Case Title: Ex parte Progressive Specialty Insurance Company. PETITION FOR WRIT OF MANDAMUS: CIVIL (In re: Marvin Leatherwood v. Blakeney Company LLC, et al.)

Citation: 

Docket Number: 1080366

State: alabama

Court: Alabama Supreme Court

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

Document:
REL:08/21/2009 
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 
SPECIAL TERM, 2009 
1080366 
Ex p a r t e P r o g r e s s i v e S p e c i a l t y Insurance Company 
PETITION FOR 
WRIT OF MANDAMUS 
( I n r e : 
Marvin Leatherwood 
v. 
Blakeney Company, LLC, 
e t a l . ) 
(Hale C i r c u i t Court, CV-06-154) 
1080393 
Ex p a r t e P r i t c h e t t - M o o r e , Inc., 
and 
Andrew Hudson 
PETITION FOR 
WRIT OF MANDAMUS 
(In r e : 
Marvin Leatherwood 
v. 
Blakeney Company, LLC, e t a l . ) 
(Hale C i r c u i t Court, CV-06-154) 
SHAW, 
J u s t i c e . 
P r o g r e s s i v e 
S p e c i a l t y I n s u r a n c e Company 
( " P r o g r e s s i v e " ) 
( c a s e 
no. 1080366) a n d P r i t c h e t t - M o o r e , 
I n c . , 
a n d Andrew 
Hudson 
( h e r e i n a f t e r r e f e r r e d t o c o l l e c t i v e l y as 
" P r i t c h e t t -
Moore") 
( c a s e no. 1080393) 
p e t i t i o n f o r 
w r i t s 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 s t r i k e 
a 
c r o s s - c l a i m 
f i l e d 
a g a i n s t 
P r o g r e s s i v e 
a n d t h i r d - p a r t y 
c l a i m s 
f i l e d 
a g a i n s t 
P r i t c h e t t - M o o r e b y t h e r e s p o n d e n t s , 
B l a k e n e y Company, L L C ; 
W i l l i a m L i v i n g s t o n , J r . ; a n d W i l l i a m B l a k e n e y . 
We g r a n t t h e 
p e t i t i o n s a n d i s s u e t h e w r i t s . 
On December 1, 2 0 0 6 , w h i l e 
d r i v i n g i n 
N o r t h p o r t , 
M a r v i n 
L e a t h e r w o o d was i n v o l v e d i n 
a m o t o r - v e h i c l e 
c o l l i s i o n 
w i t h a 
dump 
t r u c k owned b y B l a k e n e y Company, L L C , a n d d r i v e n b y 
L i v i n g s t o n . B l a k e n e y Company, L L C , was i n s u r e d b y a c o m m e r c i a l 
i n s u r a n c e 
p o l i c y i s s u e d b y P r o g r e s s i v e . 
W i l l i a m B l a k e n e y - - 
a 
p r i n c i p a l o f B l a k e n e y Company, L L C - - h a d p u r c h a s e d t h e p o l i c y 
f r o m 
Hudson, whom t h e c o m p l a i n t 
a l l e g e s was an a g e n t o f 
P r i t c h e t t - M o o r e , 
I n c . 
2 
1080366, 1080393 
On December 18, 2006, L e a t h e r w o o d 
f i l e d an a c t i o n i n t h e 
H a l e 
C i r c u i t C o u r t s e e k i n g damages f o r i n j u r i e s he 
s u s t a i n e d 
i n t h e 
c o l l i s i o n .
1 
The 
c o m p l a i n t was amended and 
u l t i m a t e l y 
s o u g h t 
damages f r o m 
B l a k e n e y 
Company, 
L L C , 
and 
L i v i n g s t o n 
b a s e d on t h e o r i e s o f n e g l i g e n c e and w a n t o n n e s s . 
A d d i t i o n a l l y , 
L e a t h e r w o o d 
s o u g h t damages a g a i n s t B l a k e n e y Company, L L C , f o r 
t h e a l l e g e d n e g l i g e n t o r w a n t o n e n t r u s t m e n t o f t h e dump t r u c k 
