Title: E. Wayne Russell, Jr. v. State of Alabama and the City of Auburn, Alabama
Citation: N/A
Docket Number: 1080426
State: Alabama
Issuer: Alabama Supreme Court
Date: June 25, 2010

REL:06/25/2010 
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) 
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, 2009-2010 
1080426 
E. Wayne R u s s e l l , 
J r . 
v. 
S t a t e o f Alabama and C i t y o f Auburn 
Appeal from Lee C i r c u i t Court 
(CV-04-200) 
SHAW, 
J u s t i c e . 
E. 
Wayne 
R u s s e l l , J r . , 
a p p e a l s 
f r o m t h e L e e 
C i r c u i t 
C o u r t ' s 
o r d e r 
d e n y i n g 
an 
a w a r d 
o f 
l i t i g a t i o n 
e x p e n s e s 
f o l l o w i n g t h e d i s m i s s a l o f t h e u n d e r l y i n g 
e m i n e n t - d o m a i n 
a c t i o n i n w h i c h t h e S t a t e o f A l a b a m a 
s o u g h t t o condemn a 
1080426 
p o r t i o n o f R u s s e l l ' s p r o p e r t y 
i n Lee C o u n t y on b e h a l f o f 
t h e 
C i t y o f A u b u r n ( " t h e 
C i t y " ) . 
The 
s o l e i s s u e r a i s e d by R u s s e l l 
on a p p e a l i s w h e t h e r t h e Lee 
C i r c u i t C o u r t e r r e d i n f a i l i n g 
t o 
a w a r d 
l i t i g a t i o n 
e x p e n s e s , 
w h i c h , 
R u s s e l l 
m a i n t a i n s , 
i s 
m a n d a t e d 
by 
§ 18-1A-232, 
A l a . Code 
1975. 
We 
r e v e r s e 
and 
remand. 
The 
S t a t e f i l e d t h e u n d e r l y i n g c o n d e m n a t i o n a c t i o n i n t h e 
Lee C o u n t y P r o b a t e 
C o u r t . 
The 
p r o b a t e 
c o u r t e n t e r e d 
a 
f i n a l 
o r d e r o f c o n d e m n a t i o n p e r m i t t i n g t h e p r o p o s e d c o n d e m n a t i o n 
and 
a w a r d i n g R u s s e l l $470,000 i n c o m p e n s a t i o n . 
R u s s e l l 
a p p e a l e d 
t o t h e Lee 
C i r c u i t C o u r t 
f o r a 
t r i a l 
de 
n o v o . 
The 
p a r t i e s t h e n e n g a g e d i n v a r i o u s p r e t r i a l 
f i l i n g s 
and 
p r o c e e d i n g s 
-- 
one 
o f w h i c h r e s u l t e d i n t h e 
C i t y b e i n g 
a d d e d 
as 
a p a r t y -- 
i n c l u d i n g a t h i r d - p a r t y c o m p l a i n t 
a g a i n s t 
J o e 
M c l n n e s 
as 
d i r e c t o r 
o f 
t h e 
A l a b a m a 
D e p a r t m e n t 
o f 
T r a n s p o r t a t i o n , m o t i o n s f o r a summary j u d g m e n t 
f i l e d by 
b o t h 
t h e 
S t a t e 
and 
t h e 
C i t y , 
and 
a m o t i o n 
t o 
d i s m i s s 
f i l e d 
by 
R u s s e l l i n w h i c h he c h a l l e n g e d t h e 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 f t h e c i r c u i t c o u r t . 
F o l l o w i n g a h e a r i n g on R u s s e l l ' s m o t i o n 
t o d i s m i s s , t h e 
c i r c u i t 
c o u r t e n t e r e d 
an o r d e r 
on A u g u s t 
20, 
2 
1080426 
2008, d i s m i s s i n g t h e a c t i o n .
1 
S p e c i f i c a l l y , 
t h e c i r c u i t 
c o u r t 
n o t e d t h a t n e i t h e r t h e 
C i t y 
n o r 
t h e 
d i r e c t o r o f t h e A l a b a m a 
D e p a r t m e n t o f T r a n s p o r t a t i o n , b o t h o f whom t h e 
c i r c u i t 
c o u r t 
d e t e r m i n e d were 
n e c e s s a r y 
and 
i n d i s p e n s a b l e 
p a r t i e s t o 
t h e 
c o n d e m n a t i o n 
p r o c e e d i n g ,
2 
were 
a d d e d 
as 
p a r t i e s 
u n t i l 
t h e 
a p p e a l 
t o 
t h e 
c i r c u i t 
c o u r t . 
