Title: Archer Western Contractors, Ltd. v. Benise-Dowling & Associates, Inc.

State: alabama

Issuer: Alabama Supreme Court

Document:

Rel 
09/30/2009 
Notice: T h i s 
o p i n i o n i s s u b j e c t t o f o r m a l 
r e v i s i o n b e f o r e 
p u b l i c a t i o n i n 
t h e 
advance 
s h e e t s o f 
Southern Reporter. 
R e a d e r s a r e r e q u e s t e d t o n o t i f y t h e 
Reporter of 
Decisions, 
Alabama 
A p p e l l a t e 
C o u r t s , 
300 D e x t e r Avenue, Montgomery, Alabama 36104-3741 
((334) 
2 2 9 - 0 6 4 9 ) , o f 
any t y p o g r a p h i c a l o r o t h e r e r r o r s , i n 
o r d e r t h a t c o r r e c t i o n s may be made 
b e f o r e t h e 
o p i n i o n i s 
p r i n t e d i n 
Southern Reporter. 
SUPREME COURT OF ALABAMA 
SPECIAL TERM, 2009 
1080252 
A r c h e r Western C o n t r a c t o r s , L t d . 
v. 
Benise-Dowling & A s s o c i a t e s , 
Inc. 
Appeal from Mobile C i r c u i t 
Court 
(CV-08-900701) 
COBB, C h i e f 
J u s t i c e . 
A r c h e r 
W e s t e r n 
C o n t r a c t o r s , 
L t d . ( " A r c h e r 
W e s t e r n " ) , 
a p p e a l s 
f r o m t h e t r i a l c o u r t ' s amended j u d g m e n t , b a s e d on t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s 
g r a n t i n g o f t h e m o t i o n o f B e n i s e - D o w l i n g & 
1080252 
A s s o c i a t e s , 
I n c . 
( " B e n i s e - D o w l i n g " ) , 
t o amend 
t h e 
o r i g i n a l 
j u d g m e n t . 
We 
r e v e r s e and 
remand. 
F a c t s and 
P r o c e d u r a l H i s t o r y 
A r c h e r W e s t e r n was 
t h e g e n e r a l c o n t r a c t o r on a p r o j e c t t o 
c o n s t r u c t a b u i l d i n g 
("the RSA 
t o w e r "
1 ) i n M o b i l e i n 2005. 
I n 
M a r c h 2 0 0 5 , A r c h e r W e s t e r n e n t e r e d 
i n t o 
a s u b c o n t r a c t 
("the 
s u b c o n t r a c t " ) w i t h B e n i s e - D o w l i n g 
f o r w o r k t o be p e r f o r m e d i n 
t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n o f t h e RSA 
t o w e r . 
The 
s u b c o n t r a c t 
p r o v i d e d 
t h a t 
i t was 
t o 
be 
" g o v e r n e d 
by 
t h e 
l a w s 
o f 
t h e 
S t a t e 
o f 
G e o r g i a . " 
The 
s u b c o n t r a c t a l s o p r o v i d e d t h a t d i s p u t e s 
a r i s i n g 
o u t o f t h e c o n t r a c t " s h a l l be s u b m i t t e d t o t h e c o u r t ... where 
t h e p r o j e c t i s l o c a t e d o r where [ A r c h e r W e s t e r n ' s ] p r i n c i p a l 
p l a c e 
o f b u s i n e s s 
i s l o c a t e d . " 
A r c h e r 
W e s t e r n ' s 
p r i n c i p a l 
p l a c e 
o f 
b u s i n e s s 
i s 
i n 
G e o r g i a , 
as 
i s 
B e n i s e - D o w l i n g ' s 
p r i n c i p a l p l a c e o f 
b u s i n e s s . 
A f t e r 
B e n i s e - D o w l i n g 
b e g a n 
w o r k 
on 
t h e 
RSA 
t o w e r , 
a 
d i s p u t e a r o s e b e t w e e n i t and A r c h e r W e s t e r n . 
On May 
5, 2008, 
B e n i s e - D o w l i n g 
s u e d A r c h e r W e s t e r n and 
i t s b o n d i n g company, 
1"RSA" 
i s 
an 
a b b r e v i a t i o n 
f o r 
" R e t i r e m e n t 
S y s t e m s 
o f 
A l a b a m a . " 
2 
1080252 
T r a v e l e r s C a s u a l t y and S u r e t y Company,
2 i n t h e M o b i l e 
C i r c u i t 
C o u r t . 
