Title: Whited v. Wright Brothers Construction Company, Inc.

State: alabama

Issuer: Alabama Supreme Court

Document:

REL 01/13/2012 
N o t i c e : 
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, 2011-2012 
1100937 
Ex p a r t e Wright B r o t h e r s C o n s t r u c t i o n Company, I n c . , 
and 
GIBCO C o n s t r u c t i o n , L.L.C. 
PETITION FOR WRIT OF MANDAMUS 
( I n r e : Roger Whited 
v. 
Wright B r o t h e r s C o n s t r u c t i o n Company, I n c . , 
e t a l . ) 
(Walker C i r c u i t Court, CV-10-900117) 
MALONE, C h i e f 
J u s t i c e . 
W r i g h t 
B r o t h e r s 
C o n s t r u c t i o n 
Company, 
I n c . ( " W r i g h t 
B r o t h e r s " ) , a n d GIBCO 
C o n s t r u c t i o n , 
L.L.C. 
("GIBCO"), 
b o t h 
1100937 
T e n n e s s e e 
c o r p o r a t i o n s , 
p e t i t i o n 
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 a l k e r 
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 t h e i r m o t i o n t o t r a n s f e r t h e 
u n d e r l y i n g 
a c t i o n 
t o t h e J e f f e r s o n C i r c u i t C o u r t and 
t o t r a n s f e r t h e a c t i o n . 
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 u a l B a c k g r o u n d and 
P r o c e d u r a l 
H i s t o r y 
I n 
2008 
R o g e r 
W h i t e d 
was 
i n v o l v e d 
i n 
a 
t w o - v e h i c l e 
a c c i d e n t 
a t 
a 
q u a r r y 
l o c a t e d 
n o r t h e a s t 
o f 
B i r m i n g h a m 
i n 
J e f f e r s o n 
C o u n t y . 
B o t h W h i t e d 
and 
t h e 
d r i v e r 
o f 
t h e 
o t h e r 
v e h i c l e 
were 
e m p l o y e d 
by 
GIBCO, 
who, 
a l o n g 
w i t h 
W r i g h t 
B r o t h e r s , 
was 
e n g a g e d 
i n a p r o j e c t 
a t 
t h e 
q u a r r y . 
I n 
2010 
W h i t e d 
f i l e d 
a c o m p l a i n t a g a i n s t W r i g h t B r o t h e r s , GIBCO, 
and 
S h a r o n 
G i l b e r t , 
t h e 
owner 
and 
p r e s i d e n t 
o f 
GIBCO, 
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 p e r s o n a l 
i n j u r i e s 
a l l e g e d l y c a u s e d by t h e a c c i d e n t . 
I n May 
2010 
W r i g h t 
B r o t h e r s 
moved t o t r a n s f e r t h e a c t i o n t o J e f f e r s o n C o u n t y , s t a t i n g t h a t 
W h i t e d 
a l l e g e d 
i n h i s 
c o m p l a i n t 
t h a t 
he 
was 
a 
r e s i d e n t 
o f 
B l o u n t C o u n t y , 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 J e f f e r s o n C o u n t y , 
and 
t h a t 
t h e r e f o r e 
J e f f e r s o n C o u n t y , 
n o t 
W a l k e r C o u n t y , 
was 
t h e p r o p e r v e n u e f o r W h i t e d ' s 
a c t i o n . 
2 
1100937 
On June 29, 2 0 1 0 , W h i t e d f i l e d h i s 
r e s p o n s e i n o p p o s i t i o n 
t o W r i g h t B r o t h e r s ' m o t i o n , s t a t i n g t h a t he was a r e s i d e n t o f 
W a l k e r C o u n t y , n o t B l o u n t C o u n t y . 
