Title: Loachapoka Water Authority, Inc. v. City of Auburn

State: alabama

Issuer: Alabama Supreme Court

Document:

REL 6/24/2011 
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, 2010-2011 
1091297 
Loachapoka Water A u t h o r i t y , Inc. 
v. 
Water Works Board o f the C i t y o f Auburn 
1091461 
The Greens a t Auburn, an Arkansas l i m i t e d 
p a r t n e r s h i p ; The 
Greens a t Auburn Land 
Development, an Arkansas l i m i t e d 
p a r t n e r s h i p ; The Greens a t 
Auburn Land H o l d i n g s , LLC, 
an Arkansas l i m i t e d 
l i a b i l i t y company 
v. 
Water Works Board o f the C i t y o f Auburn 
Appeals from Lee C i r c u i t Court 
(CV-09-135) 
1091297; 
1091461 
COBB, C h i e f 
J u s t i c e . 
I n t h e s e c o n s o l i d a t e d a p p e a l s , The G r e e n s a t A u b u r n , an 
A r k a n s a s 
l i m i t e d 
p a r t n e r s h i p ; 
The 
G r e e n s 
a t 
A u b u r n 
L a n d 
D e v e l o p m e n t , an A r k a n s a s l i m i t e d p a r t n e r s h i p ; and The 
G r e e n s 
a t A u b u r n L a n d H o l d i n g s , LLC, an A r k a n s a s l i m i t e d 
l i a b i l i t y 
company ( c o l l e c t i v e l y , " t h e G r e e n s " ) , and t h e L o a c h a p o k a W a t e r 
A u t h o r i t y , 
I n c . ("LWA"), 
a p p e a l 
f r o m 
a 
p a r t i a l 
summary 
j u d g m e n t 
i n f a v o r 
o f t h e W a t e r Works B o a r d o f t h e C i t y 
o f 
A u b u r n ("AWWB"). The 
t r i a l c o u r t c e r t i f i e d t h e p a r t i a l summary 
j u d g e m e n t 
as 
f i n a l p u r s u a n t t o R u l e 5 4 ( b ) , A l a . R. C i v . P. 
B e c a u s e we h o l d t h a t t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t e x c e e d e d i t s d i s c r e t i o n 
i n 
c e r t i f y i n g 
t h e p a r t i a l summary j u d g m e n t as 
f i n a l , we s e t 
a s i d e 
t h e 
c e r t i f i c a t i o n 
and remand 
t h e c a s e t o t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t . 
F a c t s and P r o c e d u r a l 
H i s t o r y 
AWWB i s a w a t e r w o r k s b o a r d 
o r g a n i z e d 
u n d e r A l a . Code 
1975, § 11-50-230 e t s e q . , t o p r o v i d e w a t e r and s e w e r 
s e r v i c e 
t o 
l o c a t i o n s 
w i t h i n 
t h e 
c i t y 
l i m i t s 
o f A u b u r n 
and 
t o t h e 
t e r r i t o r y 
s u r r o u n d i n g A u b u r n . 
LWA i s a r u r a l w a t e r 
a u t h o r i t y 
o r g a n i z e d u n d e r A l a . Code 1975, 
§ 11-88-1 e t s e q . , and i s 
a u t h o r i z e d 
by 
t h e Lee 
C o u n t y 
C o m m i s s i o n 
t o p r o v i d e 
w a t e r 
2 
1091297; 1091461 
s e r v i c e i n c e r t a i n 
o r i g i n a l l y 
u n i n c o r p o r a t e d 
a r e a s i n L e e 
C o u n t y . As A u b u r n h a s grown w e s t w a r d and s o u t h w a r d , t h e c i t y 
l i m i t s 
have 
e x p a n d e d t o i n c l u d e 
c e r t a i n 
p o r t i o n s 
o f t h e 
t e r r i t o r y t o w h i c h LWA i s a u t h o r i z e d 
t o p r o v i d e 
s e r v i c e . 
S e v e r a l 
d i s p u t e s 
have a r i s e n b e t w e e n AWWB a n d 
LWA c o n c e r n i n g 
w h i c h e n t i t y w i l l p r o v i d e 
s e r v i c e i n t h e s e o v e r l a p p i n g 
a r e a s . 
