Case Title: Ex parte Brian Nelson Excavating, LLC. PETITION FOR WRIT OF MANDAMUS: CIVIL (In re: Alvin Prater, Robert Hall, and Jessie Hall v. Brian Nelson Excavating, LLC)

Citation: 

Docket Number: 1071473

State: alabama

Court: Alabama Supreme Court

Date: 2009-06-12T00:00:00Z

Document:
R e l : 06/12/2009 
Notice: T h i s o p i n i o n i s 
s u b j e c t t o f o r m a l r e v i s i o n b e f o r e p u b l i c a t i o n i n 
t h e 
advance 
s h e e t s o f 
Southern Reporter. 
R e a d e r s a r e r e q u e s t e d t o n o t i f y t h e 
Reporter of 
Decisions, 
Alabama A p p e l l a t e C o u r t s , 300 D e x t e r Avenue, Montgomery, Alabama 36104-3741 ((334) 229¬
0 6 4 9 ) , o f 
any 
t y p o g r a p h i c a l 
o r 
o t h e r e r r o r s , i n 
o r d e r t h a t c o r r e c t i o n s may 
be 
made b e f o r e 
t h e o p i n i o n i s p r i n t e d i n 
Southern Reporter. 
SUPREME COURT OF ALABAMA 
OCTOBER TERM, 2008-2009 
1071473 
Ex p a r t e B r i a n Nelson E x c a v a t i n g , LLC 
PETITION FOR WRIT OF MANDAMUS 
( I n r e : 
A l v i n P r a t e r , Robert H a l l , and J e s s i e 
H a l l 
v. 
B r i a n Nelson E x c a v a t i n g , L L C ) 
(Montgomery C i r c u i t Court, CV-04-3009) 
PARKER, 
J u s t i c e . 
B r i a n 
N e l s o n 
E x c a v a t i n g , LLC 
( " N e l s o n " ) , 
f i l e d 
t h i s 
p e t i t i o n f o r 
a w r i t o f mandamus a s k i n g t h i s C o u r t t o d i r e c t 
t h e M o n t g o m e r y 
C i r c u i t 
C o u r t t o v a c a t e 
i t s 
o r d e r 
d e n y i n g 
N e l s o n ' s m o t i o n f o r 
a summary j u d g m e n t . N e l s o n ' s p e t i t i o n f o r 
1071473 
t h e w r i t o f mandamus p r e s e n t s two 
q u e s t i o n s f o r 
c o n s i d e r a t i o n 
b y 
t h i s 
C o u r t : 
(1) 
I s 
a 
c l a i m 
f o r damages 
t o 
a 
r e s i d e n c e 
c a u s e d 
b y 
v i b r a t i o n s 
o r 
c o n c u s s i o n 
t r a n s f e r r e d 
t h r o u g h 
t h e 
g r o u n d a t r e s p a s s 
c l a i m 
o r 
a n u i s a n c e 
c l a i m 
so 
as 
t o 
i n v o k e 
e i t h e r a s i x - y e a r s t a t u t e o f l i m i t a t i o n s o r a t w o - y e a r 
s t a t u t e 
o f 
l i m i t a t i o n s , 
r e s p e c t i v e l y ; 
and 
(2) 
what 
c o n s t i t u t e s 
k n o w l e d g e 
o r 
c o n s t r u c t i v e 
k n o w l e d g e 
o f 
t h e 
i d e n t i t y o f 
a 
p a r t y , 
so 
t h a t 
s u b s t i t u t i o n o f t h a t p a r t y 
f o r a 
f i c t i t i o u s l y 
named d e f e n d a n t a f t e r t h e e x p i r a t i o n o f t h e l i m i t a t i o n s p e r i o d 
d o e s n o t 
r e l a t e b a c k t o t h e 
f i l i n g o f t h e 
o r i g i n a l 
c o m p l a i n t ? 
Our 
d e n i a l 
o f 
t h i s 
p e t i t i o n on 
a p e r i p h e r a l 
i s s u e , 
h o w e v e r , 
p r e t e r m i t s 
any 
d i s c u s s i o n 
o f 
t h e 
q u e s t i o n s 
p r e s e n t e d 
b y 
N e l s o n . 