B e n i s e - D o w l i n g 
a l l e g e d 
i n i t s c o m p l a i n t t h a t 
A r c h e r 
W e s t e r n had 
f a i l e d 
t o p a y 
B e n i s e - D o w l i n g $ 8 8 6 , 7 8 6 f o r w o r k 
B e n i s e - D o w l i n g s a y s i t p e r f o r m e d u n d e r t h e s u b c o n t r a c t . 
The 
p a r t i e s p r o c e e d e d w i t h d i s c o v e r y , and, on A u g u s t 
22, 
2008, 
A r c h e r 
W e s t e r n moved 
f o r a summary j u d g m e n t 
on 
t h e 
g r o u n d t h a t B e n i s e - D o w l i n g was a f o r e i g n c o r p o r a t i o n and 
t h a t , 
a t t h e t i m e i t s t a r t e d w o r k on t h e RSA 
t o w e r , 
B e n i s e - D o w l i n g 
had n o t b e e n a u t h o r i z e d by t h e s e c r e t a r y o f s t a t e t o t r a n s a c t 
b u s i n e s s i n A l a b a m a as r e q u i r e d by § 1 0 - 2 B - 1 5 . 0 1 ( a ) , 
A l a . Code 
1 9 7 5 .
3 
T h e r e f o r e , A r c h e r W e s t e r n 
c o n t e n d e d , 
p u r s u a n t 
t o 
§ 
1 0 - 2 B - 1 5 . 0 2 ( a ) , 
A l a . Code 1975, B e n i s e - D o w l i n g was b a r r e d f r o m 
s u i n g on t h e s u b c o n t r a c t i n A l a b a m a . 
A r c h e r 
W e s t e r n 
a r g u e d 
a l t e r n a t i v e l y 
t h a t 
§ 34-8-1 
e t 
 
s e q . , A l a . Code 1975, 
r e q u i r e d B e n i s e - D o w l i n g t o be 
l i c e n s e d 
i n A l a b a m a 
t o p e r f o r m w o r k as 
a c o n t r a c t o r . 
A c c o r d i n g 
t o 
A r c h e r 
W e s t e r n , 
B e n i s e - D o w l i n g 
was 
n o t 
p r o p e r l y 
l i c e n s e d 
2 T r a v e l e r s C a s u a l t y and S u r e t y Company i s n o t a p a r t y t o 
t h i s 
a p p e a l . 
T h e r e f o r e , 
we 
do 
n o t 
d i s c u s s 
T r a v e l e r s ' 
i n v o l v e m e n t i n t h e 
c a s e . 
3 S o m e t i m e 
a f t e r 
i t 
b e g a n 
w o r k 
on 
t h e 
RSA 
t o w e r , 
B e n i s e - D o w l i n g o b t a i n e d a c e r t i f i c a t e o f a u t h o r i t y , 
a l t h o u g h 
t h e p a r t i e s 
d i s p u t e w h e t h e r t h a t 
c e r t i f i c a t e 
was 
r e l a t e d 
t o 
t h e s u b c o n t r a c t . 
3 
1080252 
d u r i n g 
two 
s e p a r a t e 
and 
a l l e g e d l y 
r e l e v a n t 
p e r i o d s . 
T h e r e f o r e , A r c h e r W e s t e r n c o n t e n d e d , B e n i s e - D o w l i n g was b a r r e d 
f r o m s u i n g on t h e s u b c o n t r a c t and t h e s u b c o n t r a c t was 
v o i d . 
B e n i s e - D o w l i n g 
f i l e d 
a b r i e f 
i n o p p o s i t i o n 
t o t h e m o t i o n , 
a c c o m p a n i e d b y 
e x h i b i t s . 
On 
S e p t e m b e r 
26, 
2008, 
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 : 
" M o t i o n f o r summary j u d g m e n t p u r s u a n t t o R u l e 5 6 [ , 
A l a . 
R. C i v . P.,] 
f i l e d 
b y A r c h e r W e s t e r n 
... i s 
h e r e b y 
g r a n t e d . [ S ] u m m a r y j u d g m e n t [ i s ] 
e n t e r e d i n 
f a v o r o f d e f e n d a n t s , d i s m i s s i n g c l a i m s a g a i n s t them. 
