Title: Ex parte Stacey McKenzie. PETITION FOR WRIT OF MANDAMUS: CIVIL (In re: Tracey Booker v. Stacey McKenzie et al.)

State: alabama

Issuer: Alabama Supreme Court

Document:

REL:10/30/2009 
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) 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 
1080835 
Ex p a r t e Stacey McKenzie 
PETITION FOR WRIT OF MANDAMUS 
(In r e : Tracey Booker 
v. 
Stacey McKenzie e t 
a l . ) 
(Wilcox C i r c u i t Court, CV-08-44) 
BOLIN, 
J u s t i c e . 
S t a c e y 
M c K e n z i e 
p e t i t i o n s 
t h i s 
C o u r t 
f o r 
a 
w r i t o f 
mandamus 
d i r e c t i n g t h e W i l c o x 
C i r c u i t 
C o u r t t o v a c a t e i t s 
o r d e r d e n y i n g h e r m o t i o n t o t r a n s f e r t o t h e 
Monroe 
C i r c u i t 
1080835 
C o u r t an a c t i o n 
f i l e d a g a i n s t h e r by T r a c e y B o o k e r . 
We 
g r a n t 
t h e 
p e t i t i o n 
and 
i s s u e t h e 
w r i t . 
F a c t s 
and 
P r o c e d u r a l 
B a c k g r o u n d 
The 
u n d e r l y i n g 
a c t i o n 
a r i s e s 
o u t 
o f 
a 
m o t o r - v e h i c l e 
a c c i d e n t 
t h a t o c c u r r e d 
on J u l y 16, 2006, b e t w e e n an a u t o m o b i l e 
b e i n g 
d r i v e n 
by 
B o o k e r 
and 
an 
a u t o m o b i l e 
b e i n g 
d r i v e n 
by 
M c K e n z i e . 
The 
a c c i d e n t 
o c c u r r e d 
on A l a b a m a H i g h w a y 47. 
S t a t e 
T r o o p e r P e d r o D a c o s t a i n v e s t i g a t e d t h e 
a c c i d e n t . 
On 
J u l y 
14, 
2008, B o o k e r 
s u e d M c K e n z i e 
i n 
t h e 
W i l c o x 
C i r c u i t C o u r t , a l l e g i n g t h a t 
t h e 
a c c i d e n t 
o c c u r r e d 
i n W i l c o x 
C o u n t y . 
I n h e r 
c o m p l a i n t , 
B o o k e r s t a t e d t h a t 
she 
r e s i d e d 
i n 
C o n e c u h C o u n t y . 
I n h e r 
i n i t i a l r e s p o n s i v e 
p l e a d i n g , 
M c K e n z i e , 
a r e s i d e n t o f Monroe C o u n t y , a s s e r t e d , among o t h e r t h i n g s , 
t h e 
d e f e n s e o f i m p r o p e r v e n u e . 
On 
November 
20, 
2008, 
M c K e n z i e 
f i l e d 
a m o t i o n 
f o r 
a 
c h a n g e o f v e n u e on t h e g r o u n d s t h a t v e n u e i n W i l c o x C o u n t y 
was 
i m p r o p e r and 
t h a t 
t h e 
a c t i o n s h o u l d 
be 
t r a n s f e r r e d t o Monroe 
C o u n t y 
w h e r e , 
she 
s a i d , 
t h e 
a c c i d e n t 
o c c u r r e d 
and 
where 
M c K e n z i e r e s i d e s and, 
i n t h e a l t e r n a t i v e , t h a t t h e a c t i o n 
was 
due 
t o be t r a n s f e r r e d t o Monroe C o u n t y on t h e g r o u n d s o f f o r u m  
non 
c o n v e n i e n s . 
