insureds, Great Am~ri Ca n n~~pl'lt'ldt~d thai II would submil the matter to legal counsel for r~ view. Subsequentl y, Greill Ameri c,1n informed Ihe Insureds that legal coun sel had agreed with its denial , and Ihe insureds filed Ihls dedarillory judgment action ilnd sought discovery of the opinion letter. GrCilt Ameri C~n MgUed that the

opinion teller is proteclec:l by the attornL"I/clhmt l)rivllege and/or Ihe "work product doctrine:' The court agreed.

The COUI1 stilted thallhe attorncyklien t privilege is to encourage candid "communical ion bet ween attorneys and their dit:nlS ,lI1d, tht)rel,Jy, pr(lmOIC broader Ilublic intcrest in the observance of law and admll1lstra1ioll of justice," The court dctermined tha t the opinion leiter wa s a privileged commuI,lca tl on.

The court illse> discussed the " work product doctrine" ilnd (ound it to be much broilder than tht: aU(lrnL'Y/cllent privilege in that It affon.Js Ilrotccllon to all documents and limglblc itcms prepared by Or for the allorney of the party for whom discovery is sought "as long as they were prcl>ared In nntielpilliot'l of litIg.1lion or prep..1ration for tnil!." The opin· ion teller wa s prepared In anticipation o( litigation and its discovery could only have been ordered Ul>on a showing of "substantial ne~ ." A.R,Civ.P. 26(c).

, - - - H E A LTH CAR E AUDITORS , INC. - - - - ,

Riding the Circuits

CONSU'" TATIVi! eXF"el'lTS TO THe M EOICAl,.o ... et:ilA ... COMMUNI1"V

-

MEDICAL MALPRACTICE E XPERTS -

PLAINTIFF LITIGATION SUPPORT ALABAMA - GEORGIA - FLORIDA ORATIS PR. VI . W OF YOUR CASI! BY OUR HCAI LITIGATION aUPPORTT E AM .

Au tauga Coun ty Bar Associa tion The Autllllg.1 County Bar Asroclatlon recently elf'Cted its olneel'S for 1969, They ilre: Pr(>siclCnt : J. ~Qberl Faulk, Pr.lttvitl e Vi ce-president: Cynthia Funderburk, Prattville Sccretil'Ylrrca surcr: loui s C. Colley, Pral1 vi llc

•

""

• AN HCAI R EPRESENTATIVE WI LL COM E TO YOUR OFFICE TO WORK CLOSELY WITH YOUR FIRM . G RA!JS. • A L L OU R M EOICAL EX PERT S ARE TEACHING O R ACTIVELY EN GAGEO IN Pf!lACTtCe. • "11TH H OUR eXPERTS' O uR SPECIALTy. • OUR CASE MANAGERS AWAIT YOUR CALL. CAL... HeAl

813-579-8054 Il:OUJ'CT ~~. A<lC •• t~OI

P.O. 80X 22007 ST. peTeRSBURG. 1= ... 33742

July 1989

Count ies .. .

Section 11·12·5 construed and Sec· lion 6·8·101 applied Elmore County Commission v. RDgona, 23 ABR 973 Uilnuilry 27. 1989). Plain tiffs ......ere Injured on an Elmore Coun ty road and alleged that Elmore Coun ty negU· gently maintained Ihc road. Pl,lintlffs also sued their unlnSLrcd motorist carrier. The en tire action was filed In M On tgomery Coun ty. The tri(ll court den ied Ihc coun· IY's mOlion to transfer YCnue to Elmore County. and the jury returned a YCrdict (or the plaintiff. The coun ty appealed. and the court affirmed.

First. the coun ty conlended th(lt Ihl,! notice nlOO pursLlan! to Section 11·12·5.

Ala. Codc (1975), W,lS dcfldent because the claim wa s filed by plaintiffs' att orney who did not haw: "personal knowledge" of the facts as required by statute and because thc damages sought were nOI '"ilCmizoo" to comply with the statute.

The court disagreed. stating th at " pcr·

appeal from 3 nnal judgment. The COurt agreed with the county. Section 6-8-101.

Itla. Code (1915), clearly allows a party to raise the queMlon of tr~n sfer of venue Ofl appeal (rom an IIdverse Judgment on the merits. Davis v. MlIIsh'lll and 1he Olher cases 10 Ihe contrary arc overruled.

The court weill on to nOle th<lt mill1d,lmuS al so mlly be proJX'f in Some instances 10 correct an erroneous ruling on transfer of V('nuc.

sonal know ledgc" should not be conto limit the class of person s eUglble to file claims to those Involved In , or eyewitnesses to. the e\'ent giving rise to lhe claims. Plain tiffs' attorney qualifies as a l)eoon with p!ilrsonai knowk-dge. The court also slaled that Ihe requirement of an "i tcml7.<llion" shou ld nOl be narrO\.Yly construed to requi re a brc<lkdown of damages In precise amoun ts, The notice should include a faClual bJckground, II dcscript:ion of the claim, the basis for the coun ty's liability. the nature of the dam. "gcs and the tompensa tion demanded.

The coun ty also contl.'odcd Ih"t the trial COurt'S failure to tran sfer the action 10 Elmore County Is rcviCWJble by appeal. The county argued that D,1V;S v.

Mllrshall. 404 So.2d &42 (Ala. 1981) and the cases foll()Y,'lng It wcre Improperly decided and should be overruled . They held th ol an adverse ruling on a motion to tr;lIlsfer an aclion to a proper vcnue muSI be reviewed by a petition for writ of mJndamus and cannot be ra ised In "n

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menl in f;MJr of Jeffeoon Federal because it f<liled to file a claim wilhin six months from the granl of leiters testamentary as required by Section 43-2-350, A/,l. Code (1975). leff!"!rson F€!der<1 1 was giv(!n ClInst ructi~ noUe!"! 1>'/ I>ubllcatlon In a nt.'WSpaper, b ut Jcffersoll Federal did not Iecelve aClual noti ce unlll approxlm.llcly one year afler the administrator W,lS appointed.

The court rl.'VCrscd itself because the Unit(.'(i Statei Supreme COurl rel;~ntly held that constructive notice by publi cation in " nCWSlhlpcr is insufficient and that actual noticc by mall Is required where crediTors Me "knew," or reOlson· ably ilscert<llnable." The court rcm" llded the case for a determination of whether Jefferson Feder,ll was a "known or rca· son ably ascertainable" crediWr (lnd thereby entitled 10 actual notice rather than cur'1wuctiw nOtice.

Relea ses. , , Section 12·2J.109 given eHeCI Pierce, erc. I' 0", 23 ABR 1201 (Febru(lry 24, 1989). PI,)intiff settled a worker's compensa tion suit and signed a general release which purported 10 rele(lse any ;and all parties. The tri<ll COllrl enforced the release to include the release of unn<lmc.'tI third plH1ies. The plaintiff 1lPllCaled, and the court chose th b case to tCCVillume <Iud ch ange I!~ posi tion on thi s courl'S Ire1llmenl of senNal rele1lses. the court 110ted thai a geneftll ruleMe dischMghlg My 1lne! all perrons con· nected with th e slIiJject injury and damages lraditionilily ha~ blM!n iwld to dis-

charge from Ii(lbility .ny and all persons wlthout regard 10 wheth er such persons were named, whether tht!)' pilid ilny part of Ihe conslderallon Clr whether they had ilny kn()Y,lledge of the Instrumeill. II did nOI e'ICn ma tt er whether Ihe e~ecu t lng Imties knew Ihat the third parties were in'lOl ved. the court $t.,tcd th.lI l he courts seem· ingly have ignoll.>d Se!tion 12·21-109, Ala. Code> (1975) whi ch ~k'lleS ~i111 releilSl:!S . muSI hal/{! cflt.>cl acco'ding to their lerms and the Intentiolls of the pilrties." Therefore, Ihe coun slated that, henceforth, UI\named third I>alrles, referred 10 in the release <IS ".lIlY and <111 p<lrties" or words of like import, who hJVe paid no p1lrt of Ihe considerati on and who are not ,1gen ts, principill~, heirs, <ls~i sn s of, or who do nol oth erwi se occuJ1Y a Ilrivity /'('Ialiollship with tht! named P:¥I"', mI,J5t be!ar the burden bf ploving hy substantial evidenCe! Ihal they dre parties inlimded 10 be rele1lsf'd, I.e., that their release was within the comem l>latlon of th e n<ll11ed I)(lfties to the release.