E a c h p a r t y t o b e a r i t s own 
c o s t s . " 
On 
O c t o b e r 
2 1 , 
2008, 
B e n i s e - D o w l i n g 
f i l e d 
a 
m o t i o n 
p u r s u a n t t o R u l e 59, A l a . 
R. C i v . P., t o a l t e r , 
amend, o r 
v a c a t e t h e summary j u d g m e n t . 
I n t h a t m o t i o n , 
B e n i s e - D o w l i n g 
a r g u e d v a r i o u s s u b s t a n t i v e r e a s o n s f o r 
i t s c o n t e n t i o n t h a t t h e 
summary 
j u d g m e n t 
h a d 
b e e n 
i m p r o p e r l y 
g r a n t e d . 
I n t h e 
a l t e r n a t i v e , B e n i s e - D o w l i n g a s k e d t h e t r i a l c o u r t t o a l t e r o r 
amend 
t h e summary 
j u d g m e n t 
t o 
s p e c i f y 
t h a t 
t h e summary 
j u d g m e n t 
d i s m i s s i n g 
B e n i s e - D o w l i n g ' s 
c l a i m s 
was 
" w i t h o u t 
p r e j u d i c e t o t h e r i g h t s o f [ B e n i s e - D o w l i n g ] t o f i l e 
s u i t i n a 
j u r i s d i c t i o n 
o t h e r 
t h a n A l a b a m a . " 
A r c h e r 
W e s t e r n 
f i l e d 
a 
b r i e f i n o p p o s i t i o n t o B e n i s e - D o w l i n g ' s m o t i o n t o amend. 
4 
1080252 
On November 
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 
g r a n t i n g B e n i s e - D o w l i n g ' s m o t i o n 
t o 
a l t e r , amend, o r 
v a c a t e 
i n s o f a r 
as 
i t s o u g h t 
a 
c l a r i f i c a t i o n 
t h a t 
t h e 
c l a i m s 
were 
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 
t o 
B e n i s e - D o w l i n g ' s 
r e q u e s t 
t o 
f i l e 
an a c t i o n i n a j u r i s d i c t i o n 
o t h e r 
t h a n A l a b a m a . 
On 
t h e 
same day, 
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 : 
" M o t i o n 
f o r summary j u d g m e n t p u r s u a n t 
t o R u l e 
5 6 [ , 
A l a . 
R. 
C i v . 
P.,] 
f i l e d 
by 
A r c h e r W e s t e r n 
... 
i s 
h e r e b y g r a n t e d . Summary j u d g m e n t e n t e r e d 
i n f a v o r 
o f 
d e f e n d a n t s , 
d i s m i s s i n g 
c l a i m s 
a g a i n s t 
them 
w i t h o u t 
p r e j u d i c e , 
e x c e p t 
t o 
t h e 
f i l i n g 
i n 
t h e 
S t a t e 
o f 
A l a b a m a o f 
a s u b s e q u e n t a c t i o n on 
t h e same 
c l a i m s . 
E a c h p a r t y t o b e a r i t s own 
c o s t s . " 
On November 
14, 
2008, A r c h e r W e s t e r n a p p e a l e d f r o m 
t h e 
j u d g m e n t as 
so amended. 
A n a l y s i s 
The 
s i n g l e 
i s s u e 
i n 
t h i s 
a p p e a l 
i s w h e t h e r 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
e r r e d 
i n a m e n d i n g 
i t s j u d g m e n t 
t o 
s p e c i f y 
t h a t 
t h e 
j u d g m e n t was 
" w i t h o u t 
p r e j u d i c e , e x c e p t t o t h e 
f i l i n g 
i n 
t h e 
S t a t e 
o f A l a b a m a o f a s u b s e q u e n t a c t i o n on t h e same 
c l a i m s . "
4 
4 C o n t r a r y t o B e n i s e - D o w l i n g ' s a r g u m e n t s , § 1 0 - 2 B - 1 5 . 0 2 ( a ) , 
A l a . 
Code 
1975, 
does n o t 
p r e c l u d e 
t h e 
c o u r t s 
o f 
t h i s 
s t a t e 
f r o m 
e x e r c i s i n g 
j u r i s d i c t i o n 
o v e r 
a c t i o n s 
b r o u g h t 
by 
u n a u t h o r i z e d 
f o r e i g n e n t i t i e s 
t r a n s a c t i n g b u s i n e s s 
i n A l a b a m a 
f o r 
t h e 
p u r p o s e 
o f 
e n f o r c i n g 
t h e i r 
c o n t r a c t s . 