B a c k g r o u n d and 
P r o c e d u r a l 
P o s t u r e 
N e l s o n 
i s 
t h e 
d e f e n d a n t 
i n 
an 
a c t i o n 
f i l e d 
by 
A l v i n 
P r a t e r , R o b e r t H a l l , 
and 
J e s s i e 
H a l l . 
N e l s o n was 
a d d e d as 
a 
d e f e n d a n t on December 6, 2006, when i t was 
s u b s t i t u t e d 
f o r 
a 
f i c t i t i o u s l y 
d e s c r i b e d 
d e f e n d a n t p u r s u a n t t o R u l e 9 ( h ) , 
A l a . 
R. 
C i v . 
P. 
W i t h 
t h e 
e x c e p t i o n 
o f 
t h e 
g e n e r a l 
c o n t r a c t o r , 
R u s s e l l 
C o n s t r u c t i o n 
Company 
o f 
A l a b a m a , 
I n c . , 
w h i c h 
s u b c o n t r a c t e d work t o N e l s o n , 
t h e 
o r i g i n a l named d e f e n d a n t s 
2 
1071473 
a r e no l o n g e r 
p a r t i e s t o t h e a c t i o n .
1 
On J a n u a r y 27, 2003, R o b e r t H a l l and A l v i n P r a t e r , who 
were n e i g h b o r s , 
f e l t v i b r a t i o n s i n 
t h e g r o u n d t h a t s h o o k 
t h e i r 
h o u s e s . Upon i n v e s t i g a t i n g , t h e y d e t e r m i n e d t h a t t h e s o u r c e o f 
t h e 
v i b r a t i o n s was a v i b r a t o r y c o m p a c t o r b e i n g 
u s e d i n t h e 
c o n s t r u c t i o n o f a p a r k i n g 
l o t on c h u r c h p r o p e r t y 
t h a t 
a d j o i n e d 
t h e 
r e a r o f t h e i r 
p r o p e r t i e s . R o b e r t H a l l i m m e d i a t e l y 
s p o k e 
w i t h 
t h e 
p e r s o n 
o p e r a t i n g 
t h e 
c o m p a c t o r , 
and 
s h o r t l y 
t h e r e a f t e r 
he 
s p o k e 
w i t h 
t h a t 
p e r s o n ' s 
s u p e r v i s o r . 
The 
s u p e r v i s o r 
gave R o b e r t H a l l a b u s i n e s s 
c a r d 
t h a t 
i d e n t i f i e d 
N e l s o n as t h e e m p l o y e r o f t h e p e r s o n o p e r a t i n g t h e c o m p a c t o r . 
A few d a y s l a t e r , R o b e r t H a l l c o m m u n i c a t e d t h i s i n f o r m a t i o n t o 
P r a t e r , who w r o t e down t h e name " B r i a n N e l s o n " and a t e l e p h o n e 
number f r o m t h e b u s i n e s s c a r d . 
R o b e r t H a l l gave t h e b u s i n e s s 
c a r d t o h i s w i f e , 
J e s s i e 
H a l l . The H a l l s and P r a t e r 
a l l e g e 
t h a t 
s o o n 
a f t e r 
t h e y 
e x p e r i e n c e d 
t h e v i b r a t i o n s i n 
t h e i r 
h o u s e s , t h e y n o t i c e d e x t e r i o r and i n t e r i o r damage t o t h e w a l l s 
o f 
t h e i r h o u s e s and t o t h e c e i l i n g s , 
f l o o r i n g , 
b r i c k w o r k , 
p l a n t e r s , p a t i o s , and f e n c e s o f t h e i r 
h o u s e s . 
1The 
o r i g i n a l named d e f e n d a n t s were S t a t e F a r m F i r e and 
C a s u a l t y Company, S a f e c o I n s u r a n c e Company o f A m e r i c a , R u s s e l l 
C o n s t r u c t i o n 
Company o f A l a b a m a , I n c . , 
and J a d e 
E n g i n e e r i n g 
and 
I n s p e c t i o n , I n c . 
