Title: Ex parte Alabama Peace Officers' Standards and Training Commission and R. Alan Benefield, individually and in his capacity as executive secretary of the Alabama Peace Officers' Standards and Training Commission. PETITION FOR WRIT OF MANDAMUS: CIVIL (In re: Doby Vines and Joey Vines v. R. Alan Benefield et al.)
Citation: N/A
Docket Number: 1051667
State: Alabama
Issuer: Alabama Supreme Court
Date: September 30, 2009

R e l : 09/30/2009 
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 
SPECIAL TERM, 2009 
1051667 
Ex p a r t e Alabama Peace O f f i c e r s ' Standards and T r a i n i n g 
Commission and R. A l a n B e n e f i e l d , i n d i v i d u a l l y and i n h i s 
c a p a c i t y as e x e c u t i v e s e c r e t a r y o f the 
Alabama Peace 
O f f i c e r s ' Standards and T r a i n i n g Commission 
PETITION FOR WRIT OF MANDAMUS 
( I n r e : 
Doby Vines and Joey Vines 
v. 
R. A l a n B e n e f i e l d e t 
a l . ) 
(Montgomery C i r c u i t Court, CV-05-23) 
PARKER, 
J u s t i c e . 
The 
A l a b a m a 
P e a c e 
O f f i c e r s ' 
S t a n d a r d s 
a n d 
T r a i n i n g 
C o m m i s s i o n ("APOSTC") a n d i t s 
e x e c u t i v e 
s e c r e t a r y , 
C h i e f R. 
A l a n 
B e n e f i e l d , 
a r e d e f e n d a n t s 
i n an 
a c t i o n 
b r o u g h t b y 
1051667 
b r o t h e r s Doby V i n e s and J o e y V i n e s , f o r m e r p a r t - t i m e e m p l o y e e s 
a t 
S o u t h w e s t 
A l a b a m a 
P o l i c e Academy ("SWAPA"). I n t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t , APOSTC and B e n e f i e l d 
f i l e d 
a m o t i o n 
f o r a summary 
j u d g m e n t , a s s e r t i n g t h a t t h e y were immune f r o m 
l i a b i l i t y . The 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
d e n i e d 
t h e m o t i o n . 
APOSTC 
and B e n e f i e l d 
now 
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 
M o n t g o m e r y 
C i r c u i t 
C o u r t t o d i s m i s s w i t h 
p r e j u d i c e 
a l l 
t h e 
c l a i m s a g a i n s t them. We g r a n t t h e p e t i t i o n . 
I . B a c k g r o u n d and P r o c e d u r a l P o s t u r e 
T h i s 
c a s e 
a r i s e s 
f r o m t h e t e r m i n a t i o n on J a n u a r y 2 4 , 
2 0 0 3 , o f t h e V i n e s e s ' p a r t - t i m e e m p l o y m e n t w i t h SWAPA, w h i c h 
r e s u l t e d f r o m an APOSTC d i r e c t i v e a u t h o r i z i n g t h e d i s m i s s a l o f 
a l l SWAPA p a r t - t i m e e m p l o y e e s . 
The V i n e s e s 
f i l e d a c o m p l a i n t 
i n t h e M o n t g o m e r y C i r c u i t C o u r t on J a n u a r y 5, 2 0 0 5 , n a m i n g as 
d e f e n d a n t s 
B e n e f i e l d and G a r y B r a n c h , p r e s i d e n t o f F a u l k n e r 
S t a t e Community 
C o l l e g e ,
1 i n t h e i r 
i n d i v i d u a l and 
o f f i c i a l 
c a p a c i t i e s , 
and APOSTC. The V i n e s e s 
s o u g h t 
r e s t o r a t i o n o f 
t h e i r e m p l o y m e n t , wages, and b e n e f i t s , and b o t h 
c o m p e n s a t o r y 
1 B r a n c h was s u e d i n 
h i s 
c a p a c i t y as p r e s i d e n t o f F a u l k n e r 
S t a t e 
Community 
C o l l e g e , 
w h i c h 
p r o v i d e d 
c l a s s r o o m 
s p a c e , 
f a c i l i t i e s - r e l a t e d s e r v i c e s , a n d p a y r o l l s e r v i c e s t o SWAPA. I n 
r e s p o n s e t o B r a n c h ' s 
p e t i t i o n , 
t h i s 
C o u r t 
i s s u e d a w r i t o f 
mandamus d i r e c t i n g t h e d i s m i s s a l o f a l l 
c l a i m s a g a i n s t B r a n c h . 