See 
§ 
1 0 - 2 B - 1 5 . 0 2 ( a ) , A l a . Code 1975 
( " A l l c o n t r a c t s 
o r a g r e e m e n t s 
made o r 
e n t e r e d 
i n t o 
i n 
t h i s 
s t a t e 
by 
f o r e i g n 
c o r p o r a t i o n s 
p r i o r 
t o 
o b t a i n i n g 
a 
c e r t i f i c a t e 
o f 
a u t h o r i t y 
t o 
t r a n s a c t 
5 
1080252 
More s p e c i f i c a l l y , we a r e c a l l e d upon t o 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 r r e d 
i n 
d e t e r m i n i n g 
t h a t 
t h e 
j u d g m e n t 
was 
" w i t h o u t 
p r e j u d i c e " o u t s i d e A l a b a m a ; t h e 
e f f e c t o f t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s j u d g m e n t i n A l a b a m a i s n o t p r o p e r l y b e f o r e us i n 
t h i s 
c a s e . 
A r c h e r W e s t e r n makes no 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 
e r r e d i n d i s m i s s i n g B e n i s e - D o w l i n g ' s c l a i m s w i t h p r e j u d i c e t o 
t h e 
f i l i n g 
o f a n o t h e r a c t i o n on 
t h e same c l a i m s 
i n A l a b a m a . 
b u s i n e s s 
i n t h i s s t a t e s h a l l be h e l d v o i d a t t h e a c t i o n o f 
t h e  
f o r e i g n 
c o r p o r a t i o n . " 
( e m p h a s i s 
a d d e d ) ) ; 
G u l f 
B e a c h 
H o t e l ,  
I n c . v. 
S t a t e ex r e l . W h e t s t o n e , 935 
So. 
2d 
1177, 
1182 
( A l a . 
2006) 
("Where 
'the 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
h a [ s ] 
no 
s u b j e c t - m a t t e r 
j u r i s d i c t i o n , 
[ i t h a s ] 
no 
a l t e r n a t i v e b u t 
t o 
d i s m i s s 
t h e 
a c t i o n . ' . . . 
'"Any 
o t h e r 
a c t i o n 
t a k e n 
by 
a 
c o u r t 
l a c k i n g 
s u b j e c t 
m a t t e r 
j u r i s d i c t i o n 
i s 
n u l l 
and 
v o i d . " ' " 
( q u o t i n g 
o t h e r 
c a s e s ) ) ; M c W h o r t e r 
v. 
S t a t e 
Bd. 
o f 
R e g i s t r a t i o n f o r  
P r o f ' l E n g ' r s & L a n d S u r v e y o r s ex r e l . B a x l e y , 
359 
So. 2d 
769, 
771 
( A l a . 
1978) 
("In 
a r r i v i n g 
a t 
a 
d e t e r m i n a t i o n 
o f 
l e g i s l a t i v e 
i n t e n t , 
t h e 
e n t i r e 
A c t 
must 
be 
e x a m i n e d 
and 
c o n s t r u e d 
as a w h o l e , and, 
i f p o s s i b l e , e v e r y w o r d i n i t g i v e n 
e f f e c t . " 
( c i t i n g 
T i l l m a n 
v. 
S i b b l e s , 
341 
So. 
2d 
686 
( A l a . 
1 9 7 7 ) ) . 
A l s o c o n t r a r y t o B e n i s e - D o w l i n g ' s a r g u m e n t s , § 34-8-1 e t  
s e q . , 
A l a . Code 1975, 
d o e s n o t 
p r e c l u d e 
t h e 
c o u r t s 
o f 
t h i s 
s t a t e f r o m e x e r c i s i n g j u r i s d i c t i o n 
o v e r t h i s a c t i o n . 
B e n i s e -
D o w l i n g p o i n t s t o no p r o v i s i o n i n § 34-8-1 e t s e q . , 
o r t o 
any 
o t h e r l a w , t h a t w o u l d d e p r i v e A l a b a m a c o u r t 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 , 
and we have f o u n d no s u c h l a w . 
See A l a . C o n s t . 