Torls ••• pare ntal immunity doctrine no longer applicable 10 sexual abuse claim /-IurSII'. C"pilell, 23 ABR 963 Uanual)' 16, 1989J. Plaintiff, ~ minor, sued her stepfather and her n.llural niother for d1lm1lgcs ba!ted on se)(ual1lbuse. The Irlal court dismissed the <lction as to the mother and granted summary judgmenl for the stepfather based upon Ihe p,uent"llmmuniIY doctrine PI(lln tiff O1ppe"led .lnd ask<.od the SUllreme coun to alx>!i~h

1988-89 ALABAMA STATE BAR DIRECTORIES

$15.00 CAll 269-1515

OR WRITE:

P.O. BOX 4156 MONTGOMERY, AL 36101 190

Ihe l).lrelllal immunily d(JCtrin~. Instead, the co urt created an exceplion to the doclri!le, I1I'1lHed on ly to sexual libuse C<l ses.

The court stated thm Ihedoctrlne Is not based on common l<lw o r \ta lute. Rather, it was judicially created by Ine Mississippi Supreme Court. The courl re3S0ned Ihal since it is judicii/lly created, it may be ludlcl;1l1y qualifil'Cl. In CIl!atintl tnis excepllon for sexual abuse caS£>s. the coutt sta ted Ih,1t traditional rules of torI law re lating to Inlc!1110n.11 hlfllctlon of perron al injury generally are sufficien t for the gover/1illlce of such claims ~nd the ddenses a ~serted thereto. HQ'oYf.'V(!r, the (ourt also 5tat<.'(/ that the pl'1intiff had to prIM! il) case under a "dear and COll\lincing" slandard as opposed to n mere "substarl tial CYidence" 5landald. In creating this exception 10 Ihe parent.11lmmunity doctrine, the court made no disllnclion betwccn biological or adoptive parelltS or stepparents.

Venue ...

itmendmcnl no. 473 not appl i-

ca ble to I)ending liligation f~ parle Tichenor (Ill r/>.' P<1ltf)~OIl v.

TIchenor), 23 ABR 1077 (February 10, 1989). The plnillliffs filed SUil11'1 Jefferson County in 1965. One of the defend'lIlls was a foreign corporation. 'A!nue was proper in Jefferson County when sull W<lS fil£.>d. However, in March 1988, the Aln· ban1n ConSti tution was O1nll;lnded 10 proI'/de "<lilY foreign corporation ... mil)' be ~ucd unly in thu5e counlies where such sull would be allOWt.'Cllf the said foreign corpo ralion were a domeslic corpora· tion." Defendants filed II moliOrl to tfall sfer the case, cOnlendlng lhat amend· ment no. 473 applied 10 pending litlg,1' tion. The trial court denied the motion, and defendants filed thi ~ peti tion for w rit of mal'ldOimus.

The court agreed wi th the tri al court alld held th:l t the amendment docs nul require J trandcr of a case lhcnl)Cndlng from a county wherein venue W<lS Prol).. er prior to Ihe aPPfO'l<l1 and proclamlltion of f<ltifi(:"<1I ion. The amendmenl makes no rt'!fl!~nce to pending litigation. The coun staled that It would ~ Ie<;s disrUI)tlve or the orderly disposit ion of pendinglill!§!_ lion to hold th1lt only CilSC~ filed on or

luly 1989

lifter April I, 1988, arc cOlltrolled by IIrnl!Ildmel'lt 110. 473.

Recent Decisions of the Supreme COurt of the Unit ed States

§l.'(;recy." last term. the Supreme Court In Bank of Nova 5cOlia v. Un;/Cd S/ali!~.

487 U.S. (1988) held "that a district court had au thority 11'1 ce rlaln clrcumstallces to dismiss al11ndictment for viola tions of Rule 6te),

Adding insult to injury No interlocutory appeal for a FRCP 6(E) violatiOn

Midland Asphall Corp.

v. Un/led

Slil1C5, No. 87·1905, 57 USlW 4386 (March 28, 1969)-Mny f~'(ll]ral crimin,..1 defend,lIlts who fail to persuade 11 judge 10 dlsnliss their indictments becauSe! of alle!ged IIr;Uld JUly abuses by proS(!(u ton, under flXler.ll Rules of Criminal Proced(lfe 6(e)(2) Immediately al>l>cal th e dis1riCl court's rcfusal1 The Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, 5..1id no.

The M/d/Md clcfcndants nl<M..xlto dismiss il federal indictment on the ground that the prosecution hlld vioili ted Ff!deral Rules of Crimirlal Procedur"(! 6(e)(2}, which generally prohibit public disclos· ure by goveri\i"\"1Clll cOuIlS!'"!1 of "mailers occurring before th e Grand Jury." The gO'v"ernment hild filed, in a sep,",rale crlm· inal " Ise, a memorilndum disclosing malters before the Brand jury in Ihe Mid· I{lnd C,l SI;!. Thl! diWict court denied the motion, whereupon the dcfencl;mlS ilP. pc'IIc..o(i the trinl COurl'S ruling to the court of appeals. The court of apJ)t"!als gral'lted the 80\'('rnnlen t'~ mOllon to dbmi£~ Ihe defendants' appeal for lack of ludsdictlOll 011 the ground Ih"l the diSirlct court's order was not itn immediately Jppeill. "ble "fin,,1 deciSion" within the meilning of 28 US.c. S1291. justice X ,1lla (k!livcred the opinion for a unanimous Court holding that denials of requeSt for dlSrnls~al bast'll On alleged violations of federal Rules of Criminal Procedure 6{c)(2) arc not irnn1l..-'(liatciy appealable. The high COUIt reasoned, "Since the pelillol1ers have not yet been ~en1enced, 1he district court's order is nOI it finilljudgmcnt ending the IItigillioll 01'1 the merits."

Juslice Scalill'S opinion nlso crypticill· Iy notes that "neilher the tCSt of Ru le 6(e) nor the Gr.lnd Jury clause of the Fifth Amendment "ffords a righll101 to be Irled in the event of a violation of Grand Jury

Th~

Alabama LalVyer

S/.Jl(!~ v. I-iMpt.,r, No. 87·1383, USLW _ _ (May 15, 1989) May cIvil nnes placed on tOP of crimi· nal pen"ltl('s amoull tt o multl]}le punish. ment banned by 1he Constitution's dou· ble jWl:I<lrdy clilUsel The Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, said yes.

In an opinion by justice 6lackmun, Ihe Court said th at th(' double jeoPilrdy pro-

UnilC'd

_

vision of the Consti tution had been violated In I-Ia/per when $131, 170 in civil fhles were ilSSCSS~>d under the F.1lse Claim Act aft er criminal pen<.llties had been Iml>Oscd on a Medicare fr,lud con· viction il'lw>lving 5585, justice Blackmun reasoned thai, "A civil sanction tha i can nol fairly be said solely to serve il remedial purpose, but ra ther can be explained only as servll1g ei ther retributi'-1"l Or deterrent purposes is punlshmenl ... a defendant who (II· re.ldy has been punishl.>d in a criminal Jlrosecu tlon may rl01 be sJbj!!Cted 10 an addilional civil sanction to the e:<tem that the second S;1nction may 1101 fairly be characteril:ed as remedial."

•

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Mississippi Valley Titte

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191

Legislative Wrap-up

by Robert l. M cCurley, If.