t o 
L i v i n g s t o n 
and 
t h e 
a l l e g e d 
n e g l i g e n t 
h i r i n g , 
t r a i n i n g , 
s u p e r v i s i o n , and r e t e n t i o n o f L i v i n g s t o n 
( h e r e i n a f t e r B l a k e n e y 
Company, L L C , 
and L i v i n g s t o n a r e r e f e r r e d t o c o l l e c t i v e l y 
as 
" B l a k e n e y L L C " ) . 
P r o g r e s s i v e 
p r o v i d e d d e f e n s e 
c o u n s e l f o r B l a k e n e y 
LLC 
p u r s u a n t t o t h e c o m m e r c i a l 
i n s u r a n c e p o l i c y . 
A d d i t i o n a l l y , 
B l a k e n e y LLC 
s e p a r a t e l y 
r e t a i n e d 
p r i v a t e 
c o u n s e l . 
I n M a r c h 
2008, P r o g r e s s i v e was a l l o w e d t o i n t e r v e n e i n t h e c a s e f o r t h e 
l i m i t e d 
p u r p o s e 
o f r e q u e s t i n g a 
s p e c i a l 
v e r d i c t 
f o r m 
t h a t 
s e p a r a t e l y 
l i s t e d c o m p e n s a t o r y 
damages and p u n i t i v e damages. 
P r o g r e s s i v e 
r e q u e s t e d t h i s 
s p e c i a l 
v e r d i c t f o r m b e c a u s e , i t 
1 A l t h o u g h L e a t h e r w o o d was a r e s i d e n t o f T u s c a l o o s a C o u n t y , 
where t h e a c c i d e n t o c c u r r e d , L i v i n g s t o n was a r e s i d e n t o f H a l e 
C o u n t y 
and 
B l a k e n e y 
Company, 
LLC, 
p u r p o r t e d l y 
c o n d u c t e d 
b u s i n e s s 
t h e r e . 
3 
1080366, 1080393 
a r g u e d , t h e c o m m e r c i a l i n s u r a n c e 
p o l i c y c o v e r i n g B l a k e n e y 
LLC 
e x c l u d e d 
c o v e r a g e f o r p u n i t i v e damages. 
The 
c a s e was 
t r i e d b e f o r e 
a j u r y i n J u n e 2008. 
The 
j u r y 
f o u n d 
i n f a v o r 
o f L e a t h e r w o o d 
and 
a w a r d e d 
h i m 
$ 2 0 0 , 0 0 0 
i n 
c o m p e n s a t o r y damages 
and 
$225,000 
i n p u n i t i v e damages; 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
e n t e r e d 
a 
j u d g m e n t 
on 
t h e 
j u r y 
v e r d i c t . 
P r o g r e s s i v e 
t e n d e r e d 
payment 
t o 
L e a t h e r w o o d 
f o r 
t h e 
c o m p e n s a t o r y - d a m a g e s 
p o r t i o n 
o f 
t h e 
j u d g m e n t . 
I n 
a 
p o s t j u d g m e n t 
m o t i o n , 
c o u n s e l 
p r o v i d e d 
by 
P r o g r e s s i v e 
t o 
B l a k e n e y LLC 
c h a l l e n g e d 
t h e p u n i t i v e - d a m a g e s a w a r d . 
A h e a r i n g 
on 
t h e p o s t j u d g m e n t m o t i o n was 
s c h e d u l e d 
f o r 
S e p t e m b e r 16, 2008. 
On 
t h a t day, 
t h e c a s e - a c t i o n summary 
and 
t h e 
m a t e r i a l s 
b e f o r e 
t h i s 
C o u r t 
r e v e a l 
t h a t 
a t 
9:20 
a.m., 
a t t o r n e y s who were r e p r e s e n t i n g L e a t h e r w o o d f i l e d on b e h a l f o f 
B l a k e n e y LLC and W i l l i a m B l a k e n e y a m o t i o n r e q u e s t i n g l e a v e t o 
"amend t h e p l e a d i n g s " 
t o a l l o w B l a k e n e y LLC 
t o add 
a 
c r o s s -
c l a i m a g a i n s t P r o g r e s s i v e and 
t o a l l o w B l a k e n e y Company, 
LLC, 
and 
W i l l i a m 
B l a k e n e y 
t o 