3 
1071473 
The 
H a l l s 
a p p a r e n t l y 
had 
f i l e d 
an 
i n s u r a n c e 
c l a i m 
w i t h 
N e l s o n ' s 
l i a b i l i t y 
c a r r i e r f o r damage t o t h e i r h o u s e 
b e c a u s e 
a J u n e 18, 2003, 
l e t t e r f r o m S t a t e A u t o I n s u r a n c e C o m p a n i e s , 
N e l s o n ' s 
i n s u r e r , 
a d v i s e d 
R o b e r t 
H a l l 
t h a t 
S t a t e 
A u t o ' s 
" i n v e s t i g a t i o n i n d i c a t e s t h a t o u r i n s u r e d was n o t a t f a u l t i n 
t h i s 
c a s e . " The 
l e t t e r 
l i s t s 
t h e 
i n s u r e d 
as 
" B r i a n 
N e l s o n 
E x c a v a t i n g 
Company LC." 
J e s s i e H a l l a c k n o w l e d g e d 
t h a t 
R o b e r t 
H a l l 
r e c e i v e d 
t h i s 
l e t t e r . 
The 
H a l l s 
and 
P r a t e r 
f i l e d 
t h e 
u n d e r l y i n g 
a c t i o n 
on 
November 
12, 
2004, 
a g a i n s t 
S t a t e 
F a r m 
F i r e 
and 
C a s u a l t y 
Company, 
S a f e c o 
I n s u r a n c e 
Company 
o f 
A m e r i c a , 
R u s s e l l 
C o n s t r u c t i o n 
o f 
A l a b a m a , 
I n c . , 
J a d e 
E n g i n e e r i n g 
and 
I n s p e c t i o n , 
I n c . , and 
s e v e r a l 
f i c t i t i o u s l y named d e f e n d a n t s , 
s e e k i n g c o m p e n s a t i o n f o r t h e damage t o t h e i r h o u s e s 
a l l e g e d l y 
c a u s e d 
by 
t h e 
v i b r a t i o n s 
f r o m 
t h e 
c o m p a c t o r 
u s e d 
on 
t h e 
a d j o i n i n g c h u r c h p r o p e r t y . T h e y a l s o s o u g h t damages, i n c l u d i n g 
p u n i t i v e 
damages, 
f r o m 
t h e 
i n s u r a n c e 
c o m p a n i e s 
f o r , among 
o t h e r 
t h i n g s , 
f r a u d , b a d 
f a i t h , 
and b r e a c h o f 
c o n t r a c t . 
P r a t e r and t h e H a l l s amended t h e i r c o m p l a i n t on December 
6, 2006, a l m o s t f o u r y e a r s a f t e r t h e e v e n t s u n d e r l y i n g 
t h e i r 
c l a i m s , 
t o 
s u b s t i t u t e 
N e l s o n 
f o r one 
o f 
t h e 
f i c t i t i o u s l y 
4 
1071473 
d e s c r i b e d 
d e f e n d a n t s . I n r e s p o n s e , N e l s o n p l e a d e d t h e b a r 
o f 
t h e t w o - y e a r 
s t a t u t e o f l i m i t a t i o n s a p p l i c a b l e t o a n u i s a n c e 
c l a i m , and on May 
1, 2008, N e l s o n 
f i l e d a m o t i o n f o r a summary 
j u d g m e n t , 
a r g u i n g 
t h a t , 
b e c a u s e 
t h e 
u n d i s p u t e d 
e v i d e n c e 
e s t a b l i s h e d 
t h a t 
P r a t e r 
and t h e H a l l s had no 
c l a i m b a s e d 
on 
t r e s p a s s , 
t h e 
t w o - y e a r 
s t a t u t e 
o f 
l i m i t a t i o n s i n § 
6-2-38, 
A l a . 
Code 
1975, 
f o r 
n u i s a n c e 
c l a i m s 
b a r r e d 
t h e i r 
c l a i m s 
a g a i n s t 
N e l s o n . N e l s o n 
f u r t h e r 
a s s e r t e d 
t h a t 
P r a t e r 
and 
t h e 
H a l l s 
had 
i m p r o p e r l y a t t e m p t e d 
t o u s e A l a b a m a ' s 
f i c t i t i o u s -
p a r t y 
p r a c t i c e t o c i r c u m v e n t t h e b a r o f t h e t w o - y e a r 
s t a t u t e 
o f 
l i m i t a t i o n s a p p l i c a b l e t o a n u i s a n c e c l a i m . N e l s o n 
a r g u e d 
t h a t b e c a u s e b o t h 
P r a t e r 
and t h e H a l l s knew t h a t N e l s o n 
was 
t h e 
e n t i t y 
t h a t 
e m p l o y e d 
t h e 
p e r s o n 
who 
o p e r a t e d 
t h e 
c o m p a c t o r , t h e f i c t i t i o u s - p a r t y - p r a c t i c e r u l e , R u l e 9 ( h ) , A l a . 