The regular

se~sion

of the Ala!>'1m ... leglsl;uure ended M,IY 11, 1989. WIth Ihe bvdgets passed cilrly in the session,

IInle major l~jslaTion was considered. The legislature did pJSS the following

r.~bills

pfCl)arro by the Alabama law

In5I11 UIC;

Fraudulent Transfe rs (Act 89-793) This IIet will be cffecllvc J,lnuary 1, 1990. Some of lh~ fl.!ature~ of the bill <Ire outlined bclO\N: § 1 DeOnltions. § 2 EnumCfdlCS when a debtor Is "insolvent"

debtor's dehts are grCillcr th.ln his as~ts b. debtor gcn£'rally is /lO1 p<1ying his debts when due

iI.

c. when the p.utnership debts arc greater Ihan its

assets d. IiSling of Type assets excluded

c. listing of type debts excluded § 3 Enumerates "value" iI . !rimsfcr for cxisling debt b, glvin8 rC!.,sonably cquiv,llenr villue al a foreclosure c. tran sfer fOr prescnt value § 4 Traosfers Fraudulent as to Present arId Future Creditors .1 . transfer made with actual intcnl 10 defraud b. f3Cl0r~ (b..dges) In determrnlng aClual intent

1. tran sfer 10 insider 2. tr,m sfer made but debtor ret.,lns I>ossession 3. tran sfer was concealed 4. tran sfer WJS made after debtor WolS sued S. tro1r1 sfer WolS substantially all debwr's ilSsets 6. debtor absconded 7. debtor remove<! or CQnce;J ll'(l asSets 6. whether value received was loquiv,11ent to thc Villue of assets

9. debtor l,e(;ame insolvent after transfer 10. transfer shortly before or after transfer 11. tran sfer 10 .. lienor who c~1 10 an Insider c.

as to

e~btrnK

Crt.<drIOr$, \r(josfer was Wilh()(11 receiving reasonably equivalent Villue, 2nd the debtor becan,e insolvent as the result of Ihe tl'ilnsfer b. c>oistlng creditOr5 and tr.:mifcr to;ln Insider where the insider had cause to believe the debtor was 111solvent § & When Transfer is Made 1. I. rcal property Is tran5ferred Md Ihe good f.l ith purchasers cannot acquire title or Interest ii. per'SOnal l)rOperty Iransferrlod and crt.'(litor canoot acquIre a judgment lien 2,3. when the transfer is perfccted 4. Ir.lnsfer is not made until the debtor has ,w;quired r;ghl s to the asset § 7 Remcclie~ of Creditors a. I. SCt aside the transfer as to credi tors Ii. attachment iiI. InJunction, ,Ippointmcnl of a receiver, allow a ludgment m .oditor to It.'vy on the a~5(.'t tr,lIlsferred b. iudgment credi tor may pelilion the court to I~y 00 l)roper1y conveyed § 6 Defenses, LiilbililY aod Protcction of Transferee ;I . good faith tr,lOsfel for reasonably equivalent Villuc b. liability I) for value of goods tran sfcrrt.od i1 .

ROlnttr L McCufley. Jf . IS the drlec/OI of/he Ailibama Law InSlJfute II/ /he Vnl\l&rsiy ol AJabam8 He leceiVed hJs vndeff;rtKJWJIO end law degrees from fhe Vn/Wfsify

tr;m~fer

without rt.'CcivinK reasonably l'(tuivah:!I11 value and debtor WilS left with smaH hSCtS or In,lbltlly to repay § 5 Tr"nsfcrs Fraudulen t to Present Creditors

'"

Ivly 1989

BUSINESS VALUATIONS c. goods va lued al Ir.ln sfer d . lien on goods I filll~fcrred ,He 10 the value of lien e. not voidilble if the transfe r was from the termination of a lease or enforcement of a securi ty In terest f. not void~ bl e 10 th e extent of v<l lue gillen or miJdc in iJ good faith effo rt to rehabilitarc the debtor § 9 Extlnguishnll>nl of Claims for Relief Statute of linl itatlons iI. actual fra ud- IO years after tr.lnsfe r of rea l property b. actual fra ud- 6 years after triJnsfer of personal property c. constructive frilud-4 yeMs illrer transfer ilS 10 e)(i sting crt.>di tOfS d. constru ctive fra ud- l year after transfer a~ to future cred itors Statute of Non·Claims (Ac t 89-811) Al aba ma's sta tute of non·clalm s Ala. Code § 43·2·60 and 43·2·61 (1975) W.1S declared unconstitutional. This revi sion con tinues Ihe public,1tion of constructive notice of probatinlJ an estate in a newspaper ((lr three IV'i!(!k ~ lind thl! requir(.'men! !h.. t claims must be filed within six months. The act adds the provision for mailing 30 days actual notice to parties w ho hlwe claim. against the decedent <lnd who me known or arc reMonably ascert,llnable Iyy the personal representa ti ve.

MemQrandum of lease (Act 89-942) Thi s act allows il memOr,llldum of a lease to be recorded or Ihe lease itsel f.

The memor<mdurYl must Sta te:

I. names of the p.1rties 2. terms of the lease 3. any optiOrl S 4. leg<ll description 5. ;lny other provision Regi stration of Federal LienS (Act 89.( 48) Thi s bi ll provides for the registra tion of federal liens <lnd designates a placc of fil1t1S for notices of I ens of the UnltL>d States arld alll>lies only to th e federal Herls. The bill provi des tha t fede ral liens upon real property ~nd certificates <lnd noti ces aflecting the liens to be filed in Ihe offi ce of judge of probate in the county in whi ch the rea l property is located. Federal liens upOn person;! 1 pro~rt y thilt ,11m1y 10 a corporation or partnership or a tru st w ill be flied Trl the secretary of state's office. II the interest is against Ihe estarc of the decedent or in other cases, then the filing will be in the judge of problllC'S office in the coun ty where the c. ta te Is nlC!d Or tht: person res ide ~.

Insti tute bills also Introduced but not ilcted on by the legislature were the Condominium Act, the Adoption revi sion. the Securities revi sion and the Eminent Domain amendments. These bills will be introduced again In th o nljXI session ••

employee< Iloc:k ownmhip pluu acq ul$i1ioru/di ~ es ~ hJrt.1 l toekhotdet d;~ p'.neJ divoret~ • char itable girLS Cl ltlel ' int."gibtt&lICl~

COnfact: Mllchcll Kaye, C FA , ASA 800 81111-KA YE (~ 29)) M ember

American Society of Apprai sers PaSt President- Atl anta ChapleT The Institute of Ch!l1lered Finnncial Analyst.s

•

Court Testimony and

I.R.S. Experience SMALL FIRM SOF"IWARE fa" IB W f'f; 'S A ND COWfA r"~t'

Tl MI I '1~~I JoIO

C

S!I:i '

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0

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I TlllAl

C S1711'

1988-89 ALABAMA STATE BAR DIRECTORIES

$15.00 CALL 269-1515 OR WRITE: P.O. BOX 4156 MONTGOMERY, AL 36101 The Alil bllma Lawyer

193

Opinions of the General Counsel

by AJc~ W. lackson, assistant general counsel QUEST ION 1t1: A 1,1W firm wishes to participate in an adV(!rlisinll progrilll1 ca lled " Injury Helpline!' These aus arc placed (or brOold. cast in certain specifi c ,m~1\S, arc 30 sccond$ In lenglh, ilnd dcsigl'lcd 1(1 cncovragc telephone calls to II loll·frt.'e nu m~r.

Ca llers are referred 10 a parlici paling la w firm within "lip code area, and IdW fi rms are granted an ~d us i yc frdm;:hisc

wit hin a Sf yen lil) COOl" tlrCil. The <Ids conl.li n a discl.llmer Slilling 'Advcrlisinl! P,lid for by Sponsori ng Attorneys, No t

a Lawye r Referral Seryice," The ads are prepared, markcl(od, owned ilnd plactd by the prod ucer, which con trJcts 10 usc

not leSS thim 70 percent of monics collected in a given market for ad vNlisi ng in th"1 miHket. A copy o f the proposed conlract bel wel:!n Ihe producer and thl:! allOrncy WitS alIJched to th e r1)qucs t, with the contrac t sp&ifyins, in part, tha t (a lll,l r~ requ esting a " refl:!rr"I " will be "re ferred " 10 lin attorney in "... his/her residetlc(-, employmen t or ot her zip code area ...."

