Title: New Acton Coal Mining Company, Inc. v. Tim Woods et al.

State: alabama

Issuer: Alabama Supreme Court

Document:

REL: 04/09/2010 
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) 229¬
0 6 4 9 ) , o f 
any 
t y p o g r a p h i c a l o r o t h e r e r r o r s , i n 
o r d e r t h a t c o r r e c t i o n s 
may 
be 
made b e f o r e 
t h e o p i n i o n i s 
p r i n t e d i n 
Southern Reporter. 
SUPREME COURT OF ALABAMA 
OCTOBER TERM, 2009-2010 
1081092 
New Acton Coal M i n i n g Company, 
Inc. 
v. 
Tim Woods e t a l . 
Appeal from Walker C i r c u i t Court 
(CV-01-556) 
SMITH, 
J u s t i c e . 
Tim 
Woods, 
C o n n i e 
Woods, 
James 
H a r l a n d , 
M i l l i e 
M. 
H a r l a n d , J.C. 
Pugh, a n d B o n n i e Pugh 
( 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 
" t h e 
a p p e l l e e s " ) a n d 
2 0 o t h e r i n d i v i d u a l s a n d 
e n t i t i e s 
s u e d New A c t o n 
C o a l 
M i n i n g 
Company, I n c . 
("New 
1081092 
A c t o n " ) , 
i n t h e 
W a l k e r 
C i r c u i t 
C o u r t 
s e e k i n g damages 
f o r 
i n j u r y t o t h e i r p r o p e r t i e s r e s u l t i n g f r o m New A c t o n ' s 
b l a s t i n g 
o p e r a t i o n s . 
A t t h e c o n c l u s i o n o f a s e p a r a t e j u r y t r i a l on t h e 
a p p e l l e e s ' 
c l a i m s 
a g a i n s t 
New 
A c t o n , 
t h e 
j u r y 
r e t u r n e d a 
v e r d i c t 
i n f a v o r o f t h e a p p e l l e e s . 
The 
a p p e l l e e s , 
h o w e v e r , 
moved 
f o r a new 
t r i a l 
a r g u i n g t h a t 
t h e damages 
a w a r d 
was 
t a i n t e d b y j u r o r m i s c o n d u c t and was i n a d e q u a t e i n l i g h t o f t h e 
e v i d e n c e t h e y h a d p r e s e n t e d a t t r i a l . 
The 
t r i a l c o u r t g r a n t e d 
t h e 
a p p e l l e e s ' m o t i o n , and New A c t o n a p p e a l s . 
We d i s m i s s t h e 
a p p e a l . 
F a c t s and P r o c e d u r a l H i s t o r y 
T w e n t y - s i x i n d i v i d u a l s and e n t i t i e s o w n i n g p r o p e r t y n e a r 
New 
A c t o n ' s m i n i n g o p e r a t i o n s i n W a l k e r 
C o u n t y 
( 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 " t h e p l a i n t i f f s " ) s u e d New 
A c t o n , 
a l l e g i n g 
t h a t 
New 
A c t o n ' s 
b l a s t i n g 
o p e r a t i o n s h a d 
damaged 
t h e i r 
p r o p e r t i e s , 
d i m i n i s h e d t h e v a l u e o f t h e i r 
p r o p e r t i e s , 
and 
c a u s e d them t o 
s u f f e r m e n t a l 
a n g u i s h .
1 
B e c a u s e 
o f 
t h e 
1The 
p l a i n t i f f s named i n t h e c o m p l a i n t a r e R.L. A a r o n , 
Sue 
A a r o n , C l y d e Thomas, J e f f R i g s b y , Tim Woods, J a c k W. 
B u t l e r , 
J a c k 
C l a r k , 
M a r t h a 
C l a r k , 
U n i o n 
C h a p e l 
U n i t e d 
M e t h o d i s t 
C h u r c h , Jimmy A a r o n , M a r y F r a n c e s 
D a n i e l , 
D i n a h 
Sue 
D a n i e l 
Moon, James H a r l a n d , M i l l i e 
M. 