R. 
C i v . P., 
was 
n o t a v a i l a b l e t o them. 
P r a t e r and t h e H a l l s r e s p o n d e d , 
a r g u i n g t h a t t h e i r 
c l a i m 
a g a i n s t 
N e l s o n was 
b a s e d on t r e s p a s s 
and 
t h a t t h e s t a t u t e 
o f 
l i m i t a t i o n s f o r t r e s p a s s , 
p u r s u a n t t o § 6 - 2 - 3 4 ( 2 ) , 
A l a . Code 
1975, 
i s s i x y e a r s . As 
f o r t h e s u b s t i t u t i o n o f N e l s o n f o r a 
f i c t i t i o u s l y named d e f e n d a n t , 
t h e y 
a r g u e d : 
" A l t h o u g h [ P r a t e r and t h e H a l l s ] may 
h a v e b e e n 
aware 
t h a t 
[ N e l s o n ] 
p e r f o r m e d 
work 
a t 
t h e 
5 
1071473 
c o n s t r u c t i o n 
c i t e 
[ s i c ] , 
[ P r a t e r 
and 
t h e 
H a l l s ] 
b e l i e v e d [ i t ] 
t o be m e r e l y a s u p e r v i s i n g e m p l o y e e 
o f 
R u s s e l l 
C o n s t r u c t i o n . 
[ P r a t e r 
and 
t h e 
H a l l s ] w e r e 
u n a w a r e t h a t [ N e l s o n ] was 
a l i a b l e p a r t y u n t i l 
a f t e r 
r e c e i v i n g R u s s e l l C o n s t r u c t i o n ' s 
M o t i o n f o r Summary 
J u d g m e n t . 
S h o r t l y 
t h e r e a f t e r , 
t h e 
s e c o n d 
amended 
c o m p l a i n t was 
f i l e d . " 
The 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
d e n i e d 
N e l s o n ' s 
m o t i o n 
f o r 
a 
summary 
j u d g m e n t on J u n e 18, 2008, and 
i s s u e d 
t h e 
f o l l o w i n g 
o r d e r : 
"The 
a b o v e - s t y l e d 
m a t t e r comes b e f o r e 
t h e 
c o u r t 
on D e f e n d a n t ' s , B r i a n N e l s o n E x c a v a t i n g , 
L L C , 
m o t i o n 
f o r 
summary j u d g m e n t . A h e a r i n g 
was 
h e l d on J u n e 
5, 
2008, a t w h i c h r e p r e s e n t a t i o n 
f o r b o t h p a r t i e s 
was 
p r e s e n t . 
I n 
o r d e r 
f o r a p a r t y 
t o p r e v a i l 
on 
m o t i o n 
f o r 
summary 
j u d g m e n t , 
t h e 
m o v i n g 
p a r t y 
must 
d e m o n s t r a t e 
' t h a t 
t h e r e 
i s 
no 
g e n u i n e 
i s s u e 
o f 
m a t e r i a l 
f a c t and 
t h a t t h e m o v i n g p a r t y 
i s 
e n t i t l e d 
t o 
a j u d g m e n t 
as 
a m a t t e r 
o f 
l a w . ' 
[ A l a . R. 
C i v . 
P.,] 
R u l e 5 6 ( c ) ( 3 ) 
( 2 0 0 7 ) . 
" [ N e l s o n ] c o n t e n d s t h a t 
t h e 
c l a i m s b r o u g h t 
a r e 
s i m i l a r 
t o t h o s e 
f o r damage[] c a u s e d b y 
c o n c u s s i o n 
o r 
v i b r a t i o n s f r o m 
b l a s t i n g on 
a d j a c e n t 
p r o p e r t y , 
and 
s h o u l d 
f a l l 
u n d e r 
a 
t w o - y e a r 
s t a t u t e 
o f 
l i m i t a t i o n s 
and 
t h u s , 
s h o u l d 
be 
b a r r e d 
u n d e r 
t h e 
A l a b a m a Code 1975, 
§ 6-2-38. [ P r a t e r and 
t h e 
H a l l s ] 
c l a i m 
t h e i r a c t i o n s h o u l d 
be 
t r e a t e d as a 
t r e s p a s s , 
w h i c h 
c a r r i e s 
a 
6 
y e a r 
s t a t u t e 
o f 
l i m i t a t i o n s 
p u r s u a n t t o § 6-2-34(2) o f t h e A l a b a m a Code 
1975. 