I n s u p p o r t o f h e r m o t i o n , M c K e n z i e 
a t t a c h e d 
2 
1080835 
t h e 
c o m p l a i n t , 
w h i c h 
s t a t e d 
t h a t 
B o o k e r 
r e s i d e d 
i n C o n e c u h 
C o u n t y 
and 
t h a t 
M c K e n z i e 
r e s i d e d 
i n 
Monroe 
C o u n t y ; 
an 
a f f i d a v i t 
f r o m 
O f f i c e r D a c o s t a , 
who 
s t a t e d 
t h a t 
he 
was 
t h e 
o f f i c e r 
who 
i n v e s t i g a t e d t h e 
a c c i d e n t 
and 
t h a t 
t h e 
a c c i d e n t 
o c c u r r e d 
i n 
Monroe 
C o u n t y ; 
t h e 
r e p o r t 
O f f i c e r 
D a c o s t a 
c o m p l e t e d 
f o l l o w i n g 
t h e 
a c c i d e n t , 
w h i c h 
i n d i c a t e s 
t h a t 
t h e 
a c c i d e n t 
o c c u r r e d 
i n Monroe C o u n t y ; and 
a p o r t i o n o f B o o k e r ' s 
d e p o s i t i o n 
t e s t i m o n y i n w h i c h she 
s t a t e d t h a t 
she 
r e s i d e d 
i n 
E v e r g r e e n , A l a b a m a , w h i c h 
i s l o c a t e d 
i n C o n e c u h C o u n t y . 
On 
November 25, 2009, t h e 
t r i a l c o u r t s e t t h e m o t i o n f o r a c h a n g e 
o f v e n u e f o r a h e a r i n g 
on J a n u a r y 26, 
2009. 
On 
J a n u a r y 
26, 
2009, 
B o o k e r 
f i l e d 
a 
r e s p o n s e 
i n 
o p p o s i t i o n t o t h e m o t i o n t o t r a n s f e r . 
She a r g u e d t h a t 
O f f i c e r 
D a c o s t a ' s 
a f f i d a v i t 
was 
n o t 
b a s e d 
on 
p e r s o n a l 
k n o w l e d g e 
b e c a u s e 
he 
" d i d 
n o t 
p e r s o n a l l y 
w i t n e s s 
any 
a s p e c t s 
o f 
t h e 
a c c i d e n t , " and she a l s o a r g u e d t h a t O f f i c e r D a c o s t a ' s 
a c c i d e n t 
r e p o r t 
s h o u l d 
be 
s t r i c k e n 
as 
i n a d m i s s i b l e 
e v i d e n c e . 
I n 
s u p p o r t o f h e r r e s p o n s e , B o o k e r a t t a c h e d 
an a f f i d a v i t i n w h i c h 
she 
s t a t e d 
t h a t 
she 
had 
r e c e n t l y 
v i s i t e d 
t h e 
s c e n e 
o f 
t h e 
a c c i d e n t 
and 
t h a t 
she 
" b e l i e v e s " 
t h e 
a c c i d e n t 
o c c u r r e d 
i n 
3 
1080835 
W i l c o x C o u n t y . 
B o o k e r ' s 
a f f i d a v i t 
a l s o s t a t e d t h a t she i s 
a 
r e s i d e n t o f Monroe 
C o u n t y . 
On F e b r u a r y 24, 2009, t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t d e n i e d 
M c K e n z i e ' s 
m o t i o n f o r a c h a n g e o f v e n u e . 
On A p r i l 7, 2009, 
M c K e n z i e 
f i l e d h e r p e t i t i o n f o r 
t h e w r i t o f mandamus w i t h 
t h i s C o u r t . 
On June 24, 2009, M c K e n z i e 
f i l e d i n t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t a m o t i o n 
t o 
s t a y t h e 
p r o c e e d i n g s a n d t o c o n t i n u e t h e d a t e s e t 
f o r t r i a l 
p e n d i n g t h i s C o u r t ' s r u l i n g on h e r p e t i t i o n . 
The 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 t o s t a y . 
S t a n d a r d o f R e v i e w 
I n Ex p a r t e Kane, 98 
9 So. 2d 509, 511 ( A l a . 2008 ), 
we 
s t a t e d t h e s t a n d a r d o f r e v i e w f o r 
t h e d e n i a l o f a m o t i o n f o r 
a c h a n g e o f v e n u e as f o l l o w s : 
"'The 
p r o p e r method f o r o b t a i n i n g r e v i e w o f a 
d e n i a l o f a m o t i o n f o r 
a c h a n g e o f v e n u e i n a 
c i v i l 
a c t i o n i s 
t o p e t i t i o n f o r 
t h e w r i t o f mandamus.' Ex  
p a r t e 
N a t i o n a l S e c . I n s . 