See Ex p a r t e B r a n c h , 980 So. 2d 981 ( A l a . 2 0 0 7 ) . 
2 
1051667 
and 
p u n i t i v e 
damages 
f r o m 
B e n e f i e l d 
i n h i s 
i n d i v i d u a l 
c a p a c i t y , 
a l l e g i n g 
t h a t he and B r a n c h h a d c o n s p i r e d 
among 
t h e m s e l v e s t o d e n y t h e V i n e s e s t h e i r e m p l o y m e n t , wages, and 
b e n e f i t s . 
They 
a l s o 
c l a i m 
t h a t 
APOSTC 
d i d n o t have t h e 
a u t h o r i t y t o o r d e r t h e i r d i s m i s s a l . The c l a i m s a g a i n s t B r a n c h 
were s u b s e q u e n t l y d i s m i s s e d . See s u p r a n o t e 1. 
On June 9, 2006, APOSTC and B e n e f i e l d 
f i l e d a m o t i o n f o r 
a summary j u d g m e n t , 
a s s e r t i n g t h e d e f e n s e o f i m m u n i t y . 
The 
t r i a l 
c o u r t d i d n o t a d d r e s s t h e i s s u e o f i m m u n i t y when i t 
e n t e r e d i t s A u g u s t 8, 2006, j u d g m e n t d e n y i n g 
t h e i r 
summary-
j u d g m e n t m o t i o n . APOSTC and B e n e f i e l d now s e e k r e v i e w o f t h e 
d e n i a l o f t h e m o t i o n f o r a summary 
j u d g m e n t . 
I I . 
S t a n d a r d o f R e v i e w 
" ' W h i l e t h e g e n e r a l r u l e i s t h a t t h e d e n i a l o f 
a m o t i o n f o r 
summary j u d g m e n t i s n o t r e v i e w a b l e , 
t h e 
e x c e p t i o n i s t h a t t h e d e n i a l o f a m o t i o n f o r summary 
j u d g m e n t 
g r o u n d e d 
on 
a 
c l a i m 
o f 
i m m u n i t y 
i s 
r e v i e w a b l e by 
p e t i t i o n 
f o r w r i t 
o f mandamus.' 
Ex 
 
p a r t e R i z k , 791 So. 2d 911, 912 ( A l a . 2 0 0 0 ) . A w r i t 
o f mandamus i s an 
e x t r a o r d i n a r y 
remedy 
a v a i l a b l e 
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 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 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 r e m e d y ; and 
(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 . 
2 0 0 1 ) . " 
Ex p a r t e N a l l , 879 So. 2d 5 4 1 , 543 ( A l a . 2 0 0 3 ) . 
3 
1051667 
" T h i s 
c a s e 
i s b e f o r e 
us 
on 
a p e t i t i o n 
f o r 
t h e 
w r i t o f mandamus. The 
p e t i t i o n 
c i t e s Ex p a r t e 
R i z k , 
791 
So. 
2d 911, 
912 
( A l a . 2 0 0 0 ) , f o r t h e 
p r o p o s i t i o n 
t h a t 
' [ w ] h i l e t h e g e n e r a l 
r u l e i s t h a t t h e d e n i a l o f 
a m o t i o n f o r summary j u d g m e n t i s n o t r e v i e w a b l e , 
t h e 
e x c e p t i o n 
i s t h a t t h e d e n i a l o f a m o t i o n f o r summary 
j u d g m e n t 
g r o u n d e d 
on 
a 
c l a i m 
o f 
i m m u n i t y 
i s 
r e v i e w a b l e 
by 
p e t i t i o n 
f o r 
w r i t 
o f mandamus.' 