On M a r c h 3 0 , 2009, AWWB 
f i l e d a c o m p l a i n t 
a g a i n s t LWA 
s e e k i n g a j u d g m e n t d e c l a r i n g i t 
t o 
be t h e e n t i t y 
t h a t 
c o u l d 
p r o v i d e 
d o m e s t i c w a t e r s e r v i c e , s e w e r s e r v i c e , and w a t e r f o r 
f i r e 
p r o t e c t i o n t o s e v e r a l 
d i s c r e t e 
l o c a t i o n s 
w i t h i n t h e 
d i s p u t e d 
s e r v i c e a r e a s a n d 
s e e k i n g t o 
p e r m a n e n t l y e n j o i n LWA 
f r o m s e r v i n g t h o s e a r e a s . A s u b d i v i s i o n u n d e r d e v e l o p m e n t when 
t h e 
c o m p l a i n t was f i l e d known as "The G r e e n s a t 
A u b u r n " 
was 
l o c a t e d i n one 
o f 
t h e d i s p u t e d 
s e r v i c e a r e a s t h a t f o r m e d t h e 
b a s i s o f 
AWWB's c o m p l a i n t . 
W i t h 
r e s p e c t t o 
The G r e e n s a t 
A u b u r n , AWWB s o u g h t a j u d g m e n t (1) d e c l a r i n g 
t h a t LWA h a d 
no 
l e g a l 
r i g h t t o s u p p l y 
w a t e r f o r 
f i r e 
p r o t e c t i o n t o t h e 
s u b d i v i s i o n a n d 
(2) p e r m i t t i n g AWWB t o 
p r o v i d e 
w a t e r f o r f i r e 
p r o t e c t i o n t o 
t h e s u b d i v i s i o n . 
On May 
7, 2009, t h e G r e e n s , t h e o w n e r s and d e v e l o p e r s 
o f 
The 
G r e e n s a t 
A u b u r n , 
f i l e d a m o t i o n t o i n t e r v e n e 
( w h i c h t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
s u b s e q u e n t l y 
g r a n t e d ) , 
a 
s e p a r a t e 
c o m p l a i n t 
3 
1091297; 
1091461 
a g a i n s t AWWB, a n d 
a m o t i o n t o d i s m i s s . 
The G r e e n s 
s o u g h t 
d i s m i s s a l o f 
AWWB's c o m p l a i n t as i t 
r e l a t e d t o 
The 
G r e e n s 
a t 
A u b u r n on 
t h e g r o u n d t h a t AWWB was, t h e y s a i d , an " a l t e r 
e g o " 
o f t h e C i t y o f 
A u b u r n a n d 
was t h e r e f o r e e s t o p p e d f r o m c l a i m i n g 
t h a t LWA c o u l d n o t 
p r o v i d e w a t e r f o r f i r e 
p r o t e c t i o n t o The 
G r e e n s a t A u b u r n b e c a u s e t h e 
C i t y o f A u b u r n h a d 
p r e v i o u s l y 
a p p r o v e d t h e 
w a t e r s y s t e m f o r 
t h e s u b d i v i s i o n . 
F u r t h e r , 
i n 
t h e i r c o m p l a i n t , t h e 
G r e e n s s o u g h t a j u d g m e n t d e c l a r i n g t h a t 
"LWA h a s 
t h e 
c o n t i n u i n g a u t h o r i t y a n d 
r i g h t t o p r o v i d e b o t h 
d o m e s t i c a n d 
f i r e 
f l o w s e r v i c e t o " 
The 
G r e e n s a t A u b u r n . 
On May 
20, 2009, LWA f i l e d an 
a n s w e r t o 
AWWB's c o m p l a i n t . 
On S e p t e m b e r 9, 2009, LWA f i l e d an amended a n s w e r t o 
AWWB's 
c o m p l a i n t 
a n d 
a c o u n t e r c l a i m 
r e q u e s t i n g 
v a r i o u s 
f o r m s o f 
r e l i e f 
on t h e g r o u n d 
t h a t AWWB was a l l e g e d l y 
i l l e g a l l y 
d u p l i c a t i n g LWA's 
s e r v i c e s . 