f i l e 
t h i r d - p a r t y 
c l a i m s 
a g a i n s t 
P r i t c h e t t - M o o r e . 
A d d i t i o n a l l y , 
B l a k e n e y L L C ' s p r i v a t e l y h i r e d 
c o u n s e l 
f i l e d 
a m o t i o n t o d i s m i s s 
" a l l 
p e n d i n g m o t i o n s " ; 
t h e 
f i l i n g 
o f 
t h i s 
m o t i o n 
and 
an 
o r d e r 
g r a n t i n g 
i t , w h i c h 
4 
1080366, 1080393 
e f f e c t i v e l y 
w i t h d r e w 
B l a k e n e y 
L L C ' s 
p o s t j u d g m e n t 
m o t i o n 
c h a l l e n g i n g 
t h e 
p u n i t i v e - d a m a g e s 
a w a r d , were 
n o t e d 
i n 
t h e 
c a s e - a c t i o n summary a t 9:37 
a.m. 
A t 9:47 
a.m., 
B l a k e n e y LLC 
f i l e d t h e c r o s s - c l a i m 
a g a i n s t 
P r o g r e s s i v e , 
w h i c h 
s o u g h t 
damages 
f o r 
a l l e g e d 
b r e a c h 
o f 
c o n t r a c t and b a d 
f a i t h . 
S p e c i f i c a l l y , 
B l a k e n e y LLC 
a l l e g e d 
t h a t 
a l t h o u g h 
t h e 
P r o g r e s s i v e 
c o m m e r c i a l 
i n s u r a n c e 
p o l i c y 
p r o v i d e d $1,000,000 i n c o v e r a g e , P r o g r e s s i v e f a i l e d t o 
s e t t l e 
L e a t h e r w o o d ' s 
a c t i o n , t h u s l e a v i n g B l a k e n e y LLC e x p o s e d 
t o a 
p u n i t i v e - d a m a g e s a w a r d . 
F u r t h e r , B l a k e n e y Company, LLC, 
f i l e d 
t h i r d - p a r t y 
c l a i m s 
a g a i n s t 
P r i t c h e t t - M o o r e , 
w h i c h 
s o u g h t 
damages 
f o r 
n e g l i g e n t 
f a i l u r e 
t o 
p r o c u r e 
i n s u r a n c e . 
A d d i t i o n a l l y , 
W i l l i a m B l a k e n e y , who 
had 
n o t b e e n a p a r t y i n 
t h e a c t i o n , s o u g h t t o j o i n as a p l a i n t i f f 
i n t h e t h i r d - p a r t y 
c l a i m s 
a g a i n s t 
P r i t c h e t t - M o o r e . 
P r o g r e s s i v e and P r i t c h e t t - M o o r e 
f i l e d m o t i o n s t o 
d i s m i s s 
t h e 
c r o s s - c l a i m 
and 
t h e 
t h i r d - p a r t y c l a i m s , 
and 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t d e n i e d t h e s e m o t i o n s . 
B o t h P r o g r e s s i v e and 
P r i t c h e t t -
Moore have f i l e d p e t i t i o n s i n t h i s C o u r t c h a l l e n g i n g t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s 
j u r i s d i c t i o n 
and 
s e e k i n g mandamus 
r e l i e f ; 
t h o s e 
5 
1080366, 1080393 
p e t i t i o n s h a v e b e e n c o n s o l i d a t e d f o r t h e p u r p o s e o f i s s u i n g 
one 
o p i n i o n . 
S t a n d a r d o f R e v i e w 
"'Mandamus i s 
a d r a s t i c and e x t r a o r d i n a r y w r i t , 
t o be i s s u e d o n l y where 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 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 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 I n t e g o n 
C o r p . , 
672 
So. 2d 497, 4 
99 
( A l a . 1 
9 9 5 ) . 
The q u e s t i o n o f 
s u b j e c t - m a t t e r 
j u r i s d i c t i o n 
i s 
r e v i e w a b l e 
b y 
a 
p e t i t i o n 
f o r a w r i t 
o f mandamus. Ex p a r t e 
F l i n t 
 