1901, 
A r t . V I , § 1 4 2 ( b ) 
( p r o v i d i n g t h a t t h e 
c i r c u i t c o u r t s 
o f 
t h i s 
s t a t e 
" s h a l l 
e x e r c i s e g e n e r a l 
j u r i s d i c t i o n 
i n a l l c a s e s 
e x c e p t 
as 
may 
o t h e r w i s e 
be 
p r o v i d e d 
by 
l a w " 
( e m p h a s i s 
a d d e d ) ) ; 
see 
a l s o 
A l a . Code 
1975, 
§ 12-2-7 
("The 
Supreme 
C o u r t 
s h a l l 
h a v e 
a u t h o r i t y 
[ t ] o 
e x e r c i s e 
a p p e l l a t e 
j u r i s d i c t i o n 
c o e x t e n s i v e 
w i t h 
t h e 
s t a t e , 
u n d e r 
s u c h 
r e s t r i c t i o n s 
and 
r e g u l a t i o n s as a r e p r e s c r i b e d by l a w 
" ) . 
6 
1080252 
M o r e o v e r , 
B e n i s e - D o w l i n g 
d i d 
n o t 
a p p e a l 
f r o m 
t h e 
amended 
summary j u d g m e n t . 
I n f a c t , B e n i s e - D o w l i n g ' s m o t i o n t o amend 
e x p r e s s l y r e q u e s t e d 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t t o amend t h e j u d g m e n t 
t o 
s p e c i f y t h a t t h e j u d g m e n t was 
" w i t h o u t p r e j u d i c e t o t h e 
r i g h t s 
o f 
[ B e n i s e - D o w l i n g ] 
t o 
f i l e 
s u i t i n a j u r i s d i c t i o n o t h e r 
t h a n  
A l a b a m a " 
( e m p h a s i s a d d e d ) , 
and 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
g r a n t e d 
t h a t 
r e l i e f . 
See 
S t a t e Farm Mut. 
A u t o . I n s . Co. 
v. Humphres, 
293 
A l a . 
413, 
418, 
304 
So. 
2d 573, 
577 
( 1 9 7 4 ) ( " [ A ] 
p a r t y may 
n o t 
a v a i l 
h i m s e l f 
o f 
e r r o r , 
i f any, 
i n t o w h i c h 
he 
has 
l e d 
t h e 
c o u r t ; 
t h a t 
i s c a l l e d 
i n v i t e d 
e r r o r . " 
( c i t i n g 
D i x i e H i g h w a y  
E x p r e s s , 
I n c . v. 
S o u t h e r n Ry., 
286 
A l a . 
646, 
244 
So. 
2d 
591 
( 1 9 7 1 ) , 
and Thompson v. M a g i c 
C i t y 
T r u c k i n g 
S e r v . , 
275 
A l a . 
291, 
154 
So. 
2d 306 
( 1 9 6 3 ) ) ) . 
As 
t o 
t h e 
e f f e c t 
o f 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s 
j u d g m e n t 
i n 
j u r i s d i c t i o n s o t h e r t h a n A l a b a m a , t h e p a r t i e s d i s a g r e e . 
They 
o f f e r 
c o m p e t i n g 
a r g u m e n t s 
r e g a r d i n g 
t h e 
c o n s t r u c t i o n 
o f 
v a r i o u s A l a b a m a s t a t u t e s . 
They a l s o p r e s s c o m p e t i n g t h e o r i e s 
as 
t o 
w h e t h e r 
t h e 
A l a b a m a 
L e g i s l a t u r e 
i n t e n d e d 
f o r 
t h o s e 
s t a t u t e s , 
t h e p u b l i c p o l i c i e s u n d e r l y i n g them, and 
j u d g m e n t s 
e n t e r e d 
i n 
a c c o r d a n c e 
w i t h 
them 
t o 
be 
f o l l o w e d 
i n 
o t h e r 
j u r i s d i c t i o n s . 
However, 
t h e 
e x t r a t e r r i t o r i a l 
e f f e c t 
o f 
an 
7 
1080252 
A l a b a m a 
c o u r t ' s 
j u d g m e n t 
i s 
n o t 
d e t e r m i n e d 
by 
A l a b a m a 
s t a t u t e s , t h e i n t e n t o f t h e A l a b a m a L e g i s l a t u r e , o r t h e p u b l i c 
p o l i c y 
o f 
A l a b a m a . 
A l a b a m a ' s 
l e g i s l a t u r e 
and 
i t s 
c o u r t s 
s i m p l y do n o t h a v e t h e a u t h o r i t y t o d i r e c t o t h e r 
j u r i s d i c t i o n s 
as t o what e f f e c t t h o s e 
j u r i s d i c t i o n s must g i v e t h e j u d g m e n t s 
and 
l a w s 
o f 
o u r 
S t a t e . 