Co., 727 So. 2d 7 
88 
, 78 
9 
( A l a . 
1 9 9 8 ) . 
A w r i t o f mandamus i s a p p r o p r i a t e when 
t h e 
p e t i t i o n e r c a n d e m o n s t r a t e 
'(1) a c l e a r 
l e g a l 
r i g h t t o t h e o r d e r s o u g h t ; (2) an i m p e r a t i v e d u t y 
upon t h e r e s p o n d e n t t o p e r f o r m , 
a c c o m p a n i e d 
by a 
r e f u s a l t o do s o ; (3) t h e l a c k o f a n o t h e r 
a d e q u a t e 
r e m e d y ; a n d (4) t h e p r o p e r l y i n v o k e d j u r i s d i c t i o n o f 
t h e 
c o u r t . ' 
Ex p a r t e BOC G r o u p , 
I n c . , 
823 So. 2d 
1270, 
1272 ( A l a . 2001 ) . 
A d d i t i o n a l l y , 
t h i s 
C o u r t 
r e v i e w s mandamus p e t i t i o n s 
c h a l l e n g i n g a r u l i n g on 
v e n u e on t h e b a s i s o f f o r u m non c o n v e n i e n s b y a s k i n g 
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 . 
Ex 
 
p a r t e 
F u l l e r , 955 So. 2d 414 ( A l a . 2 0 0 6 ) ; Ex p a r t e 
4 
1080835 
V e r b e n a 
U n i t e d 
M e t h o d i s t 
C h u r c h , 
953 
So. 
2d 
395 
( A l a . 
2 0 0 6 ) . 
Our 
r e v i e w 
i s l i m i t e d 
t o 
o n l y 
t h o s e 
f a c t s 
t h a t were b e f o r e 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t . 
Ex 
p a r t e 
 
P i k e F a b r i c a t i o n , I n c . , 
859 
So. 
2d 1089, 
1091 
( A l a . 
2 0 
0 2 ) . " 
"'The 
b u r d e n 
o f p r o v i n g 
i m p r o p e r v e n u e i s on 
t h e 
p a r t y 
r a i s i n g 
t h e 
i s s u e and 
on 
r e v i e w 
o f an 
o r d e r 
t r a n s f e r r i n g o r 
r e f u s i n g t o t r a n s f e r , a w r i t o f mandamus w i l l 
n o t be 
g r a n t e d 
u n l e s s 
t h e r e 
i s a c l e a r s h o w i n g o f e r r o r on 
t h e p a r t 
o f 
t h e 
t r i a l 
j u d g e . ' " 
Ex 
p a r t e 
P i k e 
F a b r i c a t i o n , I n c . , 
859 
So. 
2d 
1089, 
1091 
( A l a . 2 
0 
0 
2 ) ( q u o t i n g Ex p a r t e F i n a n c e A m e r i c a C o r p . , 
507 
So. 
2d 458, 
460 
( A l a . 
1 9 8 7 ) ) . 
A n a l y s i s 
Venue o f a c t i o n s a g a i n s t i n d i v i d u a l s i s g o v e r n e d by § 
6¬
3-2, 
A l a . Code 1975. 
M c K e n z i e 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 i n d e n y i n g h e r m o t i o n f o r a c h a n g e o f v e n u e when i t was 
u n d i s p u t e d 
t h a t M c K e n z i e i s n o t 
a r e s i d e n t o f W i l c o x 
C o u n t y , 
when t h e 
e v i d e n c e shows t h a t 
t h e 
a c c i d e n t 
d i d n o t 
o c c u r 
i n 
W i l c o x C o u n t y , and when t h e o n l y c o n n e c t i o n 
t h e a c t i o n has 
t o 
W i l c o x 
C o u n t y i s b a s e d on 
t h e a v e r m e n t i n t h e 
c o m p l a i n t 
and 
t h e 
u n s u b s t a n t i a t e d 
a f f i d a v i t 
o f 
B o o k e r 
s t a t i n g 
t h a t 
she 
" b e l i e v e s " t h a t t h e a c c i d e n t o c c u r r e d 
i n W i l c o x C o u n t y .