T h e r e f o r e , 
t h e 
c i r c u i t 
c o u r t 
c o n c l u d e d , 
t h e p r o b a t e c o u r t had n e v e r o b t a i n e d 
j u r i s d i c t i o n , 
and 
t h e 
r e s u l t i n g 
o r d e r 
i s s u e d by 
t h e 
p r o b a t e 
c o u r t , 
w h i c h 
f o r m e d 
t h e 
b a s i s 
f o r t h e 
a p p e a l 
t o 
t h e 
c i r c u i t 
c o u r t , 
was 
v o i d .
3 
1 A l t h o u g h 
t h e 
c i r c u i t 
c o u r t e x e c u t e d t h e o r d e r 
on A u g u s t 
14, 
2008 , 
t h a t 
o r d e r 
was 
n o t 
e n t e r e d 
by 
t h e 
c i r c u i t 
c l e r k 
u n t i l A u g u s t 20, 2008. 
See 
R u l e 5 8 ( c ) , A l a . R. 
C i v . P. 
("An 
o r d e r 
o r 
a j u d g m e n t 
s h a l l 
be 
deemed 
' e n t e r e d ' 
w i t h i n 
t h e 
m e a n i n g o f t h e s e R u l e s 
and t h e R u l e s o f A p p e l l a t e P r o c e d u r e 
as 
o f t h e a c t u a l d a t e o f t h e i n p u t o f t h e o r d e r o r j u d g m e n t 
i n t o 
t h e 
S t a t e 
J u d i c i a l 
I n f o r m a t i o n 
S y s t e m . " ) . 
2 S e c t i o n 1 8 - 1 A - 7 2 ( a ) ( 1 ) , A l a . Code 1975, 
p r o v i d e s t h a t t h e 
c o m p l a i n t 
commencing 
an 
e m i n e n t - d o m a i n 
a c t i o n 
" s h a l l 
... 
[ d ] e s i g n a t e 
as 
a 
p l a i n t i f f 
e a c h p e r s o n 
on whose b e h a l f 
t h e 
p r o p e r t y 
i s s o u g h t 
t o 
be 
t a k e n . " 
See 
a l s o 
W i t h i n g t o n 
v. 
C l o u d , 
522 
So. 
2d 
263, 
265 
( A l a . 1988) 
("'The a b s e n c e 
o f 
a 
n e c e s s a r y 
and 
i n d i s p e n s a b l e p a r t y n e c e s s i t a t e s t h e d i s m i s s a l 
o f t h e c a u s e w i t h o u t 
p r e j u d i c e o r a r e v e r s a l w i t h d i r e c t i o n s 
t o 
a l l o w 
t h e 
c a u s e 
t o 
s t a n d 
o v e r 
f o r amendment.'" 
( q u o t i n g 
J.C. 
J a c o b s B a n k i n g Co. v. C a m p b e l l , 406 
So. 2d 834, 
851 
( A l a . 
1 9 8 1 ) ) ) . 
3 T h e c o r r e c t n e s s 
o f t h e 
c i r c u i t 
c o u r t ' s d i s m i s s a l i s n o t 
an 
i s s u e i n t h i s 
a p p e a l , 
and 
t h i s 
C o u r t e x p r e s s e s 
no 
o p i n i o n 
on t h a t 
i s s u e . 
3 
1080426 
R u s s e l l s u b s e q u e n t l y f i l e d a m o t i o n s e e k i n g t h e a w a r d o f 
l i t i g a t i o n 
e x p e n s e s . 