On O c t o b e r 6, 2009, AWWB 
f i l e d an amended 
c o m p l a i n t , 
w h i c h , w i t h 
r e s p e c t t o m a t t e r s p e r t a i n i n g t o 
The G r e e n s a t 
A u b u r n , was i d e n t i c a l t o 
t h e o r i g i n a l 
c o m p l a i n t . On O c t o b e r 
20, 2009, LWA f i l e d an a n s w e r t o 
AWWB's amended c o m p l a i n t . On 
November 5, 2009, LWA f i l e d an amended c o u n t e r c l a i m 
s e e k i n g 
a d d i t i o n a l 
r e l i e f f o r AWWB's a l l e g e d d u p l i c a t i o n o f LWA's 
s e r v i c e s . 
4 
1091297; 1091461 
On A p r i l 27, 
2 0 1 0 , 
AWWB moved f o r 
a summary j u d g m e n t on 
some o f 
t h e c l a i m s i n i t s c o m p l a i n t , 
i n c l u d i n g i t s r e q u e s t f o r 
a j u d g m e n t d e c l a r i n g t h a t i t , 
a n d 
n o t 
LWA, 
h a d 
t h e r i g h t t o 
s u p p l y w a t e r f o r f i r e p r o t e c t i o n t o 
The 
G r e e n s a t 
A u b u r n . AWWB 
a l s o s o u g h t a summary j u d g m e n t on 
LWA's 
c o u n t e r c l a i m . 
On 
J u n e 9, 2 0 1 0 , 
t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t 
e n t e r e d a 
p a r t i a l 
summary 
j u d g m e n t i n f a v o r o f 
AWWB on t h e 
m a j o r i t y o f t h e 
c l a i m s 
a s s e r t e d i n 
AWWB's c o m p l a i n t , 
i n c l u d i n g t h o s e 
c l a i m s 
p e r t a i n i n g t o 
The G r e e n s a t 
A u b u r n . 
I n 
t h e 
same o r d e r , 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
d i s m i s s e d 
LWA's 
c o u n t e r c l a i m 
a g a i n s t AWWB 
a n d 
c e r t i f i e d t h e 
p a r t i a l summary j u d g m e n t as f i n a l 
p u r s u a n t t o 
R u l e 
5 4 ( b ) , A l a . 
R. C i v . 
P. 
On J u n e 18, 
2 0 1 0 , 
LWA 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 
p a r t i a l summary j u d g m e n t 
( c a s e 
no. 
1 0 9 1 2 9 7 ) . On J u l y 2 1 , 2 0 1 0 , 
t h e G r e e n s 
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 
p a r t i a l 
summary 
j u d g m e n t 
( c a s e no. 1 0 9 1 4 6 1 ) .
1 
1AWWB 
a r g u e s 
t h a t t h e G r e e n s 
c a n n o t 
a p p e a l 
f r o m t h e 
p a r t i a l 
summary 
j u d g m e n t 
b e c a u s e , i t 
a r g u e s , 
t h e p a r t i a l 
summary 
j u d g m e n t d i d 
n o t d i s p o s e 
o f t h e G r e e n s ' 
c l a i m s 
a s s e r t e d 
a g a i n s t AWWB i n t h e i r 
c o m p l a i n t a n d t h o s e 
c l a i m s 
r e m a i n p e n d i n g . 
B e c a u s e we d i s p o s e o f 
t h e 
G r e e n s ' a p p e a l on 
o t h e r 
g r o u n d s , we n e e d n o t 
a d d r e s s AWWB's a r g u m e n t on t h i s 
p o i n t . 
5 
1091297; 1091461 
A n a l y s i s 
On 
q u e s t i o n s 
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 , 
t h i s 
C o u r t 
i s 
n o t 
l i m i t e d 
by 
t h e 
p a r t i e s ' a r g u m e n t s 
o r 
by 
t h e 
l e g a l 
c o n c l u s i o n s 
o f 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
r e g a r d i n g 
t h e 
e x i s t e n c e 
o f 
j u r i s d i c t i o n . 