We 
c o n f i n e 
o u r 
i n t e r l o c u t o r y r e v i e w 
t o m a t t e r s germane 
t o 
t h e 
i s s u e 
o f i m m u n i t y . M a t t e r s 
r e l e v a n t 
t o 
t h e 
m e r i t s 
o f t h e u n d e r l y i n g 
t o r t c l a i m , s u c h as 
i s s u e s 
o f 
d u t y 
o r 
c a u s a t i o n , 
a r e 
b e s t 
l e f t 
t o 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
.... 
See 
Ryan 
v. 
H a y e s , 
831 
So. 
2d 
21, 
32 
( A l a . 
2002) 
( r e c o g n i z i n g 
t h a t 
t h e 
d e f e n s e 
o f 
i m m u n i t y s h o u l d , 
as a g e n e r a l 
r u l e , be d e t e r m i n e d 
as 
a t h r e s h o l d i s s u e , t h e r e b y 
a v o i d i n g 
' d e v e l o p m e n t 
o f 
u n n e c e s s a r i l y 
r e s t r i c t e d 
p r i n c i p l e s 
o f 
t o r t 
l a w 
d r i v e n 
by 
t h e 
n e e d 
t o 
accommodate 
p r i n c i p l e s 
o f 
S t a t e - a g e n t 
i m m u n i t y ' ) . " 
Ex p a r t e Hudson , 866 
So. 
2d 
1115, 
1120 
( A l a . 2 0 0 3 ) . 
I I I . 
A n a l y s i s 
APOSTC and 
B e n e f i e l d ' s i m m u n i t y d e f e n s e was 
p r e s e n t e d 
i n 
t h e 
b r i e f 
i n s u p p o r t 
o f 
t h e m o t i o n 
f o r a summary j u d g m e n t . 
The 
o r d e r e n t e r e d by t h e 
t r i a l c o u r t d e n y i n g t h e m o t i o n 
f a i l e d 
t o 
a d d r e s s 
t h e 
i m m u n i t y 
i s s u e . 
The 
p e t i t i o n 
f o r 
w r i t 
o f 
mandamus a s k s 
t h i s 
C o u r t 
t o 
r e v i e w 
w h e t h e r 
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 APOSTC and 
B e n e f i e l d ' s m o t i o n f o r a summary 
j u d g m e n t i n w h i c h t h e y a s s e r t e d i m m u n i t y as a d e f e n s e . 
A. 
S t a t e 
I m m u n i t y 
S e c t i o n 14, A l a . C o n s t . 1901, 
s t a t e s " [ t ] h a t t h e S t a t e 
o f 
4 
1051667 
A l a b a m a s h a l l n e v e r be made a d e f e n d a n t i n any c o u r t o f l a w o r 
e q u i t y . " T h i s C o u r t has r u l e d t h a t " [ a ] s u i t 
a g a i n s t a 
S t a t e 
a g e n c y , o r a g a i n s t S t a t e a g e n t s i n t h e i r 
o f f i c i a l 
c a p a c i t i e s , 
i s a s u i t a g a i n s t t h e S t a t e . 
... 
S t a t e a g e n t s e n j o y 
a b s o l u t e 
i m m u n i t y f r o m s u i t i n t h e i r 
o f f i c i a l 
c a p a c i t i e s . " B u r g o o n 
v. 
 
A l a b a m a S t a t e Dep't o f Human R e s . , 
835 So. 2d 131, 133 ( A l a . 
2 0 0 2 ) . 
1. APOSTC 
S e c t i o n 
3 6 - 2 1 - 4 1 , A l a . Code 
1975, 
c r e a t e s 
t h e 
A l a b a m a 
P e a c e 
O f f i c e r s ' 
S t a n d a r d s 
and 
T r a i n i n g 
C o m m i s s i o n . 