C o n s t r . Co., 775 So. 2d 805 ( A l a . 2 0 0 0 ) . " 
Ex 
p a r t e 
L i b e r t y N a t ' l 
L i f e I n s . Co., 8 
88 So. 2d 478 
, 480 
( A l a . 
2 0 0 3 ) . 
D i s c u s s i o n 
P r o g r e s s i v e and P r i t c h e t t - M o o r e c o n t e n d t h a t , b e c a u s e a 
f i n a l j u d g m e n t h a d b e e n e n t e r e d on L e a t h e r w o o d ' s c l a i m s , t h e 
t r i a l c o u r t l a c k e d j u r i s d i c t i o n t o a c c e p t an amendment t o 
t h e 
p l e a d i n g s 
a d d i n g new c l a i m s and a new p a r t y . 
We 
a g r e e .
2 
2 A l t h o u g h 
P r o g r e s s i v e d o e s n o t r a i s e i n i t s p e t i t i o n t h e 
p r e c i s e 
j u r i s d i c t i o n a l 
i s s u e we 
a d d r e s s , 
t h e " ' [ l ] a c k o f 
s u b j e c t m a t t e r 
j u r i s d i c t i o n may n o t be w a i v e d b y t h e p a r t i e s 
and i t 
i s t h e d u t y o f an a p p e l l a t e c o u r t t o c o n s i d e r l a c k o f 
s u b j e c t m a t t e r 
j u r i s d i c t i o n ex mero motu.'" 
Ex p a r t e 
B e r r y , 
999 So. 2d 883, 888 ( A l a . 2008) 
( q u o t i n g Ex p a r t e S m i t h , 438 
So. 2d 766, 768 ( A l a . 
1 9 8 3 ) ) . 
6 
1080366, 1080393 
G e n e r a l l y , 
t h i s C o u r t has r e f u s e d t o a l l o w amendments t o 
p l e a d i n g s t o add a d d i t i o n a l p a r t i e s a n d c l a i m s a f t e r t h e c a u s e 
has 
b e e n 
f i n a l l y 
a d j u d i c a t e d . 
H a r p e r 
v. Brown, 
S t a g n e r , 
 
