Title: Ex parte Phenix City Board of Education. PETITION FOR WRIT OF MANDAMUS: CIVIL
Citation: N/A
Docket Number: 1100122
State: Alabama
Issuer: Alabama Supreme Court
Date: January 14, 2011

REL: 01/14/2011 
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, 2010-2011 
1100122 
Ex p a r t e Phenix C i t y Board o f E d u c a t i o n 
PETITION FOR 
WRIT OF MANDAMUS 
( I n r e : A l a y s i a Randolph, a minor, by and 
through her 
next 
f r i e n d s and 
p a r e n t s , Samuel Randolph and 
Wanda Randolph 
v. 
Kimberly Sue 
Montee and the 
Phenix C i t y Board o f E d u c a t i o n ) 
1100124 
Ex p a r t e Phenix C i t y Board o f E d u c a t i o n 
PETITION FOR 
WRIT OF MANDAMUS 
( I n r e : 
Kenyetta K i n g , a minor, by and through her next 
f r i e n d and p a r e n t , O l i t h a K i n g 
v. 
Kimberly Sue Montee and the 
Phenix C i t y Board of E d u c a t i o n ) 
1100125 
Ex p a r t e Phenix C i t y Board o f E d u c a t i o n 
PETITION FOR WRIT OF MANDAMUS 
( I n r e : 
E r i c Robinson, a minor, by and through h i s next 
f r i e n d and p a r e n t , J a c k i e Woods, e t a l . 
v. 
Kimberly Sue Montee and the 
Phenix C i t y Board of E d u c a t i o n ) 
( R u s s e l l C i r c u i t Court, CV-10-206, CV-10-208, and CV-10-204) 
STUART, 
J u s t i c e . 
The 
P h e n i x 
C i t y 
B o a r d 
o f 
E d u c a t i o n 
("the B o a r d " ) 
p e t i t i o n s 
t h i s 
C o u r t f o r w r i t s 
o f mandamus d i r e c t i n g t h e 
R u s s e l l 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 s d e n y i n g t h e B o a r d ' s 
m o t i o n t o d i s m i s s t h e a c t i o n s 
f i l e d 
a g a i n s t i t 
b y 
A l a y s i a 
R a n d o l p h , 
a m i n o r , 
b y a n d t h r o u g h 
h e r n e x t 
f r i e n d s 
a n d 
p a r e n t s , S a m u e l R a n d o l p h a n d Wanda R a n d o l p h 
( c a s e no. C V - 1 0 -
2 
1100122, 1100124, 
1100125 
2 0 6 ) ; K e n y e t t a 
K i n g , a m i n o r , b y and t h r o u g h h e r n e x t 
f r i e n d 
and 
p a r e n t , 
O l i t h a 
K i n g 
( c a s e 
no. C V - 1 0 - 2 0 8 ) ; 
and 
E r i c 
R o b i n s o n , N y e s h a R o b i n s o n , N a s i a R o b i n s o n , and N a d i a R o b i n s o n , 
m i n o r s , b y and t h r o u g h 
t h e i r 
n e x t 
f r i e n d and p a r e n t , 
J a c k i e 
Woods, and Tamor Woods, a m i n o r , b y and t h r o u g h h i s p a r e n t s 
and n e x t f r i e n d s , J a c k i e Woods and C h r i s t o p h e r Woods ( c a s e no. 
C V - 1 0 - 2 0 4 ) , and t o e n t e r o r d e r s d i s m i s s i n g w i t h p r e j u d i c e t h e 
c l a i m s 
a g a i n s t t h e B o a r d . 
We g r a n t t h e p e t i t i o n s and i s s u e 
t h e 
w r i t s . 
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 
On M a r c h 2, 2010, K i m b e r l y Sue M o n t e e , an e m p l o y e e o f 
t h e 
B o a r d , was d r i v i n g a s c h o o l b u s . 