1 
See 
1 M c K e n z i e c o m p l a i n s t h a t B o o k e r ' s a f f i d a v i t was 
u n t i m e l y 
u n d e r 
R u l e 
6 ( d ) , 
A l a . 
R. 
C i v . 
P., 
w h i c h 
p r o v i d e s 
t h a t 
5 
1080835 
§ 6 - 3 - 2 ( a ) ( 3 ) , 
A l a . Code 1975. 
M c K e n z i e f u r t h e r 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 o n e o u s l y d e n i e d t h e m o t i o n f o r a c h a n g e o f 
v e n u e on t h e a l t e r n a t i v e g r o u n d o f f o r u m non 
c o n v e n i e n s , 
§ 
6¬
3-21.1, A l a . Code 1975, b e c a u s e , she s a y s , t h e 
t r i a l c o u r t 
was 
r e q u i r e d t o t r a n s f e r t h e a c t i o n t o Monroe C o u n t y b a s e d on 
t h e 
c o n v e n i e n c e o f t h e p a r t i e s and 
i n t h e 
i n t e r e s t o f 
j u s t i c e . 
S e c t i o n 6 - 3 - 2 ( a ) ( 3 ) p r o v i d e s t h a t v e n u e i n c i v i l 
a c t i o n s 
o f a l e g a l n a t u r e 
(as o p p o s e d t o an e q u i t a b l e n a t u r e ) 
a g a i n s t 
i n d i v i d u a l s i s p r o p e r e i t h e r i n t h e c o u n t y where t h e d e f e n d a n t 
r e s i d e s o r t h e c o u n t y where t h e a c t o r o m i s s i o n c o m p l a i n e d 
o f 
o c c u r r e d . 
I t i s u n d i s p u t e d 
t h a t M c K e n z i e r e s i d e s i n Monroe 
" o p p o s i n g 
a f f i d a v i t s 
may 
be 
s e r v e d 
n o t 
l a t e r 
t h a n 
one 
day 
b e f o r e t h e h e a r i n g , u n l e s s t h e c o u r t p e r m i t s them t o be 
s e r v e d 
a t some o t h e r t i m e . " 
I t i s u n c l e a r f r o m M c K e n z i e ' s 
p e t i t i o n 
and 
a t t a c h m e n t s w h e t h e r 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
h e l d 
t h e 
s c h e d u l e d 
h e a r i n g , 
w h e t h e r 
M c K e n z i e 
o b j e c t e d 
t o 
t h e 
f i l i n g 
o f 
t h e 
a f f i d a v i t , o r w h e t h e r t h e 
t r i a l c o u r t a l l o w e d t h e a f f i d a v i t 
o r 
c o n s i d e r e d t h e 
a f f i d a v i t . 
" W i t h r e s p e c t t o t h e t i m e l i n e s s o f 
t h e p l a i n t i f f s ' 
f i l i n g s , we n o t e t h a t R u l e 
6 ( d ) , A l a . R. 
C i v . 
P., 
v e s t s 
d i s c r e t i o n 
i n 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
c o n c e r n i n g 
t h e 
a c c e p t a n c e o f t h e 
f i l i n g s , 
and 
t h i s d i s c r e t i o n has 
o f t e n b e e n 
r e c o g n i z e d 
i n c a s e a u t h o r i t y . " 
V e s t a 
F i r e 
I n s . Co. 
v. 
M i l a m  
& 
Co. 
C o n s t r . , 
901 
So. 
2d 
84, 
10 6 
( A l a . 2004 ). 
We 
w i l l 
p r e s u m e 
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 
B o o k e r ' s 
a f f i d a v i t 
b e c a u s e n o t h i n g i n t h e p e t i t i o n o r a t t a c h m e n t s i n d i c a t e s t h a t 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
e x c l u d e d 
t h e 
a f f i d a v i t . 
