Case Title: Antonio Ben Espinoza and Antonio Espinoza d/b/a Jabez Land Co. v. Maxine Rudolph

Citation: 

Docket Number: 1080999

State: alabama

Court: Alabama Supreme Court

Date: 2010-03-19T00:00:00Z

Document:
Rel 3/19/2010 
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) 
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 
OCTOBER TERM, 2009-2010 
1080999 
Antonio Ben E s p i n o z a and Antonio E s p i n o z a d/b/a Jabez Land 
Co. 
v. 
Maxine Rudolph 
Appeal from J e f f e r s o n C i r c u i t Court, Bessemer 
D i v i s i o n 
(CV-08-882) 
COBB, C h i e f 
J u s t i c e . 
A n t o n i o Ben E s p i n o z a a n d A n t o n i o 
E s p i n o z a d/b/a J a b e z 
L a n d Co. ( 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 " J a b e z " )
1 
1On J u l y 2, 2008, E s p i n o z a 
f i l e d 
t h i s 
s u i t a g a i n s t M a x i n e 
R u d o l p h i n 
t h e 
name o f " J a b e z L a n d Co." 
as s o l e 
p l a i n t i f f . 
C o n t r a r y t o t h e a l l e g a t i o n s o f i t s 
c o m p l a i n t a n d v e r i f i e d 
1080999 
a p p e a l 
f r o m 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s j u d g m e n t 
i n f a v o r 
o f 
M a x i n e 
R u d o l p h i n t h e amount o f $50,000 i n c o m p e n s a t o r y damages 
and 
$25,000 i n p u n i t i v e damages. 
We 
a f f i r m . 
F a c t s and P r o c e d u r a l 
H i s t o r y
2 
R u d o l p h i s t h e owner o f r e a l p r o p e r t y on w h i c h i s l o c a t e d 
a 
s i n g l e - f a m i l y 
r e s i d e n c e 
("the 
p r o p e r t y " ) 
. 
A c c o r d i n g 
t o 
R u d o l p h , 
t h e 
f a i r 
m a r k e t v a l u e 
o f t h e p r o p e r t y 
i s $ 5 9 , 0 0 0 . 
F o r more t h a n 10 y e a r s , u n t i l J a n u a r y 2007, R u d o l p h r e s i d e d i n 
amended 
c o m p l a i n t s , 
" J a b e z 
L a n d 
Co." 
i s 
n o t 
a 
company 
q u a l i f i e d t o do b u s i n e s s i n t h e S t a t e o f A l a b a m a . 
A c c o r d i n g 
t o E s p i n o z a ' s t e s t i m o n y a t t h e 
t r i a l i n t h i s c a s e , " J a b e z L a n d 
Co." 
i s t h e name o f a s o l e p r o p r i e t o r s h i p by w h i c h 
E s p i n o z a 
d o e s 
b u s i n e s s . 
On 
J a n u a r y 
15, 
2009, 
R u d o l p h amended 
h e r 
c o u n t e r c l a i m a g a i n s t J a b e z L a n d Co. t o s u b s t i t u t e E s p i n o z a 
as 
t h e 
c o u n t e r c l a i m d e f e n d a n t , 
a l l e g i n g 
t h a t E s p i n o z a 
was 
t h e 
" t r u e d e f e n d a n t " 
and t h a t " J a b e z L a n d Co." 
was 
" n o t h i n g more 
t h a n 
a name" 
u n d e r 
w h i c h 
E s p i n o z a 
c o n d u c t e d 
some 
o f 
h i s 
b u s i n e s s . 
On 
F e b r u a r y 
16, 
2009, 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 " a g a i n s t A n t o n i o B. E s p i n o z a i n d i v i d u a l l y and 
A n t o n i o 
B. E s p i n o z a d o i n g b u s i n e s s as J a b e z L a n d Company." 
On 
A p r i l 
28, 
2009, 
E s p i n o z a 
f i l e d 
a 
n o t i c e o f 
a p p e a l 
on 
b e h a l f 
o f 
" J a b e z L a n d Co. 
and A n t o n i o E s p i n o z a . " 
We have r e s t y l e d 
t h e 
a p p e a l t o r e f l e c t t h e t r u e n a t u r e o f t h e 
p a r t i e s . 
2 I n 
s e t t i n g 
f o r t h t h e f a c t s o f t h i s c a s e , we 
a r e 
m i n d f u l 
t h a t , 
" [ u ] n d e r 
t h e 
o r e 
t e n u s 
s t a n d a r d 
o f 
r e v i e w , 
we 
must 
a c c e p t as t r u e t h e f a c t s f o u n d by t h e 
t r i a l c o u r t i f t h e r e i s 
s u b s t a n t i a l e v i d e n c e 
t o s u p p o r t 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s 
f i n d i n g s . " 
B e a s l e y v. M e l l o n F i n . S e r v s . C o r p . , 569 So. 2d 389, 
393 ( A l a . 
1 9 9 0 ) . 
F u r t h e r , where t h e r e c o r d i s s i l e n t 
as t o t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s 
f i n d i n g s o f f a c t on a d i s p u t e d i s s u e , we assume t h a t 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t made t h o s e 
f i n d i n g s n e c e s s a r y 
t o s u p p o r t 
t h e 
j u d g m e n t . 
T r a n s a m e r i c a C o m m e r c i a l F i n . C o r p . v. AmSouth Bank,  
N.A., 
608 
So. 
2d 375, 
378 
( A l a . 1 9 9 2 ) . 
2 
1080999 
t h e h o u s e on t h e p r o p e r t y . 
From M a r c h 2007 u n t i l 
S e p t e m b e r 
2007, R u d o l p h l e a s e d t h e p r o p e r t y t o a t e n a n t , b u t t h a t 
l e a s e 
was 
t e r m i n a t e d 
when 
t h e 
t e n a n t 
f a i l e d 
t o 
p a y 
r e n t 
i n 
a c c o r d a n c e w i t h t h e l e a s e a g r e e m e n t . R u d o l p h s u b s e q u e n t l y p u t 
t h e p r o p e r t y 
up f o r s a l e and e n g a g e d a r e a l - e s t a t e a g e n t f o r 
t h e p u r p o s e o f s e l l i n g t h e p r o p e r t y . 
The s a l e s p r i c e 
l i s t e d 
f o r 
t h e p r o p e r t y 
was 
$54,000. 
I n 
A p r i l 
2008, 
R u d o l p h 
made 
t h e 
a c q u a i n t a n c e 
o f 
P r o v i d e n c e H o o p e r . 
A f t e r l e a r n i n g t h a t H o o p e r "knew a 
l i t t l e 
s o m e t h i n g a b o u t r e a l e s t a t e , " R u d o l p h a s k e d H o o p e r t o v i e w t h e 
p r o p e r t y 
and t o l e t 
h e r know what she t h o u g h t a b o u t i t . They 
v i s i t e d t h e p r o p e r t y 
t o g e t h e r on May 8, 2008. 
A t t h e t r i a l o f 
t h i s 
c a s e , 
H o o p e r 
gave 
t h e 
f o l l o w i n g 
d e s c r i p t i o n 
o f 
t h e 
c o n d i t i o n o f t h e p r o p e r t y 
as i t was on May 8, 2008: 
"The h o u s e was what 
I 
c a l l 
a c o t t a g e . 
I t h a d 
two 
b e d r o o m s , a 
l i v i n g 
room and somewhat o f a den and 
k i t c h e n and one b a t h r o o m . 
I t h a d b e a u t i f u l o l d wood 
f l o o r s . 
I t was 
t h e 
k i n d 
o f h o u s e 
t h a t 
a 
y o u n g 
c o u p l e w o u l d p u r c h a s e and do a 
l i t t l e 
work on 
i t , 
and 
i t was a s t a r t e r h o u s e , and maybe open up some 
w a l l s , 
and i t w o u l d be a v e r y 
n i c e h o u s e 
t h a t 
you 
c o u l d 
b u i l d 
e q u i t y and t h e n move on 
[ I ] t 
was a 
'50s h o u s e . T h e r e i s no 
p e r f e c t 
h o u s e . 
I t was 
a 
g o o d h o u s e . I t was what p e o p l e i n t h e r e a l 
e s t a t e 
b u s i n e s s w o u l d s a y i t has g o o d b o n e s . " 
3 
1080999 
W a s h i n g t o n M u t u a l B a n k
3 h e l d a m o r t g a g e on t h e 
p r o p e r t y . 
H i s t o r i c a l l y , W a s h i n g t o n M u t u a l had p a i d t h e p r o p e r t y t a x e s 
on 
t h e p r o p e r t y . 
However, i t d i d n o t p a y 
t h e t a x e s due 
i n 2007, 
and, 
on May 
20, 2008, t h e p r o p e r t y was 
s o l d a t a t a x s a l e t o 
E s p i n o z a 
and 
E d w i n M a r k s ,
4 
as 
a g e n t s 
o f T A G - S o u t h 
P r o p e r t y 
R e n e w a l Company 
( " T A G - S o u t h " ) .
5 
On a p p r o x i m a t e l y 
May 
23, 2008, J a b e z r e n t e d t h e 
r e s i d e n c e 
t o 
J o s e a G o n z a l e s and Mark Gomez. 
G o n z a l e s , Gomez, and 
t h e i r 
f a m i l i e s moved i n t o t h e r e s i d e n c e on May 
23, 2008. 
D u r i n g 
t h e 
e n t i r e t i m e 
t h e y o c c u p i e d 
t h e p r o p e r t y , J a b e z c o l l e c t e d 
r e n t 
f r o m them i n t h e amount o f $450 p e r month. 
On May 
30, 2008, E s p i n o z a , 
as a g e n t f o r T A G - S o u t h , 
f i l e d 
i n 
t h e 
J e f f e r s o n C o u n t y 
P r o b a t e 
O f f i c e 
a document 
t i t l e d 
" N o t i c e o f L i e n S t a t e m e n t o f L i e n 
[ s i c ] , " 
w h i c h s t a t e d : 
"TAG-South P r o p e r t y R e n e w a l Co. 
f i l e d 
t h i s s t a t e m e n t 
i n 
w r i t i n g , 
v e r i f i e d 
by 
t h e 
o a t h 
o f 
A n t o n i o 
B. 
E s p i n o z a , w i t h a m a i l i n g a d d r e s s o f 1116 
2 0 t h 
S t r e e t 
3 I n 
l a t e 2007 and 
e a r l y 2008, W a s h i n g t o n M u t u a l s u f f e r e d 
s e v e r e 
f i n a n c i a l 
l o s s e s . 
T h e r e a f t e r , 
d u r i n g 
a 
s e r i e s 
o f 
n a t i o n a l 
f i n a n c i a l 
c r i s e s , 
W a s h i n g t o n 
M u t u a l 
became 
t h e 
l a r g e s t b a n k t o 
f a i l 
i n t h e h i s t o r y o f t h e U n i t e d 
S t a t e s . 
4 A t 
t r i a l , 
E s p i n o z a 
t e s t i f i e d 
t h a t M a r k s i s h i s c o u s i n . 
5 T A G - S o u t h i s a n o t h e r name u n d e r w h i c h E s p i n o z a 
c o n d u c t s 
b u s i n e s s . 
4 
1080999 
S o u t h , 
#323, 
B i r m i n g h a m , 
A l a b a m a 
and 
who 
has 
p e r s o n a l k n o w l e d g e o f t h e 
f a c t s h e r e i n s e t 
f o r t h : 
" T h a t s a i d T A G - S o u t h P r o p e r t y R e n e w a l Co. who 
i s t h e 
e n t i t y t h a t p u r c h a s e d a t a x c e r t i f i c a t e on t h e b e l o w 
d e s c r i b e d 
p r o p e r t y 
i n a t a x 
s a l e a t 
t h e 
J e f f e r s o n 
C o u n t y 
C o u r t h o u s e , 
c l a i m s 
a 
l i e n 
upon 
[ t h e 
p r o p e r t y ] . 