A l a y s i a R a n d o l p h , 
K e n y e t t a 
K i n g , 
and E r i c 
R o b i n s o n , 
N y e s h a 
R o b i n s o n , 
N a s i a 
R o b i n s o n , 
N a d i a 
R o b i n s o n , a n d Tamor Woods 
("the Woods m i n o r s " ) 
were 
p a s s e n g e r s 
on t h e s c h o o l b u s when i t was 
i n v o l v e d i n an 
a c c i d e n t w i t h a s t a t i o n a r y v e h i c l e . 
R a n d o l p h , K i n g , and 
t h e 
Woods m i n o r s 
f i l e d 
s e p a r a t e 
c o m p l a i n t s 
a g a i n s t t h e B o a r d and 
M o n t e e , 
a l l e g i n g 
a g a i n s t 
t h e B o a r d 
c l a i m s 
o f 
n e g l i g e n t 
e n t r u s t m e n t , 
a g a i n s t 
Montee 
c l a i m s 
o f 
n e g l i g e n c e 
and 
w a n t o n n e s s , and a g a i n s t t h e B o a r d and M o n t e e c l a i m s o f l o s s o f 
s e r v i c e s a s s e r t e d b y t h e p a r e n t s . 
3 
1 1 0 0 1 2 2 , 1100124, 1100125 
On S e p t e m b e r 2 1 , 2 0 1 0 , t h e B o a r d moved t o d i s m i s s t h e 
c l a i m s a s s e r t e d a g a i n s t i t , 
a r g u i n g t h a t i t 
was immune 
f r o m 
s u i t p u r s u a n t t o A r t . I , § 14, A l a . C o n s t . 1 9 0 1 . On S e p t e m b e r 
23, 2 0 1 0 , t h e C o u r t 
d e n i e d t h e B o a r d ' s 
m o t i o n s 
t o d i s m i s s . 
The B o a r d p e t i t i o n s t h i s C o u r t f o r 
w r i t s o f mandamus 
d i r e c t i n g 
t h e R u s s e l l 
C i r c u i t 
C o u r t t o v a c a t e t h e S e p t e m b e r 2 1 , 2010, 
o r d e r s 
d e n y i n g t h e B o a r d ' s 
m o t i o n s 
t o d i s m i s s and t o e n t e r 
o r d e r s d i s m i s s i n g t h e c l a i m s a g a i n s t t h e B o a r d w i t h p r e j u d i c e . 
S t a n d a r d o f R e v i e w 
"'"'The a p p r o p r i a t e s t a n d a r d 
o f 
r e v i e w u n d e r 
R u l e 
1 2 ( b ) ( 6 ) [ , 
A l a . 
R. 
C i v . P.,] 
i s 
w h e t h e r , 
when 
t h e 
a l l e g a t i o n s 
o f 
t h e 
c o m p l a i n t 
a r e 
v i e w e d 
most 
s t r o n g l y i n t h e p l e a d e r ' s 
f a v o r , 
i t a p p e a r s 
t h a t t h e p l e a d e r c o u l d 
p r o v e 
any s e t o f 
c i r c u m s t a n c e s 
t h a t 
w o u l d 
e n t i t l e 
[ i t ] t o 
r e l i e f . 
I n 
m a k i n g 
t h i s 
d e t e r m i n a t i o n , 
t h i s 
C o u r t 
d o e s 
n o t 
c o n s i d e r 
w h e t h e r 
t h e 
p l a i n t i f f 
w i l l 
u l t i m a t e l y 
p r e v a i l , 
b u t o n l y w h e t h e r [ i t ] 
may 
p o s s i b l y 
p r e v a i l . 