See 
Thomas v. W a s h i n g t o n 
Gas 
L i g h t 
 
Co., 
448 
U.S. 
261, 
271, 
(1980) 
( p l u r a l i t y o p i n i o n ) 
("To 
v e s t 
t h e 
power 
o f 
d e t e r m i n i n g 
t h e 
e x t r a t e r r i t o r i a l 
e f f e c t 
o f 
a 
S t a t e ' s 
own 
l a w s and j u d g m e n t s i n t h e 
S t a t e 
i t s e l f 
r i s k s 
t h e 
v e r y k i n d o f p a r o c h i a l e n t r e n c h m e n t on t h e i n t e r e s t s o f 
o t h e r 
S t a t e s 
t h a t i t was 
t h e p u r p o s e o f t h e 
F u l l 
F a i t h and 
C r e d i t 
C l a u s e 
and 
o t h e r p r o v i s i o n s o f A r t . IV o f t h e 
[ U n i t e d 
S t a t e s ] 
C o n s t i t u t i o n 
t o p r e v e n t . 
See N e v a d a v. 
H a l l , 
440 
U.S. 
410, 
424-25 
[ ( 1 9 7 9 ) ] . " ) . 
R a t h e r , 
t h e e f f e c t a n o t h e r j u r i s d i c t i o n o u g h t t o g i v e 
t h e 
j u d g m e n t i n t h i s c a s e i s d e t e r m i n e d by 
p r i n c i p l e s 
o f 
c o m i t y 
and 
p u b l i c p o l i c y , 
and, 
i f t h a t o t h e r 
j u r i s d i c t i o n 
i s one 
o f 
o u r 
s i s t e r 
s t a t e s , 
by 
t h e 
U n i t e d 
S t a t e s 
C o n s t i t u t i o n 
and 
f e d e r a l 
l a w .
5 
U n d e r 
t h e s e 
p r i n c i p l e s 
and 
a u t h o r i t i e s , 
t h e 
5 S e e U.S. 
C o n s t . , 
A r t . 
I V , 
§ 1 
( " F u l l F a i t h and 
C r e d i t 
s h a l l be g i v e n i n e a c h S t a t e t o t h e p u b l i c A c t s , R e c o r d s , 
and 
j u d i c i a l 
P r o c e e d i n g s 
o f e v e r y 
o t h e r 
S t a t e . And 
t h e 
C o n g r e s s 
may 
by g e n e r a l Laws p r e s c r i b e t h e Manner i n w h i c h s u c h 
A c t s , 
8 
1080252 
power o f an A l a b a m a 
c o u r t 
t o d e t e r m i n e 
t h e e f f e c t 
o f an 
A l a b a m a 
j u d g m e n t 
i s 
l i m i t e d 
s o l e l y 
t o t h e 
a u t h o r i t y t o 
p r e s c r i b e 
t h e e f f e c t s o f t h a t 
j u d g m e n t i n o u r own 
S t a t e . 
Thomas, 448 U.S. a t 271 ( " [ I ] n e f f e c t , by v i r t u e o f t h e 
f u l l 
f a i t h and c r e d i t o b l i g a t i o n s o f t h e s e v e r a l S t a t e s , a S t a t e i s 
p e r m i t t e d 
t o d e t e r m i n e t h e e x t r a t e r r i t o r i a l 
e f f e c t 
o f 
i t s 
j u d g m e n t ; b u t i t 
may o n l y do so i n d i r e c t l y by p r e s c r i b i n g t h e 
 
e f f e c t o f i t s j u d g m e n t s w i t h i n t h e S t a t e . " ( e m p h a s i s a d d e d ) ) . 
T h e r e f o r e , i n a m e n d i n g i t s o r d e r , t h e t r i a l c o u r t 
g r a n t e d 
r e l i e f 
t h a t was b e y o n d i t s a u t h o r i t y t o g r a n t . 
I n so 
d o i n g , 
t h e 
t r i a l c o u r t e x c e e d e d i t s 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 
R e c o r d s 
and 
P r o c e e d i n g s 
s h a l l 
be 
p r o v e d , 
and t h e E f f e c t 
t h e r e o f . " ) ; 
28 U.S.C. § 1738 
( d i r e c t i n g 
t h a t t h e p r o p e r l y 
a u t h e n t i c a t e d a c t s and j u d g m e n t s o f any s t a t e " s h a l l h a v e t h e 
same 
f u l l 
f a i t h a n d c r e d i t i n e v e r y 
c o u r t w i t h i n t h e U n i t e d 
S t a t e s ... as t h e y have by l a w o r u s a g e i n t h e c o u r t s o f s u c h 
S t a t e ... f r o m w h i c h t h e y a r e t a k e n " ) ; B a k e r v. G e n e r a l 
M o t o r s  
C o r p . 