"The 
l i e n 
i s c l a i m e d , 
s e p a r a t e l y and 
s e v e r a l l y , 
as 
t o b o t h 
t h e b u i l d i n g s and i m p r o v e m e n t s t h e r e o n , 
and 
t h e 
s a i d l a n d . 
T h a t s a i d 
l i e n 
i s c l a i m e d t o 
s e c u r e 
an i n d e b t e d n e s s 
o f $9,987.45 ... w i t h i n t e r e s t , 
f r o m 
t h e 22nd day 
o f May 
2008 ,
[ 6 ] 
f o r w o r k , 
r e p a i r s , 
and 
i m p r o v e m e n t s . 
The name o f t h e owner and p r o p r i e t o r 
o f 
t h e 
s a i d 
p r o p e r t y 
i s M a x i n e H. 
R u d o l p h 
and 
t h e 
name u n d e r w h i c h t h e p r o p e r t y i s a s s e s s e d 
i s M a x i n e 
H. 
R u d o l p h . " 
A r o u n d 
May 
27, 
2008, R u d o l p h ' s 
r e a l t o r 
t e l e p h o n e d 
and 
a s k e d h e r i f she had 
l e a s e d t h e p r o p e r t y t o t e n a n t s . 
R u d o l p h 
r e s p o n d e d t h a t she had n o t . 
The 
r e a l t o r t h e n i n f o r m e d 
R u d o l p h 
t h a t some v e h i c l e s were p a r k e d 
on 
t h e p r o p e r t y 
and 
t h a t 
t h e 
r e a l t o r ' s " f o r s a l e " s i g n was 
m i s s i n g f r o m t h e y a r d . 
On 
J u n e 
1, R u d o l p h went t o t h e p r o p e r t y and c o n f i r m e d t h a t p e o p l e were 
l i v i n g 
t h e r e . 
A f t e r 
some 
i n v e s t i g a t i o n , 
R u d o l p h 
l e a r n e d 
t h a t 
t h e 
J e f f e r s o n C o u n t y t a x c o l l e c t o r had 
s o l d t h e p r o p e r t y t o 
TAG-
S o u t h f o r d e l i n q u e n t t a x e s i n t h e amount o f $ 2 3 4 . 4 1 . 
On 
J u n e 
^ A l t h o u g h 
E s p i n o z a ' s 
s t a t e m e n t o f l i e n c l a i m s a l i e n 
f r o m 
May 
22, 2008, t h e t a x s a l e t o o k p l a c e on May 
20, 
2008. 
5 
1080999 
18, 
2008, R u d o l p h o b t a i n e d a c e r t i f i c a t e o f r e d e m p t i o n f r o m 
t h e 
p r o b a t e 
o f f i c e 
a f t e r 
m a k i n g 
a 
payment 
o f 
$251.59. 
M e a n w h i l e , a c c o r d i n g t o E s p i n o z a , on J u n e 5, 2008, 
T A G - S o u t h 
t r a n s f e r r e d 
i t s i n t e r e s t i n t h e p r o p e r t y t o J a b e z b y 
q u i t ¬
c l a i m d e e d . 
On J u n e 10, 2008, c o u n s e l f o r 
R u d o l p h s e n t a l e t t e r t o 
T A G - S o u t h , M a r k s , a n d E s p i n o z a , 
i n f o r m i n g them t h a t R u d o l p h 
had 
r e d e e m e d t h e p r o p e r t y , 
d e m a n d i n g 
t h a t t h e p r o p e r t y be 
v a c a t e d , a n d t h r e a t e n i n g l i t i g a t i o n i n 
t h e e v e n t t h e p r o p e r t y 
was 
n o t s u r r e n d e r e d . 
A c o p y o f R u d o l p h ' s 
c e r t i f i c a t e o f 
r e d e m p t i o n was e n c l o s e d w i t h t h e J u n e 10, 2008, 
l e t t e r . 
On J u n e 13, 2008, 
J a b e z s e n t t h e f o l l o w i n g 
l e t t e r t o 
R u d o l p h v i a 
h e r c o u n s e l : 
" T h i s 
c o r r e s p o n d e n c e i s i n f o l l o w up t o y o u r 
l e t t e r d a t e d J u n e 10, 2008. 
A l l p r o p e r t y r i g h t s f o r 
[ t h e 
p r o p e r t y ] t h a t were o b t a i n e d as a r e s u l t o f 
t h e 
v a l i d 
May 
2008 
t a x s a l e 
t h a t 
o c c u r r e d 
a t t h e 
c o u r t h o u s e i n J e f f e r s o n C o u n t y A l a b a m a 
have 
b e e n 
a s s i g n e d t o J a b e z L a n d Co. 
"You h a v e made s e v e r a l r e p r e s e n t a t i o n s i n y o u r 
l e t t e r 
d a t e d J u n e 10, 2008. 
Those r e p r e s e n t a t i o n s 
a r e 
l i b e l o u s , 
r e p r e h e n s i b l y f a l s e a n d e v i d e n c e o f a 
r e c k l e s s d i s r e g a r d f o r t h e 
p e a c e a n d q u i e t e n j o y m e n t 
o f t h e t e n a n t s 
r e s i d i n g a t [ t h e p r o p e r t y ] . 
" R e s t a t e d , 
J a b e z L a n d Co. h a s o w n e r s h i p a n d 
e q u i t a b l e r i g h t s i n 
t h e p r o p e r t y 
T h i s p r o p e r t y 
has b e e n l e a s e d t o t e n a n t s a n d demand i s 
h e r e b y made 
6 
1080999 
t h a t 
you 
i m m e d i a t e l y 
c e a s e 
and 
d e s i s t 
w i t h 
y o u r 
b r e a c h 
o f t h e p e a c e and t r e s p a s s i n g . " 
On J u n e 20, 2008, c o u n s e l f o r R u d o l p h a g a i n s e n t a 
l e t t e r 
t o M a r k s , E s p i n o z a , and T A G - S o u t h d e m a n d i n g p o s s e s s i o n o f t h e 
p r o p e r t y . 
On J u n e 23, 2008, a c c o m p a n i e d by H o o p e r , R u d o l p h went t o 
E s p i n o z a ' s 
b u s i n e s s 
a d d r e s s 
and 
f o u n d 
h i m 
t h e r e . 
R u d o l p h 
e x p l a i n e d t o h i m i n p e r s o n t h a t she had r e d e e m e d t h e p r o p e r t y 
and 
t h a t 
she 
w a n t e d 
t o know who 
was 
l i v i n g 
i n h e r 
h o u s e . 
E s p i n o z a 
i n v i t e d 
h e r 
t o be 
s e a t e d 
and 
i n f o r m e d 
h e r 
t h a t 
he 
w o u l d s p e a k w i t h h e r s h o r t l y . 
E s p i n o z a t h e n g a t h e r e d up some 
p a p e r s , 
went o u t s i d e t h e b u s i n e s s , g o t 
i n t o 
a v e h i c l e , 
and 
d r o v e away. 
R u d o l p h t e l e p h o n e d 
t h e p o l i c e and a s k e d 
t o 
f i l e 
a r e p o r t . 
S h o r t l y 
t h e r e a f t e r , 
j u s t 
as a p o l i c e 
o f f i c e r 
a r r i v e d 
t o 
t a k e R u d o l p h ' s r e p o r t , E s p i n o z a 
r e t u r n e d . E s p i n o z a 
s p o k e 
t o 
t h e o f f i c e r b e f o r e R u d o l p h d i d . 
He i n f o r m e d t h e o f f i c e r 
t h a t 
he 
w a n t e d 
t o 
f i l e 
a 
p o l i c e 
r e p o r t 
on 
R u d o l p h 
and 
t h a t 
he 
w a n t e d 
t o 
o b t a i n 
a 
r e s t r a i n i n g 
o r d e r 
t o 
keep 
h e r 
o f f 
t h e 
p r o p e r t y . 
E s p i n o z a 
a l s o 
t o l d 
t h e 
o f f i c e r 
t h a t R u d o l p h 
and 
H o o p e r 
were 
"drama 
q u e e n s , " 
and 
he 
a s k e d 
t o 
have 
them 
a r r e s t e d . 
The 
o f f i c e r d i d n o t 
a r r e s t them. 
7 
1080999 
On J u n e 24, 2008, c o u n s e l f o r 
R u d o l p h s e n t a l e t t e r t o 
J a b e z , 
a g a i n 
s t a t i n g 
t h a t t h e p r o p e r t y h a d b e e n 
r e d e e m e d , 
r e q u e s t i n g t h e 
names o f t h e o c c u p a n t s , a n d d e m a n d i n g t h a t t h e 
p r o p e r t y be v a c a t e d a n d p o s s e s s i o n r e t u r n e d t o R u d o l p h . 
On 
J u n e 
30, 2008, 
J a b e z 
s e n t 
a 
l e t t e r 
t o 
R u d o l p h , 
s t a t i n g : 
"You 
h a v e 
f a l s e l y 
c o m m u n i c a t e d t o my 
t e n a n t s 
t h e y 
h a v e no 
r i g h t 
t o be 
t h e r e . 
You h a v e 
a l s o 
c o n t i n u e d t o h a r a s s me a n d my t e n a n t s . 
I h a v e 
f i l e d 
a 
p o l i c e 
r e p o r t a n d i n f o l l o w up t o my 
p r e v i o u s 
c o r r e s p o n d e n c e , 
t h i s 
l e t t e r 
s e r v e s t o a g a i n 
n o t i f y 
you 
t h a t J a b e z L a n d Co. h a s o w n e r s h i p a n d e q u i t a b l e 
r i g h t s i n [ t h e p r o p e r t y ] . " 
On J u l y 2, 2008, J a b e z 
f i l e d a t h r e e - c o u n t 
c o m p l a i n t i n 
t h e name o f " J a b e z L a n d C o . "
7 a g a i n s t R u d o l p h i n 
t h e J e f f e r s o n 
C i r c u i t C o u r t , B e s s e m e r D i v i s i o n . 
I n t h e f i r s t c o u n t o f 
t h e 
c o m p l a i n t , 
J a b e z s o u g h t a j u d g m e n t d e c l a r i n g v o i d R u d o l p h ' s 
r e d e m p t i o n 
o f t h e p r o p e r t y . 
I n t h e s e c o n d 
c o u n t o f t h e 
c o m p l a i n t , 
J a b e z s o u g h t t o q u i e t 
t i t l e t o t h e r e a l 
p r o p e r t y 
o r , i n t h e a l t e r n a t i v e , a j u d i c i a l 
s a l e o f t h e p r o p e r t y t o 
e n f o r c e t h e l i e n 
f i l e d b y T A G - S o u t h . 
I n t h e t h i r d c o u n t o f 
7 U n t i l O c t o b e r 2 3 , 2008, E s p i n o z a 
p e r s o n a l l y s i g n e d a l l 
p l e a d i n g s a n d f i l i n g s on b e h a l f o f t h e s o l e p l a i n t i f f , 
J a b e z 
L a n d Co. 
E s p i n o z a i s 
n o t a member o f t h e A l a b a m a S t a t e B a r , 
and, 
on 
O c t o b e r 
2 3 , 
2008, 
Andrew 
L a P l a n t e 
e n t e r e d 
an 
a p p e a r a n c e as c o u n s e l f o r 
J a b e z L a n d Co. 
8 
1080999 
t h e c o m p l a i n t , J a b e z s o u g h t a j u d g m e n t 
a w a r d i n g c i v i l damages 
a g a i n s t R u d o l p h f o r a l l e g e d t o r t i o u s i n t e r f e r e n c e 
w i t h J a b e z ' s 
b u s i n e s s 
r e l a t i o n s w i t h t h e t e n a n t s . 
On 
J u l y 7, 2008, R u d o l p h 
f i l e d an a n s w e r . 