We 
n o t e 
t h a t a R u l e 1 2 ( b ) ( 6 ) d i s m i s s a l i s 
p r o p e r 
o n l y 
when 
i t 
a p p e a r s 
b e y o n d d o u b t 
t h a t t h e 
p l a i n t i f f 
c a n 
p r o v e 
no 
s e t o f 
f a c t s i n 
s u p p o r t o f t h e c l a i m 
t h a t 
w o u l d 
e n t i t l e 
t h e 
p l a i n t i f f 
t o 
r e l i e f . ' " ' 
4 
1 1 0 0 1 2 2 , 1100124, 1100125 
no 
i s 
a 
a 
B.K.W. 
"Ex 
p a r t e 
T r o y 
U n i v . , 
961 So. 2d 105, 108 
( A l a . 
200 6 ) ( q u o t i n g Knox v . W e s t e r n W o r l d I n s . 
Co., 893 
So. 2d 3 2 1 , 322 ( A l a . 2 0 0 4 ) , q u o t i n g i n t u r n Nance  
v. M a t t h e w s , 622 So. 2d 297, 299 ( A l a . 1 9 9 3 ) ) . 
'A 
r u l i n g on a m o t i o n t o d i s m i s s i s r e v i e w e d 
w i t h o u t a 
p r e s u m p t i o n o f c o r r e c t n e s s . ' 
Newman v. S a v a s , 878 
So. 2d 1147, 1148-49 
( A l a . 2 0 0 3 ) . 
"'When 
a 
m o t i o n 
f o r j u d g m e n t 
on t h e 
p l e a d i n g s 
i s made b y a p a r t y , " t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t 
r e v i e w s 
t h e p l e a d i n g s 
f i l e d i n 
t h e 
c a s e a n d , i f t h e p l e a d i n g s 
show 
t h a t 
g e n u i n e 
i s s u e 
o f 
m a t e r i a l 
f a c t 
p r e s e n t e d , 
t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t 
w i l l 
e n t e r 
j u d g m e n t 
f o r t h e p a r t y 
e n t i t l e d 
t o 
j u d g m e n t 
a c c o r d i n g 
t o t h e l a w . " 
B.K 
 
E n t e r s . , I n c . v . T r a c t o r & E q u i p . Co., 60 
3 
So. 
2d 98 
9, 
991 
( A l a . 
1 
9 9 2 ) . 
See 
a l s o 
D e a t o n , 
I n c . v . M o n r o e , 
7 
62 So. 2d 840 
( A l a . 
2 0 0 0 ) . 
A j u d g m e n t on t h e p l e a d i n g s 
i s s u b j e c t t o a de novo r e v i e w . 
H a r d e n v .  
R i t t e r , 710 So. 2d 1254, 1255 ( A l a . 
C i v . 
App. 
1 9 9 7 ) . A c o u r t r e v i e w i n g a j u d g m e n t on 
t h e p l e a d i n g s 
a c c e p t s t h e f a c t s s t a t e d i n 
t h e c o m p l a i n t as t r u e a n d v i e w s them i n t h e 
l i g h t 
most 
f a v o r a b l e 
t o t h e 
n o n m o v i n g 
p a r t y . I d . 
a t 1255-56.' 
" 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. Thompson, 77 
6 
So. 2d 81, 82-83 
( A l a . 2 0 0 0 ) . 
" ' I t i s 
w e l l e s t a b l i s h e d t h a t mandamus w i l l l i e 
t o c o m p e l a d i s m i s s a l o f c l a i m t h a t i s 
b a r r e d b y 
t h e 
d o c t r i n e 
o f 
s o v e r e i g n 
i m m u n i t y . ' 
Ex 
p a r t e 
B l a n k e n s h i p , 
893 So. 2d 3 0 3 , 305 ( A l a . 2 0 0 4 ) . 
"'A w r i t o f mandamus i s 
a 
" ' " d r a s t i c a n d e x t r a o r d i n a r y w r i t 
t h a t 
w i l l 
be 
i s s u e d 
o n l y 
when 
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 
5 
1 1 0 0 1 2 2 , 1100124, 1100125 
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 b y 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; and 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 
J _ 
I I I 
c o u r t . " ' 
"Ex 
p a r t e 
Wood, 
852 
So. 