On 
O c t o b e r 
31, 
2008, 
f o l l o w i n g 
a 
h e a r i n g , t h e 
c i r c u i t 
c o u r t e n t e r e d an o r d e r r e i t e r a t i n g i t s 
c o n c l u s i o n t h a t i t l a c k e 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 e 
a p p e a l , 
d e n y i n g 
" a l l 
p e n d i n g 
m o t i o n s 
f i l e d 
s u b s e q u e n t 
t o 
A u g u s t 14, 2008" 
(see s u p r a n o t e 1 ) , and 
c l a r i f y i n g 
t h a t i t s 
A u g u s t 
o r d e r d i s m i s s e d t h e m a t t e r " w i t h o u t p r e j u d i c e t o t h e 
P l a i n t i f f [ s ] 
f i l i n g 
a new 
c a s e i n t h e P r o b a t e C o u r t o f 
Lee 
C o u n t y . " 
On 
November 
24, 
2008, 
R u s s e l l 
f i l e d 
a 
" M o t i o n 
t o 
R e c o n s i d e r , 
A l t e r 
o r Amend O r d e r D e n y i n g D e f e n d a n t ' s 
M o t i o n 
f o r A w a r d o f C o s t s and O t h e r L i t i g a t i o n E x p e n s e s " 
r e f e r e n c i n g 
t h e 
c i r c u i t 
c o u r t ' s O c t o b e r 31 o r d e r and 
a s s e r t i n g 
t h a t 
t h e 
c i r c u i t 
c o u r t ' s 
d e n i a l o f h i s m o t i o n r e q u e s t i n g an a w a r d o f 
l i t i g a t i o n 
e x p e n s e s was 
i n e r r o r . 
The 
c i r c u i t 
c o u r t d e n i e d 
t h a t m o t i o n by an o r d e r e n t e r e d December 5, 2008, and 
R u s s e l l 
a p p e a l e d . 
^ A l t h o u g h 
t h e 
c i r c u i t 
c o u r t 
c o n c l u d e d 
t h a t 
i t 
l a c k e 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 e 
e m i n e n t - d o m a i n 
p r o c e e d i n g , we h o l d t h a t i t n e v e r t h e l e s s h a d j u r i s d i c t i o n 
o v e r 
R u s s e l l ' s 
m o t i o n 
f o r l i t i g a t i o n e x p e n s e s . 
S p e c i f i c a l l y , 
a 
4 
1080426 
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 
" i s d e r i v e d 
f r o m 
t h e 
A l a b a m a C o n s t i t u t i o n and t h e A l a b a m a Code." 
Ex p a r t e Seymour, 
946 
So. 2d 536, 
538 
( A l a . 2 0 0 6 ) . 
I n d e t e r m i n i n g 
a 
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 o n l y w h e t h e r 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t h a d t h 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 " t o h e a r 
t h e 
c a s e . 
Seymour, 
94 6 
So. 
2d 
a t 
538. 
H e r e , 
t h e 
p l a i n 
l a n g u a g e o f § 1 8 - 1 A - 2 3 2 ( a ) p r o v i d e s t h a t , i n an 
e m i n e n t - d o m a i n 
a c t i o n , 
" [ t ] h e c o u r t 
s h a l l a w a r d t h e d e f e n d a n t h i s l i t i g a t i o n 
e x p e n s e s , i n a d d i t i o n t o any o t h e r amounts a u t h o r i z e d by l a w , 
i f t h e a c t i o n i s w h o l l y o r p a r t l y d i s m i s s e d 
f o r any 
r e a s o n . " 
( E m p h a s i s 
added.) 
S e c t i o n 
1 8 - 1 A - 2 3 2 ( a ) 
t h u s 
p r o v i d e s 
t h e 
c i r c u i t c o u r t t h e "power" t o a w a r d l i t i g a t i o n e x p e n s e s i n t h i s 
c a s e , e v e n i f t h e a c t i o n 
i t s e l f was 
" d i s m i s s e d 
f o 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 . 
See a l s o g e n e r a l l y S t a t e Dep't  
o f Human R e s . v. E s t a t e o f H a r r i s , 857 So. 2d 818, 820 ( A l a . 
C i v . 
App. 
2002) 
("Alabama 
f o l l o w s 
t h e 
' A m e r i c a n 
R u l e ' 
r e g a r d i n g t h e a w a r d o f an a t t o r n e y f e e ; t h a t r u l e p r o v i d e s f o r 
t h e 
r e c o v e r y 
o f 
an 
a t t o r n e y 
f e e 
i f a 
f e e 
i s a l l o w e d 
by 
 
s t a t u t e , 
by 
t h e 
t e r m s 
o f 
a 
c o n t r a c t , 
o r 
by 
a 
' s p e c i a l 
e q u i t y . ' " 
( e m p h a s i s 
a d d e d ) ) . 