ANSWER! The Jdvt!rl ising and marketing schcml! prescnll'd herewith does rlOot COoMply wilh tho Codo Oof ProfC!$siOf)llI Rcsporlslbllify Oo f the Alabama SlJte Bar and, In our OoplnlOon, II would be impermissible for you to pJrticipale in the SJ ll1e. The Commission is o( the Oopinion thllt despite disclaimers regarding wha t the ildvcrti5cmcnt is, or is not, il is by ils n"Iurc il forprofi t rcfcrrill Si!l"IIice. thl,) Silmc being impermissible pU(5\Jant to Temporary DR 2-102(CJ. Additionally, the terms used In thc bro,rdc:tSt prescnilltion lire mish~.l ding In Ih,rll) cil:!,lr infCr"!!lec is flHld(- thm Ihl"! f.t"!(vi~ obtatrled frOom 11I1Oonley5 who Ilartidpatl"! in thl"! wogrJm arc somehO'N differenl and preference is milde Inilt the $Crvic~ obtained frOom auorneys who the tel ephone book. Tempor.lry Disciplin.lry Rule 2·101 prOo scribes such rcpresentillions.

We <Ire o( th e opiniOon th,1I the " Injury Helpline" advertising program is not in con formity wi th the provl~lon~ of Tem· powy Oi~(il,linary Ru les 2-101 through 2-106 Of thQ Code

of I'rofes)/on<ll Respomibility.

DISCUSSION: In d(1ssifylng this advcf!islng program as a for-profit referral service the Commission nas looked at the structure of the progrilm father Iniln to the dcfin ition plilced thereon by the prOOUCl!r. The Commission is mindful of Ihe fact tl1m Ihese ..dvertising ~ I)QIS <1ft! owned, produced and milrketcd by non· lawyers. This Is not a COooperatl\!(! advNtiSirl8 vt!rl ture put

194

together by Alllbama attOorneys. we .. Iso nole w th inlcrCSI that the cOon tra ct ul illzed by the producer m:rkes rdCrl:n(c to the true n<lture of the service, which Is referral of business to ll.ll1icipMing. i.e., paying attorneys. Thi s WJ Snot dlsposUivc in our consider.'ltion, bUI is jllustf.'ltive of the mJny (,lcets o( the progr:Jm thilt It:!old 10 the Incsc<ll,,,ble conclusion that this Is a for.profit referrlll service.

Th e provider Oof this service has indici1ted ~ willingness Jnd desire to come Into confOormlty with the AlilMmil Co(/e of p(o(c~5ion,lJ Responsibility. VVc lire Oof the opinion thill iI very fundamen !.11 change hI Ihe Structure in the SYSIem .lncl the ildvertisements presented would be (('(Iulred to come into conformily with AIJbJma rules on attomcy advertising.

by Kobert W. Norris, general counsel

QUEST ION #2: An Alab.,ma law firm requested "" opinion concerning th e propriet y of joining a nationwide network of law firms, for tne PUrt}Osc of ad verti sing nationally, exchanging info rmalil.m and referring cases. The firm also asked whether the disclaimer ,mel name I'If a responsible lawyer neL>d be included in nalional adverti sing.

ANSWER: The network is an org<lnilJlion of law firms, in tQrpor,lte form, whose primary purpose is to ~d.-erlise, provide in(Qr· m"lion ilbQut meml:H:Jr liM' firm~ to poten ti al clienl5 and refer clients to meml:H:Jr firms. The network is characteri2ecl as nonprofit and will be ~U lm!)rt L'(1 by Inl:! dues of Ihe mcmber firms.

You JIIay participate In this lIetwork as tOollg a~ Ihe cos t of maIntaining it is shared by the members and Is not related 10 Ihe rlumber Oof CJSCS referred.

Any advertising done by the network must conform to the re<luiremen t5 of th e Code of ProfessioniJl RC5/JOnsibllity of Ihe AtaQllm.l Sl,lle Bar, incl(Jding using Ihe discl.limer iI~ wel l as the name of <It leilst one lawyer in the firm responsible for the conlent of th e ,ld~rti5cment.

DISCUSSION: In 1985 the AlawmJ Supreme Court Jdopted temporary ad.-erlising rulcs 5ub5wntlilily similar 10 Ihe ad\ll,)r\ising rules conlilined in the AmcriCJn 13M ASsociJtion Model Rules.

These rule~, conlainL>d in Temporary DR 2·102 to DR 2·10&, Me Cilfried forw,lfd witho\rt chilnge in the prOPOSL'(i new ... Iabama Rules Oof ProfesslOonJI COonduCI Ihat hllve been 111)proved by Ihe board of bar commlssiollcrs .,r\d "r'e currerul y pelldlng JdoptfOori by thl"! Alabama SuprCrlle COourl.

July 1989

Tempor(lry DR 2-102 Advertising I>rovides thi'lt My lawyer whQ anveniseo; (on. cerning legal §ervlces shall comply wilh the following:

. ..

"(C) A lawyer 5h(l1l not give an.". thing of value to a person for recommending the lawyer's services. except !hm a lawyer may pay the reasonable (OSt of .my advcrtbcment or wrltlen communicalion permined by this rule and may pay the usua l charges of <l not·for-pron t lawyer (derral service.

(D) Any OOmmunicaliQll made pvr. suan! to thi s ru le shall include the Mme of at le<l ~t one lawyer fI..'SPQn. sible for Its conlCn!.

(EI No communlCol tlon concerning a lawyer's services Sh,lrr be pubIi~hcd o r broac1( ,lst unless It contains in legible and/or <luc1ibte language the bllowlng: 'No representallon Is molde about tht, qU.l!i. ty of the leg:. services to be pt)r· formed or the CXI>Cfllse of Ihe lawyer performing such services.'

(Amended erf~,lve janu.lry 6, 1966)" Prior to 1985 DlsclpliniHy Rule 2-1{)4(C) reSl rietoo rclerral services to those opera ted, !ponsored or ilPPn::M.'(l by the bar. Thi s rule was repealed in Oclobcr 1985 and re l>lilced by Temporary DR 2·I02.C) which conlains no such limltiltions. Under the I)roposed new AI{lb;mm Rules of Professional Con· duct thi5 section becomes Rule 7.2(cl.

The apprO'.1.'d comments concerning Rule 7.2(c) St.ltCS as follows : .~ lawyer Is allowed to IJaY for advertising permitted by this Rulc, but otherwi~c is not pcrmiltcd to Ixl)' another ~rwn for channeUng I)rofes· slonal work. This rCSlricl ion does not prevent an o'ganizallon or person olher than the lawyer from adV('rli5ing or recommcildins the lawycr'~ ~r· vices. Thus, a legal aid agl'ncy or prop.lld lcg.llscrvces plan may pay to advertise leg31 serv j ((.~ pr¢vided under Its .l(1SI>lc(,5. Llk ....wlsc, a lawyer may P<lr1icip;lIC in not.for-profit lawyer referral program s ;md pay thl' u~u .. 1 fees charKl'<i by such programs."

. ..

Regarding the not. for-profit aSj>C(:1 some leg.11 scholars fee l that thi s provl· sion is simply to Urrlt Ihe opcn-endlod permi~~ion to Ihl'S(! services and that 5Cr· vices run for pron t, such as IndlYld ual lawyers and law firms, are presumably subjecl only to Ihe gcne,,11 rules of advertising. See Wolfram, Modern Il.'g.tI Ethics, \Nest I'ublishing Com lhlny (1966), Pg. 774, n. 14.

PfL"5umably Ihen it would be acc(!l)t· .lblc for two or more lawyen or law nrms to form an advcrll slng/refcrrill arrangement that cont.llned J prot'l t factor.

Whether or nol such an <lrrangemenl would be acceptable, of course, would depend on the indiyldual aspects of each arrangement. In the in~t,lnt C<l se therl! b no IlN'd 10 add~~ !he "for·prot'lt" aspect Since the mcmbc", of the NNetWOlk" pay through dues orlly the expen~c of m:.ht· t,linlng the organization. Consequenlly, It Is the opinion of the Gener,ll Counsel and the Disciplinary Commission that the requesting firm mil)' par1icipale In the SW!e Cilpltill I.<Iw Firm Network .

The purpose of including the n.1rne of at Icast one lawyer respo nsible fOr the cont!!n! of Ihe adverllSCment (Temporary DR 2-10210]) is 10 facili tate the enforcemefll of the oollCrli sl1l3 rules and I>rovid!! factual consumer Information. To be ef. fecti ve this rule must ilpply whether the i1dverlising is In- or ou t-of'S1ate ilnd whelher It is done directly by the al· !orn(..,. or law firm or ~ an organiza tion such {I§ the one here being considered. the New York rule which ('Quirt'S thaI ad\1::!nl5erT1enls COlllaln the nrm'~ na~, ornc€' .. dcJre~s (lnd telephone number was upheld by Ihe New York SUI)(eme Court .l§ not ul1con~t i tut ion<llly Infring• Ing on the lawyer's frt!t:.odom of speech .

