Case Title: Ex parte Kenneth Wayne Sellers and Sharon Kay Sellers. PETITION FOR WRIT OF MANDAMUS: CIVIL (In re: Kenneth Wayne Sellers and Sharon Kay Sellers v. John W. Hall et al.)

Citation: 

Docket Number: 1071716

State: alabama

Court: Alabama Supreme Court

Date: 2009-08-21T00:00:00Z

Document:
REL: 08/21/2009 
N o t i c e : 
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) 
2 2 9 - 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 
SPECIAL TERM, 2009 
1071716 
Ex p a r t e Kenneth Wayne S e l l e r s and Sharon Kay S e l l e r s 
PETITION FOR WRIT OF MANDAMUS 
( I n r e : Kenneth Wayne S e l l e r s and Sharon Kay S e l l e r s 
v. 
John W. H a l l e t a l . ) 
(Mobile C i r c u i t Court, CV-07-901397) 
LYONS, 
J u s t i c e . 
K e n n e t h 
Wayne 
S e l l e r s 
a n d S h a r o n 
K a y 
S e l l e r s , t h e 
p l a i n t i f f s i n 
an a c t i o n i n t h e M o b i l e 
C i r c u i t 
C o u r t , 
h a v e 
1071716 
f i l e d a p e t i t i o n f o r a w r i t o f mandamus r e q u e s t 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 
g r a n t i n g 
a 
m o t i o n 
f i l e d 
by 
c e r t a i n 
o f 
t h e 
d e f e n d a n t s 
t o 
s t r i k e 
t h e 
S e l l e r s e s ' demand f o r a j u r y 
t r i a l . 
We g r a n t t h e p e t i t i o n 
and 
i s s u e t h e 
w r i t . 
F a c t u a l B a c k g r o u n d and 
P r o c e d u r a l H i s t o r y 
On November 2 , 2007, 
t h e 
S e l l e r s e s 
s u e d J o h n W. 
H a l l ; 
S.C. 
S t a g n e r ; 
DHL, 
LLC 
("DHL"); 
A l e x 
T. 
Howard 
I I I ; 
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 , 
a s s e r t i n g c l a i m s b a s e d 
on s e v e r a l t h e o r i e s o f t r e s p a s s . 
T h e i r c o m p l a i n t 
a l l e g e d t h e 
f o l l o w i n g 
f a c t s . 
The 
S e l l e r s e s 
owned 
r e a l 
p r o p e r t y 
t h a t 
s h a r e d 
a common b o u n d a r y 
l i n e w i t h p r o p e r t y owned by DHL. 
A 
l a r g e 
" d i r t p i t " was 
l o c a t e d on DHL's p r o p e r t y n e a r t h e common 
b o u n d a r y 
l i n e . 
I n J a n u a r y 
2006, t h e d e f e n d a n t s 
e n t e r e d 
t h e 
S e l l e r s e s ' 
p r o p e r t y 
and 
r e m o v e d 
l a r g e 
amounts 
o f 
d i r t , 
e x p a n d i n g t h e 
d i r t p i t on DHL's p r o p e r t y " t h o u s a n d s o f 
y a r d s " 
o n t o t h e S e l l e r s e s ' p r o p e r t y . 
The 
S e l l e r s e s d i d n o t demand a 
j u r y 
t r i a l 
i n t h e 
c o m p l a i n t . 
C o u n s e l r e p r e s e n t i n g e a c h o f t h e d e f e n d a n t s 
f i l e d n o t i c e s 
o f a p p e a r a n c e i n l a t e 2007 and 
e a r l y 2008; h o w e v e r , none 
o f 
t h e named d e f e n d a n t s 
a n s w e r e d t h e c o m p l a i n t d u r i n g t h a t t i m e . 
2 
1071716 
On M a r c h 14, 2008, a n o n p a r t y , S.C. S t a g n e r C o n t r a c t i n g , I n c . , 
f i l e d 
an a n s w e r i n w h i c h i t a v e r r e d t h a t 
t h e S e l l e r s e s 
h a d 
" i n c o r r e c t l y 
i d e n t i f i e d 
[ i t ] i n 
t h e 
c o m p l a i n t 
as 
S.C. 