" T r e s p a s s 
and 
p r i v a t e 
n u i s a n c e 
a r e 
s e p a r a t e 
f i e l d s 
o f 
t o r t 
l i a b i l i t y 
r e l a t i n g 
t o 
a c t i o n a b l e 
i n t e r f e r e n c e 
w i t h 
t h e 
p o s s e s s i o n 
o f 
l a n d , 
t h e 
d i f f e r e n c e b e t w e e n t h e two 
b e i n g 
t h e e x t e n t 
t o w h i c h 
D e f e n d a n t ' s 
a c t i o n s 
impede 
P l a i n t i f f ' s 
e x c l u s i v e 
p o s s e s s o r y i n t e r e s t . T h e r e r e m a i n s a q u e s t i o n 
as 
t o 
w h e t h e r [ N e l s o n ' s ] 
a c t i o n s 
c o n s t i t u t e d n u i s a n c e 
o r 
t r e s p a s s ; t h e r e f o r e , 
[ N e l s o n ' s ] m o t i o n 
f o r summary 
j u d g m e n t i s due 
t o be 
and 
i s h e r e b y d e n i e d . 
6 
1071473 
"Done t h i s t h e 18 J u n e 2008." 
N e l s o n t h e n 
f i l e d 
t h i s p e t i t i o n f o r 
a w r i t o f mandamus a s k i n g 
t h i s 
C o u r t 
t o d i r e c t 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t t o v a c a t e 
i t s o r d e r 
d e n y i n g i t s 
summary-judgment m o t i o n 
and t o e n t e r a summary 
j u d g m e n t i n 
N e l s o n ' s f a v o r on t h e b a s i s t h a t t h e c l a i m a g a i n s t 
i t 
d o e s 
n o t 
r e l a t e 
b a c k 
t o t h e 
f i l i n g 
o f t h e 
o r i g i n a l 
c o m p l a i n t 
and i s t h u s 
b a r r e d b y t h e t w o - y e a r 
s t a t u t e 
o f 
l i m i t a t i o n s . 
S t a n d a r d o f R e v i e w 
A w r i t o f mandamus i s an e x t r a o r d i n a r y r e m e d y 
a v a i l a b l e 
o n l y when 
t h e r e i s : " ( 1 ) a c l e a r 
l e g a l 
r i g h t t o t h e o r d e r 
s o u g h t ; (2) an i m p e r a t i v e d u t y upon t h e r e s p o n d e n t t o p e r f o r m , 
a c c o m p a n i e d b y a r e f u s a l t o do s o ; (3) t h e l a c k o f a n o t h e r 
a d e q u a t e r e m e d y ; and (4) t h e p r o p e r l y i n v o k e d j u r i s d i c t i o n o f 
t h e c o u r t . " Ex p a r t e BOC G r o u p , I n c . , 
823 So. 2d 1270, 1272 
( A l a . 
2001) ( c i t i n g Ex p a r t e I n v e r n e s s C o n s t r . Co., 775 So. 2d 
153, 156 ( A l a . 2 0 0 0 ) ) . 
G e n e r a l l y , "'a w r i t o f mandamus w i l l n o t i s s u e t o r e v i e w 
t h e 
m e r i t s 
o f an 
o r d e r 
d e n y i n g 
a 
m o t i o n 
f o r a 
summary 
j u d g m e n t . ' " Ex p a r t e E m p i r e 
F i r e & M a r i n e I n s . 