522 U.S. 222, 233 (1998) ("A c o u r t may be g u i d e d b y t h e 
f o r u m 
S t a t e ' s 
' p u b l i c 
p o l i c y ' 
i n 
d e t e r m i n i n g 
t h e 
l a w 
a p p l i c a b l e t o a c o n t r o v e r s y . See N e v a d a v . H a l l , 440 U.S. 410, 
421-24 
( 1 9 7 9 ) . 
B u t o u r d e c i s i o n s s u p p o r t 
no r o v i n g 
' p u b l i c 
p o l i c y e x c e p t i o n ' t o t h e f u l l 
f a i t h and c r e d i t due j u d g m e n t s . " 
( c i t i n g 
E s t i n 
v . 
E s t i n , 
334 
U.S. 
5 4 1 , 546 
( 1 9 4 8 ) ; 
and 
F a u n t l e r o y 
v. Lum, 
210 U.S. 
230, 237 
( 1 9 0 8 ) ) ) ; 
M a r t i n 
v .  
R o b b i n s , 628 So. 2d 614, 618 ( A l a . 
1 993) 
("The d o c t r i n e o f 
c o m i t y i s ... a p r i n c i p l e o f c o u r t e s y b y w h i c h t h e c o u r t s o f 
one 
j u r i s d i c t i o n 
w i l l 
g i v e 
e f f e c t t o t h e l a w s and 
j u d i c i a l 
d e c i s i o n s o f a n o t h e r j u r i s d i c t i o n m e r e l y o u t o f d e f e r e n c e and 
r e s p e c t . " 
( c i t i n g 
S t a t e ex r e l . S p e e r v . H a y n e s , 392 So. 2d 
1183 
( A l a . C i v . 
App. 
1 9 7 9 ) ) ) . 
9 
1080252 
p a r t e 
C u l b r e t h 
966 
So. 
2d 
910, 
911-12 
( A l a . 
2006) 
( " ' J u r i s d i c t i o n 
i s 
" [ a ] 
c o u r t ' s power 
t o 
d e c i d e 
a c a s e 
o r 
i s s u e 
a 
d e c r e e . " 
... 
I n 
d e c i d i n g 
w h e t h e r 
[a 
...] 
c l a i m 
p r o p e r l y 
c h a l l e n g e s 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s 
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 , 
we 
a s k 
... 
w h e t h e r 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
had 
t h e 
[ r e q u i s i t e ] 
c o n s t i t u t i o n a l 
and 
s t a t u t o r y 
a u t h o r i t y . . . . ' " 
( q u o t i n g Ex p a r t e Seymour, 946 
So. 
2d 536, 
538 
( A l a . 2 0 0 6 ) ) ) . 
I n m a t t e r 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 , 
we 
a r e n o t 
l i m i t e d 
by t h e a r g u m e n t s o f t h e p a r t i e s . 
R a t h e r , 
we 
a r e o b l i g a t e d t o 
a d d r e s s 
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 
ex 
mero  
motu. 
See 
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 ) ; 
and 
Ex 
p a r t e 
S m i t h , 
438 
So. 
2d 
766, 
768 
( A l a . 
1983) 
( " [ I ] t i s t h e d u t y 
o f an a p p e l l a t e c o u r t t o c o n s i d e r l a c k o f 
s u b j e c t 
m a t t e r 
j u r i s d i c t i o n 
ex mero motu." 
( 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 ) ) ) . 
B e c a u s e 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
e x c e e d e d 
i t s j u r i s d i c t i o n 
i n 
a m e n d i n g i t s j u d g m e n t i n r e s p o n s e t o B e n i s e - D o w l i n g ' s 
m o t i o n 
t o amend t o p r o v i d e t h a t i t s j u d g m e n t was 
w i t h o u t p r e j u d i c e t o 
B e n i s e - D o w l i n g ' s 
r i g h t 
t o b r i n g an 
a c t i o n i n a 
j u r i s d i c t i o n 
o t h e r 
t h a n A l a b a m a , we 
r e v e r s e 
t h e amended j u d g m e n t 
o f 
t h e 
10 
1080252 
t r i a l 
c o u r t and remand t h e c a s e . 