S t a g n e r . " 
On 
J u n e 
13, 
2008, 
b e f o r e 
any 
o f 
t h e 
named 
d e f e n d a n t s h a d a n s w e r e d t h e c o m p l a i n t , t h e S e l l e r s e s 
f i l e d a 
demand f o r a j u r y 
t r i a l , 
s t a t i n g t h a t 
t h e y " d e m a n d [ e d ] 
t r i a l 
by j u r y on a l l i s s u e s 
so 
t r i a b l e . " 
DHL and Howard a n s w e r e d t h e c o m p l a i n t on J u n e 17, 2 0 0 8 . 
On 
J u l y 
15, 2008 , t h e y moved t o s t r i k e 
t h e S e l l e r s e s ' 
j u r y 
demand as u n t i m e l y . 
They a r g u e d 
t h a t 
t h e c o m p l a i n t d i d n o t 
r e q u e s t 
a 
j u r y 
t r i a l , 
t h a t 
none 
o f 
t h e 
d e f e n d a n t s 
h a d 
r e q u e s t e d a j u r y 
t r i a l , 
t h a t t h e demand f o r a j u r y 
t r i a l 
h a d 
b e e n 
f i l e d 
n e a r l y 
f o u r 
months 
a f t e r 
a l l d e f e n d a n t s 
h a d 
" a p p e a r e d 
by c o u n s e l , " and 
t h a t 
t h e demand was 
"due t o be 
d e n i e d p u r s u a n t t o A.R.C.P." 
The 
S e l l e r s e s 
r e s p o n d e d t o t h e m o t i o n on J u l y 16, 2008, 
r e l y i n g p r i m a r i l y R u l e 3 8 , A l a . R. C i v . P. 
On J u l y 18, 2008, 
t h e y amended t h e i r 
c o m p l a i n t t o add new 
d e f e n d a n t s 
Consumer 
M o r t g a g e Company ("Consumer M o r t g a g e " ) , 
L i b e r t y Homes, I n c . 
( " L i b e r t y 
Homes"), 
and 
S.C. 
S t a g n e r 
C o n t r a c t i n g , 
I n c . 
( " S t a g n e r 
C o n t r a c t i n g " ) . 
The amended c o m p l a i n t 
a l s o 
a d d e d 
3 
1071716 
c l a i m s 
o f 
n e g l i g e n c e 
a n d 
c o n v e r s i o n , 
a l l e g i n g 
t h a t t h e 
d e f e n d a n t s 
h a d 
n e g l i g e n t l y 
r e m o v e d 
t h e 
d i r t 
f r o m 
t h e 
S e l l e r s e s ' p r o p e r t y a n d , i n d o i n g s o , h a d c o n v e r t e d t h e d i r t 
t h a t was r e m o v e d . 
The amended c o m p l a i n t s t a t e d : 
" P l a i n t i f f s 
h a v e 
h e r e t o f o r [ e ] demanded 
t r i a l 
b y 
j u r y . " 
S t a g n e r 
C o n t r a c t i n g a n d S.C. S t a g n e r 
s u b s e q u e n t l y 
j o i n e d Howard a n d 
DHL's m o t i o n t o s t r i k e on J u l y 22, 2008. 
They a n s w e r e d t h e 
amended c o m p l a i n t on A u g u s t 1, 2008. 
On S e p t e m b e r 5, 2008, t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t , w i t h o u t 
s t a t i n g 
i t s 
r e a s o n i n g , g r a n t e d t h e m o t i o n t o s t r i k e t h e S e l l e r s e s ' 
j u r y demand. 
On S e p t e m b e r 24, 2008, t h e S e l l e r s e s 
p e t i t i o n e d 
t h i s C o u r t f o r a w r i t o f mandamus d i r e c t i n g t h e t r i a l c o u r t t o 
v a c a t e t h a t o r d e r . 