P a r a g r a p h 16 
o f 
R u d o l p h ' s 
a n s w e r 
was 
n o t 
s e p a r a t e l y 
d e s i g n a t e d 
as 
a 
c o u n t e r c l a i m , b u t s t a t e d : 
" [ J a b e z ] 
i s i n d e b t e d t o [ R u d o l p h ] i n t h e amount o f 
F i v e T h o u s a n d 
... 
D o l l a r s 
... f o r u s e and 
o c c u p a n c y 
o f 
[ R u d o l p h ' s ] p r o p e r t y . " 
When she 
f i l e d 
h e r a n s w e r , 
R u d o l p h 
d i d n o t s u b m i t 
t h e 
f i l i n g f e e r e q u i r e d f o r f i l i n g a c o u n t e r c l a i m . 
See § 
12-19-
7 1 ( a ) ( 8 ) , A l a . Code 
1975. 
On 
J u l y 7, 2008, R u d o l p h 
a l s o 
f i l e d 
a m o t i o n t o 
s t r i k e 
J a b e z ' s c o m p l a i n t on g r o u n d s t h a t " J a b e z L a n d Co.," t h e named 
p l a i n t i f f , 
i s n o t 
a 
l e g a l 
e n t i t y 
and 
i s n o t 
l i c e n s e d 
o r 
q u a l i f i e d 
t o 
do 
b u s i n e s s 
i n 
t h e 
S t a t e 
o f 
A l a b a m a . 
I n 
a d d i t i o n , 
a l s o on 
J u l y 
7, 
2008, 
R u d o l p h 
f i l e d 
a 
s e p a r a t e 
" e m e r g e n c y 
m o t i o n " 
s e e k i n g 
i m m e d i a t e 
p o s s e s s i o n 
o f 
t h e 
p r o p e r t y and an o r d e r d i r e c t i n g J a b e z t o p r o v i d e h e r w i t h t h e 
names o f t h e t e n a n t s 
r e s i d i n g on t h e p r o p e r t y . 
On J u l y 22, 2008, J a b e z 
f i l e d a v e r i f i e d document 
s t y l e d 
" F i r s t Amended C o m p l a i n t and A n s w e r t o C o u n t e r c l a i m . " 
I n 
i t , 
9 
1080999 
J a b e z r e a s s e r t e d t h e c l a i m s i n i t s o r i g i n a l c o m p l a i n t 
s e e k i n g 
a d e c l a r a t o r y j u d g m e n t , 
a l l e g i n g 
t o r t i o u s 
i n t e r f e r e n c e w i t h 
b u s i n e s s 
r e l a t i o n s , 
and 
s e e k i n g 
t o 
q u i e t 
t i t l e 
o r , 
i n 
t h e 
a l t e r n a t i v e , 
a 
j u d i c i a l 
s a l e . 
F u r t h e r , 
J a b e z a d d e d 
c l a i m s 
a g a i n s t 
R u d o l p h 
a l l e g i n g 
t o r t i o u s 
i n t e r f e r e n c e 
w i t h 
a 
c o n t r a c t u a l 
r e l a t i o n s h i p , 
s l a n d e r , 
d e f a m a t i o n , 
and 
l i b e l . 
These a d d i t i o n a l c l a i m s were b a s e d on a l l e g a t i o n s t h a t R u d o l p h 
had 
c o n t a c t e d 
J a b e z ' s 
t e n a n t s , 
a s s e r t e d 
t h a t 
she 
was 
t h e 
r i g h t f u l owner o f t h e p r o p e r t y , and demanded t h a t t h e 
t e n a n t s 
v a c a t e 
t h e p r o p e r t y . 
I n a d d i t i o n , J a b e z i n c l u d e d an 
"Answer 
t o 
C o u n t e r - C l a i m 
o f 
[ R u d o l p h ] , " 
i n 
w h i c h 
J a b e z 
d e n i e d 
R u d o l p h ' s a l l e g a t i o n t h a t J a b e z was 
i n d e b t e d t o R u d o l p h i n t h e 
amount o f 
$5, 000 
f o r t h e 
use 
o f 
t h e 
p r o p e r t y . 
J a b e z 
a l s o 
a s s e r t e d 
25 
s e p a r a t e l y 
numbered 
a f f i r m a t i v e d e f e n s e s 
t o 
R u d o l p h ' s 
c o u n t e r c l a i m . 
On 
A u g u s t 
14, 
2008, 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
e n t e r e d 
an 
o r d e r 
d e n y i n g 
R u d o l p h ' s 
m o t i o n 
t o 
s t r i k e 
J a b e z ' s 
c o m p l a i n t . 
On 
A u g u s t 
15, 
2008, 
R u d o l p h 
f i l e d 
a 
" M o t i o n 
f o r 
E m e r g e n c y 
H e a r i n g " 
r e g a r d i n g 
h e r 
e a r l i e r 
" e m e r g e n c y 
m o t i o n " 
s e e k i n g 
i m m e d i a t e p o s s e s s i o n 
o f t h e 
p r o p e r t y . 
10 
1080999 
On S e p t e m b e r 2, 2008, R u d o l p h 
f i l e d 
an "Amended A n s w e r " 
a d d i n g 
a d d i t i o n a l 
d e f e n s e s 
and 
e x p r e s s l y 
a s s e r t i n g 
as 
c o u n t e r c l a i m s 
t h e 
f o l l o w i n g c a u s e s 
o f 
a c t i o n : 
e j e c t m e n t , 
t r e s p a s s , 
s t a t u t o r y a c t i o n i n t h e 
n a t u r e 
o f 
e j e c t m e n t , 
and 
s l a n d e r 
o f 
t i t l e . 
F u r t h e r , 
u n d e r 
a 
t h e o r y 
o f 
u n j u s t 
e n r i c h m e n t , 
R u d o l p h s o u g h t t o r e c o v e r m o r t g a g e p a y m e n t s 
she 
had 
b e e n m a k i n g 
on 
t h e 
p r o p e r t y 
w h i l e 
J a b e z ' s 
t e n a n t s 
w e r e 
o c c u p y i n g 
i t . 
R u d o l p h 
s o u g h t 
p u n i t i v e 
damages 
and 
c o m p e n s a t o r y damages i n c o n j u n c t i o n w i t h h e r 
c o u n t e r c l a i m s . 
When she 
f i l e d 
h e r "Amended C o m p l a i n t , " 
R u d o l p h d i d n o t 
p a y 
t h e 
f i l i n g f e e r e q u i r e d f o r f i l i n g a c o u n t e r c l a i m . 
See 
§ 
12-
1 9 - 7 1 ( a ) ( 8 ) , 
A l a . Code 
1975. 
On S e p t e m b e r 12, 2008, t h e 
t r i a l c o u r t e n t e r e d 
an 
o r d e r 
g r a n t i n g 
R u d o l p h ' s 
m o t i o n 
f o r i m m e d i a t e 
p o s s e s s i o n 
o f 
t h e 
p r o p e r t y and 
d i r e c t i n g J a b e z and 
t h e o c c u p a n t s t o v a c a t e 
t h e 
p r o p e r t y . 
On 
S e p t e m b e r 
23, 
2008, 
J a b e z 
f i l e d 
a document 
s t y l e d 
" N o t i c e 
o f 
D i s m i s s a l W i t h o u t 
P r e j u d i c e 
and 
R e l e a s e 
o f A l l 
C l a i m s , " 
w h i c h 
s t a t e d : 
" P l a i n t i f f 
J a b e z 
L a n d 
Co. 
h e r e b y 
d i s m i s s e s 
w i t h o u t 
p r e j u d i c e 
and 
r e l e a s e s 
a l l c l a i m s 
i n 
t h e 
above a c t i o n . " 
11 
1080999 
On S e p t e m b e r 25, 2 0 0 8 , t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t e n t e r e d an 
o r d e r 
s t a t i n g t h a t J a b e z ' s n o t i c e o f d i s m i s s a l " s h a l l be t r e a t e d as 
a m o t i o n t o d i s m i s s . " 
F u r t h e r , t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t g r a n t e d t h e 
m o t i o n b u t d i s m i s s e d t h e a c t i o n " w i t h p r e j u d i c e . " 
On S e p t e m b e r 26, 2008, R u d o l p h 
f i l e d a m o t i o n 
r e q u e s t i n g 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t t o amend o r t o s e t a s i d e i t s o r d e r d i s m i s s i n g 
t h e 
a c t i o n . 
R u d o l p h a r g u e d t h a t " t h e c a s e i s n o t due t o be 
d i s m i s s e d u n t i l s u c h t i m e as t h e r e h a s b e e n an a d j u d i c a t i o n o f 
t h e i s s u e s p r e s e n t e d by [ R u d o l p h ] i n h e r c o u n t e r c l a i m . " 
On O c t o b e r 3, 2008, J o s e a 
G o n z a l e s was m u r d e r e d i n t h e 
r e s i d e n c e on t h e p r o p e r t y . 
T h a t same d a y , Mark Gomez, h i s 
f a m i l y , and G o n z a l e s ' s 
f a m i l y v a c a t e d t h e p r o p e r t y . 
A c c o r d i n g 
t o 
E s p i n o z a , as he was d r i v i n g p a s t t h e p r o p e r t y on t h e d a y o f 
t h e m u r d e r , he saw t h a t p o l i c e were a t t h e p r o p e r t y and went 
i n s i d e t o i n t e r p r e t f o r 
them. 
A c c o r d i n g t o E s p i n o z a , when he 
went i n t o t h e h o u s e on t h e d a y o f t h e m u r d e r , " b l o o d was a l l 
o v e r t h e c a r p e t , " 
" i t 
was p r e t t y b a d , " and " t h e h o u s e was i n 
h o r r i b l e 
c o n d i t i o n . " 
As p a r t o f t h e i n v e s t i g a t i o n 
i n t o t h e 
m u r d e r , t h e p o l i c e c u t o u t and r e m o v e d p o r t i o n s o f c a r p e t i n g 
f r o m t h e h o u s e . 
12 
1080999 
On t h e n i g h t o f O c t o b e r 3, 2008, 
a f t e r t h e p o l i c e h a d 
f i n i s h e d g a t h e r i n g e v i d e n c e , 
R u d o l p h e n t e r e d t h e h o u s e , where 
she saw t h a t h o l e s h a d b e e n c u t i n t h e c a r p e t . 
A c c o r d i n g t o 
R u d o l p h , t h e i n s i d e o f t h e h o u s e was 
" f i l t h y . " 
The b a c k d o o r 
was open, t h e k i t c h e n s i n k and t h e p i p e s b e n e a t h i t 
were " t o r n 
up," t h e d o o r s h a d b e e n r e m o v e d f r o m t h e k i t c h e n c a b i n e t s , t h e 
r e f r i g e r a t o r was "messed up," t h e e y e s on t h e s t o v e h a d b e e n 
b u r n e d , t h e i n t e r i o r w a l l s r e q u i r e d p a i n t i n g , and " t h e r e were 
r o a c h e s e v e r y w h e r e . " 
Two o f t h e f o u r s i d e s o f t h e o u t s i d e o f 
t h e 
h o u s e , 
w h i c h h a d b e e n 
b l u e , 
h a d b e e n 
a l m o s t 
e n t i r e l y 
p a i n t e d y e l l o w . 
One c o r n e r o f one o f t h e s e two w a l l s was o n l y 
p a r t i a l l y p a i n t e d y e l l o w , w i t h y e l l o w s t r e a k s 
l e f t b y a p a i n t 
r o l l e r 
t h a t h a d b e e n drawn 
a c r o s s 
t h e o r i g i n a l 
b l u e 
p a i n t . 
Two s i d e s o f t h e h o u s e were 
s t i l l t h e o r i g i n a l b l u e 
c o l o r . 