See 
Ex 
p a r t e 
S m i t h , 
438 
So. 
2d 
766, 
768 
( A l a . 
1 9 8 3 ) ( " 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 
by 
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 
e x mero motu." 
( c i t i n g 
C i t y o f H u n t s v i l l e v. 
M i l l e r , 
271 
A l a . 687, 
688, 
127 
So. 
2d 
606, 
608 
( 1 9 5 8 ) ) ) . 
I n t h e a b s e n c e 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 , 
t h i s 
C o u r t has 
no power t o c o n s i d e r 
t h e 
m e r i t s 
o f 
an 
a p p e a l . 
See 
Ex 
p a r t e 
V.S., 
918 
So. 
2d 
908 , 912 
( A l a . 
2005) 
( q u o t i n g F l a n n i g a n v. J o r d a n , 
871 
So. 
2d 767, 
768 
( A l a . 
2 0 0 3 ) ) . 
"'The 
q u e s t i o n w h e t h e r an o r d e r a p p e a l e d f r o m i s f i n a l i s 
j u r i s d i c t i o n a l 
H i n s o n v. H i n s o n , 
745 
So. 
2d 
280, 
281 
( A l a . 
C i v . App. 
1999) 
( q u o t i n g 
P o w e l l 
v. 
P o w e l l , 
718 
So. 
2d 
80, 
82 
( A l a . C i v . App. 
1 9 9 8 ) ) . 
" I t i s a w e l l e s t a b l i s h e d r u l e 
t h a t , w i t h 
l i m i t e d 
e x c e p t i o n s , 
an a p p e a l 
w i l l l i e o n l y f r o m a 
f i n a l 
j u d g m e n t w h i c h d e t e r m i n e s 
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 . " T a y l o r v. T a y l o r , 398 
So. 
2d 267, 
269 
( A l a . 1 9 8 1 ) . 
6 
1091297; 1091461 
W i t h 
r e s p e c t 
t o 
t h e 
f i n a l i t y 
o f j u d g m e n t s a d j u d i c a t i n g 
f e w e r t h a n a l l c l a i m s i n a c a s e , R u l e 
5 4 ( b ) , A l a . R. 
C i v . 
P., 
p r o v i d e s : 
"When more t h a n one 
c l a i m f o r r e l i e f i s p r e s e n t e d 
i n 
an 
a c t i o n , 
w h e t h e r 
as 
a 
c l a i m , 
c o u n t e r c l a i m , 
c r o s s - c l a i m , o r t h i r d - p a r t y c l a i m , o r when m u l t i p l e 
p a r t i e s a r e i n v o l v e d , t h e c o u r t may 
d i r e c t t h e 
e n t r y 
o f a f i n a l j u d g m e n t as t o one 
o r more b u t f e w e r 
t h a n 
a l l 
o f 
t h e 
c l a i m s 
o r p a r t i e s o n l y upon an 
e x p r e s s 
d e t e r m i n a t i o n t h a t t h e r e i s no j u s t r e a s o n 
f o r d e l a y 
and 
upon 
an 
e x p r e s s 
d i r e c t i o n 
f o r 
t h e 
e n t r y 
o f 
j u d g m e n t . ... [ I ] n t h e a b s e n c e o f s u c h 
d e t e r m i n a t i o n 
and 
d i r e c t i o n , 
any 
o r d e r o r o t h e r f o r m o f d e c i s i o n , 
h o w e v e r d e s i g n a t e d , w h i c h a d j u d i c a t e s f e w e r t h a n a l l 
t h e 
c l a i m s 
o r 
t h e 
r i g h t s 
and 
l i a b i l i t i e s o f 
f e w e r 
t h a n 
a l l t h e p a r t i e s s h a l l n o t t e r m i n a t e 
t h e a c t i o n 
as t o any o f t h e c l a i m s o r p a r t i e s , and t h e o r d e r 
o r 
o t h e r f o r m o f d e c i s i o n i s s u b j e c t t o r e v i s i o n a t 
any 
t i m e 
b e f o r e 
t h e 
e n t r y o f j u d g m e n t a d j u d i c a t i n g a l l 
t h e c l a i m s and t h e r i g h t s and 
l i a b i l i t i e s o f a l l t h e 
p a r t i e s . " 
" I f a t r i a l c o u r t 
c e r t i f i e s a j u d g m e n t as 
f i n a l 
p u r s u a n t 
t o 
R u l e 
5 4 ( b ) , 
an 
a p p e a l 
w i l l 
g e n e r a l l y 
l i e f r o m 
t h a t 
j u d g m e n t . " Baugus v. 