The COUft Ci ting Bilfl'S v. 5f.lW Bar of lIri1.0n,1, 4 33 U.S. 350 (1977) and Z.Judcrer v. Of(;ce 0' the DiSCIplinary Counsel of r~ Supreme COUlt of Ohio 471 626 (1985) ruled thill such a ulal10n was not a re8ul~ t ion of "cotHent" bUI rather a rt'ilsonable regulation designed 10 give l)rosPCCtive dlt'nlS in(ormMlon in chOOSing counsel. St.>e In Re Anonymous, N.Y. SUI). C t" App. Dlv., 2d DeP<lrtment (4112/88 ).

u.s.

reg:

Rpg.1rding the dischlinlt"!r it I~ only requIred In attorney advcrtlscment s that describe specWc legill services. Th!!

backg round ilnd cons titutionality of the disclaimer required by the AI<lllam') rules were discussed in deMiI in The Alabama l.awyer; ~lume 47, No.5. September 1986, ilnd volume 48, No. 6, NO\Iember 1987.

In request (or opinion 86-100, the Disciplinary Commission s:a tecJ, " If the material d i~semi niltcd by ~n .. IIorncy descri bed a specific le8<11 serylce or serlIices whether through public media such as wJephonedirectory, I!!g.ll directory. nl"NSp,llX!r or other periodicals, out. door dl<pJ<ly). ,,,dlo, tt'il>vi)ion 01' written communicil tlon ... regardless of ~ilC or duratiof'l •.. it mUSt COnl.,in the disclaimer In legible 1111d/or audible Ian. guage."

In Vil'W of the aboYe it is the Ol)inion o( the Ceneral Courl!tC1 and the Dlscipli. nary Commj~5 ion thai .my advcrtisl'menlS placed by the nl>twork In the PtJblic m<'dla that desCribe iI specWc legal service Or Services al!! require<! to COn tain the disclaImer conl.llned In T!!mporary DR 2·102(E).

•

Whe~ wltol!nes.

defend'lIlu. beoel'kl.1rles.lowl'f!ds, policy hoIde!'li. debtors. 11M mowd al'ld left no foIwardlng ilddmt. we tr.KJt them dowo on i world-wde iOIie. Aod If we don't nod your person. )'OU don't i»)t Global's ba~( (~IJO for a !tate when the Iut knowo DI~ is three re~!'li old or less Is $'80.00.

Call lor mo ... lnlormatlon or to start a tnoc. today.

1-800-663-6144 lbl FI'eIt Alaska" HawaII Call ' ·80().44J-6144 91.m.·1:)O p.m. fS'"' 6 Im •• 4:l0p.m. PST

L ___

U ...a~ HG

,-

".~"='_-,,"

'"" 195

Supreme Courl of AIJbamOl

ORDER or

or

WHEREAS, the Board Commissioners the A1Jb.lma State Bar recommended 10 this Court that the Code of Profess ional R.cspon sibililY of the Aillb,lmll State Bar be superseded by the "Jorrion of new " Alilbamil Rules of Professional Conduct" ; and WHEREAS, the Court considered those prOPOSI.,,<1 Rules <Jnd deemed it ilppropri<lle to h,lVe them publi ~ hcd for commen t by intCrI!SIL>cI persons; and on j.lnuilry S, 1989, ordered them

published; and WHEREAS, those proposed rulM wert! publishoo ill 536 5o.2d Advan ce Sheet No.2, February 23, 1989 (spedal " Alabama Edl!1on," mailed only to aU 5o.2d Advance Sheet subscribers with an Alabama m.liling address); and WI-IEREAS, it now appears to the Court that there may have been Insufficient notice to the btU of the J(lnuilry S, 1989, order concerning tl'e proposed Rules of Professional Conduct; IT IS HEREBY O RDERED thm further notice be givcn in the July 1989 issue of The Alabama La wyer of the Proposed Rules of Professional Conduct, and lhal ill! intcrest<..-'(/ persons shal! have untit Septcmoor 11 , 1989, to submit to the Clerk (}f thc Supreme Court, P.O. BOx lS7, Montgomery, Alabama 361 0 1, allY wrillen objections or comment s concerning those propost.'tI rules, DONE Ih ls thc 161h day of june, 1989.

Hornsby, c' j" ~nd M[lddo)l, jones, Almon, Shores, Adam s, Houslon, Steagall, and Kennedy, Jj ., concur.

â&#x20AC;˘

196

July 1989

Disciplinary Report Removal from Disability Status • M k h;H~ 1 S. Sheicr, a Birmlnghalll Ol!torncy, WJSremoved (rom dis.1bility In<ictive ~tiltus on februilry 14, 1989. Sheier also was ~ us pcndcd flOm the practice of liM' for rlnee yeatS, dIe<;live J,lnUdry 31, 11)86, and end InK February 1, 1989, on each 0( (oor coml)lai"b ir'M)lving misal'l)rolltiation 01 a cli(,'f1t's funch In vlolalion of Disciplinary Rule 1·I02IA}(4 ) whi ch prohibits conducllnvolving dishonesty, fraud , d eceit or misrepresentation, nor be guilty of willful mlsconducl. IPcI. No, 88-06)

Reinstatement • Michael S. Sheier, " Birmingham .morney, w,, ~ reinstilted to the prOlctlcc of law by order of the SUI)(Cmc Court cffecl i\o'l! Alnil 3, 1989. (Pel. No. 66-06J

Suspensio n • Birmingham lawyer Samuel H. (S holUel) Sanders, III, nas been ordered suspended from the practice of law for a period of one yeilf, effective February 20, 1992, at the conclusion of ;In {'arlll'f imposed term of suspension. The latest suspenSion tl!Sulb frolll il def"ult judglllcm having oc'Cn enteh.'tl OIgainSt S<uulers before the Dl sclplinilrY lloMd, dUI! to his fa llurc to dcny disciplinary charse ~ aUeslng that he had lIccepted a totoll/cc of $875 to assist a client in connC!Ctil:m with tWO legal matters, but failed to l>rc)llIde the legal scrvlces for which he had been l>Jid, foliled to refund the fcc and failed to return thc clicnt's papers to him . [ASB No. 87-7521 • On April 17, 1969, the Suprcme Cowt of Alabama ordcred th;1I Mobllt' lIttOrnl'Y C. Chr/)tophcr Clanton be susIlCnded from thc W;lCtiCC of Inw for a pcriod of thrl<e years.

Sllid su~pen slon to become effcctlll(! December 31, 1986, wi th no autommle rein st.ltement. The suspension Is ba~cd Ul>on C!cUlton'Sconviction before the Disciplinary BO<lrd of the Al abam.l Stiltc Bilr of various ethics violiltlons. [ASH Nos. 86·354, 86-421, 8&-431. 86.432, 86·532, 86-708, 86·729, 87-57, 87·269, 117·272, 117-605]

Private Reprimands • On March 24, 1969. a la~r wa s privately reprimarldcd (or conduct ,1dvcrscly refl~t lng on his fi1ncss to practice

The Alabama Lawyer

law [OR 1·102(A)(61]. The lawyer was ret.llned to fIIc suit In Iwo collec ti on matters and paid the flllnil (ees In both CJSCS by thll cllllnt. Thcreafter, Ihe lawyer f.liled to file suit, ,lI1d Ig. nored r'C1>cawd rC<lucsts from Ihe clienl for status reports as 10 the IWO cascs. Thc Stillute of limlt.ltlons t!Xpircd as to both cI"lm s, aftcr which Ihe clillnt med a complaint .,vitll thl:' bar.