R i c h a r d s o n , 
I n c . , 845 So. 2d 777 ( A l a . 
2002) 
( h o l d i n g t h a t a 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
c o u l d n o t , a f t e r t h e e n t r y o f a f i n a l j u d g m e n t , 
a l l o w a p a r t y t o add a new p a r t y and a new c l a i m by means o f 
a m o t i o n u n d e r R u l e 60, A l a . 
R. C i v . 
P., w h i c h s o u g h t t o amend 
t h e c o m p l a i n t 
w i t h o u t 
s e e k i n g 
r e l i e f f r o m t h e j u d g m e n t ) ; P r a t t  
C a p i t a l , I n c . v. B o y e t t , 840 So. 2d 138, 145 ( A l a . 2002) ("the 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
e r r e d 
i n a l l o w i n g t h e 
p l a i n t i f f s 
t o amend t h e 
o r i g i n a l c o m p l a i n t 
t o add a d d i t i o n a l d e f e n d a n t s a f t e r a 
f i n a l 
j u d g m e n t 
h a d 
b e e n 
e n t e r e d 
i n t h e 
c a s e " ) ; 
and 
Ex 
p a r t e 
 
I n s u r a n c e Co. o f N o r t h 
A m e r i c a , 523 So. 2d 1064 
( A l a . 1988) 
( h o l d i n g 
t h a t 
R u l e 
15, 
A l a . R. 
C i v . P., 
w h i c h 
a l l o w s 
amendments 
t o p l e a d i n g s , 
d i d n o t 
a l l o w 
a 
c o m p l a i n t 
t o be 
amended on remand when t h e a p p e l l a t e m a n d a t e , w h i c h d i d n o t 
p e r m i t 
s u c h an amendment, amounted t o a f i n a l a d j u d i c a t i o n o f 
t h e c a s e ) . 
I n F a i t h P r o p e r t i e s , LLC v . F i r s t C o m m e r c i a l Bank, 
988 So. 2d 485, 490 ( A l a . 
2 0 0 8 ) , 
F i r s t 
C o m m e r c i a l Bank ("the 
Bank") 
f i l e d 
an 
a c t i o n 
a g a i n s t 
K e v i n 
V a k i l i 
a l l e g i n g 
t h a t 
V a k i l i 
h a d b r e a c h e d 
an a g r e e m e n t t o g u a r a n t e e p a y m e n t s o f 
7 
1080366, 1080393 
l o a n s 
t h e Bank h a d made t o c o r p o r a t i o n s 
owned by 
V a k i l i . 
A 
d e f a u l t j u d g m e n t was e n t e r e d i n t h e B a n k ' s f a v o r ; V a k i l i 
f i l e d 
a 
p o s t j u d g m e n t 
m o t i o n 
s e e k i n g 
r e l i e f 
f r o m 
t h e 
d e f a u l t 
j u d g m e n t , 
b u t t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
d e n i e d 
t h e m o t i o n . 
988 So. 
2d 
a t 487-89. 
L a t e r , 
t h e 
Bank 
f i l e d 
a 
m o t i o n 
i n 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
r e q u e s t i n g 
l e a v e t o amend i t s c o m p l a i n t 
and t o add as 
t h i r d -
p a r t y d e f e n d a n t s F a i t h P r o p e r t i e s , LLC 
( " F a i t h " ) , and 
V a k i l i ' s 
w i f e , M a r j a n 
V a k i l i . 
S p e c i f i c a l l y , 
t h e Bank a l l e g e d 
c l a i m s 
u n d e r t h e A l a b a m a F r a u d u l e n t 
T r a n s f e r A c t , A l a . Code 1975, 
§§ 
8-9A-4 and - 5 , and a s s e r t e d t h a t t h r e e p a r c e l s o f r e a l 
e s t a t e 
--two 
o f w h i c h h a d b e e n owned by V a k i l i 
and one o f w h i c h 
h a d 
b e e n owned j o i n t l y by V a k i l i and M a r j a n - - h a d b e e n t r a n s f e r r e d 
t o 
F a i t h f o r no 
c o n s i d e r a t i o n 
and 
t h a t 
F a i t h was 
a c t u a l l y 
owned by M a r j a n 
and 
V a k i l i ' s 
s o n . 
The 
Bank t h u s 
s o u g h t 
a 
j u d g m e n t s e t t i n g a s i d e t h e t r a n s f e r s o f t h e p a r c e l s t o F a i t h 
as 
v o i d 
and 
a j u d g m e n t 
a g a i n s t 
V a k i l i 
d e c l a r i n g 
t h a t 
t h e 
d e f a u l t j u d g m e n t a t t a c h e d 
as a l i e n 
on t h e p r o p e r t i e s . 
The 
Bank 
was 
a l l o w e d 
t o 
amend 
i t s p l e a d i n g s , 
and 
a 
summary 
j u d g m e n t 
was 
l a t e r 
e n t e r e d on i t s 
amended c l a i m s . 
988 So. 2d 
a t 
489. 
8 
1080366, 1080393 
On 
a p p e a l , 
t h i s C o u r t n o t e d t h a t t h e d e f a u l t j u d g m e n t i n 
f a v o r 
o f 
t h e 
Bank 
g r a n t e d 
a l l t h e 
r e l i e f 
t h e 
Bank 
had 
r e q u e s t e d 
and 
was 
t h u s a f i n a l j u d g m e n t , 
s t a t i n g : 
"'"A 
j u d g m e n t t h a t c o n c l u s i v e l y d e t e r m i n e s a l l 
o f 
t h e 
i s s u e s 
b e f o r e 
t h e 
c o u r t 
and 
a s c e r t a i n s 
and 
d e c l a r e s 
t h e 
r i g h t s 
o f 
t h e 
p a r t i e s i n v o l v e d 
i s 
a 
f i n a l 
j u d g m e n t . " ' 
[ P r a t t 
C a p i t a l , 
I n c . v.] 
B o y e t t , 
840 
So. 
2d [138,] 144 
[ ( A l a . 2 0 0 2 ) ] 
( q u o t i n g 
N i c h o l s  
v. I n g r a m P l u m b i n g , 
710 
So. 
2d 
454, 
455 
( A l a . C i v . 
App. 
1 9 9 8 ) ) . 
'A j u d g m e n t t h a t d e c l a r e s t h e r i g h t s 
o f 
t h e p a r t i e s and 
s e t t l e s 
t h e 
e q u i t i e s i s f i n a l 
e v e n 
t h o u g h t h e 
t r i a l c o u r t e n v i s i o n s f u r t h e r 
p r o c e e d i n g s 
t o 
e f f e c t u a t e t h e 
j u d g m e n t . ' Wyers v. 
K e e n o n , 
762 
So. 
2d 
353, 
355 
( A l a . 1 9 9 9 ) . 
O t h e r w i s e 
s t a t e d , 
a 
j u d g m e n t 
t h a t 
i s 
' d e f i n i t i v e 
o f 
t h e 
c a u s e 
i n 
t h e 
c o u r t 
b e l o w , 
l e a v i n g 
n o t h i n g 
f u r t h e r 
t o 
be 
done, 
s a v e 
[ i t s e n f o r c e m e n t ] , ' 
i s 
a 
f i n a l 
j u d g m e n t . 
Ex 
 