On 
O c t o b e r 23, 2008, 
J a b e z 
f i l e d 
a r e s p o n s e 
o p p o s i n g 
R u d o l p h ' s m o t i o n t o amend o r s e t a s i d e t h e o r d e r 
d i s m i s s i n g 
t h e a c t i o n . 
The b a s i s o f J a b e z ' s o p p o s i t i o n was t h a t 
R u d o l p h 
h a d 
n o t 
p a i d 
t h e 
f i l i n g 
f e e 
r e q u i r e d 
f o r 
f i l i n g 
a 
c o u n t e r c l a i m . 
On O c t o b e r 3 1 , 2008, t h e t r i a l c o u r t 
h e l d a h e a r i n g on 
R u d o l p h ' s m o t i o n t o amend o r s e t a s i d e t h e o r d e r 
d i s m i s s i n g 
13 
1080999 
t h e 
a c t i o n . 
F o l l o w i n g t h e h e a r i n g , 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
e n t e r e d 
t h e f o l l o w i n g o r d e r : 
" 1 . 
The 
O r d e r 
o f 
D i s m i s s a l 
... 
i s 
c o r r e c t e d 
t o 
r e f l e c t 
t h a t 
[ J a b e z ' s ] 
c l a i m s a r e d i s m i s s e d 
w i t h o u t 
 
p r e j u d i c e . 
"2. 
[ R u d o l p h ] 
s h a l l h a v e f o u r t e e n 
(14) 
d a y s t o 
p a y 
t h e 
r e q u i s i t e 
f e e f o r h e r 
c o u n t e r c l a i m . 
"3. 
Upon 
t h e 
[payment] 
o f 
t h e 
f i l i n g 
f e e 
by 
[ R u d o l p h ] w i t h i n s a i d 
14 d a y s t h e 
C i r c u i t 
C l e r k i s 
d i r e c t e d 
t o c h a n g e t h e 
s t a t u s o f 
t h i s 
c a s e 
on 
t h e 
A l a c o u r t s y s t e m f r o m 
' d i s p o s e d ' 
t o 
' a c t i v e . ' " 
R u d o l p h p a i d t h e 
f i l i n g 
f e e , 
and, 
on 
F e b r u a r y 
5, 2008 
, 
t h e 
c a s e 
was 
t r i e d 
w i t h o u t 
a 
j u r y . 
A t 
t r i a l , 
R u d o l p h 
t e s t i f i e d 
t h a t t h e 
f a i r m a r k e t v a l u e 
o f t h e p r o p e r t y 
a t 
t h e 
t i m e she 
l i s t e d i t w i t h t h e r e a l - e s t a t e a g e n t was 
$59,000 
and 
t h a t t h e 
f a i r r e n t a l v a l u e o f t h e p r o p e r t y was $600 p e r month. 
R u d o l p h f u r t h e r e s t i m a t e d t h a t t h e p r o p e r t y was w o r t h "maybe" 
$25,000 a f t e r t h e t e n a n t s v a c a t e d 
i t . 
She 
e s t i m a t e d t h a t 
t h e 
c o s t o f r e p a i r i n g t h e damage t o t h e h o u s e , i n c l u d i n g r e p l a c i n g 
t h e 
c a r p e t , 
r e p a i r i n g 
t h e 
k i t c h e n 
c a b i n e t s , 
r e p a i r i n g 
t h e 
p l u m b i n g , and 
r e p a i n t i n g t h e 
i n t e r i o r 
and 
e x t e r i o r , w o u l d 
be 
a p p r o x i m a t e l y 
$ 7 5 , 0 0 0 . 
P r o v i d e n c e 
H o o p e r 
t e s t i f i e d 
t h a t , when she 
v i s i t e d 
t h e 
p r o p e r t y 
w i t h R u d o l p h 
i n May 
2008, 
she 
n o t i c e d 
no 
o b v i o u s 
14 
1080999 
p r o b l e m s w i t h t h e p l u m b i n g , t h e a p p l i a n c e s were 
a p p r o x i m a t e l y 
t h r e e 
y e a r s 
o l d and 
" c l e a n , " and 
t h e 
e x t e r i o r 
o f 
t h e 
h o u s e 
l o o k e d 
l i k e 
i t had 
b e e n 
p a i n t e d 
" f a i r l y 
r e c e n t l y , maybe 
[ w i t h i n ] a y e a r o r two." 
T h e r e were no o b v i o u s p r o b l e m s w i t h 
w a t e r damage o r 
l e a k a g e 
f r o m t h e 
r o o f , 
t h e 
g u t t e r s were 
i n 
g o o d 
s h a p e , 
and 
t h e 
k i t c h e n 
c a b i n e t s 
were 
" n i c e 
w h i t e 
c a b i n e t s . " 
However, H o o p e r n o t e d t h a t , a l t h o u g h t h e 
i n t e r i o r 
w a l l s were " i n g o o d s h a p e , " t h e y "maybe n e e d e d a 
l i t t l e 
p a i n t 
on them." 
She 
s t a t e d t h a t , i f she were t o g e t t h e h o u s e r e a d y 
t o move i n t o f o r h e r s e l f , she w o u l d remove a w a l l t o "open 
up 
t h e k i t c h e n , " p a i n t t h e w a l l s , and wax 
t h e wood 
f l o o r s . 
E s p i n o z a , 
h o w e v e r , 
t e s t i f i e d 
t h a t , 
s h o r t l y 
b e f o r e 
p u r c h a s i n g 
t h e 
p r o p e r t y 
on 
May 
20, 
2008, 
he 
v i e w e d 
t h e 
p r o p e r t y and f o u n d t h a t t h e h o u s e was 
n o t s u i t a b l e t o l i v e i n . 
A c c o r d i n g 
t o 
E s p i n o z a , 
a t 
t h a t 
t i m e , 
t h e 
p r o p e r t y 
a p p e a r e d 
a b a n d o n e d , d r u g p a r a p h e r n a l i a was 
s t r e w n a b o u t t h e h o u s e , 
t h e 
e x t e r i o r d o o r s were s t a n d i n g o p e n , sewage had b a c k e d up 
i n t o 
t h e h o u s e , t h e r o o f was damaged, t h e 
i n t e r i o r w a l l s and 
f l o o r 
had b e e n damaged by w a t e r f r o m a r o o f l e a k , p a r t o f a f e n c e i n 
t h e y a r d had b e e n damaged, t h e g u t t e r s n e e d e d r e p l a c i n g , some 
o f 
t h e windows were b r o k e n , 
and 
t h e 
s t o v e 
and 
r e f r i g e r a t o r 
15 
1080999 
were b r o k e n . 
E s p i n o z a a l s o 
t e s t i f i e d 
t h a t t h e w i r i n g i n 
t h e 
h o u s e was so f a u l t y t h a t 
" e v e r y 
t i m e you went t o p l u g i n 
s o m e t h i n g , 
a s p a r k 
s h o t o u t . " 
I n a d d i t i o n , 
a c c o r d i n g 
t o 
E s p i n o z a , 
b o a r d s and b r i c k s on t h e e x t e r i o r o f t h e h o u s e were 
d e t e r i o r a t i n g and n e e d e d r e p l a c i n g . 
E s p i n o z a 
t e s t i f i e d 
t h a t 
he 
" p a i d a g u y " t o make r e p a i r s . 
However, t h e m a j o r i t y o f 
h i s 
t e s t i m o n y was e i t h e r v a g u e o r c o n t r a d i c t o r y w i t h r e g a r d t o 
t h e 
e x t e n t o f t h e r e p a i r s , whom he h a d h i r e d t o make t h e r e p a i r s , 
how much t h e r e p a i r s c o s t , when he p a i d f o r 
t h e r e p a i r s , and 
w h e t h e r he p a i d f o r 
t h e r e p a i r s w i t h c a s h , c h e c k , o r a c r e d i t 
c a r d . 
E s p i n o z a 
t e s t i f i e d 
t h a t t h e l i e n he 
f i l e d on b e h a l f o f 
T A G - S o u t h on May 30, 2008, f o r "$9,987.95 ... w i t h i n t e r e s t , 
f r o m t h e 22nd d a y o f May 2008," r e p r e s e n t e d 
some o f t h e c o s t 
o f 
r e p a i r s and i m p r o v e m e n t s t o t h e p r o p e r t y . 
He p r o d u c e d a 
number 
o f 
r e c e i p t s 
f r o m 
v a r i o u s 
h a r d w a r e 
s t o r e s 
t o 
s u b s t a n t i a t e 
t h i s 
a l l e g a t i o n , some o f w h i c h were m a r k e d 
w i t h 
d a t e s 
b e f o r e 
May 20, 2008 
(some 
f r o m 2007 and 2 0 0 6 ) , and 
o t h e r s 
b o r e d a t e s s u b s e q u e n t t o O c t o b e r 3, 2008, t h e d a t e he 
r e l i n q u i s h e d 
p o s s e s s i o n 
o f t h e p r o p e r t y .
8 
When a s k e d 
a b o u t 
8 E s p i n o z a 
p r o d u c e d 
i n c o u r t , 
and 
t e s t i f i e d 
a t 
l e n g t h 
a b o u t , a number o f r e c e i p t s m a r k e d w i t h 
d a t e s 
t h a t d i d 
n o t 
16 
1080999 
t h e 
d i s c r e p a n c y 
i n t h e d a t e s 
on t h e r e c e i p t s , 
E s p i n o z a 
e x p l a i n e d 
t h a t h i s " b o o k k e e p i n g 
[was] s l o p p y " a n d 
a d m i t t e d 
t h a t 
he 
c o u l d n o t 
t e l l 
w h e t h e r 
t h e r e c e i p t s he 
p r o d u c e d 
r e p r e s e n t e d 
e x p e n s e s 
r e l a t e d t o R u d o l p h ' s p r o p e r t y , h i s own 
p e r s o n a l 
o r 
b u s i n e s s 
p r o p e r t y , 
o r 
o t h e r 
h o u s e s 
he h a d 
p u r c h a s e d a t t a x s a l e s . 
B e f o r e 
E s p i n o z a 
l e f t 
t h e 
s t a n d , 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
q u e s t i o n e d 
E s p i n o z a , 
r e s u l t i n g i n t h e f o l l o w i n g e x c h a n g e : 
"The 
C o u r t : I h a v e a q u e s t i o n I'm g o i n g t o a s k 
y o u , 
s i r , 
t h e same 
q u e s t i o n 
I 
a s k e d 
you 
b a c k 
i n 
S e p t e m b e r , b a c k i n 
my o f f i c e , a n d you d i d n ' t a n s w e r 
i t . 
... 
What made you t h i n k you h a d a n y c l a i m t o 
t h i s 
p r o p e r t y 
once y o u were 
n o t i f i e d 
t h a t i t 
h a d 
b e e n redeemed? 
" [ E s p i n o z a ] : 
Okay. 
I f I c a n c o r r e c t t h e m i s t a k e I 
made 
t h e n , my 
o n l y 
c l a i m t o t h e p r o p e r t y i s t h a t 
t h e y h a d owed me f o r 
t h e work t h a t I h a d p u t i n 
t o 
t h e p r o p e r t y . 
I d i d n ' t have a p r o b l e m w i t h 
s a y i n g , 
o k a y , 
t h i s i s y o u r p r o p e r t y , i f 
you d o n ' t want t o 
s e l l 
i t , i f 
you want t o keep i t , i t ' s y o u r p r o p e r t y , 
you c a n t a k e i t 
b a c k . 
However, I h a v e made 
y o u r 
p r o p e r t y b e t t e r t h a n 
i t was b e f o r e I t o o k 
o v e r . 
So 
i t ' s 
o n l y 
f a i r 
t h a t you g u y s p a y me f o r 
t h e work I 
h a v e done. 
I d o n ' t work f o r 
f r e e . 