I t i s 
u n d i s p u t e d 
t h a t 
t h e 
s t a t u t o r i l y 
c r e a t e d 
c o m m i s s i o n 
i s 
an 
a g e n c y 
o f t h e S t a t e o f A l a b a m a . A c c o r d i n g l y , 
a s u i t 
a g a i n s t 
APOSTC i s p r o h i b i t e d as a s u i t 
a g a i n s t t h e S t a t e . The 
t r i a l 
c o u r t , 
t h e r e f o r e , e r r e d i n d e n y i n g t h e m o t i o n f o r a summary 
j u d g m e n t i n f a v o r o f APOSTC. B u r g o o n , 
835 
So. 2d a t 133 
("A 
t r i a l 
c o u r t must d i s m i s s an a c t i o n a g a i n s t a S t a t e a g e n c y 
o r 
a g a i n s t a S t a t e a g e n t 
a c t i n g i n an 
o f f i c i a l 
c a p a c i t y a t t h e 
e a r l i e s t 
o p p o r t u n i t y . " ) . 
2. B e n e f i e l d i n h i s o f f i c i a l 
c a p a c i t y 
The 
V i n e s e s ' 
demands 
f o r 
p r o s p e c t i v e 
r e s t o r a t i o n 
o f 
e m p l o y m e n t , wages, and b e n e f i t s d e p e n d upon t h e o f f i c i a l 
s c o p e 
5 
1051667 
o f B e n e f i e l d ' s a u t h o r i t y . 
I n t h e i r o p p o s i t i o n t o B e n e f i e l d ' s 
m o t i o n 
f o r a 
summary 
j u d g m e n t , 
t h e 
V i n e s e s 
a t t a c h e d 
B e n e f i e l d ' s 
a f f i d a v i t , i n w h i c h he s t a t e s : "The o n l y 
a c t i o n 
I t o o k w i t h r e s p e c t t o t h e t e r m i n a t i o n o f J o e y and Doby V i n e s 
was t o c o m m u n i c a t e t o F a u l k n e r 
S t a t e 
U n i v e r s i t y
[
2
] APOSTC's 
d e c i s i o n t o t e r m i n a t e 
them, a n d t h i s 
a c t i o n was t a k e n i n my 
o f f i c i a l 
c a p a c i t y as E x e c u t i v e S e c r e t a r y o f APOSTC." The 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
e r r e d i n n o t e n t e r i n g a summary j u d g m e n t on t h e c l a i m s 
a g a i n s t 
B e n e f i e l d i n h i s o f f i c i a l 
c a p a c i t y b a s e d upon 
S t a t e 
i m m u n i t y . 
See B u r g o o n , 
s u p r a . 
B. S t a t e - A g e n t I m m u n i t y 
A S t a t e a g e n t does n o t e n j o y a b s o l u t e i m m u n i t y when a c t i n g 
i n 
h i s 
i n d i v i d u a l 
c a p a c i t y . 
T h i s 
C o u r t 
h a s 
r e c o g n i z e d 
l i m i t a t i o n s on S t a t e - a g e n t 
i m m u n i t y . I n Ex p a r t e Cranman, 792 
So. 2d 392, 405 ( A l a . 2 0 0 0 ) , a p l u r a l i t y o f t h e C o u r t r e s t a t e d 
t h e l a w o f S t a t e - a g e n t 
i m m u n i t y : 
"A 
S t a t e 
a g e n t 
s h a l l 
be 
immune 
f r o m 
c i v i l 
l i a b i l i t y 
i n h i s o r h e r p e r s o n a l 
c a p a c i t y when t h e 
c o n d u c t made t h e b a s i s o f t h e c l a i m a g a i n s t t h e a g e n t 
i s b a s e d upon t h e a g e n t ' s 
2 " U n d e r 
a 
' j o i n t - u s e 
a g r e e m e n t ' 
... 