p a r t e G i l m e r , 
64 A l a . 234, 
235 
( 1 8 7 9 ) . " 
988 
So. 
2d a t 4 9 0 - 9 1 . 
The C o u r t f u r t h e r n o t e d t h a t a j u d g m e n t 
i s n o t s u b j e c t t o r e v i s i o n a b s e n t an a p p r o p r i a t e 
p o s t j u d g m e n t 
m o t i o n : 
" I n 
t h a t 
c o n n e c t i o n , 
i t i s 
w e l l 
s e t t l e d 
t h a t 
'a 
j u d g m e n t i s n o t 
s u b j e c t 
t o 
r e v i s i o n 
a f t e r 
a l l t h e 
c l a i m s 
o f 
a l l 
p a r t i e s h a v e b e e n 
a d j u d i c a t e d , 
a b s e n t 
a 
t i m e l y 
m o t i o n 
f i l e d p u r s u a n t t o R u l e s 
55, 
59, 
o r 60, A l a . R. 
C i v . P.'" 
988 
So. 
2d 
a t 
490 
( q u o t i n g 
B o y e t t , 
84 0 So. 
2d 
a t 
143 
( e m p h a s i s 
o m i t t e d ) ) . 
We 
t h u s 
c o n c l u d e d : 
" O t h e r w i s e 
s t a t e d , 
a 
t r i a l 
 
c o u r t 
has 
no 
j u r i s d i c t i o n 
t o 
e n t e r t a i n a m o t i o n 
t o amend 
a 
 
c o m p l a i n t 
t o 
add 
new 
c l a i m s 
o r 
new 
p a r t i e s 
a f t e r 
a 
f i n a l 
9 
1080366, 1080393 
j u d g m e n t h a s b e e n e n t e r e d , 
u n l e s s t h a t 'judgment i s f i r s t s e t  
a s i d e 
o r v a c a t e d ' 
p u r s u a n t 
t o t h e s t a t e ' s 
r u l e s o f 
c i v i l 
 