C o n t e m p o r a n e o u s l y w i t h 
t h a t 
r e s p o n s e i n o p p o s i t i o n , W h i t e d a l s o 
f i l e d an amendment t o 
h i s 
c o m p l a i n t s t a t i n g t h a t h i s 
s t a t e m e n t t h a t he was a r e s i d e n t o f 
B l o u n t C o u n t y was a " c l e r i c a l e r r o r . " 
W h i t e d a l s o a l l e g e d i n 
h i s 
r e s p o n s e t h a t " W r i g h t B r o t h e r s 
r e g u l a r l y does b u s i n e s s [ b y 
a g e n t ] i n 
W a l k e r C o u n t y , A l a b a m a a n d h a s r e c e n t l y b e e n 
e n g a g e d 
i n m a j o r h i g h w a y 
c o n s t r u c t i o n 
p r o j e c t s 
i n 
W a l k e r 
C o u n t y . " 
W h i t e d d i d 
n o t a l l e g e t h a t G i l b e r t o r GIBCO e v e r d i d b u s i n e s s 
i n W a l k e r C o u n t y b u t a r g u e d t h a t v e n u e i n W a l k e r C o u n t y was 
p r o p e r as t o them p u r s u a n t t o R u l e 8 2 ( c ) , A l a . 
R. C i v . P., 
w h i c h s t a t e s , i n p e r t i n e n t p a r t , t h a t " [ w ] h e r e s e v e r a l 
c l a i m s 
o r p a r t i e s have been j o i n e d , t h e s u i t may be b r o u g h t i n any 
c o u n t y i n 
w h i c h any one o f t h e c l a i m s 
c o u l d p r o p e r l y have b e e n 
b r o u g h t . " 
The d a y a f t e r W h i t e d 
f i l e d h i s r e s p o n s e i n o p p o s i t i o n , 
W r i g h t 
B r o t h e r s 
f i l e d 
a 
document 
i t r e f e r r e d 
t o as 
a 
s u p p l e m e n t t o i t s m o t i o n f o r a change o f v e n u e and r e p l y t o 
W h i t e d ' s 
r e s p o n s e . 
I n t h a t 
s u p p l e m e n t 
and r e p l y , 
W r i g h t 
B r o t h e r s 
s t a t e d t h a t i t 
once d i d 
b u s i n e s s i n 
W a l k e r C o u n t y b u t 
3 
1100937 
t h a t 
i t h a d n o t done b u s i n e s s 
t h e r e 
s i n c e 2005. 
T h e r e f o r e , 
W r i g h t 
B r o t h e r s a r g u e d , W a l k e r C o u n t y was n o t 
a p r o p e r 
v e n u e 
f o r W h i t e d ' s a c t i o n b e c a u s e t h e p r o p e r 
t i m e 
f o r 
d e t e r m i n i n g 
v e n u e i s t h e commencement o f an a c t i o n . 
W r i g h t 
B r o t h e r s 
a t t a c h e d t o i t s s u p p l e m e n t an a f f i d a v i t o f Penny West, 
W r i g h t 
B r o t h e r s ' 
c o r p o r a t e 
s e c r e t a r y . 
I n t h a t 
a f f i d a v i t , 
West 
t e s t i f i e d 
t h a t 
W r i g h t 
B r o t h e r s 
does n o t h a v e a r e g i s t e r e d 
a g e n t o r o f f i c e i n 
W a l k e r C o u n t y , d o e s n o t r e g u l a r l y c a r r y on 
any 
b u s i n e s s i n 
W a l k e r C o u n t y , a n d 
h a s n o t done b u s i n e s s i n 
W a l k e r C o u n t y s i n c e 2005. 
I n A u g u s t 2010 W r i g h t 
B r o t h e r s 
f i l e d a s e c o n d s u p p l e m e n t 
t o 
a d d r e s s 
q u e s t i o n s 
r a i s e d a t an i n t e r v e n i n g h e a r i n g on 
t h e 
v e n u e i s s u e . A t t h a t h e a r i n g , W h i t e d a p p a r e n t l y a l l e g e d t h a t 
W r i g h t 
B r o t h e r s 
i s a f f i l i a t e d 
w i t h 
W a l k e r 
C o u n t y 
Rock 
P r o d u c t s , 
I n c . ("WCRP"), 
a 
c o r p o r a t i o n 
whose 
p r i n c i p a l 
l o c a t i o n i s i n W a l k e r 
C o u n t y . 
I n t h e s e c o n d 
s u p p l e m e n t , 
W r i g h t 
B r o t h e r s 
s t a t e d t h a t W r i g h t 
B r o t h e r s i s s e p a r a t e a n d 
d i s t i n c t f r o m WCRP a n d t h a t t h e 
two c o r p o r a t i o n s m e r e l y 
s h a r e 
some o f f i c e r s . 