H a l l , Consumer M o r t g a g e , a n d L i b e r t y Homes 
s u b s e q u e n t l y 
a n s w e r e d t h e amended c o m p l a i n t on O c t o b e r 14, 
2008. 
W h i l e 
t h e S e l l e r s e s ' 
p e t i t i o n was p e n d i n g 
i n 
t h i s 
C o u r t , t h e p a r t i e s 
s e t t l e d t h e c l a i m s a g a i n s t DHL, 
Howard, 
S t a g n e r C o n t r a c t i n g , a n d S.C. S t a g n e r . 
On J u n e 2 1 , 2009, 
t h i s 
C o u r t 
o r d e r e d t h e r e m a i n i n g 
d e f e n d a n t s 
t o f i l e 
a n s w e r s a n d 
b r i e f s on t h e i s s u e p r e s e n t e d b y t h e p e t i t i o n a n d g r a n t e d t h e 
S e l l e r s e s t i m e t o f i l e a r e p l y .
1 
1 I n 
t h e i r a n s w e r t o 
t h e p e t i t i o n , t h e r e m a i n i n g 
d e f e n d a n t s 
h a v e a d v a n c e d t h e p o s i t i o n 
t h a t t h e S e l l e r s e s ' demand f o r 
a 
4 
1071716 
S t a n d a r d o f R e v i e w 
"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 
a p p r o p r i a t e 
v e h i c l e f o r 
s e e k i n g 
r e v i e w by t h i s C o u r t 
o f a d e n i a l o f a demand f o r 
a j u r y 
t r i a l . 'Mandamus 
i s 
an e x t r a o r d i n a r y 
remedy, 
h o w e v e r , 
r e q u i r i n g a 
s h o w i n g t h a t 
t h e r e 
i s : " ( 1 ) a c l e a r l e g a l 
r i g h t i n 
t h e 
p e t i t i o n e r 
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 by 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 remedy; a n d (4) 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 
J a c k s o n , 737 
So. 2d 452, 453 ( A l a . 
1999) ( q u o t i n g Ex p a r t e 
A l f a b ,  
I n c . , 
586 So. 2d 88 
9, 
8 
91 ( A l a . 
1 9 9 1 ) ) . 
B e c a u s e 
mandamus i s 
an e x t r a o r d i n a r y remedy, t h e s t a n d a r d o f 
r e v i e w 
on a 
p e t i t i o n 
f o r a w r i t o f mandamus i s 
w h e t h e r 
t h e r e 
i s a c l e a r s h o w i n g o f e r r o r on t h e 
p a r t o f t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t . Ex p a r t e 
F i n a n c e 
A m e r i c a  
C o r p . , 507 So. 2d 458, 460 ( A l a . 1 9 8 7 ) . " 
Ex p a r t e A t l a n t i s Dev. Co., 897 So. 2d 1022, 1024 ( A l a . 2 0 0 4 ) . 
A n a l y s i s 
A r t i c l e 
I , § 11, A l a . 
C o n s t . 1 9 0 1 , p r o v i d e s 
t h a t " t h e 
r i g h t o f t r i a l by j u r y s h a l l r e m a i n i n v i o l a t e . " 
R u l e 38, A l a . 
R. C i v . P., 
e s t a b l i s h e s t h e p r o c e d u r e s 
f o r i n v o k i n g 
t h a t 
r i g h t . 
I t p r o v i d e s , i n r e l e v a n t 
p a r t : 
" ( a ) R i g h t p r e s e r v e d . The r i g h t o f t r i a l b y j u r y 
as 
d e c l a r e d b y t h e C o n s t i t u t i o n o f A l a b a m a o r as 
g i v e n b y a s t a t u t e o f t h i s 
S t a t e 
s h a l l be 
p r e s e r v e d 
t o t h e p a r t i e s 
i n v i o l a t e . 