Co., 720 So. 2d 
893, 894 ( A l a . 1 9 9 8 ) ( q u o t i n g C e n t r a l Bank o f t h e S o u t h , 675 
7 
1071473 
So. 2d 403, 406 ( A l a . 1 9 9 6 ) ) . H o w e v e r , a p e t i t i o n f o r 
a w r i t 
o f mandamus i s t h e p r o p e r v e h i c l e b y w h i c h t o s e e k r e v i e w o f 
a d e n i a l o f a m o t i o n f o r summary j u d g m e n t 
f i l e d b y a p a r t y 
o r i g i n a l l y 
l i s t e d as a f i c t i t i o u s l y named d e f e n d a n t when t h e 
" u n d i s p u t e d 
e v i d e n c e shows t h a t t h e p l a i n t i f f 
f a i l e d t o a c t 
w i t h 
due 
d i l i g e n c e i n i d e n t i f y i n g 
t h e 
f i c t i t i o u s l y 
named 
d e f e n d a n t as t h e p a r t y t h e p l a i n t i f f 
i n t e n d e d 
t o s u e . " Ex 
p a r t e Snow, 764 So. 2d 5 3 1 , 537 ( A l a . 1 9 9 9 ) . 
A n a l y s i s 
The 
u s e o f f i c t i t i o u s - p a r t y 
p l e a d i n g s 
i s a u t h o r i z e d b y 
R u l e 9 ( h ) , A l a . 
R. C i v . P.: 
"(h) 
F i c t i t i o u s 
P a r t i e s . 
When 
a 
p a r t y 
i s 
i g n o r a n t 
o f t h e name o f an o p p o s i n g 
p a r t y and so 
a l l e g e s i n t h e p a r t y ' s p l e a d i n g , t h e o p p o s i n g 
p a r t y 
may be d e s i g n a t e d by any name, and when t h a t 
p a r t y ' s 
t r u e 
name 
i s 
d i s c o v e r e d , 
t h e 
p r o c e s s 
and a l l 
p l e a d i n g s 
and 
p r o c e e d i n g s 
i n t h e a c t i o n may 
be 
amended b y s u b s t i t u t i n g t h e t r u e name." 
R u l e 
1 5 ( c ) , A l a . 
R. C i v . P., p r o v i d e s 
f o r t h e r e l a t i o n 
b a c k o f an amended p l e a d i n g 
t o t h e d a t e 
o f t h e 
o r i g i n a l 
p l e a d i n g : 
" ( c ) R e l a t i o n B a c k o f Amendments. An amendment 
o f 
a 
p l e a d i n g 
r e l a t e s b a c k 
t o t h e d a t e 
o f t h e 
o r i g i n a l p l e a d i n g when 
" ( 1 ) 
r e l a t i o n b a c k i s p e r m i t t e d by t h e l a w t h a t 
p r o v i d e s 
t h e s t a t u t e o f l i m i t a t i o n s 
a p p l i c a b l e t o 
8 
1071473 
t h e 
a c t i o n , o r 
"(2) 
t h e 
c l a i m 
o r 
d e f e n s e 
a s s e r t e d 
i n t h e 
amended 
p l e a d i n g 
a r o s e 
o u t 
o f 
t h e 
c o n d u c t , 
t r a n s a c t i o n , o r o c c u r r e n c e s e t f o r t h o r a t t e m p t e d t o 
be s e t f o r t h i n t h e o r i g i n a l p l e a d i n g , e x c e p t as may 
be 
o t h e r w i s e 
p r o v i d e d 
i n 
R u l e 
1 3 ( c ) 
f o r 
c o u n t e r c l a i m s 
m a t u r i n g o r a c q u i r e d 
a f t e r 
p l e a d i n g , 
o r 
"(3) 
t h e amendment, 
o t h e r 
t h a n 
one n a m i n g a 
p a r t y u n d e r t h e p a r t y ' s 
t r u e name a f t e r h a v i n g 
b e e n 
i n i t i a l l y s u e d u n d e r a f i c t i t i o u s name, c h a n g e s t h e 
p a r t y 
o r t h e n a m i n g o f t h e p a r t y 
a g a i n s t whom a 
c l a i m i s a s s e r t e d i f 
t h e f o r e g o i n g 
p r o v i s i o n (2) 
i s 
s a t i s f i e d 
a n d , 
w i t h i n 
t h e 
a p p l i c a b l e 
p e r i o d 
o f 
l i m i t a t i o n s o r one h u n d r e d t w e n t y (120) d a y s o f t h e 
commencement o f t h e a c t i o n , w h i c h e v e r comes 
l a t e r , 
t h e 
p a r t y 