C i t y 
o f 
F l o r e n c e , 
968 
So. 
2d 
529, 
531 
( A l a . 
2007) 
( e m p h a s i s a d d e d ) . 
However, 
t h i s 
C o u r t 
w i l l 
n o t 
c o n s i d e r 
an 
a p p e a l 
f r o m a j u d g m e n t 
c e r t i f i e d 
as 
f i n a l 
u n d e r 
R u l e 
54(b) 
i f i t d e t e r m i n e s t h a t t h e 
t r i a l c o u r t e x c e e d e d i t s 
d i s c r e t i o n 
i n c o n c l u d i n g 
t h a t 
t h e r e 
i s "no 
j u s t 
r e a s o n 
f o r 
d e l a y . " 
R u l e 
5 4 ( b ) ; 
see 
a l s o S c r u s h y 
v. 
T u c k e r , 
955 
So. 
2d 
988, 
996 
( A l a . 2006) ("Whether t h e r e was 
'no 
j u s t r e a s o n 
f o r 
7 
1091297; 1091461 
d e l a y ' i s an i n q u i r y c o m m i t t e d t o t h e s o u n d d i s c r e t i o n o f t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t , a n d , as t o t h a t i s s u e , we must d e t e r m i n e w h e t h e r 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t e x c e e d e d i t s d i s c r e t i o n . " ) . 
A t r i a l 
c o u r t e x c e e d s i t s 
d i s c r e t i o n i n d e t e r m i n i n g 
t h a t 
t h e r e i s "no j u s t 
r e a s o n f o r d e l a y " when t h e " t h e i s s u e s i n 
t h e c l a i m b e i n g 
c e r t i f i e d and a c l a i m t h a t w i l l r e m a i n p e n d i n g 
i n t h e t r i a l c o u r t ' " a r e 
so c l o s e l y i n t e r t w i n e d t h a t 
s e p a r a t e 
a d j u d i c a t i o n w o u l d p o s e an u n r e a s o n a b l e 
r i s k o f i n c o n s i s t e n t 
r e s u l t s . " ' " 
S c h l a r b v . L e e , 955 So. 2d 418, 419-20 ( A l a . 
2006) 
( q u o t i n g 
C l a r k e - M o b i l e 
C o u n t i e s 
Gas 
D i s t . 
v. 
P r i o r 
 
E n e r g y C o r p . , 834 So. 2d 88, 95 ( A l a . 
2 0 0 2 ) , q u o t i n g i n t u r n 
B r a n c h v. S o u t h T r u s t 
Bank o f D o t h a n , N.A., 514 So. 2d 1373, 
1374 
( A l a . 
1 
9 8 7 ) ) . 
See a l s o 
C e n t e n n i a l 
A s s o c s . , 
L t d . v. 
G u t h r i e , 
20 
So. 
3d 
1277, 
1281 
( A l a . 2009) 
( " ' I t i s 
u n e c o n o m i c a l f o r an a p p e l l a t e c o u r t t o r e v i e w 
f a c t s on an 
a p p e a l 
f o l l o w i n g a R u l e 5 4 ( b ) c e r t i f i c a t i o n 
t h a t i t 
i s l i k e l y 
t o 
be 
r e q u i r e d t o c o n s i d e r 
a g a i n 
when 
a n o t h e r 
a p p e a l i s 
b r o u g h t 
a f t e r t h e [ t r i a l ] c o u r t 
r e n d e r s 
i t s 
d e c i s i o n on t h e 
r e m a i n i n g 
c l a i m s o r as t o t h e r e m a i n i n g 
p a r t i e s . ' " 
( q u o t i n g 10 
C h a r l e s A l a n W r i g h t e t a l . , F e d e r a l P r a c t i c e and P r o c e d u r e § 
2659 
( 1 9 9 8 ) ) ) . 