"(b) 
Demand. Any p a r t y may demand a 
t r i a l b y 
j u r y o f a n y i s s u e 
t r i a b l e 
o f r i g h t b y a j u r y b y 
s e r v i n g upon t h e o t h e r p a r t i e s a demand t h e r e f o r i n 
j u r y 
t r i a l was 
i n s u f f i c i e n t . 
5 
1071716 
w r i t i n g a t any t i m e 
a f t e r t h e commencement o f t h e  
a c t i o n and n o t l a t e r t h a n t h i r t y (30) d a y s a f t e r t h e  
s e r v i c e o f t h e l a s t p l e a d i n g 
d i r e c t e d t o s u c h 
i s s u e . 
S u c h demand may be i n d o r s e d 
upon a p l e a d i n g 
o f t h e 
p a r t y , 
and s u c h 
demand 
s h a l l 
be deemed t o be a 
demand f o r a s t r u c k 
j u r y . ... 
fi 
" ( c ) 
Same: 
S p e c i f i c a t i o n 
o f 
i s s u e s . 
I n t h e 
demand 
a p a r t y 
may 
s p e c i f y 
t h e i s s u e s 
w h i c h t h e 
p a r t y w i s h e s so t r i e d ; o t h e r w i s e , t h e p a r t y 
s h a l l be  
deemed t o h a v e demanded 
t r i a l by j u r y f o r a l l t h e  
i s s u e s so t r i a b l e . 
... 
"(d) 
W a i v e r . The f a i l u r e o f a p a r t y t o s e r v e a 
demand as r e q u i r e d 
b y t h i s r u l e a n d t o f i l e i t as 
r e q u i r e d 
b y R u l e 5 ( d ) c o n s t i t u t e s 
a w a i v e r b y t h e 
p a r t y o f t r i a l by j u r y . ... 
" 
( E m p h a s i s o t h e r t h a n on h e a d i n g s added.) 
The S e l l e r s e s 
f i l e d 
t h e i r demand f o r a j u r y 
t r i a l 
a f t e r 
t h e commencement o f t h e i r a c t i o n and b e f o r e any o f t h e named 
d e f e n d a n t s 
h a d 
f i l e d 
o r s e r v e d 
p l e a d i n g s 
d i r e c t e d 
t o t h e 
i s s u e s 
r a i s e d i n t h e c o m p l a i n t . 
The p l a i n l a n g u a g e o f R u l e 
38(b) 
r e q u i r e s 
t h a t t h e demand be f i l e d " a t any t i m e a f t e r t h e 
commencement o f t h e a c t i o n and n o t l a t e r t h a n t h i r t y (30) d a y s 
a f t e r 
t h e 
s e r v i c e 
o f t h e 
l a s t 
p l e a d i n g 
d i r e c t e d 
t o 
s u c h 
i s s u e . " 
( E m p h a s i s added.) 
"The t e r m 
' p l e a d i n g , ' 
w h i c h i s s p e c i f i c a l l y u s e d i n 
R u l e 3 8 ( b ) , A l a . 
R. C i v . P., i s d e f i n e d 
t o 
i n c l u d e 
an 
a n s w e r 
f i l e d 
b y a d e f e n d i n g 
p a r t y . 
R u l e 7 ( a ) , 
A l a . R. C i v . P. ' I t i s w e l l 
r e c o g n i z e d 
t h a t 
w h e r e 
6 
1071716 
t h e 
c o m p l a i n t and a n s w e r 
a r e t h e o n l y p l e a d i n g s 
d i r e c t e d t o t h e i s s u e s , t h e t i m e f o r m a k i n g a 
j u r y 
demand r u n s f r o m t h e d a t e o f s e r v i c e o f t h e a n s w e r . ' 
D o r c a l , 
I n c . v. X e r o x 
C o r p . , 
398 So. 2d 665, 669 
( A l a . 
1 9 8 1 ) . " 
P o f f v . H a y e s , 7 
63 So. 2d 234, 243 ( A l a . 2000 
) ; s e e a l s o 9 
C h a r l e s A. 
W r i g h t 
& A r t h u r R. 