W r i g h t 
B r o t h e r s a l s o n o t e d t h a t WCRP i s 
n o t 
a 
p a r t y 
t o 
t h i s 
a c t i o n a n d t h a t 
i t h a d c e a s e d 
b u s i n e s s 
o p e r a t i o n s i n 1999. 
W r i g h t 
B r o t h e r s 
a t t a c h e d t o i t s s e c o n d 
4 
1100937 
s u p p l e m e n t a s e c o n d 
a f f i d a v i t o f West i n 
w h i c h s h e t e s t i f i e d 
t h a t 
W r i g h t 
B r o t h e r s 
a n d WCRP were 
s e p a r a t e 
and 
d i s t i n c t 
c o r p o r a t i o n s , t h a t f i l i n g s w i t h t h e A l a b a m a S e c r e t a r y o f S t a t e 
i n d i c a t e d t h a t WCRP h a d 
n o t 
b e e n " a c t i v e " s i n c e a t l e a s t 
1 9 9 9 , 
and t h a t WCRP h a d 
no r o l e i n 
t h e q u a r r y p r o j e c t on t h e 
s i t e o f 
t h e 
a c c i d e n t 
g i v i n g r i s e t o t h i s 
a c t i o n . 
A t t a c h e d t o W e s t ' s 
a f f i d a v i t was a p r i n t o u t f r o m t h e S e c r e t a r y o f S t a t e ' s Web 
s i t e , 
d a t e d A u g u s t 2, 2 0 1 0 , s h o w i n g 
t h a t t h e l a s t 
a n n u a l 
r e p o r t 
f i l e d b y WCRP was f i l e d i n 1 9 9 9 . 
A l s o i n A u g u s t 2010 GIBCO 
f i l e d a " r e n e w e d " m o t i o n t o 
t r a n s f e r a n d a r e p l y t o W h i t e d ' s 
r e s p o n s e i n o p p o s i t i o n t o 
W r i g h t B r o t h e r s ' m o t i o n t o t r a n s f e r .
1 
I n t h a t m o t i o n , GIBCO 
s t a t e d t h a t GIBCO d i d n o t 
do b u s i n e s s 
i n W a l k e r C o u n t y . 
GIBCO 
a l s o 
f i l e d an 
a f f i d a v i t 
o f S h a r o n 
G i l b e r t i n w h i c h s h e 
t e s t i f i e d 
t h a t GIBCO h a d n e v e r done a n y b u s i n e s s 
o r h a d 
an 
a g e n t o r o f f i c e i n 
W a l k e r 
C o u n t y . 
A f t e r h o l d i n g a s e c o n d h e a r i n g on t h e 
v e n u e q u e s t i o n on 
A p r i l 7, 2 0 1 1 , 
t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t 
d e n i e d 
W r i g h t 
B r o t h e r s ' a n d 
GIBCO's m o t i o n s on A p r i l 8, 2 0 1 1 . The t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s 
o r d e r 
1 I t 
a p p e a r s 
t h a t GIBCO's A u g u s t 2010 m o t i o n t o t r a n s f e r 
was t h e f i r s t s u c h m o t i o n i t f i l e d ; i t d i d n o t 
j o i n i n W r i g h t 
B r o t h e r s ' May 2010 m o t i o n . 
5 
1100937 
s t a t e d i n i t s e n t i r e t y : " D e f e n d a n t s ' M o t i o n t o T r a n s f e r i s 
h e r e b y DENIED." 
W r i g h t B r o t h e r s a n d GIBCO f i l e d 
t h e i r j o i n t 
p e t i t i o n f o r 
a w r i t o f mandamus on May 20, 2 0 1 1 ; t h i s C o u r t o r d e r e d 
a n s w e r 
and 
b r i e f s 
f r o m t h e p a r t i e s on J u n e 14, 2 0 1 1 . On J u n e 28, 
2011, 
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 
e n t i t l e d 
" C o r r e c t e d 
O r d e r Of A p r i l 8, 2 0 1 1 , " 
s t a t i n g 
t h a t i t 
was e n t e r i n g t h e 
o r d e r p u r s u a n t t o R u l e 6 0 ( a ) , A l a . R. C i v . P. The " c o r r e c t i o n " 
t o t h e o n e - s e n t e n c e A p r i l 8, 2 0 1 1 , o r d e r c o m p r i s e d t h r e e p a g e s 
o f f i n d i n g s o f f a c t , a n a l y s i s , a n d l e g a l c o n c l u s i o n s , none o f 
w h i c h , a c c o r d i n g t o t h e m a t e r i a l s b e f o r e u s , was s u g g e s t e d b y 
W h i t e d o r t h e t r i a l c o u r t a t any e a r l i e r p o i n t i n t h i s a c t i o n . 