See 
S i n g l e t o n 
v. 
 
A l a b a m a Dep't o f C o r r . , 819 
So. 
2d 596, 
598 
n. 1 ( A l a . 2 0 0 1 ) . 
6 
1080835 
C o u n t y . 
The 
f a c t u a l i s s u e r a i s e d by M c K e n z i e ' s m o t i o n f o r a 
c h a n g e o f v e n u e i s where t h e a c c i d e n t 
o c c u r r e d . 
B o o k e r 
f i l e d h e r c o m p l a i n t i n W i l c o x C o u n t y . 
I n r e s p o n s e 
t o t h e c o m p l a i n t , M c K e n z i e r a i s e d t h e i s s u e o f i m p r o p e r v e n u e . 
I n 
s u p p o r t o f h e r m o t i o n 
f o r a change 
o f v e n u e , 
M c K e n z i e 
a t t a c h e d O f f i c e r D a c o s t a ' s a c c i d e n t r e p o r t , e s t a b l i s h i n g 
t h a t 
t h e 
a c c i d e n t 
o c c u r r e d 
i n Monroe 
C o u n t y . 
M c K e n z i e 
a l s o 
a t t a c h e d an a f f i d a v i t f r o m O f f i c e r D a c o s t a , w h i c h p r o v i d e d as 
f o l l o w s : 
"On 
J u l y 
16, 2006, 
I was 
e m p l o y e d 
as a 
s t a t e 
t r o o p e r by t h e A l a b a m a 
D e p a r t m e n t 
o f P u b l i c 
S a f e t y . 
On 
s a i d 
d a t e I i n v e s t i g a t e d 
t h e s c e n e 
o f a 
m o t o r 
v e h i c l e 
a c c i d e n t 
on 
H i g h w a y 
47 
o u t s i d e 
o f 
M o n r o e v i l l e . 
I have r e v i e w e d t h e a c c i d e n t 
r e p o r t , 
w h i c h I p r e p a r e d r e g a r d i n g t h e a c c i d e n t . 
I 
r e c a l l 
i d e n t i f y i n g t h e d r i v e r s o f t h e two v e h i c l e s 
i n v o l v e d 
as 
M r s . 
S t a c e y M c K e n z i e 
and 
M r s . 
T r a c e y 
B o o k e r . 
B a s e d on my 
r e c o l l e c t i o n 
o f t h e a c c i d e n t 
s c e n e 
on 
s a i d 
d a t e , t h e a c c i d e n t 
i n v o l v i n g M r s . B o o k e r 
and 
M r s . 
M c K e n z i e 
o c c u r r e d 
i n Monroe C o u n t y , 
A l a b a m a . 
The 
a c c i d e n t 
d i d 
n o t 
o c c u r 
i n 
W i l c o x 
C o u n t y , 
A l a b a m a . " 
I n r e s p o n s e t o t h e m o t i o n f o r a c h a n g e o f v e n u e , 
B o o k e r 
a r g u e d 
t h a t 
O f f i c e r 
D a c o s t a ' s 
a f f i d a v i t 
was 
n o t 
b a s e d 
on 
p e r s o n a l k n o w l e d g e b e c a u s e , she s a i d , "he d i d n o t 
p e r s o n a l l y 
w i t n e s s any a s p e c t s o f t h e a c c i d e n t . " 
T h e r e i s no n e e d f o r 
O f f i c e r D a c o s t a t o have w i t n e s s e d t h e a c c i d e n t t o be a b l e t o 
7 
1080835 
t e s t i f y as t o t h e l o c a t i o n o f t h e a c c i d e n t f o r p u r p o s e s o f t h e 
m o t i o n f o r a c h a n g e o f v e n u e . 
A l a b a m a c o u r t s h a v e l o n g 
h e l d 
t h a t 
an 
o f f i c e r 
i n v e s t i g a t i n g 
an 
a u t o m o b i l e 
a c c i d e n t 
may 
t e s t i f y 
t o 
f a c t s 
d e r i v e d 
f r o m 
t h e 
o f f i c e r ' s 
p e r s o n a l 
o b s e r v a t i o n o f t h e s c e n e o f t h e a c c i d e n t , e v e n i f t h e 
o f f i c e r 
d i d n o t p e r s o n a l l y w i t n e s s t h e a c c i d e n t . 