H a r l a n d , M a r i e T u r n e r , 
K a r e n 
Inmon, J.C. Pugh, B o n n i e Pugh, J e r r y L a w s o n , B r e n d a 
L a w s o n , 
R u s s Haygood, M a r i e H a y g o o d , J i m Woods, C o n n i e Woods, K e n n e t h 
G a m b l e , and V a n e s s a G a m b l e . 
2 
1081092 
number o f p l a i n t i f f s , New 
A c t o n moved t h e 
t r i a l c o u r t t o b r e a k 
t h e a c t i o n i n t o s e p a r a t e 
t r i a l s u n d e r R u l e 4 2 ( b ) , A l a . R. 
C i v . 
P.
2 
I n 
t h e 
m o t i o n , 
New 
A c t o n 
a s s e r t e d 
t h a t 
t h i s 
a c t i o n 
i n v o l v e s 
13 
s e t s 
o f 
p l a i n t i f f s 
o w n i n g 
v a r y i n g 
t y p e s 
o f 
p r o p e r t i e s 
s c a t t e r e d o v e r 
a w i d e 
a r e a 
and 
t h a t 
13 
s e p a r a t e 
t r i a l s were w a r r a n t e d f o r t h e c o n v e n i e n c e o f t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
and t o a v o i d p r e j u d i c e t o t h e p a r t i e s . 
The 
t r i a l c o u r t 
d e n i e d 
t h e m o t i o n . 
New 
A c t o n t h e n moved f o r r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n o f 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s 
d e n i a l 
o f 
i t s m o t i o n 
f o r 
s e p a r a t e 
t r i a l s . 
P u r s u a n t 
t o 
t h a t 
m o t i o n , 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
t h e n 
g r a n t e d 
t h e 
m o t i o n f o r s e p a r a t e 
t r i a l s . 
F i r s t , 
p l a i n t i f f s J a c k C l a r k and M a r t h a C l a r k t r i e d 
t h e i r 
c l a i m s 
a g a i n s t 
New 
A c t o n 
t o 
a j u r y . 
The 
j u r y 
r e t u r n e d 
a 
v e r d i c t 
i n f a v o r 
o f New 
A c t o n , 
and, 
on 
A p r i l 
17, 
2008, 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
e n t e r e d 
a j u d g m e n t 
on 
t h e 
j u r y ' s v e r d i c t . 
The 
C l a r k s t h e n 
f i l e d 
a m o t i o n f o r a new 
t r i a l , w h i c h t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
d e n i e d . 
The 
a p p e l l e e s 
t h e n 
t r i e d 
t h e i r 
c l a i m s 
a g a i n s t New 
A c t o n 
t o 
a 
j u r y . 
On 
J a n u a r y 
20, 
2009, 
t h e 
j u r y 
r e t u r n e d 
t h e 
2 R u l e 
4 2 ( b ) 
p r o v i d e s 
t h a t 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
may 
o r d e r 
a 
s e p a r a t e 
t r i a l 
o f any 
c l a i m " i n f u r t h e r a n c e 
o f c o n v e n i e n c e 
o r 
t o 
a v o i d p r e j u d i c e , o r when s e p a r a t e 
t r i a l s 
w i l l be 
c o n d u c i v e 
t o 
e x p e d i t i o n and 
e c o n o m y . " 
3 
1081092 
f o l l o w i n g v e r d i c t s : 
$27,500 f o r Tim Woods and C o n n i e Woods; 
$20,000 f o r James H a r l a n d 
and 
M i l l i e M. 
H a r l a n d ; 
and 
$15,000 
f o r 
J.C. 
Pugh and 
B o n n i e Pugh. 
The 
a p p e l l e e s 
t h e n 
f i l e d 
a 
m o t i o n s t y l e d " M o t i o n 
t o V a c a t e J u r y V e r d i c t , f o r New 
T r i a l , 
f o r Judgment N o t w i t h s t a n d i n g 
t h e V e r d i c t , f o r M i s t r i a l , o r f o r 
S u c h 
O t h e r 
R e l i e f 
as 
may 
be 
A p p r o p r i a t e 
U n d e r 
t h e 
C i r c u m s t a n c e s " 
u n d e r R u l e 
59, 
A l a . R. 