8 
1091297; 1091461 
I n 
t h i s 
c a s e , one o f t h e c l a i m s 
d i s p o s e d o f 
b y 
t h e 
p a r t i a l summary j u d g m e n t was 
AWWB's c l a i m s e e k i n g a j u d g m e n t 
(1) d e c l a r i n g t h a t LWA h a d no l e g a l r i g h t t o 
s u p p l y w a t e r f o r 
f i r e 
p r o t e c t i o n t o 
The G r e e n s a t A u b u r n a n d 
(2) p e r m i t t i n g 
AWWB t o p r o v i d e 
w a t e r f o r f i r e 
p r o t e c t i o n t o 
The G r e e n s a t 
A u b u r n . 
AWWB a r g u e d 
t h a t 
i t was e n t i t l e d t o t h i s 
r e l i e f 
b e c a u s e LWA was n o t i n c o r p o r a t e d 
as a 
" f i r e 
p r o t e c t i o n 
s e r v i c e . " 
I n 
t h e p a r t i a l summary j u d g m e n t , t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t 
s t a t e d , i n p e r t i n e n t p a r t : "LWA does n o t have t h e l e g a l r i g h t 
t o 
p r o v i d e 
w a t e r f o r f i r e 
p r o t e c t i o n t o [ T ] h e G r e e n s [ a t 
A u b u r n ] b e c a u s e LWA i s n o t a u t h o r i z e d b y i t s c e r t i f i c a t e o f 
i n c o r p o r a t i o n , 
as amended, 
t o p r o v i d e 
f i r e 
p r o t e c t i o n 
s e r v i c e . " 
The c o m p l a i n t 
f i l e d b y t h e G r e e n s was p e n d i n g when t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
e n t e r e d t h e p a r t i a l summary j u d g m e n t i n f a v o r o f 
AWWB. The 
t r i a l 
c o u r t d i d 
n o t e n t e r a j u d g m e n t on 
t h e G r e e n s ' 
c o m p l a i n t . I n t h e i r c o m p l a i n t , t h e G r e e n s a l l e g e d t h a t b e c a u s e 
AWWB i s 
an " a l t e r e g o " o f 
t h e C i t y o f 
A u b u r n and b e c a u s e t h e 
C i t y o f A u b u r n h a d a p p r o v e d t h e w a t e r s y s t e m f o r 
The 
G r e e n s 
a t 
A u b u r n , i n c l u d i n g LWA's p r o v i s i o n o f 
t h e w a t e r s e r v i c e s , AWWB 
was e s t o p p e d f r o m d e n y i n g t h a t LWA was l e g a l l y 
e n t i t l e d t o 
p r o v i d e 
w a t e r f o r f i r e - p r o t e c t i o n s e r v i c e s t o 
The G r e e n s a t 
9 
1091297; 1091461 
A u b u r n . 
F u r t h e r , t h e G r e e n s s o u g h t a j u d g m e n t d e c l a r i n g t h a t 
"LWA h a s 
t h e 
c o n t i n u i n g a u t h o r i t y a n d r i g h t t o p r o v i d e 
b o t h 
d o m e s t i c a n d f i r e 
f l o w s e r v i c e t o " 
The G r e e n s a t A u b u r n . 
The 
G r e e n s ' 
p e n d i n g 
c o m p l a i n t 
a g a i n s t AWWB a n d 
t h e 
p a r t i a l summary j u d g m e n t e n t e r e d b y t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t on 
AWWB's 
c l a i m s a g a i n s t LWA b o t h r e q u i r e r e s o l u t i o n o f 
t h e same i s s u e : 
s p e c i f i c a l l y , 
w h e t h e r LWA h a s 
t h e r i g h t t o p r o v i d e 
w a t e r t o 
The G r e e n s a t 
A u b u r n f o r f i r e - p r o t e c t i o n s e r v i c e s . 