And I a p o l o g i z e 
t h a t I d i d n o t c o r r e c t t h a t . ... A t t h a t 
t i m e , I 
t h i n k 
I p r o b a b l y 
s h o u l d 
n o t have 
assumed 
t h a t I 
c o r r e s p o n d 
w i t h t h e p e r i o d d u r i n g w h i c h he a n d h i s t e n a n t s 
p o s s e s s e d 
t h e p r o p e r t y . 
However, w i t h one e x c e p t i o n , 
o n l y 
r e c e i p t s f r o m t h e p e r i o d o f J a b e z ' s p o s s e s s i o n o f t h e p r o p e r t y 
were e n t e r e d 
i n t o e v i d e n c e . 
The t o t a l v a l u e o f t h e r e c e i p t s 
e n t e r e d 
i n t o 
e v i d e n c e 
f o r t h a t 
p e r i o d 
f a l l s 
f a r s h o r t o f 
$ 9 , 9 8 7 . 9 5 . 
17 
1080999 
w o u l d 
a u t o m a t i c a l l y 
be 
u n d e r s t o o d . 
... 
A t 
t h a t 
t i m e , 
I was 
e x p e c t i n g Ms. 
R u d o l p h t o s a y , p u t me 
i n 
c o n t a c t w i t h t h e p e r s o n who 
d i d i t , and 
I was 
j u s t 
g o i n g 
t o e x p l a i n a l l t h e p r o b l e m s , o r s a y 
j u s t 
p a y 
h e r , 
and 
I was 
e x p e c t i n g 
h e r 
and 
I t o come t o 
an 
a g r e e m e n t 
f o r r e i m b u r s e m e n t 
f o r 
my 
e x p e n s e s , 
and 
t h e n 
I w o u l d have 
s a i d 
t a k e 
y o u r p r o p e r t y b a c k i f 
you d o n ' t want t o 
s e l l 
i t . . . . 
"The 
C o u r t : 
... 
You 
know, 
I w a s n ' t 
a s k i n g 
t h a t 
q u e s t i o n b a c k i n my 
o f f i c e t o be f u n n y b e c a u s e 
t h i s 
i s 
a l a w s u i t . 
I t ' s s e r i o u s . 
And 
I a s k e d you 
what 
makes you 
t h i n k t h a t 
t h i s 
l a d y was 
n o t 
e n t i t l e d 
t o 
p o s s e s s i o n 
o f 
h e r 
p r o p e r t y . 
T h i s 
was 
b a c k 
i n 
S e p t e m b e r . 
... 
T h i s a l l h a p p e n e d -- 
she r e d e e m e d i t 
J u n e 18. 
... 
And 
a l l t h a t t i m e 
you 
s t i l l have 
f o l k s 
i n 
t h e r e . 
You 
c l a i m a 
l i e n 
and 
c a u s e t o be 
p r o v e n 
a t 
t r i a l . 
Okay. 
B u t 
you make a l o t o f a l l e g a t i o n s 
i n 
t h i s 
l a w s u i t . 
... 
" [ E s p i n o z a ] : 
Y e s , 
s i r . 
What 
I 
s h o u l d 
h a v e 
e x p l a i n e d , and 
I a p o l o g i z e f o r j u s t a s s u m i n g t h a t I 
w o u l d 
be 
u n d e r s t o o d 
o r 
a s s u m i n g 
t h a t 
t h e 
p r o c e s s 
w o u l d be 
u n d e r s t o o d , 
I s h o u l d have e x p l a i n e d 
t h a t 
I'm 
i n 
c o m p l e t e 
a g r e e m e n t 
t h a t 
Ms. 
R u d o l p h 
i s 
e n t i t l e d 
t o p o s s e s s i o n 
o f t h e h o u s e , b u t 
n o t 
u n t i l 
I'm 
p a i d what i s owed t o me, 
and 
I a p o l o g i z e 
I d i d 
n o t make t h a t more c l e a r e r 
[ s i c ] . " 
On 
F e b r u a r y 
16, 
2 0 0 9 , 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
e n t e r e d 
t h e 
f o l l o w i n g 
o r d e r : 
" T h i s 
m a t t e r 
came 
b e f o r e 
t h e 
C o u r t 
f o r 
t r i a l 
F e b r u a r y 
5, 
2009. 
... 
Sworn 
t e s t i m o n y 
and 
o t h e r 
e v i d e n c e 
was 
p r e s e n t e d 
and 
t h e 
c o u r t 
f i n d s 
and 
o r d e r s 
as f o l l o w s : 
" 1 . 
[ E s p i n o z a ] 
o b t a i n e d 
a 
p o s s e s s o r y 
i n t e r e s t 
i n 
l a n d v i a a t a x s a l e , he b e i n g t h e h i g h e s t b i d d e r f o r 
t h e 
[ p r o p e r t y ] on May 
20, 2008 
18 
1080999 
"2. 
[ R u d o l p h ] 
s o o n 
t h e r e a f t e r 
d i s c o v e r e d t h a t h e r 
m o r t g a g e company h a d n o t p a i d h e r p r o p e r t y t a x e s as 
was 
i t s c u s t o m , a n d r e d e e m e d t h e d w e l l i n g on J u n e 
18, 
2 0 0 [ 8 ] . 
"3. 
[ R u d o l p h ] 
n o t i f i e d 
[ J a b e z ] o f t h e f a c t t h a t she 
had 
r e d e e m e d 
t h e p r o p e r t y 
i m m e d i a t e l y 
a f t e r she 
r e d e e m e d t h e p r o p e r t y . 
"3 
[ s i c ] . 
D e s p i t e 
t h i s 
n o t i f i c a t i o n 
[ J a b e z ] 
c o n t i n u e d t o r e n t 
[ R u d o l p h ' s ] 
d w e l l i n g t o t e n a n t s 
w i t h o u t 
s u b m i t t i n g any m o n i e s t o [ R u d o l p h ] 
a n d 
f o r 
some 
r e a s o n 
s t i l l 
u n b e k n o w n s t t o t h e c o u r t 
f i l e d 
t h i s 
f r i v o l o u s l a w s u i t on [ J u l y 2, 2 0 0 8 ] . 
"4. 
[ E s p i n o z a ] 
t e s t i f i e d 
d u r i n g t h e t r i a l b u t 
t h e 
[ C ] o u r t c a n n o t 
s e r i o u s l y a c c e p t as t r u e a n y t h i n g he 
t e s t i f i e d t o . The C o u r t 
f i n d s 
t h a t as o f t h e d a t e 
[ R u d o l p h ] 
o b t a i n e d t h e C e r t i f i c a t e o f Tax S a l e t h e 
d w e l l i n g i n q u e s t i o n was i n g o o d , l i v a b l e c o n d i t i o n 
and t h a t by t h e t i m e 
[ J a b e z ] r e l i n q u i s h e d p o s s e s s i o n 
o f t h e d w e l l i n g on O c t o b e r 3, 2008 
( i . e . , t h e n i g h t 
one 
o f 
[ J a b e z ' s ] 
t e n a n t s 
was 
m u r d e r e d 
i n t h e 
d w e l l i n g 
a n d 
t h e 
p o l i c e 
c o n c l u d e d 
t h e i r 
i n v e s t i g a t i o n ) 
t h e d w e l l i n g was i n e s s e n t i a l l y a 
t r a s h e d 
c o n d i t i o n . 
"WHEREFORE, t h e C o u r t o r d e r s as f o l l o w s : 
" 1 . 
Judgment i s r e n d e r e d i n f a v o r o f M a x i n e R u d o l p h 
and she i s a w a r d e d $50,000.00 c o m p e n s a t o r y damages 
and 
$25,000.00 
p u n i t i v e 
damages 
a g a i n s t 
d e f e n d a n t 
A n t o n i o 
B. 
E s p i n o z a 
i n d i v i d u a l l y 
a n d A n t o n i o 
B. 
E s p i n o z a d o i n g b u s i n e s s as J a b e z L a n d Company. 
"2. C o s t s o f t h i s 
a c t i o n a r e t a x e d a g a i n s t 
A n t o n i o 
B. 
E s p i n o z a 
i n d i v i d u a l l y 
a n d A n t o n i o 
B. 
E s p i n o z a 
d o i n g b u s i n e s s as J a b e z L a n d Company. 
"3. Any r e q u e s t e d 
r e l i e f n o t g r a n t e d h e r e i n s h a l l be 
deemed 
d e n i e d . " 
19 
1080999 
On M a r c h 17, 2009, J a b e z 
f i l e d a m o t i o n f o r 
a new 
t r i a l 
and a m o t i o n t o a l t e r , amend, o r v a c a t e t h e j u d g m e n t . 
On t h e 
same d a y , t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
e n t e r e d 
an 
o r d e r 
d e n y i n g t h e 
m o t i o n s . 
On A p r i l 28, 2009, J a b e z 
f i l e d a n o t i c e o f a p p e a l t o t h i s 
C o u r t f r o m t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s F e b r u a r y 16, 2009, j u d g m e n t . 
S t a n d a r d o f R e v i e w 
When e v i d e n c e i s 
p r e s e n t e d o r e t e n u s , t h e t r i a l c o u r t 
i s 
" ' u n i q u e [ l y ] 
p o s i t i o n [ e d ] t o d i r e c t l y 
o b s e r v e t h e w i t n e s s e s 
and t o a s s e s s 
t h e i r 
demeanor a n d c r e d i b i l i t y . ' " 
Ex p a r t e  
T.V., 971 So. 2d 1, 4 ( A l a . 2007) ( q u o t i n g Ex p a r t e F a n n , 810 
So. 2d 631, 633 ( A l a . 2 0 0 1 ) ) . 
T h e r e f o r e , a p r e s u m p t i o n o f 
c o r r e c t n e s s 
a t t a c h e s t o a 
t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s 
f a c t u a l 
f i n d i n g s 
p r e m i s e d on o r e t e n u s e v i d e n c e . 
Ex p a r t e J . E . , 1 So. 3d 
1002, 
1008 
( A l a . 2 0 0 8 ) . 
When e v i d e n c e i s t a k e n o r e t e n u s a n d 
t h e 
t r i a l j u d g e makes no e x p r e s s f i n d i n g s o f f a c t , 
t h i s C o u r t 
w i l l 
assume t h a t t h e t r i a l 
j u d g e made t h o s e f i n d i n g s n e c e s s a r y t o 
s u p p o r t t h e j u d g m e n t . 
T r a n s a m e r i c a C o m m e r c i a l F i n . C o r p . v .  
AmSouth Bank, N.A., 608 So. 2d 3 7 5 , 378 ( A l a . 1992) 
( c i t i n g 
F i t z n e r 
P o n t i a c - B u i c k - C a d i l l a c , I n c . 
v . P e r k i n s & A s s o c s . ,  
I n c . , 
578 So. 2d 1061 ( A l a . 1 9 9 1 ) ) . 
We w i l l n o t d i s t u r b t h e 
20 
1080999 
f i n d i n g s o f t h e t r i a l c o u r t u n l e s s t h o s e f i n d i n g s a r e " c l e a r l y 
e r r o n e o u s , 
w i t h o u t s u p p o r t i n g e v i d e n c e , m a n i f e s t l y u n j u s t , o r 
a g a i n s t t h e g r e a t 
w e i g h t 
o f t h e e v i d e n c e . " 
G a s t o n v . Ames 
514 So. 2d 877, 878 ( A l a . 1987) ( c i t i n g C o u g a r M i n i n g Co. v .  
M i n e r a l L a n d & M i n i n g C o n s u l t a n t s , I n c . , 392 So. 2d 1177 ( A l a . 
1 9 8 1 ) ) . 