See, e.g., Brown v.  
AAA Wood P r o d s . , I n c . , 380 
So. 
2d 784 
( A l a . 1 
98 0 
) ( a l l o w i n g 
f i r s t 
o f f i c e r 
a r r i v i n g on t h e s c e n e t o t e s t i f y r e g a r d i n g t h e 
l o c a t i o n o f t h e p o i n t o f i m p a c t o f t h e c a r c o l l i s i o n ) ; 
S h a r p 
 
v. 
A r g o - C o l l i e r T r u c k 
L i n e s 
C o r p . , 
356 
So. 
2d 
147 
( A l a . 
1 9 7 8 ) ( a l l o w i n g p a t r o l o f f i c e r t o t e s t i f y as t o p o i n t o f i m p a c t 
where o f f i c e r o b s e r v e d t h e l o c a t i o n s o f t i r e t r a c k s and gouge 
marks 
i n t h e 
pavement 
o f 
h i g h w a y , 
t h e 
c o n d i t i o n 
o f 
b o t h 
v e h i c l e s , and t h e l o c a t i o n o f d i e s e l 
f u e l and 
u n d e r - c a r r i a g e 
o f b o t h v e h i c l e s ) ; 
G r i f f i n v. G r e g o r y , 355 
So. 2d 691 ( A l a . 
1 9 7 8 ) ( a l l o w i n g p a t r o l o f f i c e r t o t e s t i f y as t o p o i n t o f i m p a c t 
b a s e d on h i s p e r s o n a l o b s e r v a t i o n s ) ; and B e l e w v. N e l s o n , 
932 
So. 2d 110 
( A l a . C i v . App. 
2 0 0 5 ) ( a l l o w i n g 
p a t r o l 
o f f i c e r 
t o 
t e s t i f y 
as t o h i s c o n c l u s i o n r e g a r d i n g what h a p p e n e d i n t h e 
a u t o m o b i l e 
a c c i d e n t 
b a s e d 
on 
t h e 
s k i d 
and 
yaw 
marks 
e a c h 
8 
1080835 
v e h i c l e 
l e f t on t h e p a v e m e n t , t h e damage t o t h e v e h i c l e s , and 
t h e 
f i n a l 
r e s t i n g p l a c e o f t h e v e h i c l e s ) . 
I n r e s p o n s e t o t h e m o t i o n f o r 
a c h a n g e o f v e n u e , 
B o o k e r 
a l s o 
a r g u e d 
t h a t 
O f f i c e r 
D a c o s t a ' s 
a c c i d e n t 
r e p o r t 
was 
i n a d m i s s i b l e . 
I t i s c o r r e c t 
t h a t 
a 
r e p o r t 
by 
a l a w -
e n f o r c e m e n t 
o f f i c e r 
c o n c e r n i n g 
an 
a u t o m o b i l e 
a c c i d e n t 
i n v e s t i g a t e d by t h e o f f i c e r i s i n a d m i s s i b l e e v i d e n c e u n d e r § 
3 2 - 1 0 - 1 1 , A l a . Code 1975, and t h a t 
t h i s 
i s so b e c a u s e t h e 
r e p o r t 
c o n t a i n s 
h e a r s a y . 
R e e v e s v . K i n g , 534 So. 2d 1107 
( A l a . 1 9 8 8 ) ; V e s t v. Gay, 275 A l a . 286, 154 So. 2d 297 ( 1 9 6 3 ) . 
I n Worsham v. 
F l e t c h e r , 
454 So. 2d 946 
( A l a . 1 
9 8 4 ) , t h e 
p l a i n t i f f a r g u e d t h a t t h e p o l i c e o f f i c e r ' s a c c i d e n t r e p o r t was 
a d m i s s i b l e u n d e r an e x c e p t i o n t o t h e h e a r s a y r u l e . 