The 
o r d e r 
p u r p o r t e d 
t o s t r i k e 
t h e a f f i d a v i t s 
p r o f f e r e d b y 
W r i g h t B r o t h e r s , 
f i n d i n g t h e s e c o n d one " f a l s e on i t s f a c e . " 
The 
o r d e r b a s e d t h a t c o n c l u s i o n on t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s a n a l y s i s 
o f t h e a f f i d a v i t s as c o m p a r e d w i t h c o r p o r a t e 
f i l i n g s w i t h t h e 
A l a b a m a S e c r e t a r y o f S t a t e . W h i t e d 
f i l e d 
h i s a n s w e r t o t h e 
p e t i t i o n w i t h 
t h i s C o u r t t h e n e x t d a y , i n c o r p o r a t i n g many o f 
t h e a r g u m e n t s t h a t a p p e a r e d f o r 
t h e f i r s t 
t i m e i n t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s J u n e 28 o r d e r .
2 
On J u l y 13, 2 0 1 1 , 
W r i g h t B r o t h e r s a n d 
2We r e c o g n i z e 
t h a t t h e f i l i n g o f a p e t i t i o n f o r 
a w r i t o f 
mandamus d o e s n o t d i v e s t t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t o f j u r i s d i c t i o n o r 
6 
1100937 
GIBCO f i l e d a r e p l y 
b r i e f w i t h t h i s C o u r t a d d r e s s i n g t h e new 
a r g u m e n t s r a i s e d i n t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s c o r r e c t e d o r d e r a n d 
i n 
W h i t e d ' s a n s w e r . 
S t a n d a r d o f R e v i e w 
The 
p a r t i e s d i s a g r e e 
on t h e p r o p e r 
s t a n d a r d 
o f 
r e v i e w 
t h a t 
a p p l i e s t o t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s 
d e n i a l o f t h e m o t i o n s t o 
t r a n s f e r . 
W r i g h t B r o t h e r s a n d GIBCO a r g u e t h a t t h e i r 
p e t i t i o n 
p r e s e n t s 
o n l y an i s s u e o f s t a t u t o r y i n t e r p r e t a t i o n , 
m a k i n g 
s t a y t h e c a s e . Ex p a r t e Denson, 57 So. 3d 195, 197 ( A l a . 2010) 
("The 
f i l i n g o f a p e t i t i o n f o r 
a w r i t o f mandamus a g a i n s t a 
t r i a l j u d g e d o e s n o t d i v e s t t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t o f j u r i s d i c t i o n , 
s t a y t h e c a s e , o r t o l l t h e r u n n i n g o f any p e r i o d f o r o b e y i n g 
an 
o r d e r 
i n p e r f e c t i n g a 
f i l i n g 
i n t h e c a s e . " ) The 
t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s 
J u n e 28, 2 0 1 1 , o r d e r 
i s n o t p r o p e r l y 
b e f o r e 
t h i s 
C o u r t . 
We a r e c a l l e d on t o r e v i e w t h e d e c i s i o n c h a l l e n g e d b y 
t h e mandamus p e t i t i o n . 
" [ T ] h i s C o u r t i s 
b o u n d b y t h e r e c o r d , 
and i t 
c a n n o t c o n s i d e r a s t a t e m e n t o r e v i d e n c e i n a p a r t y ' s 
b r i e f 
t h a t was n o t 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 . , 8 5 9 
So. 2d a t 1089, 1091 ( A l a . 2 0 0 2 ) . 
L i k e w i s e , t h e new a r g u m e n t s i n W h i t e d ' s a n s w e r , 
a p p a r e n t l y 
n e v e r p r e s e n t e d t o t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t , t h a t p a r a l l e l 
t h a t 
o r d e r 
l i k e w i s e 
c a n n o t be c o n s i d e r e d b y t h i s 
C o u r t i n 
d e t e r m i n i n g 
w h e t h e r W r i g h t 
B r o t h e r s 
a n d GIBCO's 
p e t i t i o n f o r a w r i t o f 
mandamus i s 
due t o be g r a n t e d . 