2d 
705, 
708 ( A l a . 
2 0 0 2 ) ( q u o t i n g Ex p a r t e U n i t e d S e r v . 
S t a t i o n s , I n c . , 
628 So. 2d 5 0 1 , 503 ( A l a . 1 9 9 3 ) ) . 
" ' " [ I ] f an a c t i o n i s an a c t i o n a g a i n s t t h e 
S t a t e 
w i t h i n t h e m e a n i n g o f § 14, s u c h a 
c a s e ' p r e s e n t s a q u e s t i o n 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 , 
w h i c h 
c a n n o t be w a i v e d o r 
c o n f e r r e d b y c o n s e n t . ' " 
H a l e y v. B a r b o u r  
C o u n t y , 
885 
So. 
2d 
7 8 3 , 
788 ( A l a . 
2 
0 
0 
4 ) ( q u o t i n g P a t t e r s o n v . G l a d w i n 
C o r p . , 
835 
So. 
2d 
137, 
142-43 
( A l a . 2 0 0 2 ) ) . 
" T h e r e f o r e , a c o u r t ' s f a i l u r e t o d i s m i s s a 
c a s e 
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 
b a s e d on s o v e r e i g n 
i m m u n i t y 
may p r o p e r l y be a d d r e s s e d by a 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  
Dep't o f M e n t a l 
H e a l t h & R e t a r d a t i o n , 837 
So. 2d 808, 810-11 ( A l a . 2 0 0 2 ) . ' 
"Ex 
p a r t e 
D a v i s , 
930 So. 2d 4 
97 
, 
499-500 ( A l a . 
2 
0 
0 
5 ) . " 
Ex p a r t e L a w l e y , 38 So. 3d 4 1 , 44-45 ( A l a . 2 0 0 9 ) . 
D i s c u s s i o n 
The B o a r d c o n t e n d s t h a t i t 
i s 
n o t s u b j e c t t o t o r t 
a c t i o n s 
a g a i n s t i t 
a l l e g i n g n e g l i g e n t e n t r u s t m e n t and a s s e r t i n g c l a i m s 
o f 
l o s s 
o f s e r v i c e s b e c a u s e , 
i t s a y s , 
i t i s e n t i t l e d 
t o 
6 
1 1 0 0 1 2 2 , 1100124, 1100125 
a b s o l u t e i m m u n i t y and i t c i t e s A r t . I , § 14, A l a . C o n s t . 1 9 0 1 . 
I n 
E n t e r p r i s e C i t y B o a r d o f E d u c a t i o n v. M i l l e r , 
348 So. 2d 
782 
( A l a . 1 9 7 7 ) , t h i s C o u r t h e l d t h a t c i t y b o a r d s o f e d u c a t i o n 
were immune f r o m 
c i v i l 
a c t i o n s . 
We s t a t e d : 
" C i t y b o a r d s o f e d u c a t i o n a r e a u t h o r i z e d b y t h e 
l e g i s l a t u r e . 
T i t l e 52, S e c t i o n 148, e t s e q . [now § 
16-11-1 e t s e q . , 
A l a Code 1 9 7 5 ] . 
" L i k e c o u n t y s c h o o l b o a r d s , 
t h e y a r e a g e n c i e s o f 
t h e 
s t a t e , empowered t o a d m i n i s t e r p u b l i c 
e d u c a t i o n 
w i t h i n t h e c i t i e s . 
As s u c h , a c i t y s c h o o l b o a r d i s 
n o t 
a 
s u b d i v i s i o n 
o r 
a g e n c y 
o f 
t h e 
m u n i c i p a l 
g o v e r n m e n t . 
O p i n i o n o f t h e J u s t i c e s , 276 A l a . 239, 
160 
So. 2d 648 
(1964 ). 