"'The t r i a l c o u r t ' s j u d g m e n t [ i n c a s e s where 
e v i d e n c e 
i s 
p r e s e n t e d 
o r e t e n u s ] 
w i l l 
be 
a f f i r m e d , 
i f , u n d e r any 
r e a s o n a b l e a s p e c t o f t h e t e s t i m o n y , t h e r e i s 
c r e d i b l e 
e v i d e n c e 
t o 
s u p p o r t t h e j u d g m e n t . ' " 
T r a n s a m e r i c a , 
608 So. 2d a t 378 
( q u o t i n g C l a r k v. A l b e r t v i l l e 
N u r s i n g Home, I n c . , 545 So. 2d 
9, 13 ( A l a . 1 9 8 9 ) , a n d c i t i n g Norman v. S c h w a r t z , 
594 So. 2d 
45 
( A l a . 1 9 9 1 ) ) ; 
s e e a l s o Ex p a r t e 
P e r k i n s , 646 So. 2d 47 
( A l a . 
1 9 9 4 ) . 
"However, 
t h e o r e t e n u s 
s t a n d a r d 
o f 
r e v i e w 
h a s no 
a p p l i c a t i o n 
t o a 
t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s 
c o n c l u s i o n s o f l a w o r i t s 
a p p l i c a t i o n o f l a w t o t h e f a c t s ; a t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s r u l i n g on a 
q u e s t i o n 
o f l a w c a r r i e s 
no p r e s u m p t i o n 
o f c o r r e c t n e s s on 
a p p e a l . " 
Ex p a r t e J . E . , 1 So. 3d a t 1008 ( c i t i n g P e r k i n s , 646 
So. 2d a t 47, a n d E u b a n k s v. H a l e , 752 So. 2d 1 1 1 3 , 1144-45 
( A l a . 
1 9 9 9 ) ) . 
T h i s 
C o u r t 
" ' r e v i e w [ s ] 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s 
c o n c l u s i o n s o f l a w a n d i t s a p p l i c a t i o n o f l a w t o t h e f a c t s 
21 
1080999 
u n d e r 
t h e 
de 
novo 
s t a n d a r d 
o f 
r e v i e w . ' " 
I d . 
( q u o t i n g 
W a s h i n g t o n 
v. 
S t a t e , 
922 
So. 
2d 
145, 
158 
( A l a . C r i m . 
App. 
2 0 0 5 ) ) . 
A n a l y s i s 
I . 
R u d o l p h ' s 
A l l e g e d 
F a i l u r e 
t o Move 
f o r L e a v e 
t o 
A s s e r t 
 
C o u n t e r c l a i m s 
J a b e z c o n t e n d s t h a t R u d o l p h d i d n o t a s s e r t 
c o u n t e r c l a i m s 
i n 
h e r 
o r i g i n a l 
a n s w e r .
9 
J a b e z 
f u r t h e r c o n t e n d s 
t h a t , 
on 
S e p t e m b e r 
2, 
2008, 
when 
R u d o l p h 
f i l e d 
an 
amended 
a n s w e r 
c o n t a i n i n g 
new 
c o u n t e r c l a i m s , 
she 
d i d 
n o t 
o b t a i n 
l e a v e 
o f 
c o u r t 
t o 
do 
s o . 
J a b e z 
a r g u e s 
t h a t 
t h o s e 
a d d i t i o n a l 
c o u n t e r c l a i m s were c o m p u l s o r y and t h a t R u d o l p h w a i v e d them by 
n o t 
a s s e r t i n g them i n h e r 
o r i g i n a l a n s w e r o r o b t a i n i n g 
l e a v e 
o f c o u r t t o a s s e r t them i n a s u b s e q u e n t p l e a d i n g . 
See 
R u l e 
9 T h e r e c o r d , h o w e v e r , s p e a k s f o r i t s e l f . 
R u d o l p h d i d n o t 
d e s i g n a t e 
as 
a 
c o u n t e r c l a i m 
t h a t 
p o r t i o n 
o f 
h e r 
a n s w e r 
a s s e r t i n g 
t h a t J a b e z was 
i n d e b t e d 
t o h e r 
" i n t h e amount 
o f 
F i v e T h o u s a n d 
... 
D o l l a r s ... 
f o r use 
and o c c u p a n c y o f 
[ t h e ] 
p r o p e r t y . " 
However, J a b e z c l e a r l y u n d e r s t o o d 
t h a t 
a l l e g a t i o n 
t o be, and t r e a t e d i t a s , a c o u n t e r c l a i m -- as i s e v i d e n t f r o m 
J a b e z ' s e x t e n s i v e r e s p o n s i v e p l e a d i n g d e s i g n a t e d as an "Answer 
t o 
[ R u d o l p h ' s ] C o u n t e r c l a i m . " 
See R u l e 
8 ( f ) , A l a . R. C i v . 
P. 
( " A l l 
p l e a d i n g s 
s h a l l 
be 
so 
c o n s t r u e d 
as 
t o do s u b s t a n t i a l 
j u s t i c e . " ) ; 
c f . R u l e 
8 ( c ) , A l a . R. C i v . P. ("When a p a r t y 
has 
m i s t a k e n l y 
d e s i g n a t e d 
a 
d e f e n s e 
as 
a 
c o u n t e r c l a i m 
o r 
a 
c o u n t e r c l a i m as a d e f e n s e , 
t h e c o u r t on t e r m s , i f j u s t i c e 
so 
r e q u i r e s , 
s h a l l 
t r e a t 
t h e 
p l e a d i n g 
as 
i f t h e r e 
had 
b e e n 
a 
p r o p e r 
d e s i g n a t i o n . " ) . 
22 
1080999 
13(a) 
a n d 
( f ) , A l a . 
R. C i v . P. 
B a s e d on 
t h e s e 
a l l e g e d 
d e f e c t s , J a b e z c o n t e n d s t h a t R u d o l p h ' s c o u n t e r c l a i m s were n o t 
p r o p e r l y b e f o r e t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t when i t 
d i s m i s s e d t h e a c t i o n . 
A c c o r d i n g 
t o J a b e z , 
t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t 
t h e r e f o r e e x c e e d e d 
i t s 
d i s c r e t i o n 
b y 
r e i n s t a t i n g 
R u d o l p h ' s 
c o u n t e r c l a i m s 
a f t e r 
d i s m i s s i n g t h e a c t i o n . 
The 
r e c o r d 
c o n t a i n s no 
i n d i c a t i o n 
t h a t 
J a b e z 
a s s e r t e d 
t h e s e 
a r g u m e n t s b e f o r e t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t . 
T h e r e f o r e , we 
w i l l 
n o t 
r e v e r s e t h e j u d g m e n t o f t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t on t h e b a s i s o f 
R u l e 
1 3 ( f ) , A l a . R. C i v . 
P. 
W h i t e Sands G r o u p , L.L.C. v . PRS 
I I , L L C , 998 So. 2d 1042, 1057 ( A l a . 2008) ( " I t 
i s w e l l known 
t h a t 'we c a n n o t r e v e r s e t h e j u d g m e n t o f t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t b a s e d 
on an a r g u m e n t n o t made b e l o w a n d u r g e d f o r 
t h e f i r s t t i m e on 
a p p e a l . ' 
S i n g l e t o n v. S t a t e Farm F i r e & C a s . Co., 928 So. 2d 
2 
80, 2 
85 ( A l a . 2 
0 0 5 ) . " ) ; 
P o l y t e c , I n c . 
v. U t a h Foam 
P r o d s . , 
I n c . , 
439 So. 2d 683, 686 ( A l a . 
1 
983) 
( h o l d i n g 
t h a t "any 
o b j e c t i o n 
f o r f a i l u r e 
t o o b t a i n 
l e a v e o f t h e c o u r t [was] 
w a i v e d " b e c a u s e " [ n ] o n e o f t h e c o u n t e r d e f e n d a n t s 
o b j e c t e d t o 
t h e c o u n t e r c l a i m on t h i s g r o u n d " b e f o r e t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t ) . 
I I . 
R u d o l p h ' s 
I n i t i a l F a i l u r e t o T e n d e r t h e 
Fee R e q u i r e d When  
F i l i n g 
C o u n t e r c l a i m 
J a b e z a r g u e s 
t h a t , when t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t 
d i s m i s s e d t h e 
a c t i o n upon J a b e z ' s " N o t i c e o f D i s m i s s a l , " t h e t r i a l c o u r t h a d 
23 
1080999 
n o t 
a c q u i r e d 
j u r i s d i c t i o n 
o v e r 
R u d o l p h ' s 
c o u n t e r c l a i m s 
b e c a u s e , i t a r g u e s , she 
had 
n o t 
p a i d t h e 
f i l i n g 
f e e 
r e q u i r e d 
by § 1 2 - 1 9 - 7 1 ( a ) ( 8 ) , A l a . Code 1975. 
"A c o u r t i s o b l i g a t e d t o 
v i g i l a n t l y p r o t e c t a g a i n s t d e c i d i n g c a s e s o v e r w h i c h i t has 
no 
j u r i s d i c t i o n 
C r u t c h e r 
v. W i l l i a m s , 
12 
So. 
3d 
631, 
635 
( A l a . 2 0 0 8 ) . 
The 
p a r t i e s may 
n o t w a i v 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 , 
and 
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 
c o n f e r r e d 
by c o n s e n t . 
Ex p a r t e A l a b a m a Dep't o f Human 
R e s . , 
999 
So. 
2d 
891, 
894 
( A l a . 2008) 
( c i t i n g Ex 
p a r t e 
D a v i s , 
930 
So. 
2d 
497, 
499-500 
( A l a . 
2 0 0 5 ) ) . 
I n s u p p o r t o f i t s a r g u m e n t t h a t t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
d i d 
n o t 
o b t a i n j u r i s d i c t i o n o v e r R u d o l p h ' s c o u n t e r c l a i m s 
u n t i l R u d o l p h 
p a i d 
t h e 
r e q u i s i t e 
f i l i n g 
f e e , 
J a b e z 
r e l i e s 
on 
c a s e s 
c o n s t r u i n g 
§ 1 2 - 1 9 - 7 0 , A l a . Code 1975. 
S e c t i o n 
1 2 - 1 9 - 7 0 ( a ) 
p r o v i d e s : 
" T h e r e 
s h a l l 
be 
a 
c o n s o l i d a t e d 
c i v i l 
f i l i n g 
f e e , 
known as a d o c k e t f e e , c o l l e c t e d f r o m a p l a i n t i f f a t  
t h e t i m e a c o m p l a i n t 
i s f i l e d i n c i r c u i t c o u r t o r i n 
d i s t r i c t 
c o u r t . " 
( E m p h a s i s added.) 
I n De-Gas, 
I n c . 
v. 
M i d l a n d 
R e s o u r c e s , 
470 
So. 
2d 
1218 
( A l a . 
1 9 8 5 ) , 
t h e 
p l a i n t i f f s 
d i d 
n o t 
pay 
t h e 
d o c k e t 
f e e 
r e q u i r e d by 
§ 1 2 - 1 9 - 7 0 ( a ) u n t i l n e a r l y two months a f t e r 
t h e y 
24 
1080999 
had 
f i l e d 
t h e i r c o m p l a i n t . 
The s t a t u t e o f l i m i t a t i o n s on t h e 
a c t i o n h a d e x p i r e d b e t w e e n t h e t i m e t h e c o m p l a i n t 
was 
f i l e d 
and 
t h e 
t i m e 
t h e 
p l a i n t i f f s 
p a i d 
t h e 
d o c k e t 
f e e . I n 
c o n s i d e r i n g 
w h e t h e r 
t h e 
p l a i n t i f f s ' 
a c t i o n 
commenced 
f o r 
s t a t u t e - o f - l i m i t a t i o n 
p u r p o s e s 
b e f o r e 
t h e payment 
o f t h e 
d o c k e t f e e , t h i s C o u r t o b s e r v e d t h a t "§ 12-19-70 r e q u i r e s t h e 
payment 
o f 
f i l i n g 
f e e s 
... 
a t 
t h e 
t i m e 
o f 
f i l i n g 
t h e 
 
c o m p l a i n t " and t h a t " t h e d e f e n d a n t i n an i n i t i a l a c t i o n c a n n o t 
know o f t h e e x i s t e n c e o f t h e s u i t a g a i n s t h i m " u n t i l t h e f e e s 
a r e 
p a i d 
and 
c e r t a i n 
j u d i c i a l 
a c t i o n 
i s 
t a k e n 
on 
t h e 
c o m p l a i n t . 