T h i s C o u r t 
e x p l a i n e d : 
" I n t h e c a s e a t b a r , t h e o f f i c e r 
t e s t i f i e d 
t h a t 
a t t h e t i m e t h e w r i t i n g was made he knew t h a t t h e 
c o n t e n t s o f t h e w r i t i n g were 
t r u e and c o r r e c t and 
t h a t he h a d no r e c o l l e c t i o n a t t h e t i m e o f t r i a l o f 
t h e 
e v e n t s 
r e l a t e d i n t h e r e p o r t . The r e a s o n t h e  
r e p o r t was 
i n a d m i s s i b l e i n t h i s 
c a s e was t h a t t h e  
o f f i c e r d i d 
n o t p e r s o n a l l y o b s e r v e a l l 
o f t h e e v e n t s  
d e s c r i b e d 
i n t h e r e p o r t . 
T h a t 
i n f o r m a t i o n 
i n t h e 
 
r e p o r t 
w h i c h 
was 
b a s e d 
on 
t h e 
o f f i c e r ' s 
own 
o b s e r v a t i o n s 
was 
a d m i s s i b l e . 
The 
d a t e 
o f t h e 
r e p o r t , t h e d r a w i n g 
d e p i c t i n g t h e p o s i t i o n s o f t h e 
 
v e h i c l e s a t t h e t i m e t h e o f f i c e r o b s e r v e d them, t h e  
d e s c r i p t i o n o f t h e i n t e r s e c t i o n , and t h e d e s c r i p t i o n 
 
o f t h e w e a t h e r 
c o n d i t i o n s were a l l t h i n g s w h i c h t h e 
9 
1080835 
o f f i c e r saw. Those p o r t i o n s o f t h e r e p o r t c o u l d h a v e  
b e e n a d m i t t e d . 
I n f a c t , t h e o f f i c e r was a l l o w e d t o 
t e s t i f y 
w i t h o u t 
o b j e c t i o n 
t o t h o s e 
f a c t s . 
The 
o b j e c t i o n s were made t o t h o s e p o r t i o n s o f t h e r e p o r t  
w h i c h 
were 
b a s e d , 
i n p a r t , 
on t h e e v e n t s 
w h i c h 
 
t r a n s p i r e d b e f o r e t h e o f f i c e r 
a r r i v e d on t h e s c e n e .  
The 
d e f e n d a n t 
p r o p e r l y 
o b j e c t e d 
t o t h e p o r t i o n o f 
t h e 
r e p o r t 
d e s c r i b i n g 
t h e 
a c c i d e n t . 
T h a t 
d e s c r i p t i o n was b a s e d on what o t h e r p e o p l e t o l d t h e  
o f f i c e r , n o t on what he saw. 
The r e p o r t d i d 
n o t 
i n d i c a t e 
t h a t t h e s t a t e m e n t s made t o t h e 
o f f i c e r 
were 
a t t r i b u t a b l e t o t h e d e f e n d a n t . The d e f e n d a n t 
a l s o o b j e c t e d t o q u e s t i o n i n g as t o t h e ' c o n t r i b u t i n g 
c i r c u m s t a n c e s ' 
e n t r y on t h e r e p o r t . 
I t i n d i c a t e d 
t h a t 
t h e r e 
was 
no 
i m p r o p e r 
d r i v i n g 
on 
t h e 
p l a i n t i f f ' s 
p a r t 
a n d 
t h a t 
t h e 
d e f e n d a n t 
was 
i n a t t e n t i v e a n d f o l l o w i n g t o o c l o s e l y . 
A g a i n , 
t h o s e 
were 
n o t o b s e r v a t i o n s 
made by t h e o f f i c e r . 
The 
p l a i n t i f f 
n e v e r 
a r g u e d 
t h a t 
t h e o f f i c e r 
was an 
e x p e r t who c o u l d 
t e s t i f y t o s u c h o p i n i o n s 
b a s e d on 
what he s a w . " 
454 
So. 2d a t 948 ( e m p h a s i s a d d e d ) . 