A 
c i t y 
s c h o o l 
b o a r d ' s 
r e l a t i o n t o t h e c i t y i s a n a l o g o u s t o a c o u n t y 
s c h o o l 
b o a r d ' s 
r e l a t i o n t o t h e c o u n t y . 
S t a t e v. B r a n d o n , 
244 
A l a . 62, 12 So. 2d 319 
( 1 9 4 3 ) . 
" T h e r e i s 
no m e n t i o n i n 
t h e s t a t u t e s u n d e r w h i c h 
c i t y s c h o o l b o a r d s a r e c r e a t e d o f t h e a b i l i t y t o be 
s u e d . 
T i t l e 
52, 
s e c t i o n 168 
[now § 
1 6 - 1 1 - 1 3 ] , 
a l l o w s a c i t y s c h o o l b o a r d t o i n s t i t u t e 
c o n d e m n a t i o n 
p r o c e e d i n g s . 
The o n l y o t h e r s t a t u t e w h i c h r e f e r s t o 
l i t i g a t i o n a t a l l i s T i t l e 52, s e c t i o n 161 [now § 
1 6 - 1 1 - 1 2 ] , w h i c h 
p r o v i d e s : 
"'The 
c i t y 
b o a r d o f e d u c a t i o n 
s h a l l 
h a v e 
t h e 
f u l l 
and e x c l u s i v e r i g h t s 
w i t h i n t h e 
r e v e n u e a p p r o p r i a t e d f o r 
s u c h p u r p o s e s , o r 
a c c r u i n g t o t h e u s e o f t h e p u b l i c s c h o o l s , 
t o 
p u r c h a s e 
r e a l 
e s t a t e , 
f u r n i t u r e , 
a p p r o p r i a t e 
l i b r a r i e s , 
f u e l 
and s u p p l i e s 
f o r t h e u s e o f t h e s c h o o l s , and t o s e l l t h e 
same, and t o make 
e x p e n d i t u r e s 
f o r t h e 
m a i n t e n a n c e 
and 
r e p a i r s 
o f 
t h e 
s c h o o l 
g r o u n d s , b u i l d i n g s and o t h e r 
p r o p e r t y , t o 
e s t a b l i s h 
and 
b u i l d 
new 
s c h o o l s , 
t o 
s u p e r i n t e n d 
t h e 
e r e c t i o n 
t h e r e o f , 
t o 
7 
1 1 0 0 1 2 2 , 1100124, 1100125 
p u r c h a s e s i t e s t h e r e f o r , t o 
make a d d i t i o n s , 
a l t e r a t i o n s and r e p a i r s t o t h e b u i l d i n g and 
o t h e r p r o p e r t y 
e r e c t e d f o r s c h o o l u s e s , and 
t o 
make 
n e c e s s a r y 
and 
p r o p e r 
n o t e s , 
c o n t r a c t s 
and a g r e e m e n t s 
i n r e l a t i o n t o 
s u c h 
m a t t e r s . 
A l l 
s u c h 
c o n t r a c t s 
s h a l l 
i n u r e t o t h e b e n e f i t o f t h e p u b l i c 
s c h o o l s , 
and a n y s u i t i n l a w o r e q u i t y b r o u g h t upon 
them and f o r 
t h e r e c o v e r y and p r o t e c t i o n o f 
money and p r o p e r t y 
b e l o n g i n g t o and u s e d b y 
t h e 
p u b l i c 
s c h o o l s , o r f o r 
damages, 
s h a l l 
be b r o u g h t by and i n 
t h e 
name o f t h e c i t y . ' 
" I t 
i s c l e a r , 
t h e r e f o r e , 
t h a t 
t h e r e 
i s no 
e x p r e s s 
l a n g u a g e 
i n t h e 
l e g i s l a t i o n 
w h i c h 
w o u l d 
a l l o w a t o r t 
a c t i o n 
a g a i n s t 
a 
c i t y 
s c h o o l 
b o a r d . 