C i v . P. 
On 
A p r i l 
17, 
2009, 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 t h e a p p e l l e e s ' 
r e q u e s t 
f o r a new 
t r i a l . 
New 
A c t o n 
now 
a p p e a l s 
f r o m 
t h a t 
o r d e r , 
a r g u i n g 
t h a t i n o r d e r i n g a new 
t r i a l 
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 . 
D i s c u s s i o n 
B e f o r e a d d r e s s i n g t h e i s s u e s New 
A c t o n r a i s e s b e f o r e 
t h i s 
C o u r t , we must c o n s i d e r w h e t h e r we have 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 . 
"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 
b e c a u s e 
' [ 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 . ' " 
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 . 2008) 
( 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 
4 
1081092 
( 1 9 3 0 ) ) . 
"'"As 
t h i s 
c o u r t has 
s a i d many t i m e s 
p r e v i o u s l y , a 
f i n a l j u d g m e n t i s n e c e s s a r y 
t o g i v e j u r i s d i c t i o n 
t o t h i s 
c o u r t 
on 
an 
a p p e a l , 
and 
i t c a n n o t be w a i v e d by 
t h e p a r t i e s 
"'" 
N o r t h 
A l a b a m a E l e c . Coop. v. 
New 
Hope T e l . Coop., 
7 So. 
3d 
342, 
344 
( A l a . 2008) 
( q u o t i n g 
P o w e l l 
v. 
R e p u b l i c 
N a t ' l 
L i f e 
 
I n s . 
Co., 
293 
A l a . 
101, 
102, 
300 
So. 
2d 
359, 
360 
(1 9 7 4 ) , 
q u o t i n g 
i n t u r n McGowin I n v . 
Co. 
v. J o h n s t o n e , 291 
A l a . 
714, 
715, 
287 
So. 
2d 
835, 
836 
( 1 9 7 3 ) ) . 
"'"An 
a p p e a l 
w i l l 
o r d i n a r i l y 
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 ; 
t h a t 
i s , 
a 
j u d g m e n t 
t h a t 
c o n c l u s i v e l y d e t e r m i n e s 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 . " 
P a l u g h i v. Dow, 
659 
So. 
2d 112, 
113 
( A l a . 
1 9 9 5 ) . 
F o r 
a j u d g m e n t t o be 
f i n a l , 
i t must p u t 
an 
end t o t h e p r o c e e d i n g s 
and 
l e a v e n o t h i n g f o r f u r t h e r 
a d j u d i c a t i o n . 
Ex 
p a r t e W h a r f h o u s e 
R e s t . 
& 
O y s t e r 
 
B a r , 
I n c . , 
796 
So. 
2d 
316, 
320 
( A l a . 
2 0 0 1 ) . 
" [ W ] i t h o u t 
a 
f i n a l j u d g m e n t , 
t h i s 
C o u r t 
i s 
w i t h o u t 
j u r i s d i c t i o n 
t o h e a r an a p p e a l . " 
C a t e s v. B u s h , 
293 
A l a . 
535, 
537, 
307 
So. 
2d 
6, 
8 
( 1 9 7 5 ) . ' " 
H o r n 
v. 
Brown, 
4 
So. 
3d 
1 
10 6, 
1 
1 
08 
( A l a . 2008) 
( q u o t i n g 
H a m i l t o n v. C o n n a l l y , 
959 
So. 
2d 
640, 
642 
( A l a . 
2 0 0 6 ) ) . 
New 
A c t o n a s s e r t s t h a t 
t h i s 
C o u r t has 
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 u n d e r § 1 2 - 2 2 - 1 0 , A l a . Code 1975, 
w h i c h 
p r o v i d e s 
t h a t 
" [ e ] i t h e r 
p a r t y 
i n a 
c i v i l 
c a s e 
... 
may 
a p p e a l 
t o 
t h e 
a p p r o p r i a t e a p p e l l a t e c o u r t f r o m an o r d e r g r a n t i n g o r r e f u s i n g 
a m o t i o n f o r a new 
t r i a l 
by t h e 
c i r c u i t c o u r t . " 
We 
d i s a g r e e , 
5 
1081092 
h o w e v e r , b e c a u s e an a p p e a l u n d e r § 12-22-10 may 
be 
f i l e d 
o n l y 
i n r e f e r e n c e t o a f i n a l j u d g m e n t , and a f i n a l j u d g m e n t was 
n o t 
e n t e r e d 
i n t h i s 
a c t i o n . 