I n t h e p r e s e n t 
c a s e , 
O f f i c e r D a c o s t a ' s r e p o r t c o n t a i n e d 
h i s o b s e r v a t i o n s 
r e g a r d i n g 
t h e 
l o c a t i o n o f t h e a c c i d e n t , a n d t h e r e p o r t was 
s u b m i t t e d 
s o l e l y f o r t h e 
p u r p o s e o f p r o v i n g where t h e a c c i d e n t 
o c c u r r e d . 
A c c o r d i n g l y , t h e r e p o r t c a n be u s e d t o s u p p o r t t h e m o t i o n 
f o r 
a c h a n g e o f v e n u e . 
As t h e m o v a n t , M c K e n z i e h a d t h e b u r d e n o f p r o v i n g 
t h a t 
v e n u e i n W i l c o x 
C o u n t y was i m p r o p e r . 
Once M c K e n z i e made a 
p r i m a f a c i e s h o w i n g t h a t v e n u e i n W i l c o x C o u n t y was i m p r o p e r , 
t h e 
b u r d e n t h e n 
s h i f t e d t o B o o k e r t o r e b u t t h e p r i m a 
f a c i e 
10 
1080835 
s h o w i n g . 
See 
Ex p a r t e 
P i k e F a b r i c a t i o n , 859 
So. 
2d a t 
1092. 
A c c o r d i n g l y , once M c K e n z i e made a p r i m a f a c i e s h o w i n g t h a t 
she 
r e s i d e d 
i n Monroe C o u n t y 
and 
t h a t 
t h e 
a c c i d e n t 
o c c u r r e d 
i n 
Monroe C o u n t y , t h e b u r d e n t h e n s h i f t e d t o B o o k e r t o p r o v e t h a t 
t h e a c c i d e n t 
o c c u r r e d 
i n W i l c o x C o u n t y . 
She 
f a i l e d t o do 
so 
b e c a u s e 
h e r 
a f f i d a v i t , 
e v e n 
a s s u m i n g 
t h a t 
i t was 
p r o p e r l y 
c o n s i d e r e d 
by 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t , 
o f f e r e d 
o n l y 
a 
c o n c l u s o r y 
s t a t e m e n t 
t h a t 
she 
" b e l i e v e d " t h a t 
t h e 
a c c i d e n t 
o c c u r r e d 
i n 
W i l c o x 
C o u n t y . 
She 
o f f e r e d 
no 
e v i d e n c e 
t o 
s u p p o r t 
t h a t 
s t a t e m e n t . 
C o n c l u s i o n 
I f 
v e n u e 
f o r 
an 
a c t i o n 
i s shown 
t o 
be 
i m p r o p e r , 
t h e 
a c t i o n must be 
t r a n s f e r r e d . 
Ex p a r t e O v e r s t r e e t , 
748 
So. 
2d 
194 
( A l a . 1 9 9 9 ) . 
We 
h o l d t h a t , b a s e d on t h e e v i d e n c e 
b e f o r e 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
a t t h e t i m e o f i t s r u l i n g , 
t h e 
c o u r t 
s h o u l d 
h a v e g r a n t e d M c K e n z i e ' s m o t i o n f o r a c h a n g e o f v e n u e , and 
we 
d i r e c t t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t t o v a c a t e 
i t s o r d e r d e n y i n g t h e m o t i o n 
and 
t o t r a n s f e r t h e a c t i o n t o Monroe C o u n t y . 
B e c a u s e u n d e r 
§ 
6-3-2, A l a . Code 1975, v e n u e was 
i m p r o p e r i n W i l c o x C o u n t y , 
we 
p r e t e r m i t d i s c u s s i o n o f M c K e n z i e ' s a l t e r n a t i v e a r g u m e n t 
t h a t 
11 
1080835 
t h e c a s e s h o u l d be t r a n s f e r r e d b a s e d on § 6-3-21.1, A l a . Code 
1975, t h e f o r u m non c o n v e n i e n s 
s t a t u t e . 
P E T I T I O N GRANTED; WRIT 
ISSUED. 
L y o n s , W o o d a l l , S t u a r t , S m i t h , P a r k e r , M u r d o c k , a n d Shaw, 
J J . , 
c o n c u r . 
Cobb, C . J . , 
r e c u s e s 
h e r s e l f . 
12