N e i t h e r 
i s t h e r e 
l a n g u a g e 
f r o m 
w h i c h 
l e g i s l a t i v e 
i n t e n t t o a l l o w 
s u c h 
a c t i o n s may be i n f e r r e d . 
To 
t h e 
c o n t r a r y , t h e l e g i s l a t i o n seems c l e a r l y t o d e n y 
s u c h 
s u i t s . " 
348 So. 2d a t 783-84. 
C i t y b o a r d s o f e d u c a t i o n a r e l o c a l a g e n c i e s o f t h e S t a t e ; 
t h e r e f o r e , 
t h e y 
e n j o y 
c o n s t i t u t i o n a l i m m u n i t y 
f r o m 
t o r t 
a c t i o n s a l l e g i n g n e g l i g e n t e n t r u s t m e n t and a s s e r t i n g c l a i m s o f 
l o s s 
o f s e r v i c e s . 
E n t e r p r i s e 
C i t y Bd. o f E d u c . , 
s u p r a ; 
B e s s e m e r Bd. o f E d u c . v . T u c k e r , 999 So. 2d 957, 962 ( A l a . 
C i v . App. 2 0 0 8 ) ( n o t i n g 
t h a t , b e c a u s e c i t y b o a r d s o f 
e d u c a t i o n 
a r e 
a g e n c i e s o f t h e S t a t e , 
t h e y e n j o y i m m u n i t y f r o m 
s u i t t o 
t h e 
e x t e n t 
a u t h o r i z e d b y t h e l e g i s l a t u r e and f u r t h e r 
n o t i n g , 
as an e x a m p l e , 
t h a t , 
b e c a u s e 
c i t y 
b o a r d s o f e d u c a t i o n 
a r e 
a u t h o r i z e d 
t o c o n t r a c t , 
t h e y may sue and be s u e d on 
t h o s e 
8 
1 1 0 0 1 2 2 , 1100124, 1100125 
c o n t r a c t s ) . 
A c c o r d i n g l y , t h e c l a i m s 
a g a i n s t t h e B o a r d o f 
n e g l i g e n t e n t r u s t m e n t a n d a s s e r t i n g l o s s o f s e r v i c e s on b e h a l f 
o f t h e p a r e n t s a r e b a r r e d b y A r t . I , § 14, A l a . C o n s t . 1 9 0 1 . 
C o n c l u s i o n 
B e c a u s e t h e B o a r d h a s d e m o n s t r a t e d t h a t u n d e r A r t . I , § 
14, A l a . C o n s t . 1 9 0 1 , i t 
h a s a b s o l u t e 
i m m u n i t y f r o m 
s u i t on 
t h e n e g l i g e n t - e n t r u s t m e n t a n d l o s s - o f - s e r v i c e s c l a i m s a s s e r t e d 
a g a i n s t i t , 
t h e B o a r d h a s e s t a b l i s h e d a c l e a r 
l e g a l 
r i g h t t o 
h a v e 
t h e 
c l a i m s 
a g a i n s t 
i t d i s m i s s e d 
w i t h 
p r e j u d i c e . 
T h e r e f o r e , 
we 
g r a n t 
t h e B o a r d ' s 
p e t i t i o n s a n d i s s u e 
w r i t s 
d i r e c t i n g 
t h e R u s s e l l 
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 s 
d e n y i n g 
t h e B o a r d ' s 
m o t i o n s 
t o d i s m i s s 
a n d e n t e r 
o r d e r s 
d i s m i s s i n g 
w i t h 
p r e j u d i c e t h e c l a i m s 
a s s e r t e d 
a g a i n s t t h e 
B o a r d . 
PETITIONS GRANTED; WRITS ISSUED. 
Cobb, C . J . , 
a n d L y o n s , B o l i n , a n d M u r d o c k , J J . , c o n c u r . 
9