I n G a l l o w a y v. 
A r n o l d , 
374 
So. 
2d 
1350 
( A l a . 1 9 7 9 ) , 
t h i s 
C o u r t 
c o n s i d e r e d 
w h e t h e r § 
12-22-10 
a u t h o r i z e s a p a r t y t o a p p e a l 
f r o m an o r d e r g r a n t i n g a m o t i o n 
t o 
r e c o n s i d e r 
an 
i n t e r l o c u t o r y 
o r d e r 
i s s u i n g 
a p r e l i m i n a r y 
i n j u n c t i o n . 
T h i s C o u r t a n s w e r e d t h e q u e s t i o n i n t h e 
n e g a t i v e 
and 
d i s m i s s e d 
t h e a p p e a l , 
h o l d i n g : 
"We 
do 
n o t 
... 
f i n d 
t h a t 
t h e 
new 
R u l e s 
o f 
C i v i l 
P r o c e d u r e a u t h o r i z e 
t h i s 
c o u r t , u n d e r Code 1975, 
§ 
1 2 - 2 2 - 1 0 , 
t o 
r e v i e w 
a 
g r a n t 
o r 
d e n i a l 
o f 
an 
a p p l i c a t i o n f o r r e h e a r i n g o f an 
i n t e r l o c u t o r y 
o r d e r 
where t h e r e 
has 
b e e n no 
f i n a l 
a d j u d i c a t i o n o f 
any 
d e t e r m i n a t i v e 
i s s u e 
i n t h e 
c a s e . 
S u c h 
a 
f i n d i n g 
w o u l d be i n d e r o g a t i o n o f t h e p r i n c i p l e s o f 
f i n a l i t y 
e x p r e s s e d 
i n s u c h 
r u l e s as 
R u l e 
54, 
[ A l a . R. 
C i v . 
P . ] . " 
374 
So. 
2d a t 1351 
( c i t i n g Moody v. 
S t a t e ex r e l . P a y n e , 
351 
So. 
2d 547 
( A l a . 
1 9 7 7 ) ) . 
The 
j u d g m e n t 
f r o m w h i c h 
t h e 
a p p e l l e e s moved 
f o r a 
new 
t r i a l 
i s a n o n f i n a l j u d g m e n t b e c a u s e t h e a p p e l l e e s ' 
t r i a l 
was 
o n l y t h e s e c o n d o f 13 s e p a r a t e 
t r i a l s 
i n t h i s 
s i n g l e a c t i o n . 
The 
r e c o r d i n d i c a t e s t h a t u n d e r R u l e 
4 2 ( b ) , A l a . R. 
C i v . 
P., 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
g r a n t e d 
New 
A c t o n ' s m o t i o n 
f o r 13 
s e p a r a t e 
t r i a l s , 
t h a t 
p l a i n t i f f s 
J a c k 
C l a r k 
and 
M a r t h a 
C l a r k 
t r i e d 
6 
1081092 
t h e i r 
c l a i m s 
a g a i n s t New 
A c t o n i n t h e 
f i r s t 
t r i a l , 
and 
t h a t 
t h e 
a p p e l l e e s 
t r i e d 
t h e i r 
c l a i m s 
a g a i n s t 
New 
A c t o n 
i n t h e 
s e c o n d 
t r i a l . 
Thus, f r o m a l l 
t h a t a p p e a r s i n t h e r e c o r d , t h e 
c l a i m s o f a t l e a s t 11 p l a i n t i f f s a r e 
s t i l l 
p e n d i n g .
3 
I m p o r t a n t l y , 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
o r d e r e d 
s e p a r a t e 
t r i a l s 
u n d e r 
R u l e 
4 2 ( b ) ; i t d i d n o t 
s e v e r t h e 
p l a i n t i f f s ' 
c l a i m s 
u n d e r R u l e 2 1 , A l a . R. 