R u s s e l l ' s 
m o t i o n 
s e e k i n g 
l i t i g a t i o n e x p e n s e s was, 
t h e r e f o r e , u n a f f e c t e d by any l a c k o f 
5 
1080426 
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 e e m i n e n t - d o m a i n 
a c t i o n 
and 
was 
p r o p e r l y 
f i l e d 
a f t e r 
t h e 
d i s m i s s a l o f 
t h a t 
a c t i o n . 
See 
W i l l i a m s 
v. Deerman, 
724 
So. 
2d 
18, 
21 
( A l a . C i v . 
App. 
1998) 
( s t a t i n g t h a t a l a n d o w n e r ' s c l a i m f o r c o s t s and 
f e e s i n 
a 
c o n d e m n a t i o n 
a c t i o n 
t h a t 
has 
b e e n 
d i s m i s s e d 
does 
" n o t 
a c c r u e , 
and 
t h e t i m e f o r ... 
a s s e r t i o n [ o f t h e c l a i m ] 
d [ o e s ] 
n o t b e g i n 
t o r u n , " 
u n t i l 
t h e a c t i o n i s 
d i s m i s s e d ) .
4 
4 R u s s e l l ' s 
m o t i o n 
f o r 
l i t i g a t i o n 
e x p e n s e s 
and 
a t t o r n e y 
f e e s was 
n o t a m o t i o n t o a l t e r o r amend a j u d g m e n t p u r s u a n t t o 
R u l e 5 9 ( e ) , A l a . R. C i v . P. 
See 
F o r d v. J e f f e r s o n C o u n t y , 
989 
So. 
2d 
542, 
545 
( A l a . 
C i v . 
App. 
2008) 
( c o n c l u d i n g 
t h a t 
p e t i t i o n 
f o r a s s e s s m e n t 
o f 
a t t o r n e y 
f e e s 
and 
c o s t s 
was 
n o t 
s u b j e c t t o t h e 3 0 - d a y t i m e 
l i m i t a t i o n 
o f R u l e 5 9 ( e ) , A l a . 
R. 
C i v . P., 
and 
o b s e r v i n g 
t h a t " t h e U n i t e d 
S t a t e s Supreme C o u r t 
has 
h e l d t h a t a r e q u e s t 
f o r an a w a r d o f a t t o r n e y 
f e e s 
... 
i s 
n o t a ' m o t i o n t o a l t e r o r amend a j u d g m e n t ' " 
( c i t i n g W h i t e 
v.  
New 
H a m p s h i r e Dep't 
o f Employment 
S e c . , 
455 
U.S. 
445, 
452 
( 1 9 8 2 ) ) ) . 
See a l s o B u c h a n a n v. S t a n s h i p s , 
I n c . , 485 U.S. 
265, 
267-68 
(1988) 
( r e a s o n i n g 
t h a t b e c a u s e 
t h e 
s t a t u t e a t 
i s s u e 
" p r o v i d e s 
f o r f e e s 
i n d e p e n d e n t l y 
o f 
t h e 
u n d e r l y i n g c a u s e 
o f 
a c t i o n 
and 
o n l y 
f o r a 
' p r e v a i l i n g p a r t y , ' 
a m o t i o n f o r 
f e e s 
r e q u i r e d an i n q u i r y 
' s e p a r a t e 
f r o m t h e d e c i s i o n on t h e 
m e r i t s 
-- 
an 
i n q u i r y 
t h a t c a n n o t e v e n commence u n t i l 
one 
p a r t y 
has 
" p r e v a i l e d " ' " 
and 
t h a t " [ s ] u c h a m o t i o n t h e r e f o r e '"does 
n o t 
i m p l y 
a c h a n g e i n t h e j u d g m e n t , b u t m e r e l y s e e k s what i s 
due 
b e c a u s e o f t h e j u d g m e n t . " ' " 
( c i t a t i o n s o m i t t e d ) ) . 
T h e r e f o r e , 
R u s s e l l ' s m o t i o n t o 
" r e c o n s i d e r " 
t h e 
d e n i a l o f 
t h a t 
r e q u e s t 
was 
n o t 
a s u c c e s s i v e p o s t j u d g m e n t m o t i o n , 
and 
i t t o l l e d 
t h e 
4 2 - d a y 
p e r i o d 
f o r 
f i l i n g 
an 
a p p e a l . 