M i l l e r , 
F e d e r a l P r a c t i c e 
& 
 
P r o c e d u r e § 2320 (3d e d . 2 0 0 8 ) ( " O n an i s s u e i n w h i c h a l l 
t h e 
d e f e n d a n t s a r e i n t e r e s t e d , ... t h e t i m e r u n s f r o m s e r v i c e o f 
t h e 
l a s t 
a n s w e r . " ) . 
B e c a u s e 
t h e S e l l e r s e s 
f i l e d 
t h e i r 
j u r y 
demand b e f o r e any o f t h e t h e n named d e f e n d a n t s 
a n s w e r e d t h e 
c o m p l a i n t , 
t h e i r demand was t i m e l y . 
See, e . g . , 9 W r i g h t , § 
2320 
("Of 
c o u r s e , t h e demand may 
be 
s e r v e d 
p r i o r 
t o t h e 
a n s w e r . " ) . 
The 
t r i a l 
c o u r t e r r e d i n s t r i k i n g t h e demand. 
I n 
r e s p o n s e t o t h e S e l l e r s e s ' 
p e t i t i o n , 
H a l l , Consumer 
M o r t g a g e , 
and 
L i b e r t y 
Homes 
a r g u e 
t h a t 
t h e 
S e l l e r s e s ' 
s t a t e m e n t i n t h e amended c o m p l a i n t t h a t t h e y h a d " h e r e t o f o r [ e ] 
demanded t r i a l by j u r y " was " i n e f f e c t i v e as a j u r y demand f o r 
t h e 
new c l a i m s a s s e r t e d " i n t h e amended c o m p l a i n t , i . e . , 
t h e 
c o n v e r s i o n 
and 
n e g l i g e n c e 
c l a i m s . 
The 
s t a t e m e n t 
i n t h e 
amended 
c o m p l a i n t 
t h a t 
t h e 
S e l l e r s e s 
h a d 
" h e r e t o f o r [ e ] 
demand[ed] 
t r i a l 
by 
j u r y " 
may 
f a i r l y 
be 
r e a d 
as 
an 
i n c o r p o r a t i o n o f and r e l i a n c e on t h e i r p r e v i o u s l y 
f i l e d 
j u r y 
7 
1071716 
demand. 
M o r e o v e r , n o t h i n g i n R u l e 38 r e q u i r e s p l a i n t i f f s who 
h a v e 
f i l e d a g e n e r a l , 
t i m e l y demand f o r 
a j u r y 
t r i a l t o 
f i l e 
a new demand f o r 
a j u r y t r i a l 
a f t e r a m e n d i n g t h e c o m p l a i n t o r 
t o 
r e s t a t e an e x i s t i n g demand. 
A l t h o u g h 
t h i s i s t h e 
f i r s t 
t i m e 
t h i s 
C o u r t h a s h a d o c c a s i o n 
t o comment on t h i s 
i s s u e , 
c o u r t s i n t e r p r e t i n g a n d a p p l y i n g t h e c o m p a r a b l e f e d e r a l 
r u l e , 
R u l e 38, F e d . R. C i v . 
P., h a v e r e a c h e d t h e same 
c o n c l u s i o n .
2 
2 S e e , e . g . , W i l l i a m s v. A g i l e n t T e c h s . , (No. 04-1810 MMC, 
Dec. 
10, 2004 
) (N.D. C a l . 
2004 
) ( n o t p u b l i s h e d i n F. Supp. 
2 d ) ( " W h i l e 
t h e [ f i r s t amended c o m p l a i n t ] 
i n c l u d e d a d d i t i o n a l 
l e g a l 
c l a i m s 
a g a i n s t 
d e f e n d a n t , t h e new c l a i m s a r e b a s e d on 
t h e 'same m a t r i x o f f a c t s ' a l l e g e d i n 
t h e o r i g i n a l 
c o m p l a i n t , 
and, 
c o n s e q u e n t l y , 
p l a i n t i f f s were n o t r e q u i r e d t o r e s t a t e 
t h e i r j u r y demand a f t e r d e f e n d a n t a n s w e r e d t h e [ f i r s t amended 
c o m p l a i n t ] . " ) ; Auwood v . H a r r y B r a n d t B o o k i n g O f f i c e , 