O t h e r w i s e , t h e t r i a l c o u r t a n d 
W h i t e d w o u l d be p e r m i t t e d t o " s a n d b a g " W r i g h t B r o t h e r s ' a n d 
GIBCO's a r g u m e n t s . 
C f . 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 1093 ("We b e l i e v e t h a t t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s d e n i a l o f P i k 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 w h i l e r e s e r v i n g f o r 
an u n l i m i t e d 
t i m e t h e r i g h t t o r e v i s i t t h e i s s u e e f f e c t i v e l y t r a p s P i k e i n 
an i m p r o p e r v e n u e . " ) ; F o g a r t y v . S o u t h w o r t h , 953 So. 2d 
1225, 
1232 
n.3 
( A l a . 2006) 
( n o t i n g t h e d e f i n i t i o n o f " s a n d b a g " as 
" ' t o 
c o n c e a l 
one's 
t r u e 
p o s i t i o n 
... i n o r d e r 
t o 
t a k e 
a d v a n t a g e ' " 
o f 
an 
o p p o n e n t 
( q u o t i n g 
M e r r i a m - W e b s t e r ' s 
 
C o l l e g i a t e D i c t i o n a r y 1100 ( 1 1 t h e d . 2 0 0 3 ) ) . 
7 
1100937 
t h i s 
C o u r t ' s 
s t a n d a r d o f r e v i e w d e n o v o . W h i t e d a r g u e s 
t h a t 
t h e q u e s t i o n on w h i c h t h e m o t i o n s t o t r a n s f e r was d e c i d e d -¬
w h e t h e r W r i g h t B r o t h e r s was d o i n g b u s i n e s s i n 
W a l k e r C o u n t y a t 
e i t h e r t h e t i m e o f t h e a c c i d e n t o r a t t h e commencement o f t h i s 
a c t i o n -- i s a m i x e d q u e s t i o n o f l a w and f a c t . 
"The 
p r o p e r m e t h o d 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 A l a b a m a G r e a t 
S o u t h e r n 
 
R.R., 788 So. 2d 886, 888 ( A l a . 2 0 0 0 ) . T h i s C o u r t 
w i l l 
i s s u e 
a 
w r i t 
o f mandamus 
o r d e r i n g a 
t r i a l 
c o u r t t o t r a n s f e r an 
a c t i o n when t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s 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 p r e s e n t s "'a c l e a r s h o w i n g o f e r r o r , ' " 
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 . 2002) 
( 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 , 4 
60 
( A l a . 
1 9 8 7 ) ) , o r when t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t h a s 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 ADT S e c . S e r v s . , 
I n c . , 933 So. 2d 343, 344 
( A l a . 
200 6 ) ; Ex p a r t e 
I n t e g o n 
C o r p . , 
672 So. 2d 4 
97 , 499 ( A l a . 
1 9 9 5 ) . 
D i s c u s s i o n 
"'Mandamus i s a d r a s t i c and e x t r a o r d i n a r y w r i t , t o 
be 
i s s u e d 
o n l y where 
t h e r e 
i s (1) a 
c l e a r 
l e g a l 
r i g h t i n t h e p e t i t i o n e r 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 , 
8 
1100937 
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 
remedy; a n d (4) 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 I n t e g o n C o r p . , 
672 
So. 2d 4 
97 
, 
4 
99 
( A l a . 1 
9 9 5 ) . 
M o r e o v e r , o u r 
r e v i e w 
i s l i m i t e d t o 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 
N a t i o n a l S e c . I n s . Co., 
727 So. 2d 788, 789 ( A l a . 1 9 9 8 ) . 
"'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 
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 ) . 
I n 
a d d i t i o n , 
t h i s C o u r t i s 
b o u n d b y t h e r e c o r d , a n d i t 
c a n n o t c o n s i d e r a s t a t e m e n t o r e v i d e n c e i n 
a p a r t y ' s 
b r i e f t h a t was n o t 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  
A m e r i c a n R e s . I n s . 
Co., 663 So. 2d 932, 936 ( A l a . 