See, 
e.g., 
Ex 
p a r t e 
 
K e i t h , 
771 
So. 
2d 
1018, 
1022 
( A l a . 
1998 
) ( n o t i n g 
t h a t 
"a 
s u c c e s s i v e p o s t j u d g m e n t m o t i o n d o e s n o t s u s p e n d t h e r u n n i n g 
o f 
t h e t i m e f o r 
f i l i n g 
a n o t i c e o f 
a p p e a l " ) . 
6 
1080426 
On 
a p p e a l , 
as i n t h e 
c i r c u i t 
c o u r t , R u s s e l l a r g u e s 
t h a t 
" [ t ] h e 
c o u r t s 
o f 
t h i s 
s t a t e h a v e 
r e p e a t e d l y 
h e l d 
t h a t 
t h e 
p l a i n l a n g u a g e o f § 18-1A-232 i s ' u n a m b i g u o u s , ' 
... 
and 
t h a t 
an a w a r d o f c o s t s and 
l i t i g a t i o n e x p e n s e s t o t h e d e f e n d a n t i s 
' m a n d a t o r y ' 
and 
' r e q u i r e d ' by 
t h e 
s t a t u t e . " 
I n 
s u p p o r t 
o f 
t h a t a r g u m e n t , R u s s e l l c i t e s 
C a r r o l l v. Ward, 814 
So. 
2d 
287 
( A l a . 
C i v . App. 
2 0 0 1 ) . 
I n C a r r o l l , a l s o i n c o n n e c t i o n w i t h a 
r e q u e s t f o r f e e s 
a n d e x p e n s e s f o l l o w i n g t h e d i s m i s s a l o f 
an 
e m i n e n t - d o m a i n p r o c e e d i n g , w h i c h was 
l a t e r 
r e f i l e d , 
t h e 
C o u r t 
o f 
C i v i l A p p e a l s 
s t a t e d : 
" A r t i c l e 13 
[ o f t h e E m i n e n t Domain Code] a l l o w s 
an 
a w a r d 
o f 
a t t o r n e y 
f e e s 
i n 
an 
e m i n e n t 
d o m a i n 
p r o c e e d i n g , 
as s e t o u t i n § 18-1A-232: 
" ' ( a ) 
The 
c o u r t 
s h a l l 
a w a r d 
t h e 
d e f e n d a n t 
h i s 
l i t i g a t i o n 
e x p e n s e s , 
i n 
a d d i t i o n t o any o t h e r amounts a u t h o r i z e d by 
l a w , 
i f t h e 
a c t i o n 
i s w h o l l y 
o r 
p a r t l y 
 
d i s m i s s e d f o r any 
r e a s o n . 
" ' ( b ) 
I f t h e s c o p e o f t h e p r o p e r t y 
t o 
be t a k e n i s r e d u c e d 
as t h e r e s u l t o f 
(1) a 
p a r t i a l 
d i s m i s s a l , 
(2) a d i s m i s s a l o f 
one 
o r more p l a i n t i f f s , o r (3) a f i n a l j u d g m e n t 
d e t e r m i n i n g t h a t t h e p l a i n t i f f c a n n o t 
t a k e 
p a r t o f t h e p r o p e r t y 
o r i g i n a l l y s o u g h t 
t o 
be 
t a k e n , 
t h e 
c o u r t 
s h a l l 
a w a r d 
t h e 
d e f e n d a n t 
t h e 
p o r t i o n 
o f 
h i s 
l i t i g a t i o n 
e x p e n s e s 
a t t r i b u t a b l e 
t o 
t h e 
p r o p e r t y 
w i t h i n t h e s c o p e o f t h e r e d u c t i o n . 