I n c . , 
100 F.R.D. 804, 806 (D.C. 
Conn. 1 9 8 4 ) ( " T h e g e n e r a l j u r y demand 
i n t h e o r i g i n a l c o m p l a i n t 
o u g h t t o embrace l a t e r 
e l a b o r a t i o n s 
o f 
t h e c l a i m 
a n d a d d i t i o n a l 
d e f e n d a n t s , 
so 
l o n g 
as t h e 
c h a r a c t e r 
o f t h e s u i t 
i s n o t t h e r e b y 
c h a n g e d . As a 
p r i o r 
w a i v e r c a n n o t be r e s c i n d e d by amendments w h i c h do n o t a f f e c t 
t h e 
b a s i c 
c h a r a c t e r o f t h e s u i t , 
L a n z a v . D r e x e l , 479 F.2d 
1277 
(2d C i r . 
1973) (en b a n c ) , 
n e i t h e r 
s h o u l d 
a p a r t y be 
r e q u i r e d t o r e a s s e r t , on p a i n o f w a i v e r , a p r e v i o u s l y 
s t a t e d 
j u r y demand i n s u c c e s s i v e amendments, w h e t h e r t h e y a d d p a r t i e s 
o r n o t , so l o n g as t h e same b a s i c i s s u e s r e m a i n a t t h e c o r e o f 
t h e 
l i t i g a t i o n . 
Once a p a r t y h a s c l a i m e d a j u r y 
t r i a l , a l l 
i s s u e s w i t h i n t h a t c l a i m a r e t o be t r i e d t o t h e j u r y w h e t h e r 
e x t e n d e d t o new p a r t i e s a n d w h e t h e r r e s t a t e d , as l o n g as 
t h e 
s u b s t a n c e o f t h e c l a i m i s u n c h a n g e d . " ) ; 
J a c k s o n v . A i r w a y s  
P a r k i n g 
Co., 2 
97 F. Supp. 1366, 1383 (D.C. Ga. 
1 9 6 9 ) ( " O f 
c o u r s e , h a d a g e n e r a l a n d t i m e l y demand f o r j u r y 
t r i a l 
b e e n 
made b y t h e p l a i n t i f f , no new demand w o u l d have b e e n n e c e s s a r y 
e v e n 
t h o u g h 
t h e amendment 
r a i s e s new 
i s s u e s , 
' s i n c e t h e 
g e n e r a l 
demand 
e m b r a c e s a l l 
i s s u e s 
i n an a c t i o n 
t h a t a r e 
t r i a b l e by a j u r y . ' 5 M o o r e , 5 3 8 . 4 1 , a t 3 2 6 . " ) ; s e e a l s o 9 
8 
1071716 
" F e d e r a l c a s e s c o n s t r u i n g t h e F e d e r a l R u l e s o f C i v i l 
P r o c e d u r e 
a r e 
p e r s u a s i v e a u t h o r i t y i n c o n s t r u i n g t h e A l a b a m a R u l e s o f 
C i v i l P r o c e d u r e , w h i c h were p a t t e r n e d a f t e r t h e F e d e r a l R u l e s 
o f 
C i v i l 
P r o c e d u r e . " 
H i l b , 
R o g a l 
& 
H a m i l t o n 
Co. 
v . 
 
B e i e r s d o e r f e r , 989 So. 2d 1045, 1056 n.3 ( A l a . 
2 0 0 7 ) . 