A c c o r d i n g l y , 
t h i s C o u r t c o n c l u d e d t h a t t h e payment 
o f 
t h e 
f e e s 
r e q u i r e d 
by 
§ 12-19-70 
" i s a 
j u r i s d i c t i o n a l 
p r e r e q u i s i t e t o t h e commencement o f an a c t i o n f o r s t a t u t e o f 
l i m i t a t i o n s p u r p o s e s . " 
De-Gas, 470 So. 2d a t 1222. 
B u t c f . 
R u l e 3 ( a ) , 
A l a . R. C i v . P. 
("A 
c i v i l 
a c t i o n i s commenced 
b y 
f i l i n g a c o m p l a i n t 
w i t h t h e c o u r t . " ) . 
S e c t i o n 
1 2 - 1 9 - 7 1 ( a ) ( 8 ) , 
A l a . Code 
1975, 
r e q u i r e s 
t h e 
c l e r k t o c o l l e c t a f i l i n g f e e f o r a c o u n t e r c l a i m 
f i l e d i n t h e 
c i r c u i t 
c o u r t .
1
0 
J a b e z 
a r g u e s 
t h a t , 
l i k e 
t h e d o c k e t 
f e e 
1
0 S e c t i o n 1 2 - 1 9 - 7 1 ( a ) ( 8 ) 
p r o v i d e s : 
"The 
f i l i n g 
f e e s w h i c h 
s h a l l be c o l l e c t e d i n 
c i v i l 
c a s e s 
s h a l l b e : 
25 
1080999 
m a n d a t e d by § 1 2 - 1 9 - 7 0 , t h e f i l i n g f e e f o r a c o u n t e r c l a i m i s 
" j u r i s d i c t i o n a l . " 
See De-Gas, 
470 So. 2d a t 1222. 
J a b e z 
s u g g e s t s t h a t a c o u n t e r c l a i m 
i s n o t t r u l y 
" f i l e d , " 
and t h u s 
d o e s n o t become 
p a r t 
o f t h e a c t i o n , 
u n t i l 
t h e 
f i l i n g f e e 
r e q u i r e d by § 12-19-70 i s p a i d .
1
1 
A l t h o u g h § 12-19-70 e x p r e s s l y 
r e q u i r e s 
t h a t t h e d o c k e t  
f e e must be " c o l l e c t e d f r o m [ t h e ] p l a i n t i f f a t t h e t i m e [ t h e ] 
c o m p l a i n t 
i s f i l e d , " § 1 2 - 1 9 - 7 0 ( a ) , A l a . Code 1975 
( e m p h a s i s 
a d d e d ) , 
t h e l e g i s l a t u r e 
has n o t e x p r e s s l y 
p r o v i d e d 
t h a t 
a 
f i l i n g 
f e e must be c o l l e c t e d a t t h e t i m e a c o u n t e r c l a i m i s 
f i l e d . 
C f . De-Gas, 470 So. 2d a t 1220 
("'There s h a l l be a 
c o n s o l i d a t e d 
c i v i l 
f i l i n g f e e ... c o l l e c t e d f r o m a 
p l a i n t i f f 
a t t h e t i m e a c o m p l a i n t 
i s f i l e d 
... I t was t h e o b v i o u s 
i n t e n t o f t h e l e g i s l a t u r e t o r e q u i r e t h a t e i t h e r t h e payment 
o f 
t h i s 
f e e o r 
a 
c o u r t - a p p r o v e d 
v e r i f i e d 
s t a t e m e n t 
o f 
s u b s t a n t i a l 
h a r d s h i p 
accompany t h e c o m p l a i n t 
a t t h e t i m e o f 
f i 
"(8) Two h u n d r e d n i n e t y - s e v e n 
d o l l a r s ($297) f o r 
a c o u n t e r c l a i m , 
c r o s s c l a i m , 
t h i r d p a r t y 
c o m p l a i n t , 
a t h i r d p a r t y m o t i o n , o r an a c t i o n f o r a d e c l a r a t o r y 
j u d g m e n t 
f i l e d 
i n a 
c i v i l 
a c t i o n 
o f t h e 
c i r c u i t 
c o u r t 
o t h e r 
t h a n 
c a s e s 
f i l e d 
on 
t h e 
d o m e s t i c 
r e l a t i o n s d o c k e t o f t h e c i r c u i t 
c o u r t . " 
1 1 J a b e z 
makes 
no 
a l l e g a t i o n 
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 r a n b e f o r e 
R u d o l p h p a i d t h e f i l i n g f e e . 
26 
1080999 
f i l i n g . " 
( q u o t i n g 
§ 1 2 - 1 9 - 7 0 , A l a . Code 1 9 7 5 ) ) . 
T h e r e f o r e , 
when R u d o l p h 
d e l i v e r e d t h e 
c o u n t e r c l a i m 
t o 
t h e 
c l e r k , 
t h e 
c o u n t e r c l a i m was 
" f i l e d " 
and became a p a r t o f t h e a c t i o n o v e r 
w h i c h t h e 
t r i a l c o u r t had 
j u r i s d i c t i o n . 
See R u l e 5 ( e ) , A l a 
R. 
C i v . 
P. 
("The 
f i l i n g 
o f p a p e r s w i t h t h e c o u r t as r e q u i r e d 
by 
t h e s e r u l e s s h a l l be made by 
f i l i n g them w i t h t h e c l e r k o f 
t h e 
c o u r t 
. . . . " ) ; R u b i n v. D e p a r t m e n t o f I n d u s . R e l a t i o n s , 469 
So. 
2d 657 
( A l a . C i v . App. 
1 9 8 5 ) ( " ' [ A ] p l e a d i n g o r o t h e r p a p e r 
may 
be 
s a i d t o have b e e n d u l y 
f i l e d when i t i s d e l i v e r e d t o 
t h e 
p r o p e r f i l i n g 
o f f i c e r . ' " 
( q u o t i n g C o v i n g t o n B r o s . M o t o r Co. 
v. 
 
R o b i n s o n , 239 
A l a . 226, 
194 
So. 
663 
( 1 9 4 0 ) ) ) ; c f . C u n n i n g h a m  
v. 
L a v o i e , 
874 
So. 
2d 
1068, 
1071-72 
( A l a . 
2003) 
( d i s t i n g u i s h i n g 
t h e 
s t a t u t o r y f e e 
f o r 
f i l i n g 
a c l a i m i n 
t h e 
p r o b a t e c o u r t f r o m t h e d o c k e t f e e 
s t a t u t o r i l y 
r e q u i r e d t o 
be 
s u b m i t t e d 
w i t h c o m p l a i n t 
i n a 
c i v i l a c t i o n i n t h e 
c i r c u i t 
o r 
d i s t r i c t 
c o u r t ) ; De-Gas, 470 
So. 
2d 
a t 
1222 
( d i s t i n g u i s h i n g 
t h e d o c k e t f e e s u b m i t t e d 
w i t h a c o m p l a i n t 
f r o m t h e 
f i l i n g 
f e e 
r e q u i r e d i n c o n j u n c t i o n w i t h t h e 
f i l i n g 
o f an 
a p p e a l ) . 
T h e r e f o r e , 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
d i d 
n o t 
e r r by 
r e i n s t a t i n g 
R u d o l p h ' s 
c o u n t e r c l a i m s 
on 
t h e 
c o n d i t i o n 
t h a t 
she 
pay 
t h e 
27 
1080999 
f i l i n g f e e .
1 2 
See R u l e 4 1 ( a ) ( 2 ) , A l a . R. C i v P. 
("[A]n a c t i o n 
s h a l l n o t be d i s m i s s e d a t t h e p l a i n t i f f ' s i n s t a n c e s a v e upon 
o r d e r o f t h e c o u r t and upon s u c h t e r m s and c o n d i t i o n s as t h e 
c o u r t deems p r o p e r . 
I f a c o u n t e r c l a i m has b e e n p l e a d e d by a 
d e f e n d a n t 
p r i o r 
t o 
t h e 
s e r v i c e upon 
t h e 
d e f e n d a n t 
o f 
t h e 
p l a i n t i f f ' s m o t i o n t o d i s m i s s , t h e a c t i o n may be d i s m i s s e d b u t 
t h e c o u n t e r c l a i m 
s h a l l r e m a i n p e n d i n g f o r a d j u d i c a t i o n by t h e 
c o u r t . " ) . 
I I I . 
V a l i d i t y 
o f R e d e m p t i o n o f 
P r o p e r t y 
J a b e z 
a r g u e s 
t h a t t h e r e d e m p t i o n 
o f R u d o l p h ' s 
p r o p e r t y 
was 
i n v a l i d 
b e c a u s e , 
a c c o r d i n g 
t o 
J a b e z , 
R u d o l p h 
d i d 
n o t 
redeem h e r p r o p e r t y 
i n s t r i c t c o n f o r m a n c e 
w i t h § 4 0 - 1 0 - 1 2 2 , 
A l a . 
Code 1975, 
w h i c h g o v e r n s 
t h e manner o f r e d e m p t i o n when 
l a n d i s s o l d a t a t a x s a l e t o a p a r t y o t h e r t h a n t h e 
S t a t e . 
S e c t i o n 
4 0 - 1 0 - 1 2 2 ( a ) 
r e q u i r e s 
t h e r e d e m p t i o n e r 
t o 
" d e p o s i t 
w i t h t h e j u d g e o f p r o b a t e ... t h e amount o f money f o r w h i c h 
t h e l a n d s were s o l d , w i t h 
i n t e r e s t p a y a b l e a t t h e r a t e o f 12 
12We 
n o t e t h a t , when t h e r e q u i r e m e n t s o f § 12-19-71 h a v e 
n o t b e e n 
s a t i s f i e d , 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
may 
s t a y t h e t i m e f o r 
a n s w e r i n g 
t h e 
c o u n t e r c l a i m 
o r 
c o n d u c t i n g 
d i s c o v e r y 
o r 
l i t i g a t i n g t h e c o u n t e r c l a i m u n t i l t h e f e e i s p a i d o r may make 
s u c h o t h e r 
o r d e r s 
as a r e r e a s o n a b l e 
and n e c e s s a r y t o e n s u r e 
p a y m e n t . 
C o n s e q u e n t l y , 
a 
c o u n t e r c l a i m 
d e f e n d a n t 
i s 
n o t 
w i t h o u t 
i n c e n t i v e t o t a k e n o t e o f , and t i m e l y o b j e c t t o , t h e 
nonpayment o f t h e 
f i l i n g f e e . 
28 
1080999 
p e r c e n t p e r annum f r o m d a t e o f s a l e 
" 
I t i s u n d i s p u t e d 
t h a t R u d o l p h s a t i s f i e d t h e r e d e m p t i o n r e q u i r e m e n t s o f § 4 0 - 1 0 -
1 2 2 ( a ) . 
S e c t i o n 
4 0 - 1 0 - 1 2 2 ( c ) 
p r o v i d e s 
t h a t , 
w i t h 
r e s p e c t 
t o 
" p r o p e r t y 
[ t h a t ] c o n t a i n s a r e s i d e n t i a l s t r u c t u r e a t t h e t i m e 
o f t h e [ t a x ] 
s a l e , " t h e r e d e m p t i o n e r must p a y t h e p u r c h a s e r 
t h e amounts o f " [ a ] l l 
i n s u r a n c e p r e m i u m s p a i d o r owed b y t h e 
p u r c h a s e r 
f o r c a s u a l t y 
l o s s 
c o v e r a g e 
on t h e 
r e s i d e n t i a l 
s t r u c t u r e [ , ] 
w i t h 
i n t e r e s t , " 
a n d 
" t h e 
v a l u e 
o f a l l 
p r e s e r v a t i o n i m p r o v e m e n t s made on t h e p r o p e r t y 
d e t e r m i n e d i n 
a c c o r d a n c e w i t h t h i s s e c t i o n w i t h 
i n t e r e s t on t h e v a l u e a t 12 
p e r c e n t p e r annum." 