19 9 5 ) . " 
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 1 0 9 1 . 
I f W r i g h t 
B r o t h e r s a n d GIBCO 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 a l k e r 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 W h i t e d 
t o r e b u t 
t h a t s h o w i n g . 
Ex p a r t e M o v i e 
G a l l e r y , I n c . , 31 So. 
2d 104, 109 ( A l a . 2 0 0 9 ) . 
Once v e n u e h a s b e e n shown t o 
be i m p r o p e r , t r a n s f e r o f 
t h e 
a c t i o n i s m a n d a t o r y . 
Ex p a r t e 
P a r k e r , 413 So. 2d 1105, 
1106 
( A l a . 
1 9 8 2 ) . 
R u l e 8 2 ( d ) ( 1 ) , A l a . R. C i v . P., p r o v i d e s : "When 
an a c t i o n i s commenced l a y i n g v e n u e i n t h e w r o n g c o u n t y , t h e 
c o u r t , on t i m e l y m o t i o n o f any d e f e n d a n t , 
s h a l l 
t r a n s f e r t h e 
a c t i o n 
t o t h e c o u r t 
i n w h i c h 
t h e a c t i o n 
m i g h t 
have 
b e e n 
p r o p e r l y 
f i l e d a n d t h e c a s e s h a l l p r o c e e d as t h o u g h 
o r i g i n a l l y 
f i l e d 
t h e r e i n . " 
( E m p h a s i s 
added.) 
9 
1100937 
The 
p a r t i e s 
a g r e e 
t h a t 
A l a . Code 
1975, 
§ 
6 - 3 - 7 ( a ) , 
g o v e r n s 
t h e 
q u e s t i o n 
o f v e n u e 
i n t h i s 
c a s e . 
T h a t 
s t a t u t e 
p r o v i d e s , 
i n p e r t i n e n t 
p a r t : 
" ( a ) A l l c i v i l 
a c t i o n s 
a g a i n s t 
c o r p o r a t i o n s 
may 
be b r o u g h t i n any o f t h e f o l l o w i n g 
c o u n t i e s : 
"(1) 
I n 
t h e 
c o u n t y 
i n 
w h i c h 
a 
s u b s t a n t i a l p a r t o f t h e e v e n t s o r o m i s s i o n s 
g i v i n g 
r i s e 
t o 
t h e 
c l a i m 
o c c u r r e d , 
o r 
a 
s u b s t a n t i a l 
p a r t 
o f 
r e a l 
p r o p e r t y 
t h a t i s 
t h e 
s u b j e c t 
o f t h e a c t i o n i s s i t u a t e d ; o r 
"(2) I n t h e c o u n t y o f t h e 
c o r p o r a t i o n ' s 
p r i n c i p a l 
o f f i c e i n t h i s 
s t a t e ; o r 
"(3) 
I n 
t h e 
c o u n t y 
i n 
w h i c h 
t h e 
p l a i n t i f f 
r e s i d e d , 
o r i f t h e 
p l a i n t i f f 
i s 
an 
e n t i t y 
o t h e r 
t h a n an 
i n d i v i d u a l , 
where 
t h e 
p l a i n t i f f 
h a d 
i t s p r i n c i p a l 
o f f i c e 
i n 
t h i s 
s t a t e , a t t h e t i m e o f t h e a c c r u a l 
o f 
t h e 
c a u s e 
o f 
a c t i o n , 
i f s u c h 
c o r p o r a t i o n 
d o e s b u s i n e s s by a g e n t i n t h e c o u n t y o f t h e 
p l a i n t i f f ' s 
r e s i d e n c e ; 
o r 
"(4) 
I f s u b d i v i s i o n s 
( 1 ) , ( 2 ) , o r 
(3) 
do n o t 
a p p l y , 
i n any 
c o u n t y i n w h i c h 
t h e 
c o r p o r a t i o n was 
d o i n g b u s i n e s s by a g e n t a t 
t h e 
t i m e 
o f t h e 
a c c r u a l 
o f t h e c a u s e 
o f 
a c t i o n . " 
The 
p a r t i e s 
a g r e e 
t h a t 
t h e e v e n t 
g i v i n g 
r i s e 
t o 
t h i s 
a c t i o n o c c u r r e d 
i n J e f f e r s o n C o u n t y and t h a t W r i g h t 
B r o t h e r s ' 
p r i n c i p a l 
o f f i c e 
i n A l a b a m a 
i s n o t 
i n W a l k e r 
C o u n t y . 