T h e r e f o r e , 
t h e 
G r e e n s ' 
p e n d i n g 
c l a i m s a r e 
so i n t e r t w i n e d w i t h AWWB's 
c l a i m s t h a t t h e y c a n n o t be s e p a r a t e l y e n f o r c e d a n d 
t h e y 
s h o u l d 
n o t be s e p a r a t e l y a d j u d i c a t e d . 
C e n t e n n i a l , 20 So. 
3d 
a t 1281 
( q u o t i n g 10 W r i g h t § 2659) ("'An a p p e l l a t e c o u r t ... s h o u l d 
n o t h e a r a p p e a l s 
t h a t 
w i l l 
r e q u i r e i t 
t o d e t e r m i n e 
q u e s t i o n s 
t h a t 
r e m a i n 
b e f o r e 
t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t 
w i t h 
r e g a r d 
t o 
o t h e r 
c l a i m s . ' " ) . 
C f . 
B r a n c h , 514 So. 
2d a t 1374 ("Rule 5 4 ( b ) 
i s 
p r o p e r l y 
a p p l i e d i n a 
s i t u a t i o n 
where t h e c l a i m a n d 
t h e 
c o u n t e r c l a i m p r e s e n t more t h a n one c l a i m f o r r e l i e f , e i t h e r 
o f 
w h i c h c o u l d h a v e b e e n s e p a r a t e l y e n f o r c e d . 
C a t e s v . B u s h , 293 
A l a . 
5 3 5 , 
307 So. 2d 6 ( 1 9 7 5 ) . 
... The f a c t s i n t h i s 
c a s e , 
h o w e v e r , do n o t p r e s e n t t h e t y p e o f s i t u a t i o n t h a t R u l e 5 4 ( b ) 
was i n t e n d e d t o c o v e r . ... [ T ] h e i s s u e s i n 
t h e 
two c l a i m s i n 
t h i s 
c a s e 
a r e so 
c l o s e l y 
i n t e r t w i n e d 
t h a t 
s e p a r a t e 
10 
1 0 9 1 2 9 7 ; 1091461 
a d j u d i c a t i o n w o u l d p o s e an u n r e a s o n a b l e 
r i s k o f i n c o n s i s t e n t 
r e s u l t s . 
We must c o n c l u d e , t h e r e f o r e , t h a t i n 
t h e 
i n t e r e s t o f 
j u s t i c e , t h e c l a i m s s h o u l d n o t 
be a d j u d i c a t e d 
s e p a r a t e l y . " ) . 
A c c o r d i n g l y , t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t e x c e e d e d 
i t s d i s c r e t i o n i n 
d e t e r m i n i n g 
t h a t 
t h e r e was no j u s t 
r e a s o n f o r 
d e l a y a n d 
i n 
c e r t i f y i n g t h e p a r t i a l summary j u d g m e n t as f i n a l 
u n d e r 
R u l e 
5 4 ( b ) . 
C f . S m i t h v . S l a c k A l o s t Dev. S e r v s . o f A l a b a m a , L L C , 
32 So. 3d 556, 562-63 
( A l a . 2009) 
( " [ A ] t l e a s t some o f 
t h e 
i s s u e s p r e s e n t e d i n 
t h e s t i l l p e n d i n g c l a i m a g a i n s t S m i t h a r e 
t h e 
same as t h e i s s u e s p r e s e n t e d i n 
t h e 
a p p e a l now b r o u g h t b y 
S m i t h a n d S m i t h & Weems I n v e s t m e n t s . ... R e p e a t e d 
a p p e l l a t e 
r e v i e w o f t h e 
same u n d e r l y i n g f a c t s w o u l d be a p r o b a b i l i t y i n 
t h i s 
c a s e , 
a n d , i n l i g h t 
o f t h i s 
C o u r t ' s 
s t a t e d 
p o l i c y 
d i s f a v o r i n g 
a p p e l l a t e 
r e v i e w i n a p i e c e m e a l 
f a s h i o n , s e e 
D z w o n k o w s k i v . S o n i t r o l o f M o b i l e , I n c . , 892 So. 2d 354, 
363 
( A l a . 