See 
C r u t c h e r , 
12 So. 
3d 
a t 
635 
( " ' [ I ] t w o u l d amount t o u s u r p a t i o n 
and 
o p p r e s s i o n 
f o r a 
c o u r t 
t o 
i n t e r f e r e 
i n 
a 
m a t t e r 
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 , and i t s p r o n o u n c e m e n t s i n r e s p e c t t h e r e t o w o u l d 
be 
w i t h o u t 
f o r c e , 
and 
i t s d e c r e e s 
and 
j u d g m e n t s 
w o u l d 
be 
w h o l l y v o i d . T h i s i s a u n i v e r s a l p r i n c i p l e , as o l d as t h e 
l a w 
i t s e l f . ' " 
( q u o t i n g W i l k i n s o n v. H e n r y , 221 A l a . 254, 
256, 
128 
So. 
362, 
364 
( 1 9 3 0 ) ) ) . 
The 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
i s 
d i r e c t e d 
t o 
v a c a t e 
i t s amended 
j u d g m e n t on remand, and t h e c o u r t ' s o r i g i n a l summary j u d g m e n t 
s h o u l d be 
r e i n s t a t e d on remand. 
REVERSED AND 
REMANDED. 
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 . 
L y o n s and W o o d a l l , 
J J . , d i s s e n t . 
11 
1080252 
WOODALL, J u s t i c e 
( d i s s e n t i n g ) . 
The 
t r i a l c o u r t h a d 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 o v e r t h i s 
a c t i o n . 
I t s amended 
j u d g m e n t , 
e n t e r e d 
i n November 
2008, 
m e r e l y p u r p o r t e d t o e n f o r c e § 1 0 - 2 B - 1 5 . 0 2 ( a ) , A l a . Code 1975, 
by 
" d i s m i s s i n g 
[ t h e ] c l a i m s 
a g a i n s t 
[ A r c h e r 
W e s t e r n 
w i t h 
p r e j u d i c e ] 
t o 
t h e 
f i l i n g 
i n t h e 
S t a t e 
o f 
A l a b a m a 
o f 
a 
s u b s e q u e n t a c t i o n on t h e same c l a i m s . " 
I t i s t r u e t h a t t h e 
amended j u d g m e n t , i n a l l 
o t h e r 
r e s p e c t s , 
" d i s m i s s [ e d ] 
[ t h e ] 
c l a i m s 
a g a i n s t 
[ A r c h e r 
W e s t e r n ] 
w i t h o u t 
p r e j u d i c e . " 
The 
m a j o r i t y c o n s t r u e s 
t h i s l a t t e r p h r a s e t o be a 
" d e t e r m i n [ a t i o n ] 
t h a t t h e j u d g m e n t was 
' w i t h o u t 
p r e j u d i c e ' o u t s i d e 
A l a b a m a . " 
So. 3d a t 
. 
However, 
I do n o t so c o n s t r u e t h e j u d g m e n t . 
I n s t e a d , 
i t a p p e a r s 
t o me 
t h a t 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
p r o p e r l y 
r e c o g n i z e d t h a t t h e b i n d i n g e f f e c t o f i t s 
j u d g m e n t was 
l i m i t e d 
t o 
t h e c o u r t s o f A l a b a m a 
and t h a t any o t h e r 
c o u r t 
i n w h i c h 
B e n i s e - D o w l i n g m i g h t l a t e r 
f i l e 
s u i t w o u l d h a v e t o d e c i d e f o r 
i t s e l f 
what 
e f f e c t , 
i f any, 
t o g i v e 
t h e j u d g m e n t 
and 
t h e 
u n d e r l y i n g 
s t a t u t e . 
F o r 
t h e s e 
r e a s o n s , 
I c a n n o t a g r e e w i t h 
t h e 
m a j o r i t y ' s 
h o l d i n g t h a t " t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t g r a n t e d 
r e l i e f 
t h a t was 
b e y o n d 
i t s 
a u t h o r i t y t o g r a n t . " 
So. 3d a t 
. 
I w o u l d a f f i r m t h e 
12 
1080252 
j u d g m e n t 
o f 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t . 
T h e r e f o r e , 
I 
r e s p e c t f u l l y 
d i s s e n t . 
L y o n s , 
J . , c o n c u r s . 
13