The 
p a r t i e s a g r e e t h a t W h i t e d r e s i d e s i n W a l k e r C o u n t y and t h a t § 
10 
1100937 
6 - 3 - 7 ( a ) ( 3 ) w o u l d o p e r a t e t o e s t a b l i s h v e n u e i n 
W a l k e r C o u n t y 
i f W r i g h t B r o t h e r s does b u s i n e s s b y a g e n t i n t h a t c o u n t y . 
W r i g h t B r o t h e r s h a d t h e b u r d e n o f m a k i n g a p r i m a 
f a c i e 
s h o w i n g t h a t i t d i d n o t 
do b u s i n e s s b y a g e n t i n 
W a l k e r C o u n t y 
a t t h e t i m e o f t h e a c c i d e n t o r a t t h e t i m e W h i t e d 
f i l e d 
h i s 
c o m p l a i n t . 
W r i g h t B r o t h e r s p r e s e n t e d t h e a f f i d a v i t o f i t s 
c o r p o r a t e s e c r e t a r y s t a t i n g t h a t W r i g h t B r o t h e r s h a d 
n o t done 
b u s i n e s s i n 
W a l k e r C o u n t y s i n c e 2005 a n d t h a t i t d i d n o t h a v e 
an a g e n t f o r s e r v i c e o f p r o c e s s i n W a l k e r 
C o u n t y . 
W h i t e d 
c o u n t e r e d b y 
a l l e g i n g , 
w i t h o u t 
p r o f f e r i n g 
a n y 
s u p p o r t i n g 
e v i d e n c e , 
t h a t W r i g h t B r o t h e r s was a f f i l i a t e d 
w i t h WCRP, an 
A l a b a m a c o r p o r a t i o n w i t h i t 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 n 
W a l k e r C o u n t y . 
I n r e s p o n s e t o t h a t 
u n v e r i f i e d 
a l l e g a t i o n , 
W r i g h t B r o t h e r s p r o d u c e d a n o t h e r a f f i d a v i t o f i t s c o r p o r a t e 
s e c r e t a r y s t a t i n g t h a t W r i g h t B r o t h e r s a n d 
WCRP were s e p a r a t e 
and 
d i s t i n c t c o r p o r a t e 
e n t i t i e s . 
W h i t e d made no a t t e m p t t o 
p r e s e n t a n y 
e v i d e n c e t o 
t h e 
c o n t r a r y , a l t h o u g h i t 
was W h i t e d ' s 
b u r d e n t o do 
s o . 
E v e n 
a s s u m i n g , as W h i t e d d i d 
a n d as t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t 
a p p a r e n t l y d i d 
i n i s s u i n g 
i t s c o r r e c t e d 
o r d e r , 
t h a t 
W r i g h t 
B r o t h e r s was a f f i l i a t e d w i t h WCRP, W h i t e d c i t e s no a u t h o r i t y , 
11 
1100937 
and we a r e aware o f none, r e n d e r i n g v e n u e p r o p e r i n 
any c o u n t y 
i n 
w h i c h any a f f i l i a t e o f a named c o r p o r a t e 
d e f e n d a n t 
d o e s 
b u s i n e s s 
when t h a t 
a f f i l i a t e i s n o t made a d e f e n d a n t t o 
t h e 
a c t i o n a n d i s 
n o t a l l e g e d t o have c o n t r i b u t e d i n 
a n y manner t o 
t h e e v e n t s g i v i n g r i s e t o t h e a c t i o n . 