2 0 0 4 ) , we a c c o r d i n g l y h o l d t h a t t h e t r i a l c o u r t e x c e e d e d 
i t s 
d i s c r e t i o n i n c e r t i f y i n g t h e j u d g m e n t 
e n t e r e d a g a i n s t 
Weems as f i n a l p u r s u a n t t o R u l e 5 4 ( b ) . " ) ; Howard v . A l l s t a t e  
I n s . 
Co., 9 So. 3d 1 2 1 3 , 1215 ( A l a . 2008 ) 
( h o l d i n g 
t h a t 
j u d g m e n t s on t h e c l a i m s a g a i n s t c e r t a i n 
d e f e n d a n t s h a d b e e n 
i m p r o p e r l y 
c e r t i f i e d 
as 
f i n a l 
u n d e r 
R u l e 
5 4 ( b ) , 
b e c a u s e 
p e n d i n g c l a i m s a g a i n s t t h e 
r e m a i n i n g d e f e n d a n t s d e p e n d e d upon 
11 
1091297; 1091461 
t h e 
r e s o l u t i o n o f common 
i s s u e s ) ; a n d P a l m e r v. R e s o l u t i o n  
T r u s t C o r p . , 613 So. 2d 3 7 3 , 376 ( A l a . 1993) ( h o l d i n g t h a t a 
summary-judgment o r d e r was i m p r o p e r l y 
c e r t i f i e d as f i n a l f o r 
p u r p o s e s o f a p p e a l where i s s u e s n e c e s s a r y t o a r e s o l u t i o n 
o f 
t h e a p p e a l were common t o i s s u e s n e c e s s a r y t o t h e 
r e s o l u t i o n 
o f c o u n t e r c l a i m s 
s t i l l p e n d i n g i n t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t ) . 
B e c a u s e t h e G r e e n s ' 
p e n d i n g 
c l a i m s 
a g a i n s t AWWB a n d 
AWWB's c l a i m s a g a i n s t LWA d i s p o s e d o f b y t h e p a r t i a l 
summary 
j u d g m e n t a r e so i n t e r t w i n e d t h a t 
t h e y 
c a n n o t be s e p a r a t e l y 
e n f o r c e d , t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t e x c e e d e d i t s d i s c r e t i o n i n f i n d i n g 
t h a t t h e r e was no j u s t 
r e a s o n f o r 
d e l a y o f t h e e n t r y o f 
t h e 
p a r t i a l 
summary j u d g m e n t a n d i n c e r t i f y i n g 
t h a t j u d g m e n t as 
f i n a l 
u n d e r 
R u l e 
5 4 ( b ) . 
We 
t h e r e f o r e 
s e t 
a s i d e 
t h e 
c e r t i f i c a t i o n 
a n d remand t h e c a s e t o t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t . 
See 
 
P a l m e r v. R e s o l u t i o n T r u s t C o r p . , 613 So. 2d a t 376 ("[T]he 
c e r t i f i c a t i o n o f ... summary j u d g m e n t as f i n a l was p r e m a t u r e , 
g i v e n t h e n a t u r e 
o f t h e [ d e f e n d a n t s ' ] 
o u t s t a n d i n g 
c o u n t e r ¬
c l a i m s . T h e r e f o r e , t h e c e r t i f i c a t i o n i s 
s e t 
a s i d e a n d t h e c a s e 
i s remanded t o t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t . " ) . B e c a u s e we a r e r e m a n d i n g 
t h i s c a s e t o t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t , a l l m o t i o n s p e n d i n g b e f o r e 
t h i s 
C o u r t i n c a s e no. 1091297 a n d c a s e no. 1091461 a r e moot. 
12 
1091297; 1091461 
1 0 9 1 2 9 7 - - RULE 5 4 ( b ) , ALA. R. C I V . P., C E R T I F I C A T I O N SET 
A S I D E ; REMANDED. 
1 0 9 1 4 6 1 - - RULE 5 4 ( b ) , ALA. R. C I V . P., C E R T I F I C A T I O N SET 
A S I D E ; REMANDED. 
S t u a r t , P a r k e r , Shaw, a n d W i s e , J J . , c o n c u r . 
13