Only after being IlOtiOed of thc complaint did the lawyer refund the prc-paid filing fees. [AS8 No. 86-716] • On March 24. 1989, a I<IW',$ was prlV.l1Cly rcprimilnded for conduct ;ldvcr!J('ly refl ecting on his (j t ne~s 10 prJctice law ,md willfully ncglC!Cting a legal matter entrusted 10 him. The law)(!f wa s fet.llned to apl>Cill a rnl sdCfllQallor corwlctiOrl frorll nlUnlclpal court to circuit court, and to obtain illury trial for the client . The IJwyer filed the JIlI>cal, but did rOI demand ~ jury trial, cilu singthe client 10 lose the rl llht to 'rial by jury in circuli court. lASH No. 88·634] • On March 24, 1989, a l;rwyc, W.lS prlvatciy fel)flmarxled lor engaging in illegal conduct Involving moral turpitude, dishonesty, fraud, deceit, m i s rel}r~n t a t lon , willful miscondUCt ,lI1d conductl)rejud,cial to the administration of Ju ~ t lce. all of which adversely 'efl& ted 011 his fi tness to practice law. The lawyer WOl ~ appoln1t'd to represent an Indigent crlnllnOlI defe"d.ll1l. In filing pilyment claim \IOuchef5 for said represen ta· tlon, the [,lwyer rnbrCI)rescnliXllhe SWtllS of the CJSCSand the ,!mount of time cxpendL'tI Uy the lawyer in representing tne client. [ASB No. 63-2371 • On M.lrch 24, 1989, a lawyer wa s privately f('j)fim.ll"1dcd lor Intenlionally fililing to seek the lawful objectiYCS of a client through reasonably avaiiOlble means [DR 7·10I(A)(I)], and in· tC"tlonally failing to carry out a con tr;l ct of eml>loyment entered Into wi th a cliCnt for professionill SCfviccs tD~ 1-101{A}(2)] . The lawyer W<lS retairwd to defend a client In it unlJwful dewlner actiOll , but fnlled to rlOtlfy thc client of the datc thc case W.1S sct (or Irlal and (ililed to aPl)cM for trial 011 behalf of the client. [ASB No. 88·526]

• On M.uch 24, 1989, a I~ was prlvntcly reprimanded f()r h;wing violated DR 6·101IA) by falling to promptly return tl) a dlL>fIt $228 in prc-p.lid eXI>enses that were to be used in thc courM' of rCp!'c!tCnliog the client, [AS8 No. B8·192]

197

Memorials and as one of the oUlslanding gradua!es of the I.IV>' school.

Profe ssor L.lnc Is survived by his wife, Edna Flynn lnne, of Tuscaloosa, Ala· bama; (our d,lughters, louise LcCrand of Hunlsville, Anne Kohlman of 1\t1<,1l1la, Beth Merchi\nt of Birmingham and Mary Baitey of Seattle; a son, Joseph E. lane, III ; il ~bt cr, M,lry Virginia Maddux of Cook<."Ville, Tcnneu t.'l'; and IIllIc grand. childrell. t-tc was a veteran of World W.u II in Ihe submarine service and an active member of the First United Methodi St Church of Tvscal OQsa, serving a ~ a IhIst chairperson of its ildmini strati\lt! bOMe:! ilnd il5 il longtime teaCher of the Frlellclship Sunday School Class.

- I. Rufu s Bealle

Joseph E. LMC, Jr" 67, of Tuscaloosa, dl!.'d May 7, 1989, al University Hospital In Blrminllham, He wa s a 1956 gfilduilte of the University of AI;lI);:lma School of l aw <Jlld ad mitt()d 10 the Alabama SI;,!!!.!

Bar in the S(lnll! year.

A native of Cookt.'vilie, Tennessee, he recei\ll.>d hi s b.1chelor's degree from TellncSS~~ Technical University and his master's from Wharton School, Pennsylvani a University. He WilS a certified public accounTant >lnd professor of accounting at the University of Altlbilm.1

from 1949-64.

Professor L.l l1C made an outstanding ccnl ribulilm in the Slate In combining the fields of .,ccoun tlng and law primar. ily in the arca of taxation , He originilled the nlaSlct's of laxation program in the School of Accountancy, druwing on both the law and ac(;oun\ing fil cultie~ for its offerings. He W,l S one of Ihe inll ialors of

Fuller, Charles Eugene, jr.- l af,lye" e Admilll..>d: 19]2 Died : July 29, 1966 Garrett , Jilmes Willis-Montgomery Admiltc<l: 1940 Died : May 8, 1989 Joseph Ernesl, Jr.-Birmin gham Admi IlL'tI: 1954 Died: May 7, 1989

Ll l1l!,

''.1110n, Al ia C"al)mall- Monlgomery

Admillcd; 1948 Died: AUgU 51 25, 1988 Seille, Harry-Mobile Mmitted : 1927 Died: Allril 12, 1989 Street, Charles Shelton- Mobile Admille<J: 1964 Died: April 1&, 1989

198

Tu§caloos.l, Alab.lmll lhe combillillion l.il'MM6A programs I,Jndcr whi ch graduiltel mcelve bOlh the juris doctor ilnd milSler'S in busirlcss administr<uion degrL'l's, He has been one of the ,>rind ,hlileadcrs of lhe <In,'1,J.11 Fedeml T<,1)( Clink held 0 ,1 the university Caml)US (or allorneys <lnd accounmnl~. l-le wa s the ilulhor in 1951 ,1Ild 1960 Qf Rcgulariolls Uncler ale' SW!c Tax Cocle.

He has ~rved as one of the ofgani 7ers and a president of the Tu scaloosil EstJte Planning Council. He hilS lectured throughout the country on topics of est<1t() 1)I'mning. taxal ion ,lIld accounl!rl g.

Wilhin Ihe univt!r~i t y. he chalK'" Ihe Faculty SenalC! and the Insurance and Retlrcmc'l! ComnlIUCC, alld served on lhe University Budget Committee, the University Council ilnd ~s scnior <ldvisor 10 the Ch':lIlcel1or's Corrmil1<.'C on Compensation. Since his rctiremenl, he has Ix!cn 11 con5uitanl fOf the Alab:u'l'Ia Society of CPAs and the Alabama Siale Board of ( PAs, ns well as ellgaglns in a successful tax pracliCc. Dean Nathanial Hansford of the School of I.ilw p;)id tribuH.110 Professor l ilnc ,15 an able contributor to hb adopted Slale, to the tWO professio'lS whi ch he has so ablv brought logelher

•

HARRY [)UN( AN <;1 All

WHEREAS, HMry Seale wa s bam January 13, 1895. a,lit altC'r a full Md bountiful Ille died April 12 , 1989; lind WIIEREAS, Ihe Mobile Bar Associ;1tion In grateful alll)reci ati on (or ,111 his conIribuli on ~ to thi \ prof[>s~ion recoglli i e~ 11i$ dedicill i!)n to the law .md to this bilr;

July 1989

NOW, THEREfORE, BE IT KNOWN, thai al Ihe lime of his dealh, Seale had bt-en a longtime resident of Mobile, Ala· OOma, where he di ~t; ngui she(! himself as a lawyer ,lnd ilS an advocille for more than 50 ,Ictive yCMS until hiS retirement In 1977, In his early YC<lrs he served his coun· try wdl during World W,lf I as a member of the Unl((.'<l States Army Medical Corps, receiving <In honorilbie discharge In 1919, He returned to marry M.uie Grutk.l In 1922 , While 1I1f!y hild no , hildrl:n, hiS nephew, AI Seale, curren tly is a member of the MObile Bar. Scale fC(el\!Cd both his b.lchelOf of arts and b.lChelor of laws from the University of AlabJllla, gfJduatll1g wi th honor:> In 1927. He W,lS selected for membership In Phi [](,!tJ Klll)l:hl, When he nrst returned to Mobile to pr.lclice law he WilS hlmd .lS (H"l.l ssociatc Il\' Frilnds InKc. On Junc I, 1930, he loilled the firm of OutlolW & Kilborn, In 1950 Seale, then practicing alone, hl(.'(1 M .A. Marsal and, eight months laler, his nephew, AI Seale, and the nrm of Seale, Marsal & Seale was born. l lis prilcticc was primarily in crimiMI defensc although hc h,lIldled cases of all types and was city attorn ~ fnr 20 '{(·ars. l'le was .111 aggressive, competitive adV(>c.,te, yet at the SMne time a kind and gen· tic mim wi th a kem sense of fair 1)lay and justice, ,\ gentlem.ln's gentleman. It WilS truly a le.uning eKpcricnce for .,11 lawyers who werc fortunate enough to sec him at \.YOl k. lie WilS.1n <lccomplishcd machinist a ~ a lesult of laoo, III th(! S hl l1i,)rd ~ along the Gulf COa~t where Iw worked ilnd saved for law school. l'le m.1Int.llned a working machine shol) at his home. He W,lS ,1n ,wid fi~herman until the Infir. mitll.'5 of old age intt'rrered , Scalc'~ wift, passed aWiay in 1986.