C i v . P.
4 
A 
s i g n i f i c a n t 
d i s t i n c t i o n 
3 T h e 
r e c o r d 
i n d i c a t e s 
t h e 
f o l l o w i n g 
p l a i n t i f f s 
r e m a i n : 
R.L. A a r o n ; Sue A a r o n ; Jimmy A a r o n ; J a c k W. 
B u t l e r ; D i n a h 
Sue 
D a n i e l 
Moon 
as 
t h e 
a d m i n i s t r a t r i x 
o f 
t h e 
e s t a t e 
o f 
M a r y 
F r a n c e s 
D a n i e l ; 
K e n n e t h 
Gamble; V a n e s s a 
Gamble; 
D i n a h 
Sue 
D a n i e l Moon; 
J e f f 
R i g s b y ; 
M a r i e 
T u r n e r ; 
and 
U n i o n 
C h a p e l 
U n i t e d M e t h o d i s t C h u r c h . 
The 
t r i a l c o u r t d i s m i s s e d p l a i n t i f f s 
J e r r y Lawson and B r e n d a Lawson on A p r i l 14, 2003. 
The 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
d i s m i s s e d 
p l a i n t i f f s 
C l y d e 
Thomas, 
J i m Woods, 
R u s s 
H a y g o o d , and M a r i e Haygood on A p r i l 30, 2 0 0 3 . 
New A c t o n moved 
t o 
d i s m i s s p l a i n t i f f K a r e n Inmon, b u t t h e r e c o r d i s u n c l e a r as 
t o 
w h e t h e r t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t has e v e r g r a n t e d t h i s 
m o t i o n . 
4 R u l e 2 1 , A l a . R. C i v . P., 
p r o v i d e s , 
i n p e r t i n e n t 
p a r t : 
"Any 
c l a i m a g a i n s t a p a r t y may 
be s e v e r e d and p r o c e e d e d 
w i t h 
s e p a r a t e l y . " 
We n o t e t h a t New A c t o n ' s s i x - p a g e m o t i o n 
a s k i n g 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
t o 
r e c o n s i d e r 
i t s d e n i a l 
o f 
New 
A c t o n ' s 
" M o t i o n 
f o r 
S e p a r a t e 
T r i a l s " 
i n c l u d e s 
one 
r e f e r e n c e 
t o 
" s e v e r a n c e 
o f 
t h e 
c l a i m s , " 
s t a t i n g : 
" T h e r e 
d o e s , 
h o w e v e r , 
e x i s t 
a s t r o n g and 
c o n v i n c i n g a r g u m e n t f o r s e v e r a n c e o f t h e 
c l a i m s - - t h e r e 
i s 
a 
s i g n i f i c a n t 
p o s s i b i l i t y 
f o r 
p r e j u d i c e 
a g a i n s t 
[New A c t o n ] . " However, t h e m o t i o n makes no r e f e r e n c e 
t o 
R u l e 2 1 , and New 
A c t o n ' s p r a y e r f o r r e l i e f 
s t a t e s : 
" W h e r e f o r e , p r e m i s e s c o n s i d e r e d and p u r s u a n t t o 
R u l e 4 
2 ( b ) o f t h e A l a b a m a R u l e s o f C i v i l 
P r o c e d u r e , 
d e f e n d a n t 
[New 
A c t o n ] 
r e s p e c t f u l l y 
r e q u e s t s 
t h i s 
C o u r t 
e n t e r 
an 
O r d e r 
g r a n t i n g 
i t s M o t i o n 
t o 
R e c o n s i d e r i t s M o t i o n f o r S e p a r a t e T r i a l s and o r d e r 
7 
1081092 
e x i s t s b e t w e e n an o r d e r s e p a r a t i n g t r i a l s u n d e r R u l e 42(b) 
and 
one 
s e v e r i n g c l a i m s u n d e r 
R u l e 
21 
b e c a u s e 
" s e v e r e d 
c l a i m s 
become 
i n d e p e n d e n t 
a c t i o n s 
w i t h 
j u d g m e n t s 
e n t e r e d 
i n d e p e n d e n t l y , w h i l e s e p a r a t e 
t r i a l s 
l e a d t o one 
j u d g m e n t . " 
U n i v e r s a l 
U n d e r w r i t e r s 
I n s . 