p r o c e d u r e . " 
988 So. 2d a t 490 ( e m p h a s i s a d d e d ) . 
B e c a u s e t h e d e f a u l t j u d g m e n t a g a i n s t 
V a k i l i was a 
f i n a l 
j u d g m e n t t h a t h a d n o t b e e n s e t a s i d e o r v a c a t e d i n r e s p o n s e t o 
V a k i l i ' s 
p o s t j u d g m e n t m o t i o n , 
t h i s 
C o u r t h e l d t h a t t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
l a c k e d 
j u r i s d i c t i o n 
t o e n t e r t a i n an amendment t o t h e 
c o m p l a i n t 
a d d i n g f u r t h e r c l a i m s and p a r t i e s : "[W]hen t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t 
d e n i e d 
V a k i l i ' s 
p o s t j u d g m e n t 
m o t i o n 
... 
i t 
l o s t 
j u r i s d i c t i o n t o e n t e r t a i n an amendment t o t h e c o m p l a i n t . " 
988 
So. 2d a t 4 9 1 . 
See a l s o N i c h o l s v. I n g r a m , 710 So. 2d 454, 
455-56 
( A l a . C i v . 
App. 1998) ( h o l d i n g t h a t t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s 
j u d g m e n t 
c o m p l e t e l y 
a d j u d i c a t e d 
a l l m a t t e r s i n 
c o n t r o v e r s y 
b e t w e e n t h e l i t i g a n t s 
and was a 
f i n a l 
j u d g m e n t ; 
t h u s , t h e 
t r i a l c o u r t h a d no j u r i s d i c t i o n t o s u b s e q u e n t l y 
g r a n t a m o t i o n 
t o 
d i s m i s s , 
c e r t i f y a j u d g m e n t as f i n a l , o r e n t e r a summary 
j u d g m e n t ) . 
I n 
t h e 
i n s t a n t 
c a s e , 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s 
e n t r y 
o f a 
j u d g m e n t 
on t h e 
j u r y 
v e r d i c t was 
a 
f i n a l 
j u d g m e n t 
t h a t 
c o m p l e t e l y 
a d j u d i c a t e d 
t h e 
c l a i m s 
o f 
t h e 
p l a i n t i f f , 
L e a t h e r w o o d . 
A l t h o u g h 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
may 
have 
r e t a i n e d 
10 
1080366, 
1080393 
j u r i s d i c t i o n 
t o 
a l t e r 
i t s j u d g m e n t 
by 
an 
a p p r o p r i a t e 
p o s t j u d g m e n t m o t i o n , no s u c h m o t i o n was g r a n t e d b y t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t i n t h i s c a s e . 
T h u s , t h e t r i a l c o u r t l a c k e d 
j u r i s d i c t i o n 
t o 
a c c e p t 
B l a k e n e y 
L L C ' s amendment 
p u r p o r t i n g 
t o add 
new 
c l a i m s and a new p a r t y . 
F a i t h P r o p e r t i e s , s u p r a , and N i c h o l s , 
s u p r a . 
C o n c l u s i o n 
The 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
d i d n o t h a v e 
j u r i s d i c t i o n 
t o 
a c c e p t 
B l a k e n e y 
L L C ' s 
amended 
p l e a d i n g s 
a d d i n g 
a 
c r o s s - c l a i m , 
a 
t h i r d - p a r t y 
c l a i m , and a p a r t y . 
T h e r e f o r e , 
t h o s e 
p l e a d i n g s 
a r e due t o be s t r i c k e n and t h e c l a i m s 
d i s m i s s e d . 
1 0 8 0 3 6 6 - - P E T I T I O N GRANTED; WRIT ISSUED. 
1 0 8 0 3 9 3 - - P E T I T I O N GRANTED; WRIT ISSUED. 
Cobb, C . J . , and W o o d a l l , S m i t h , and P a r k e r , J J . , c o n c u r . 
11