NOW, THEREFORE, aEIT RESOLVED, by the Mobile 8ar A~!>OClalion , .11 its rcg· ular meeting h(!ld Friday, April 21 , 1989, thilt the dealh of I larry Seale w;!s a greal loss to this .1ssod.,tlon, the bar of this stJle and the people of Ihis county, whom he served >0 well; Ihatlhls associal ion eKtcncl ~ liSsympathy to his filmlIy and friends nnd slMCS wilh Ihem their

loss; ilnd Ih;1I lhe membcr) of Ihl5 association {'KPlesSthe honor fdt by them to hilYC known him i1nd to have prJctlced law in this community with him, - William H , McDermott President , Mobile I:hl. Associa tion

•

(UARII .... ItIITON "'RliT

WHEREAS, Charles Shelton Street Wil S

born in Gadsden , Atab..1ma, Feb,u;lfY I, 1936, mOYl.'d 10 Mobile d~lflng his youth, 'lnd g."M! great service to our communIty and 10 Ihe legal profession; WH[REAS, the Mobile Bar A~'i(}ci.l t ion deSIres to remember Il ls name "net rl'Cognlze his contributions to our profe). ~Ion and to this community: NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT KNOWN, thaI Charlcs Shelton Street departed this life April t6, 1989.

During his high school yeilr), Street at· tended ill\d graduated flOm Murphy I llgh School, ilfter which he miltricut<lted to the University of Alabama and r('({'I\!Cd a bachelor of science degree In 1955, From 1955 to 1960 ilild from 1962 to 1963 he W.15 in acti~ service 10 his coun· try ilS iI member of Ihe Unltl.'<l SWtes Air Force. l'le r(!cci v{)d hi, J.D. degrl'C from the Univer)ity of Alabarnil School of LilW In 1964 and WJ$ admiul'(l to practice law In Ihls stale that ,((,Jr. While in law school, Street became ,I member of the Bench and Bar SocIety.

During his early '(('Jf!i Jfter grilcluatiOO from I,"IW school , Street served as an asS I ~t;lIlt district attorney and with the Mobile 100w firm of Tron, Milrr & Frll..<dlilndcr, In 1971 , he fornll'(i " pilrln<trship with fellow Mobile attorney) J,1Il1eSAtch· Ison .lnd Cill ... ln Clay undcr the n.1llle of Atchison, Clay & Slreet. Therearter, Ihe firm name WJ ~ chJngetl lo CI,ay, MJ5sey, Str('('1 & Gille, with Its oWce firstloc.lI<.<d In the First Nation.ll a.1nk Buildrng ,1110 then on Church Sirocl. Since 1980, Street wa\ ,\ sole prilctitloner. l'le wa ~ a membel of Ashland Place Uillted Methodisl Church 'lild ;lcti<,<e In the SUPl)Qrt 01' the pre-!>(hool progrilnl conducted ilt Ashlilnd Plat e. Street W.lS a member or many loc~ 1 Md professiollal

Ofganizoltlons, Including, but oot limited to, the Mobile Bar Associ.:.tion, the Alilb.'n"lil State Bar, the Trial Lawye~ Association, American legion l:>ost '3, Ihl'! Mc· Cormick Mil~nlc Lodge F&AM, Abba Temple, the York IWc Bodies and the AlllericMl Arbi trJ tion Associil tion. He was a re tlrL<d lieutenant colonel in the United Stales Air Force Reserve.

Strcct was a quiet mJn but possessed of a dry wit, A knowlcdgeilble pr:lI:ti. tiollcr, with IXlrtlcuiar emphasis upon «StillO mattere;, b.lllkfUI)tcy and PfOI>crty law, he often W,l§ called u!X)n for advice alld ct'Jun!>e1 by his fellow il ll 0rneys. He was a Chlistian g<tntl<tmatl who never had unkind word s to ' l'Iy about anyone.

He is survived by hi s wife, Lois Street; o doughter, Angelil Lyl1n Streel; a son, Mi· chael Shelton Street; his mothm; two sbters; a brother; and nicce~, nel)h(.'WS Md other rclilrivl.'<;, "II of whom wi th the members of our associ.ltion mourn his p.lssing.

THEREFORE, we, the members of the Mobile Bar Association, do hcrdly honor thc memory of our friend and fellow member, re<lue5lthat this 1(!~Olu t ion be spread UI)Qn the minutes oj this associal ion and of the Alilh~ma Stille Bar, and Ihat a copy be presen1l.'Cllo rhe family of Chilrles Sh<.'lrOil Strc{)t.

-Williilm H. McDermott President, Mobilc Oar Asso(i.ltion

•

These notices are published Immediillely after report Sof death are received.

Biographical Information not appearing in this issue will be published at a later date if information 15 3CCessible. ~ ask you to promptly report the death of an Alabama attorney to the Alabama Sliite Bar, and we would appreciate ',()lJr assiST' ance In provi ding blographlc.11Informa. tion for The Alabama Lllwver.

199

Consultant's Corner The fo llowlll,\! Is a rcviL'W of and commcntM)' o n an oHice l'IulOI111\l ion Issue

that haS currcnl lrnporl<lIlCC to the ICg.ll cQl11l11unit y, Ilfl'1lMed by Ihe office automalion consult;ml to the Siale bar, PilOt Hornstein, whrue views arc no l necessadly those of Ihc 51.t' e !uf.

This is the l>lcvenlh arlicle in our

"Consultant's Corner" serit.'5. We would like 10 hear from you. Mlh in critique of the article wrillen and suggestio", of 1(lllieS for 'ulure "'Iides.

Serene & Comforlable (revisited) ThouS<1n(ls (one) 01 I,lithful rCJders hiblcned to conl'llcnt 00 lasl month's ar· ticle concerning Alabama's model law (irm, How, Ihl'Y a~kt.>d , can Ihe firm

be

Copy c harges It is "ma7ing what a few copies will do. Thl'Y hiWC iI coP'( controller costing about $150 pC!r month thai CJptUf~ near· Iy $2,000 in copy ch~rges, half of which, if done m,muillly, prob<lbly would have gone unrecorded.

Telephone charges Scn:-'ne & Comfortable tries ~ h;ud 10 minlmi7e non-billable time. One former tim(.'W.lster is now ~ snap. Instead of laborlou$ly PQring over telephone comI)any Itcrnlli!d chOlrgc~, tlu.'Y h.we it standard charge for all toll c.llls, based on .'l\ICrage rnorlthly calls.

Cash advances They do not advance anyone ou t-of· pockC1 exJ)Cl'Iscs, Their ret' JHrt't'mCnt leIter Is quite ipecific on thii, and thc.'Y fL'(Tuire I)re-paymenl of any estinl;'lted out-

so profit.lblcl There muSt be ~me secll!l formula, rlgha An angle! A ginlmitH Sorry, filhhful readers, the l'irm of Scrcnu & Comfortable, although a model, Is not a gimmicky concoction of my Imilglna. tion; theft! Is no S(.'Crel formula , Every " trick" in their book is somcthing you have (('ad 'Ibout here or in a syslems-Iype of newsleller, Hercwlth is a rlofrcshet.

Fee agreements Yes, they usc thcm, on ali indlvidu.ll clients and all new corporate diell!S, They arc si mple to prepare, once programmed Into your word processor and S,lve infinite ,lmOllnts of time haggling over f(.'('s, promiSf.,<1 ou tcomes, etc,

Bornstein

Time Tht'Y ruthlessly rt'Cord all time Silent on client mailers. True, they write off some at pre-bill time, but thL'Y rcscrw thill decision 10 Ihen, not ~pur of the m0ment, Each morning they recite the timekeelX'r's anthem, ~ F lfteen minutes a day ,1t $60 per hour is $5.000 per ~ar , , , J'II take! it,"

200

of-pocket (')Ipenscs. 1his is held In tru SI and at)I)lied as needed .