7 
1080426 
" ' ( c ) 
C o s t s 
and 
l i t i g a t i o n 
e x p e n s e s 
a u t h o r i z e d by 
t h i s s e c t i o n may 
be 
c l a i m e d , 
t a x e d , 
and 
a w a r d e d 
u n d e r 
t h e 
same 
p r o c e d u r e s 
t h a t 
a p p l y 
t o 
c o s t s 
i n 
o t h e r 
c i v i l 
a c t i o n s . ' 
" S e c t i o n 
1 8 - 1 A - 3 ( 1 2 ) 
d e f i n e s 
' l i t i g a t i o n 
e x p e n s e s ' as 
' [ t ] h e sum 
o f t h e c o s t s , 
d i s b u r s e m e n t s , 
and 
e x p e n s e s , 
i n c l u d i n g 
r e a s o n a b l e 
a t t o r n e y , 
a p p r a i s a l , 
and 
e n g i n e e r i n g 
f e e s , 
n e c e s s a r y 
t o 
p r e p a r e 
f o r a n t i c i p a t e d o r 
p a r t i c i p a t i o n 
i n a c t u a l 
p r o b a t e o r 
c i r c u i t 
c o u r t 
p r o c e e d i n g s . ' 
"'"The 
f u n d a m e n t a l 
r u l e 
o f 
s t a t u t o r y 
c o n s t r u c t i o n 
i s 
t o 
a s c e r t a i n 
and 
g i v e 
e f f e c t t o t h e i n t e n t o f t h e 
l e g i s l a t u r e 
i n 
e n a c t i n g 
t h e 
s t a t u t e . 
Words 
u s e d 
i n 
a 
s t a t u t e must be g i v e n t h e i r n a t u r a l , p l a i n , 
o r d i n a r y , and commonly u n d e r s t o o d m e a n i n g , 
and where p l a i n l a n g u a g e i s u s e d a c o u r t i s 
b o u n d 
t o 
i n t e r p r e t t h a t 
l a n g u a g e 
t o mean 
e x a c t l y what 
i t s a y s . 
I f t h e 
l a n g u a g e 
o f 
t h e 
s t a t u t e i s u n a m b i g u o u s , t h e n t h e r e 
i s 
no room f o r 
j u d i c i a l 
c o n s t r u c t i o n and 
t h e 
c l e a r l y e x p r e s s e d 
i n t e n t o f t h e 
l e g i s l a t u r e 
must be 
g i v e n 
e f f e c t . " ' 
" S w i f t 
v. 
G r e g o r y , 
78 6 
So. 
2d 
1 
0 
97 , 
1 
1 
0 
0 
( A l a . 
2 0 0 0 ) , q u o t i n g IMED C o r p . v. S y s t e m s Eng'g 
A s s o c s . 
 
C o r p . , 602 
So. 
2d 344, 
346 
( A l a . 1 9 9 2 ) . 
" I n i t s May 
2, 2000 o r d e r , t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t made  
i t 
c l e a r t h a t 
t h e 
d i s m i s s a l was 
w i t h o u t 
p r e j u d i c e , 
 
so t h a t Ward and B u t t r a m c o u l d 
r e f i l e 
t h e i r a c t i o n . 
The 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
a l s o 
r e c o g n i z e d 
t h a t 
'the 
l a w 
a p p e a r s t o be c l e a r as t o t h e 
f i x i n g and a w a r d i n g 
o f 
l i t i g a t i o n 
c o s t s 
i n a c a s e where a c o n d e m n a t i o n i s 
d i s m i s s e d 
i n w h o l e o r i n p a r t . ' A l t h o u g h 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
i n d i c a t e d 
t h a t 
a 
s t r i c t 
a p p l i c a t i o n o f 
§ 
18-1A-232 w o u l d n o t 
be 
a p p r o p r i a t e 
u n d e r t h e 
f a c t s 
o f t h i s c a s e , 
t h e l a w i s u n a m b i g u o u s . A d e f e n d a n t i n  
a c o n d e m n a t i o n p r o c e e d i n g 
i s e n t i t l e d t o an a w a r d o f 
8 
1080426 
an 
a t t o r n e y f e e i f 
t h e p r o c e e d i n g i s d i s m i s s e d ' f o r  
any 
r e a s o n . ' The f a c t 
t h a t t h e c a s e was 
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 and h a s b e e n r e f i l e d does n o t mean  
t h a t t h e C a r r o l l s d i d 
n o t i n c u r 
l i t i g a t i o n 
e x p e n s e s  
i n d e f e n d i n g t h e o r i g i n a l 
l a w s u i t 
f i l e d i n 1994." 
814 
So. 2d a t 289-90 
( e m p h a s i s a d d e d ) . 
See a l s o 
P a u l k v . 