C a s e s c i t e d by W h i t e d 
s u p p o r t 
o n l y t h e p r o p o s i t i o n 
t h a t , when a s u b s i d i a r y o f a 
c o r p o r a t i o n i s s u e d a n d v e n u e i s p r o p e r i n t h e c o u n t y where 
t h e 
s u b s i d i a r y i s s u e d , v e n u e c a n a l s o be p r o p e r as t o t h e 
s u b s i d i a r y ' s p a r e n t company i f , f o r e x a m p l e , t h e s u b s i d i a r y 
i s 
t h e means b y w h i c h t h e p r i n c i p a l i s a b l e t o do b u s i n e s s i n t h e 
c o u n t y i n w h i c h v e n u e i s a s s e r t e d , Ex p a r t e 
C h a r t e r 
R e t r e a t 
 
Hosp., I n c . , 538 So. 2d 787, 789-90 
( A l a . 1 9 8 9 ) , o r t h e r e i s 
some o t h e r 
c o r p o r a t e 
p u r p o s e 
s e r v e d b y t h e s u b s i d i a r y 
t h a t 
makes v e n u e i n t h e c o u n t y p r o p e r , Ex p a r t e B e a r d , 556 So. 2d 
384, 385-86 ( A l a . 1 9 9 0 ) . 
H e r e , W h i t e d made no s u c h 
a l l e g a t i o n 
b u t a l l e g e d m e r e l y t h a t WCRP was a s u b s i d i a r y o f , o r o t h e r w i s e 
a f f i l i a t e d w i t h , W r i g h t 
B r o t h e r s . 
The 
a f f i d a v i t s 
o f W r i g h t 
B r o t h e r s ' 
c o r p o r a t e 
s e c r e t a r y 
c o m p o r t w i t h d a t a p r o v i d e d by t h e A l a b a m a S e c r e t a r y o f S t a t e , 
and t h e m a t e r i a l s a c c o m p a n y i n g t h i s p e t i t i o n 
p r o v i d e no r e a s o n 
t o d o u b t t h e v e r a c i t y o f t h e c o r p o r a t e 
s e c r e t a r y ' s 
a f f i d a v i t s . 
12 
1100937 
W h i t e d 
f a i l e d t o s u b m i t any e v i d e n c e i n r e b u t t a l and t h e r e b y 
f a i l e d t o meet h i s e v i d e n t i a r y b u r d e n . 
The m a t e r i a l s 
b e f o r e 
us c a n s u p p o r t o n l y t h e d e t e r m i n a t i o n t h a t , p u r s u a n t t o § 6-3-
7 ( a ) ( 1 ) , v e n u e f o r t h i s 
a c t i o n i s i m p r o p e r i n W a l k e r 
C o u n t y 
and 
p r o p e r 
i n J e f f e r s o n 
C o u n t y . 
The 
m a t e r i a l s 
b e f o r e us 
t h e r e f o r e p r e s e n t 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 
c o u r t i n d e n y i n g t h e m o t i o n s f o r 
a c h a n g e o f v e n u e , and 
we 
t h e r e f o r e p r e t e r m i t d i s c u s s i o n 
o f t h e r e m a i n i n g 
i s s u e s 
r a i s e d by t h e p a r t i e s . 
C o n c l u s i o n 
B e c a u s e 
v e n u e 
f o r t h e u n d e r l y i n g a c t i o n 
i s p r o p e r i n 
J e f f e r s o n C o u n t y and n o t i n W a l k e r C o u n t y , W r i g h t B r o t h e r s and 
GIBCO 
h a v e 
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 
t h e y 
s e e k . 
B e c a u s e i n t h i s c a s e t r a n s f e r u n d e r § 6-3-7 and R u l e 
8 2 ( d ) ( 1 ) 
i s 
m a n d a t o r y , 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t h a d an 
i m p e r a t i v e 
d u t y 
t o 
t r a n s f e r t h e c a s e and r e f u s e d t o do s o . The o n l y p r o p e r 
l e g a l 
remedy i s a w r i t o f mandamus. 
W r i g h t B r o t h e r s and GIBCO have 
p r o p e r l y i n v o k e d t h e j u r i s d i c t i o n o f t h i s C o u r t . A c c o r d i n g l y , 
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 
d i r e c t i n g t h e W a l k e r 
C i r c u i t 
C o u r t t o v a c a t e i t s A p r i l 2011 and J u n e 2011 o r d e r s 
13 
1100937 
d e n y i n g 
t h e t r a n s f e r 
a n d t o t r a n s f e r 
t h i s 
a c t i o n 
t o t h e 
J e f f e r s o n 
C i r c u i t 
C o u r t . 
P E T I T I O N GRANTED; WRIT ISSUED. 
S t u a r t , P a r k e r , a n d W i s e , J J . , c o n c u r . 
Shaw, J . , 
c o n c u r s i n t h e r e s u l t . 
14