Realiza Tion On a momhly baSis, They very c.l(Cful· Iy ex.llntlle their average hourly bilting~, as compared to their budgetcd biWnij rates. I tours and billings arc scpar:tTi!d on

il fee basis sprclld sheet, They know quickly, (or example, when fixed fcc billings per hour drop below budget. This triggers an ~min;ltion (lI the fixed fee and tnc prudcocc on continuing such arrangemel'ltS, Sometimes they choose to continue at the s.ame raK!, SOmetimes they choose 10 ral)C the ratc, sometimes Ihey chO<KC to discontinue the service.

Whatever their declsiOfl, II Is a cOflsclous one, triggcr(.'(i by the facts, not a des· peralC one, triggered by panic,

Technology Thl.'Y ilrc no t a p,lfllculariy high tech firm. Frankly, their word procesSing system is rather dllted. Their billing l><Ickilge Is in the high n'l(~diocrc to M'rage range.

But they keep abreast of th e developments in the technology marketplace.

One of the younger p.lrlnfrs has this responsibili ty because she has an under· graduate background in COm l)uter science. She regularly briefs the other pathlerS on emerging c.k.wlol>men!S, They consider some and table SOme. They arc never first to try some thing; more Importantly, they arc m:.'VCr last, either.

The fuhlre The firm has Slructure, market focus and a dedicated suppor t sta ff. They have an addition ,1/ characteri <lic that few others have, iI succession pliln , There Is ,l written agreement providing for the conthluation of the nrm on an orderly basis, There ilre no draconian Pi¥lut provisions to retired or deceased p;lrtncrs that would threJlen the flrn with Insolvency. The partners are fUlly appraised of che pl"n, che support st"ff, geller;'lily.

This con tributes g«-'Jtl y to ~ sense of sta· billty and cootlnuity. Noe surprisingly, there Is ... 'rtually no turn~r in the firm.

Serene & Comfortable Is looking forward to the last decade d the cerllul)' wilh quiet confidence, Thel' name K'Cms to suit rhem p4:lrfectly, •

luly I ?8?

Classified Notices FOR SALE THE LAWBOOK EXCHANGE, LTD. Buys and sells all major law booksSiale and ((!(feral- nationwide, For all roU t law book needs, (800) 422-6686.

Maslerc.ud, Visa & American E"press

accepted.

LAW DOOKS: sa....lngs 10 50 pcrCC!l1 or more. Federal RCl>orter 1st, 2nd & 5ul)plemcnl, AlRs, CIS, USCA, Southern Reporter 1st, etc. All natlon;!1 l)lJbllcaIlon5. Libr\lrjc~ bought ilnd sold nation-

wide. Prok'Ssional Uooks Service, Oilyton, At lanla ;md Los Ansell'S, Suite b04· 105, 4279 Roswell Road, Atlanla, Georgia 30342. Phone (800) 5384964.

FOR SALE: Southern Report er, vols. 1 '0200; Southern RCI)()rlCf 2nd, \lO Is. 1

10 271. Call (20S) 28 1·2392 or write Goodwyn, 2537 McGehee Road,

ATIORNEY lOSS-National and Federal legal [ nlplOymef"ll Report; high ly regarded monthly detailed listing o( hundreds of attorney and law-related jobs wit h U.S. C<wernm cnt, othe r pu blid private cm ployel"5 in W.lshington, D.C., thrQ\lghout U.S. and abroad. $30-3 months; $53-6 months, Federill Reports, 1010 ~ r mon l Ave., NW, , 408-A8, WJ ~ hingtun , D.C. 2000S. PIlone (202) 393-3311. Visa/MC. TAX LAWYER-large TOml)a firm Is seekin g a t;JK (Ittorney with 3-6 YC;Jrs' signifk(1 nt eK I>erie nce in the are;l S of corporilte, partnership and gener,.1 fcdefillincome t;rK,l\ion. ExpericnCQ in for. eign tal("tion ilnd lilK litiK(1 tion would be helpfu l. Ll.M , degree lind lArge fir m cxpericnce preferred; Opp liCilll1 mUSt h3VC c>;cellcnl ac.ld emic credentlills.

Send r~ume in confide nce to Marshil E. Ri ce .11 Fowle r, While, Cillen, BOSSs, Villareal itIld Banker, P.A., P.O. 8 o~ 1438, T.lm pa, Flo rida 33601.

Montgomery, Alabama 36111 .

POSITIONS OFFERED

1988-89

BOOTH, WADE, & CAMPBELL, a

ALABAMA STATE BAR DIRECTORIES

ra pidly cxpanding "tlanta firm with a diverse n!!liona1 ond Internil1 ional practice, seeks a5SodatC5 for sophisticil ted li tig.ltion anel lor general business mo tters. Supe rio r academ ic c rcd enti;Jls and, profcsslonnl ;Jbility !"(.' qulrcd, Send rl'iurnc In co nfid enc!! to l . Dale Owe ns, Hooth, W.ule & Cilnll)bell, Suit e 4 10, 56 Perime te r Ce nt er East, Atl ant a, GeorKI;J 30346-2283.

ASSOC IATE POSITION AVAILAlIlE with sole practitioner In Annl$ton, Alah.lma, API)licant must h~ been acinlltted to the Alobama Stilte Bar for at least One year and h<M:J an Il1Ietest In the 101lowing area s 01 law: domestic relations, b..1rlkruptcy, civil trial work and crIminal trial work. Send letter and rCsume to ,. Todd Caldwell, P.O. 80x 23 14, Anniston, Alabil ma 36202.

$15.00 CAll 269-1515 O R W RITE:

P.O . BOX 4156 MONTGOMERY, Al 36101

SERV ICES COMP UTER CONSULTANT: Objective, pragmatic advice and expert help with word I)f()(esslng, billing, nLw,otks, etc. A shortCut to prod\lctivi ty withou t mist:rkcs and hassles. I wl1l SUt\lC'( n(.'t.'d s, recommend hardware anel software, find bes t prict)'S, install , customll.c, train and su ppo rt Bruce R. G l a~!>­ man 00, 1912, mcmbu Georgia Stilte 8,.,), Phone (404) 392·1430, TRA.FF IC ENGINEER-Cons ult;JnI/E K' pert Wi tness, Graciu(1IC, rCBiStcrcd, professional engineer. 40 years' cxl>erlence. HIBhw;ry & city deSign, trafflc con trol clnvices, ci ty lonlng. Write or call for resume, fees. lack W, Chilmbliss. 421 Bellhurs t Drive, Montgomery, AI,.bama 36 109, phone (205) 212·2353.

LEGAL RESEAR CH HELP; Experienced attorney, membel of Alab.lm,. State 8al since 1977. Access to law school and stolte law Irbraries. Westl;tW available.

Prompt deadline scrvice. We do UC(.1 sca rches, JJS/hour. Sarah Kathryn F,.rnel1, 112 Moore Building. Montgomery, Alabama J6 104. Pho ne (205) 277-7937, In Jefferson lInd She lby counties, c.ll1 free: 322·4419. No rcprcscnliltion Is madc about the r/ualiry of the leg.11 services to Iw ~rfoml('c1 or the eKpcrrlse of the Imvycr performing ~uch services, EXAMINAT ION OF QUESTIONED Ooc\unents: Handwriti ng, tyj>cwrlt ing ;rnd relnted eKo.lmin(1tlons. InternationalIy cou rt..qualined Cl< IJCI! whm.>s~. Oil)lomale, AmClican BO.1l1l of Fo~n$ic Document El(,lminerS. Member: American Society of Questioned Document Examiners, the In ternational Associa tion (or Idl'l1tiflcatlon, the BritIsh foren sic Science Society and tile Na tional Associa tion of CrimlnJI Defense lawyers.

Refired Chito( Document EX.lminer, USA CI labora tories. H ~lIIs Ma ye r Clellon, 2 18 Merrymont Oriw, AUKusla, Goor· Kia 30907. Phone (404) 860-4267.

111", WIlIIa. D. CD1Han ~peU, H~w"rd, KMb.,\, C~bb,

P. 0, Po. 2069

Mont,o.cry AL 30197