M c C a r t y , 855 So. 2d 1123, 1126 ( A l a . C i v . 
App. 2003) 
( n o t i n g 
t h a t i n C a r r o l l t h e C o u r t o f C i v i l A p p e a l s " c o n c l u d e d t h a t t h e 
p h r a s e 
' s h a l l a w a r d ' i n § 18-1A-232 was u n a m b i g u o u s and t h a t 
a l i t i g a t i o n - e x p e n s e a w a r d was m a n d a t o r y when a c o n d e m n a t i o n 
a c t i o n b r o u g h t p u r s u a n t t o § 18-3-1 e t s e q . , 
A l a . 
Code 1975, 
had b e e n t e r m i n a t e d 
b y t h e e n t r y o f a j u d g m e n t by a 
c i r c u i t 
c o u r t 
d i s m i s s i n g 
a de 
novo 
a p p e a l 
f r o m 
a 
p r o b a t e - c o u r t 
c o n d e m n a t i o n 
j u d g m e n t " ) . 
S i m i l a r l y , 
h e r e , a l t h o u g h t h e p a r t i e s r e p r e s e n t 
t o t h i s 
C o u r t 
t h a t t h e e m i n e n t - d o m a i n 
a c t i o n h a s b e e n 
r e f i l e d , t h e 
f a c t 
r e m a i n s 
t h a t 
R u s s e l l 
i n c u r r e d 
l i t i g a t i o n 
e x p e n s e s 
a s s o c i a t e d 
w i t h 
t h e d e f e n s e 
a n d s u b s e q u e n t 
a p p e a l 
o f t h e 
o r i g i n a l 
e m i n e n t - d o m a i n 
p r o c e e d i n g , 
w h i c h 
was 
u l t i m a t e l y 
d i s m i s s e d . 
We a g r e e w i t h t h e C a r r o l l 
c o u r t 
t h a t t h e s t a t u t e 
i s 
c l e a r and t h a t t h e a w a r d o f any 
l i t i g a t i o n 
e x p e n s e s i s 
" m a n d a t o r y . " 
9 
1080426 
The 
S t a t e 
a t t e m p t s 
t o 
a r g u e 
t h a t 
t h e 
c i r c u i t 
c o u r t ' s 
d i s m i s s a l o f t h e e m i n e n t - d o m a i n a c t i o n was 
b a s e d on 
R u s s e l l ' s 
" R u l e 1 2 ( b ) ( 1 ) [ , A l a . R. 
C i v . P.,] 
m o t i o n " and 
n o t 
on one 
o f 
t h e 
t h r e e 
g r o u n d s 
o f 
d i s m i s s a l 
s t a t e d 
i n § 18-1A-230, 
A l a . 
Code 1975, 
w h i c h 
p r o v i d e s : 
"On 
m o t i o n 
o f 
t h e 
d e f e n d a n t , 
t h e 
c o u r t 
s h a l l 
d i s m i s s 
t h e 
a c t i o n 
i n w h o l e o r 
i n p a r t , 
as 
j u s t i c e 
r e q u i r e s , i f : 
"(1) 
Upon 
s u s t a i n i n g 
a 
p r e l i m i n a r y 
o b j e c t i o n t o t h e p l a i n t i f f ' s 
c o m p l a i n t , 
t h e 
c o u r t 
d e t e r m i n e s 
t h a t 
a 
d i s m i s s a l 
i s 
r e q u i r e d ; 
"(2) 
The 
p l a i n t i f f 
has 
u n j u s t i f i a b l y 
f a i l e d 
t o e x e r c i s e r e a s o n a b l e d i l i g e n c e i n 
p r o s e c u t i n g 
t h e 
a c t i o n ; 
"(3) 
The 
p l a i n t i f f 
has 
f a i l e d 
t o 
pay 
t h e 
f u l l 
amount 
r e q u i r e d 
by 
t h e 
j u d g m e n t 
w i t h i n t i m e 
a l l o w e d . " 
T h e r e f o r e , 
i t a r g u e s , 
§ 18-1A-232 does n o t 
a p p l y . 