Co. 
v. 
E a s t 
C e n t . 
A l a b a m a 
 
F o r d - M e r c u r y , 
I n c . , 574 
So. 
2d 
716, 
725 
( A l a . 1990 ) . 
The 
C o m m i t t e e Comments 
a d o p t e d 
F e b r u a r y 
13, 
2004, 
t o 
R u l e 
21 
e x p l a i n : 
" C o n f u s i o n 
has 
s o m e t i m e s 
a r i s e n 
b e t w e e n 
a 
t r u e 
s e v e r a n c e and an o r d e r p r o v i d i n g f o r s e p a r a t e 
t r i a l s 
p u r s u a n t 
t o 
R u l e 
4 2 ( b ) . 
The 
d i s t i n c t i o n 
has 
a t 
l e a s t t h e s i g n i f i c a n c e t h a t a j u d g m e n t on t h e 
f i r s t 
t h e 
p l a i n t i f f s ' 
c l a i m s 
t o 
be 
t r i e d 
by 
j u r y 
i n 
s e p a r a t e and 
i n d i v i d u a l 
t r i a l s . " 
( E m p h a s i s 
added.) 
I n 
a d d i t i o n , 
New 
A c t o n ' s 
" M o t i o n 
f o r 
S e p a r a t e 
T r i a l s " 
makes 
no 
r e f e r e n c e 
t o 
s e v e r i n g 
t h e 
p l a i n t i f f s ' 
c l a i m s o r 
t o R u l e 
21, 
and 
t h e 
r e c o r d d o e s 
n o t 
i n d i c a t e 
t h a t 
t h e 
c l e r k 
d o c k e t e d 
s e v e r e d 
c l a i m s w i t h 
new 
c i v i l - a c t i o n 
c a s e n u m b e r s . 
The 
C o m m i t t e e Comments 
a d o p t e d 
F e b r u a r y 13, 2004, t o R u l e 21 a d v i s e : 
"To 
a v o i d a m b i g u i t y a t t h e t i m e o f 
b i f u r c a t i o n 
and 
l a t e r 
u n c e r t a i n t y 
as 
t o 
f i n a l i t y , 
a 
p a r t y 
s e e k i n g 
a 
s e v e r a n c e 
o r 
a 
s e p a r a t e 
t r i a l 
s h o u l d 
r e q u e s t t h a t t h e c o u r t make c l e a r w h e t h e r a R u l e 
21 
s e v e r a n c e 
o r 
a 
R u l e 
42(b) 
s e p a r a t e 
t r i a l 
i s 
i n t e n d e d . 
O p i n i o n o f t h e C l e r k , 526 So. 2d 584, 
586 
( A l a . 
1 9 8 8 ) , e x p r e s s e d t h e c l e r k ' s o p i n i o n t h a t 
t h e 
p l a i n t i f f 
i n t h e s e v e r e d a c t i o n s h o u l d p a y a 
f i l i n g 
f e e 
' [ w ] h e r e 
a 
" t r u e " 
s e v e r a n c e 
u n d e r 
R u l e 
21 
i s 
o r d e r e d and t h e 
c l e r k d o c k e t s a s e p a r a t e c a s e w i t h 
a new 
c i v i l 
a c t i o n number.'" 
8 
1081092 
o f two s e p a r a t e t r i a l s i s n o t f i n a l , a b s e n t an o r d e r 
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 . ,
[ 5 ] w h i l e 
a f t e r 
a 
t r u e 
s e v e r a n c e 
a j u d g m e n t 
on t h e 
f i r s t 
a c t i o n 
t o come t o 
t r i a l 
i s f i n a l 
and 
a p p e a l a b l e 
w i t h o u t r e f e r e n c e t o t h e p r o c e e d i n g s i n t h e s e v e r e d 
a c t i o n . 
Key v. R o b e r t M. Duke I n s . 