We 
f i n d 
t h e 
r e a s o n i n g o f t h e f e d e r a l 
c a s e s 
c o m p e l l i n g and 
l i k e w i s e 
c o n c l u d e 
t h a t where 
p l a i n t i f f s h a v e 
f i l e d a g e n e r a l , 
t i m e l y 
demand f o r a j u r y 
t r i a l , 
t h e y a r e n o t r e q u i r e d t o f i l e a new 
demand f o r 
a j u r y 
t r i a l 
a f t e r a m e n d i n g t h e c o m p l a i n t u n d e r t h e 
c i r c u m s t a n c e s 
h e r e 
p r e s e n t e d where 
" t h e same 
b a s i c 
i s s u e s 
r e m a i n a t t h e c o r e o f t h e l i t i g a t i o n . " 
Auwood v. H a r r y B r a n d t  
B o o k i n g 
O f f i c e , I n c . , 
100 F.R.D. 804, 806 (D.C. Conn. 
1 9 8 4 ) . 
The S e l l e r s e s d i d 
n o t s p e c i f y w h i c h i s s u e s t h e y w i s h e d t o 
be t r i e d b e f o r e a j u r y . 
A c c o r d i n g l y , t h e y a r e "deemed t o h a v e 
demanded 
t r i a l by j u r y f o r a l l 
t h e i s s u e s so t r i a b l e . " 
R u l e 
3 8 ( c ) .
3 
As d i s c u s s e d a b o v e , t h e i r J u n e 13, 2008, demand f o r 
a j u r y 
t r i a l was t i m e l y . 
A l t h o u g h t h e amended c o m p l a i n t a d d e d 
W r i g h t , F e d e r a l P r a c t i c e & P r o c e d u r e § 2320 
( " [ I ] f a g e n e r a l 
demand a l r e a d y h a s b e e n made, a new demand a f t e r t h e amendment 
i s n o t r e q u i r e d . " ) . 
3No p a r t y h a s a s s e r t e d e i t h e r b e l o w o r b e f o r e t h i s 
C o u r t 
t h a t t h e S e l l e r s e s r a i s e d i s s u e s , e i t h e r i n t h e i r c o m p l a i n t o r 
i n 
t h e i r amended c o m p l a i n t , t h a t a r e n o t " t r i a b l e o f r i g h t b y 
a j u r y " w i t h i n t h e m e a n i n g o f R u l e 3 8 ( b ) , A l a . 
R. C i v . P. 
9 
1071716 
new p a r t i e s a n d a s s e r t e d new c l a i m s , t h e 
new c l a i m s were b a s e d 
on t h e same f a c t s as t h o s e a l l e g e d i n 
t h e o r i g i n a l 
c o m p l a i n t , 
and 
t h e 
c h a r a c t e r 
o f 
t h e 
a c t i o n 
r e m a i n e d 
u n c h a n g e d . 
A c c o r d i n g l y , 
t h e S e l l e r s e s were n o t r e q u i r e d t o f i l e a new 
demand f o r 
a j u r y 
t r i a l upon a m e n d i n g t h e i r 
c o m p l a i n t . 
H a l l , 
Consumer M o r t g a g e , a n d L i b e r t y Homes a r g u e 
t h a t , 
b e c a u s e 
t h e amended 
c o m p l a i n t 
a s s e r t e d 
new 
c l a i m s , 
t h e 
S e l l e r s e s h a d a new 3 0 - d a y 
p e r i o d 
f r o m t h e f i l i n g 
o f t h e 
amended 
c o m p l a i n t w i t h i n w h i c h t h e y were r e q u i r e d t o f i l e a 
j u r y demand as t o t h e new c l a i m s , 
c i t i n g 2 C. L y o n s , A l a b a m a  
R u l e s o f C i v i l 
P r o c e d u r e A n n o t a t e d , A u t h o r ' s Comments § 38.6 
( 2 0 0 4 ) . 
However, t h e 
new t i m e p e r i o d 
H a l l , Consumer M o r t g a g e , 
and 
L i b e r t y Homes r e f e r e n c e 
a r i s e s o n l y when t h e p l a i n t i f f h a s 
p r e v i o u s l y 
w a i v e d t h e r i g h t t o a j u r y 
t r i a l .
4 
B e c a u s e t h e 
4 S e e , e . g . , Ex p a r t e 
T w i n t e c h 
I n d u s t r i e s , I n c . , 558 So. 