However, 
t h e 
S t a t e 
d o e s 
n o t 
c i t e 
any 
a u t h o r i t y 
i n 
s u p p o r t 
o f 
t h a t 
p o s i t i o n , 
n o r 
d o e s 
i t c i t e 
any 
a u t h o r i t y 
i n d i c a t i n g 
t h a t 
a 
R u l e 
12(b) 
m o t i o n 
i s 
n o t 
"a 
p r e l i m i n a r y 
o b j e c t i o n 
t o 
t h e 
p l a i n t i f f ' s 
c o m p l a i n t " 
as d e s c r i b e d 
i n § 1 8 - 1 A - 2 3 0 ( 1 ) .
5 
5 T h e 
S t a t e 
a l s o 
c o n t e n d s , 
r e l y i n g 
on 
l a n g u a g e 
i n 
t h e 
c i r c u i t 
c o u r t ' s 
O c t o b e r 31, 2008, o r d e r 
i n w h i c h t h e 
c i r c u i t 
c o u r t 
i n d i c a t e d 
t h a t 
" [ i t s ] 
O r d e r 
i n r e g a r d 
t o 
t h e 
H e a r i n g 
h e l d on O c t o b e r 30, 2008 i s n o t t o be c o n s i d e r e d 
a F i n a l O r d e r 
o r Res 
J u d i c a t a i n r e g a r d 
t o 
[ R u s s e l l ' s ] c l a i m f o r 
a t t o r n e y s ' 
10 
1080426 
We 
r e v e r s e 
t h e 
o r d e r 
o f t h e 
c i r c u i t 
c o u r t 
d e n y i n g 
R u s s e l l ' s m o t i o n f o r an a w a r d o f c o s t s and e x p e n s e s i n t h e 
u n d e r l y i n g e m i n e n t - d o m a i n p r o c e e d i n g , and we remand t h i s c a s e 
f o r 
f u r t h e r p r o c e e d i n g s c o n s i s t e n t 
w i t h 
t h i s 
o p i n i o n . 
REVERSED AND REMANDED. 
Cobb, C . J . , and W o o d a l l , S m i t h , and P a r k e r , 
J J . , c o n c u r . 
f e e s , " t h a t t h e o r d e r i s 
a n o n f i n a l o r d e r f r o m w h i c h an a p p e a l 
w i l l n o t l i e . H o w e v e r , i t 
i s a p p a r e n t f r o m t h e r e c o r d 
t h a t 
t h i s 
l a n g u a g e was n o t an i n d i c a t i o n o f t h e f i n a l i t y o f t h e 
c i r c u i t 
c o u r t ' s 
r u l i n g . 
I n s t e a d , 
i t a p p e a r s 
t h a t 
t h i s 
l a n g u a g e was i n t e n d e d 
t o e x p r e s s t h e c i r c u i t 
c o u r t ' s 
b e l i e f 
t h a t i t 
d i d 
n o t h a v e s u b j e c t - m a t t e r 
j u r i s d i c t i o n t o a w a r d t h e 
r e q u e s t e d e x p e n s e s b u t t h a t a f u t u r e 
r e q u e s t o f t h o s e same 
e x p e n s e s was 
a v a i l a b l e once t h e m a t t e r was 
r e f i l e d 
i n t h e 
p r o b a t e 
c o u r t . 
I n f a c t , 
i n t h a t 
same 
o r d e r , 
t h e 
c i r c u i t 
c o u r t 
f u r t h e r 
s t a t e d : 
" [ R u s s e l l ' s ] 
a t t o r n e y 
may 
w e l l 
be 
e n t i t l e d t o a l l a t t o r n e y ' s 
f e e s a n d c o s t s when t h i s m a t t e r i s 
r e - f i l e d f o r s e r v i c e s p e r f o r m e d and e x p e n s e s i n c u r r e d 
d u r i n g 
t h e 
f i r s t 
f i l i n g o f t h i s c a s e . " 
T h e r e f o r e , 
t h e c i r c u i t 
c o u r t 
c l e a r l y d e n i e d R u s s e l l ' s m o t i o n f o r 
t h e r e q u e s t e d e x p e n s e s i n 
t h e u n d e r l y i n g 
c a s e , and i t s e x p l a n a t i o n 
t h a t t h e i s s u e 
c o u l d 
be 
r e s o l v e d i n a l a t e r p r o c e e d i n g d i d 
n o t a f f e c t t h e f i n a l i t y 
o f i t s a d j u d i c a t i o n . 
11