t o be b r o u g h t 
i n b y amendment 
(A) h a s 
r e c e i v e d 
s u c h 
n o t i c e 
o f t h e 
i n s t i t u t i o n 
o f t h e 
a c t i o n 
t h a t 
t h e p a r t y 
w i l l 
n o t be 
p r e j u d i c e d i n 
m a i n t a i n i n g a d e f e n s e on t h e m e r i t s , and (B) knew o r 
s h o u l d have known t h a t , b u t f o r 
a m i s t a k e 
c o n c e r n i n g 
t h e 
i d e n t i t y o f t h e p r o p e r p a r t y , t h e a c t i o n w o u l d 
h a v e b e e n b r o u g h t a g a i n s t t h e p a r t y , o r 
"(4) 
r e l a t i o n b a c k i s p e r m i t t e d b y p r i n c i p l e s 
a p p l i c a b l e t o f i c t i t i o u s 
p a r t y p r a c t i c e p u r s u a n t t o 
R u l e 
9 ( h ) . " 
The 
a p p l i c a b i l i t y o f t h e p r i n c i p l e o f r e l a t i o n b a c k t o 
t h e 
s u b s t i t u t i o n o f a named p a r t y f o r a 
f i c t i t i o u s l y 
named 
p a r t y i n t h i s c a s e i s d e p e n d e n t upon w h i c h l i m i t a t i o n s 
p e r i o d 
a p p l i e s . I f t h e s i x - y e a r 
s t a t u t e o f l i m i t a t i o n s 
a p p l i e s , no 
r e l a t i o n - b a c k 
i s s u e i s p r e s e n t e d . 
H e r e , t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t d i d 
n o t 
r e a c h 
t h e 
q u e s t i o n 
o f w h i c h 
s t a t u t e 
o f 
l i m i t a t i o n s 
9 
1071473 
g o v e r n s . " T h e r e r e m a i n s 
a q u e s t i o n 
as 
t o w h e t h e r 
[ N e l s o n ' s ] 
a c t i o n s 
c o n s t i t u t e d 
n u i s a n c e 
o r 
t r e s p a s s ; 
t h e r e f o r e , 
[ N e l s o n ' s ] m o t i o n 
f o r summary j u d g m e n t 
i s due 
t o be 
and 
i s 
h e r e b y d e n i e d . " B e c a u s e 
t h e 
s i x - y e a r 
s t a t u t e 
o f l i m i t a t i o n s 
w o u l d r e n d e r t h e r e l a t i o n - b a c k i s s u e i r r e l e v a n t , t o d e t e r m i n e 
w h e t h e r 
t h e r e 
was 
a 
n e e d 
t o 
r e a c h 
t h e 
f i c t i t i o u s - p a r t y / 
r e l a t i o n - b a c k 
i s s u e 
t h i s C o u r t w o u l d 
f i r s t have t o 
d e t e r m i n e 
t h e s t a t u t e - o f - l i m i t a t i o n s q u e s t i o n 
t h a t was 
n o t a d d r e s s e d 
by 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t . T h i s 
t h e C o u r t 
w i l l 
n o t 
do. 
C e r t a i n 
i s s u e s 
a r e n o t 
" p r o p e r l y 
r a i s e d by w r i t o f mandamus, b e c a u s e 
... 
t h e 
p e t i t i o n e r must show ... 
a l a c k o f o t h e r a d e q u a t e remedy. 
The 
f a c t 
t h a t 
a s t a t u t e 
o f 
l i m i t a t i o n s d e f e n s e 
i s a p p l i c a b l e 
i s 
n o t 
a p r o p e r b a s i s f o r i s s u i n g a w r i t o f mandamus, due 
t o 
t h e 
a v a i l a b i l i t y o f a remedy by a p p e a l . " 
Ex p a r t e S o u t h l a n d Bank, 
514 
So. 
2d 
954, 
955 
( A l a . 1 9 8 7 ) ( c i t a t i o n s 
o m i t t e d ) . 
The 
p e t i t i o n 
i s 
d e n i e d 
b e c a u s e 
t h e 
f i c t i t i o u s - p a r t y / 
r e l a t i o n - b a c k 
i s s u e 
i n 
t h i s 
c a s e 
i s n o t 
r i p e 
f o r mandamus 
r e v i e w . 
P E T I T I O N DENIED. 
Cobb, 
C . J . , 
and 
L y o n s , 
W o o d a l l , 
S t u a r t , 
S m i t h , 
B o l i n , 
M u r d o c k , and Shaw, J J . , c o n c u r . 
10