2d 923, 925 ( A l a . 
1 9 9 0 ) , i n w h i c h t h i s C o u r t 
s t a t e d : 
" T h i s 
C o u r t h a s h e l d 
t h a t 
t h e f i l i n g 
o f an 
amendment t h a t 
r a i s e s new l e g a l i s s u e s 
i n v o k e s t h e 
3 0 - d a y p e r i o d s e t o u t i n R u l e 
3 8 ( b ) [ , A l a . R. 
C i v . 
P . ] . Ex p a r t e 
R e y n o l d s , 447 So. 2d 701 , 703 ( A l a . 
1 9 8 4 ) . 
T h e r e f o r e , 
upon 
t h e 
f i l i n g 
o f 
s u c h 
an 
amendment, a p a r t y h a s t h e r i g h t t o demand a 
j u r y 
t r i a l , a n d s u c h a demand i s t i m e l y i f 
made w i t h i n 30 
d a y s a f t e r s e r v i c e o f t h e l a s t p l e a d i n g 
d i r e c t e d t o 
t h o s e new i s s u e s . I d . 
"However, i n W a s h i n g t o n v. W a l t o n , 423 So. 2d 
10 
1071716 
J u n e 
13, 2008 , g e n e r a l j u r y demand was 
t i m e l y , 
we 
n e e d 
n o t 
c o n s i d e r w h e t h e r t h e amended c o m p l a i n t r a i s e d new i s s u e s as i n 
a 
c a s e 
w h e r e , 
as 
t o 
t h e 
i s s u e s 
r a i s e d 
i n 
t h e 
o r i g i n a l 
c o m p l a i n t , t h e r i g h t t o a j u r y 
t r i a l has b e e n w a i v e d . 
C o n c l u s i o n 
The 
S e l l e r s e s h a v e shown " ( 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 by 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 remedy; and (4) 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 A l f a b , I n c . , 586 So. 2d 889, 891 ( A l a . 
1 9 9 1 ) . 
We 
t h e r e f o r e g r a n t t h e S e l l e r s e s 
p e t i t i o n f o r a 
w r i t 
176 
( A l a . 1 9 8 2 ) , 
t h i s 
C o u r t 
q u o t e d 
t h e 
f o l l o w i n g 
comment w i t h 
a p p r o v a l : 
"'"An amended o r s u p p l e m e n t a l p l e a d i n g 
s e t s i n m o t i o n t h e t h i r t y - d a y t i m e 
p e r i o d 
f o r 
d e m a n d i n g a j u r y 
t r i a l 
f o r new 
i s s u e s 
r a i s e d 
i n 
t h a t 
p l e a d i n g . 
However, 
t h e 
 
s e r v i c e 
o f an amendment d o e s n o t 
b r e a t h e  
new 
l i f e 
i n t o a p r e v i o u s l y w a i v e d r i g h t t o  
j u r y 
t r i a l i f t h e amendment d e a l s w i t h t h e  
same 
i s s u e s 
f r a m e d 
i n 
t h e 
o r i g i n a l 
 
p l e a d i n g s 
as 
t o 
w h i c h 
a 
w a i v e r 
has 
 
o c c u r r e d . " ' 
( C i t a t i o n s o m i t t e d , e m p h a s i s i n 
W a s h i n g t o n . ) 
" W a s h i n g t o n , 
s u p r a , 
a t 
179 
( q u o t i n g 
2 
C. 
L y o n s , 
A l a b a m a P r a c t i c e - R u l e s o f C i v i l P r o c e d u r e A n n o t a t e d , 
A u t h o r ' s Comments § 38.5 
( 1 9 7 3 ) ) . " 
11 
1071716 
o f mandamus a n d 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 
g r a n t i n g t h e m o t i o n t o s t r i k e t h e j u r y demand. 
P E T I T I O N GRANTED; WRIT 
ISSUED. 
Cobb, C . J . , 
a n d S t u a r t , B o l i n , a n d M u r d o c k , J J . , c o n c u r . 
12