J a b e z d i d 
n o t p a y i n s u r a n c e premiums on 
t h e 
p r o p e r t y . 
F u r t h e r , 
we 
i n f e r 
t h a t 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
d e t e r m i n e d 
e i t h e r 
t h a t 
J a b e z 
made 
no 
" p r e s e r v a t i o n 
i m p r o v e m e n t s " o r t h a t a n y s u c h 
i m p r o v e m e n t s h a d no 
v a l u e . 
F i t z n e r 
P o n t i a c - B u i c k - C a d i l l a c , I n c . , 578 So. 2d a t 1063 
("Because 
t h i s 
c a s e was 
t r i e d 
o r e t e n u s , 
t h i s 
C o u r t 
w i l l 
assume 
t h a t 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
made t h e f i n d i n g s 
t h a t 
were 
n e c e s s a r y t o s u p p o r t i t s j u d g m e n t 
" ) . Such a f i n d i n g i s 
a m p l y s u p p o r t e d b y t h e r e c o r d . 
C l a r k v . A l b e r t v i l l e 
N u r s i n g 
 
Home, I n c . , 545 So. 2d 9, 13 ( A l a . 1989) ("The t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s 
j u d g m e n t i n [an o r e t e n u s ] c a s e 
w i l l be a f f i r m e d , 
i f , u n d e r 
29 
1080999 
any 
r e a s o n a b l e 
a s p e c t o f t h e t e s t i m o n y , t h e r e i s c r e d i b l e 
e v i d e n c e t o s u p p o r t t h e j u d g m e n t . " ) . 
T h e r e f o r e , R u d o l p h i s 
n o t r e q u i r e d t o 
p a y J a b e z a n y t h i n g t o s a t i s f y t h e r e q u i r e m e n t s 
o f § 4 0 - 1 0 - 1 2 2 ( c ) . 
S e c t i o n 4 0 - 1 0 - 1 2 2 ( d ) p r o v i d e s : 
"The p r o p o s e d r e d e m p t i o n e r s h a l l make w r i t t e n demand 
upon t h e p u r c h a s e r o f a s t a t e m e n t o f t h e v a l u e o f 
a l l 
p e r m a n e n t 
o r 
p r e s e r v a t i o n 
i m p r o v e m e n t s 
as 
a p p l i c a b l e made on t h e p r o p e r t y s i n c e t h e t a x s a l e . 
I n r e s p o n s e t o w r i t t e n demand made p u r s u a n t t o t h i s 
s u b s e c t i o n , w i t h i n 10 d a y s f r o m t h e r e c e i p t o f s u c h 
demand, t h e p u r c h a s e r 
s h a l l 
f u r n i s h 
t h e p r o p o s e d 
r e d e m p t i o n e r w i t h t h e amount c l a i m e d as t h e v a l u e o f 
s u c h 
p e r m a n e n t 
o r 
p r e s e r v a t i o n 
i m p r o v e m e n t s 
as 
a p p l i c a b l e ; a n d w i t h i n 10 d a y s a f t e r r e c e i p t o f s u c h 
r e s p o n s e , 
t h e p r o p o s e d 
r e d e m p t i o n e r 
e i t h e r 
s h a l l 
a c c e p t t h e v a l u e so s t a t e d by t h e p u r c h a s e r o r , 
d i s a g r e e i n g 
t h e r e w i t h , 
s h a l l 
a p p o i n t a r e f e r e e t o 
a s c e r t a i n 
t h e 
v a l u e 
o f 
s u c h 
p e r m a n e n t 
o r 
p r e s e r v a t i o n 
i m p r o v e m e n t s 
as 
a p p l i c a b l e . 
The 
p r o p o s e d 
r e d e m p t i o n e r 
s h a l l 
i n w r i t i n g 
( i ) n o t i f y 
t h e 
p u r c h a s e r o f h i s 
o r h e r d i s a g r e e m e n t as t o 
t h e 
v a l u e ; a n d ( i i ) 
i n f o r m t h e p u r c h a s e r o f t h e name o f 
t h e 
r e f e r e e a p p o i n t e d by h i m o r h e r . W i t h i n 10 d a y s 
a f t e r 
t h e r e c e i p t 
o f s u c h 
n o t i c e , 
t h e p u r c h a s e r 
s h a l l 
a p p o i n t a r e f e r e e t o a s c e r t a i n t h e v a l u e o f 
t h e 
p e r m a n e n t 
o r 
p r e s e r v a t i o n 
i m p r o v e m e n t s 
as 
a p p l i c a b l e a n d a d v i s e t h e p r o p o s e d 
r e d e m p t i o n e r o f 
t h e name o f t h e a p p o i n t e e . W i t h i n 10 d a y s 
a f t e r t h e 
p u r c h a s e r h a s a p p o i n t e d h i s 
o r h e r r e f e r e e , t h e 
two 
r e f e r e e s 
s h a l l meet a n d c o n f e r upon t h e a w a r d t o be 
made by them. I f t h e y 
c a n n o t 
a g r e e , t h e r e f e r e e s 
s h a l l a t once a p p o i n t an u m p i r e , a n d t h e a w a r d by a 
m a j o r i t y o f s u c h b o d y 
s h a l l be made w i t h i n 10 d a y s 
a f t e r t h e a p p o i n t m e n t 
o f t h e u m p i r e 
a n d s h a l l be 
f i n a l b e t w e e n t h e p a r t i e s . " 
30 
1080999 
J a b e z 
a r g u e s 
t h a t 
t h e r e d e m p t i o n was 
i n v a l i d 
b e c a u s e 
R u d o l p h d i d n o t make a w r i t t e n demand f o r a s t a t e m e n t o f t h e 
v a l u e o f i m p r o v e m e n t s , and t h e p a r t i e s d i d n o t r e s o l v e 
t h e i r 
d i s p u t e 
o v e r moneys 
a l l e g e d l y 
due 
J a b e z 
f o r 
i m p r o v e m e n t s 
a c c o r d i n g t o t h e p r o c e s s 
r e q u i r e d 
i n § 4 0 - 1 0 - 1 2 2 ( d ) . 
N o t 
u n t i l 
h i s p o s t j u d g m e n t 
m o t i o n 
d i d J a b e z 
a r g u e 
t h a t 
t h e 
r e d e m p t i o n was 
i n v a l i d 
b e c a u s e 
R u d o l p h h a d n o t s u b m i t t e d a 
w r i t t e n 
r e q u e s t f o r an i t e m i z a t i o n o f 
J a b e z ' s e x p e n s e s o r 
b e c a u s e 
she 
h a d 
o t h e r w i s e 
f a i l e d 
t o 
c o m p l y 
w i t h 
t h e 
r e q u i r e m e n t s o f § 4 0 - 1 0 - 1 2 2 ( d ) . 
" ' [ A ] t r i a l 
c o u r t h a s t h e 
d i s c r e t i o n t o c o n s i d e r a new l e g a l a r g u 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 , b u t i s n o t r e q u i r e d 
t o do s o . ' " 
S p e c i a l 
A s s e t s , 
 
L.L.C. v. Chase Home F i n . , L.L.C., 991 So. 2d 668, 678 
( A l a . 
2007) ( q u o t i n g G r e e n T r e e A c c e p t a n c e , I n c . 
v. B l a l o c k , 525 So. 
2d 1366, 1369 ( A l a . 1 9 8 8 ) ) . 
T h e r e i s no i n d i c a t i o n 
t h a t t h e 
t r i a l c o u r t c o n s i d e r e d t h e m e r i t s o f t h e l e g a l a r g u m e n t 
r a i s e d 
f o r t h e f i r s t t i m e i n J a b e z ' s p o s t j u d g m e n t m o t i o n , and we 
w i l l 
not 
p r e s u m e t h a t i t 
d i d . See S p e c i a l A s s e t s , 991 So. 2d a t 
678. 
J a b e z 
o f f e r s 
no 
j u s t i f i c a t i o n 
f o r t h e 
d e l a y e d 
p r e s e n t a t i o n o f h i s a r g u m e n t . 
The t r i a l 
c o u r t d i d 
n o t e x c e e d 
i t s 
d i s c r e t i o n 
i n r e f u s i n g 
t o g r a n t 
J a b e z ' s 
p o s t j u d g m e n t 
m o t i o n 
on t h e b a s i s 
o f R u d o l p h ' s 
f a i l u r e 
t o 
r e q u e s t 
an 
31 
1080999 
i t e m i z a t i o n 
o f 
e x p e n s e s 
J a b e z 
i n c u r r e d 
t o 
i m p r o v e 
t h e 
p r o p e r t y . 
See G r e e n T r e e A c c e p t a n c e , I n c . v. B l a l o c k , 525 
So. 
2d 1366, 
1370 
( A l a . 1988) 
("Based on t h e r e c o r d b e f o r e 
t h i s 
C o u r t on a p p e a l , we 
c o n c l u d e t h a t t h e r e was 
no 
j u s t i f i c a t i o n 
g i v e n by G r e e n T r e e f o r f a i l i n g t o r a i s e t h e a r g u m e n t p r i o r t o 
i t s 
p o s t - j u d g m e n t 
m o t i o n . " ) . 
F o r t h e s e r e a s o n s , we 
w i l l n o t r e v e r s e t h e 
t r i a l c o u r t ' s 
j u d g m e n t 
on 
t h e 
b a s i s 
o f 
J a b e z ' s 
c o n t e n t i o n t h a t 
R u d o l p h 
f a i l e d t o c o m p l y w i t h § 40-10-122 i n r e d e e m i n g 
t h e p r o p e r t y . 
I V . 
Damages 
J a b e z 
a r g u e s 
t h a t 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
e r r e d by 
a w a r d i n g 
R u d o l p h 
$50,000 
i n 
c o m p e n s a t o r y 
damages 
and 
$25,000 
i n 
p u n i t i v e damages. 
H a v i n g t h o r o u g h l y c o n s i d e r e d t h e 
e v i d e n c e 
as shown i n t h e 
r e c o r d i n t h e 
l i g h t 
most 
f a v o r a b l e t o 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s j u d g m e n t , see T r a n s a m e r i c a , s u p r a , we 
c o n c l u d e 
t h a t t h e damages a w a r d e d by t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t a r e s u p p o r t e d 
by 
t h e e v i d e n c e . 
Y e a g e r v. L u c y , 998 So. 2d 4 
60 , 4 
63 ( A l a . 2008 
) 
("'"[W]here t h e e v i d e n c e has b e e n 
[ p r e s e n t e d ] o r e t e n u s 
... 
[ t h i s 
C o u r t ] 
... 
w i l l 
a f f i r m 
t h e 
j u d g m e n t 
i f , u n d e r 
any 
r e a s o n a b l e a s p e c t , i t i s s u p p o r t e d by 
c r e d i b l e 
e v i d e n c e . " ' " 
( q u o t i n g Reed v. B o a r d 
o f T r s . f o r A l a b a m a S t a t e U n i v . , 
778 
So. 2d 791, 
795 
( A l a . 2 0 0 0 ) , q u o t i n g i n t u r n R a i d t v. 
C r a n e , 
32 
1080999 
342 So. 2d 358, 360 ( A l a . 
1 9 7 7 ) ) ) . 
A c c o r d i n g l y , we a f f i r m t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s d e c i s i o n as t o t h e amount o f damages. 
C o n c l u s i o n 
The j u d g m e n t o f t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t i s a f f i r m e d . 
AFFIRMED. 
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 , 
P a r k e r , 
M u r d o c k , 
and Shaw, J J . , c o n c u r . 
33