A g e n c y , 340 So. 
2d 7 8 1 , 783 ( A l a . 1 9 7 6 ) . 
..." 
I n Key v. R o b e r t M. Duke I n s u r a n c e A g e n c y , 340 So. 2d 7 8 1 , 783 
( A l a . 
1 9 7 6 ) , 
t h i s 
C o u r t 
a d v i s e d 
t h a t 
" s e p a r a t e 
t r i a l s 
o f 
d i f f e r e n t c l a i m s i n a s i n g l e 
a c t i o n u n d e r R u l e 4 2 ( b ) u s u a l l y 
r e s u l t i n a s i n g l e 
j u d g m e n t . 
C o n s e q u e n t l y , when t h e c o u r t 
w i s h e s t o e n t e r j u d g m e n t as t o f e w e r t h a n a l l t h e c l a i m s o r 
p a r t i e s , i n a s i n g l e 
a c t i o n , R u l e 5 4 ( b ) [ , A l a . 
R. C i v . P.,] 
must be f o l l o w e d . " 
See a l s o 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 , 
C i v i l § 2656 
(3d e d . 1 
998 
) 
( n o t i n g t h a t " t h e f a c t t h a t s e p a r a t e t r i a l s have b e e n o r d e r e d 
u n d e r R u l e 4 2 ( b ) d o e s n o t a f f e c t t h e f i n a l i t y o f t h e j u d g m e n t 
e n t e r e d 
f o l l o w i n g 
e a c h 
s e p a r a t e 
t r i a l 
f o r p u r p o s e s 
o f R u l e 
5 4 ( b ) " ) . 
H e r e , 
b e f o r e t h e a p p e l l e e s moved f o r a new 
t r i a l 
u n d e r 
R u l e 59, t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t d i d n o t d i r e c t t h e e n t r y o f a 
f i n a l 
5 " R u l e 5 4 ( b ) a l l o w s t h e c o u r t t o 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 o f t h e c l a i m s , i f i t makes 
t h e 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 . " 
G r a n t h a m v . V a n d e r z y l , 802 So. 2d 1077, 1080 
( A l a . 
2 0 0 1 ) . 
9 
1081092 
j u d g m e n t on 
t h e 
a p p e l l e e s ' 
c l a i m s u n d e r R u l e 5 4 ( b ) , 
A l a . 
R. 
C i v . 
P. 
C o n s e q u e n t l y , t h e a p p e l l e e s ' m o t i o n f o r a new 
t r i a l 
u n d e r R u l e 
59 
and 
New 
A c t o n ' s 
a p p e a l 
o f 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s 
o r d e r g r a n t i n g t h a t m o t i o n r e l a t e t o a n o n f i n a l j u d g m e n t 
and, 
t h e r e f o r e , a r e i m p r o p e r . 
See 
Ex p a r t e T r o u t m a n S a n d e r s , 
L L P , 
866 
So. 
2d 
547, 
550 
( A l a . 2003) 
("'A 
R u l e 
59 m o t i o n may 
be 
made 
o n l y 
i n 
r e f e r e n c e 
t o 
a 
f i n a l 
j u d g m e n t 
o r 
o r d e r . ' " 
( q u o t i n g M a l o n e v. G a i n e y , 726 
So. 
2d 725, 
725 
n.2 
( A l a . C i v . 
App. 
1 9 9 9 ) ) ) ; 
G a l l o w a y , 
374 
So. 
2d 
a t 
1351 
( h o l d i n g t h a t 
an 
a p p e a l 
u n d e r 
§ 1 2 - 2 2 - 1 0 , A l a . Code 
1975, 
i s p r o p e r 
o n l y 
i n 
r e l a t i o n 
t o 
a 
f i n a l 
j u d g m e n t ) . 
A c c o r d i n g l y , 
we 
v a c a t e 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s o r d e r 
g r a n t i n g a new 
t r i a l , 
and 
we 
d i s m i s s 
t h e 
a p p e a l . 
ORDER VACATED; APPEAL DISMISSED. 
Cobb, C . J . , 
and W o o d a l l , P a r k e r , 
and Shaw, J J . , c o n c u r . 
10