F a u l k n e r 
S t a t e 
[Community C o l l e g e ] 
a l l o w e d SWAPA t o o p e r a t e on i t s p r o p e r t y , 
p r o v i d e d c l a s s r o o m 
s p a c e and f a c i l i t i e s - r e l a t e d s e r v i c e s , and 
p r o v i d e d 
p a y r o l l s e r v i c e s t o SWAPA." Ex p a r t e B r a n c h , 980 So. 
2d a t 983. 
6 
1051667 
" ( 2 ) 
e x e r c i s i n g h i s o r h e r j u d g m e n t 
i n t h e 
a d m i n i s t r a t i o n 
o f 
a 
d e p a r t m e n t 
o r 
a g e n c y 
o f 
g o v e r n m e n t , i n c l u d i n g , b u t n o t l i m i t e d t o , e x a m p l e s 
s u c h a s : 
" 
; 
"(b) 
a l l o c a t i n g 
r e s o u r c e s ; 
" 
; 
"(d) 
h i r i n g , 
f i r i n g , 
t r a n s f e r r i n g , a s s i g n i n g , o r 
s u p e r v i s i n g p e r s o n n e l ; o r 
" N o t w i t h s t a n d i n g 
a n y t h i n g 
t o t h e c o n t r a r y 
i n t h e 
f o r e g o i n g s t a t e m e n t o f t h e r u l e , a S t a t e a g e n t 
s h a l l 
n o t be immune 
f r o m 
c i v i l 
l i a b i l i t y 
i n h i s o r h e r 
p e r s o n a l 
c a p a c i t y 
" ( 2 ) 
when 
t h e 
S t a t e 
a g e n t 
a c t s 
w i l l f u l l y , 
m a l i c i o u s l y , 
f r a u d u l e n t l y , i n b a d f a i t h , 
b e y o n d h i s 
o r h e r a u t h o r i t y , o r u n d e r a m i s t a k e n i n t e r p r e t a t i o n 
o f t h e 
l a w . " 
I n Ex p a r t e 
B u t t s , 775 So. 2d 173 ( A l a . 2 0 0 0 ) , a m a j o r i t y o f 
t h i s 
C o u r t 
a d o p t e d 
t h e Cranman 
r e s t a t e m e n t 
o f t h e 
r u l e 
g o v e r n i n g 
S t a t e - a g e n t 
i m m u n i t y . 
Thus, 
S t a t e - a g e n t 
i m m u n i t y 
"'does 
n o t 
p r o t e c t 
S t a t e 
o f f i c e r s 
a n d 
e m p l o y e e s 
u n d e r 
c i r c u m s t a n c e s 
where 
a 
p l a i n t i f f 
a l l e g e s 
t h a t 
t h e y 
a c t e d 
" w i l l f u l l y , 
m a l i c i o u s l y , 
i l l e g a l l y , 
f r a u d u l e n t l y , 
i n b a d 
7 
1051667 
f a i t h , 
b e y o n d 
[ t h e i r ] 
a u t h o r i t y , 
o r 
u n d e r 
a 
m i s t a k e n 
i n t e r p r e t a t i o n o f t h e l a w . " P h i l l i p s 
[ v . Thomas, 555 So. 2d 
81, 83 ( A l a . 1 9 8 9 ) ] . ' " Ex p a r t e Town o f L o w n d e s b o r o , 
950 So. 
2d 1203, 1209 ( A l a . 2 
0 
0 
6 ) ( q u o t i n g Ex p a r t e A l a b a m a Dep't o f 
T r a n s p . , 764 So. 2d 1263, 1268 ( A l a . 2 0 0 0 ) ) . 
More t h a n mere a l l e g a t i o n i s r e q u i r e d , h o w e v e r , and t h i s 
C o u r t 
has 
p r e s c r i b e d 
t h e 
p r o c e d u r e s 
t o 
d e t e r m i n e 
t h e 
a p p l i c a b i l i t y 
o f t h e l i m i t a t i o n s on S t a t e - a g e n t i m m u n i t y u n d e r 
a g i v e n s e t o f f a c t s when s u c h m i s c o n d u c t i s a l l e g e d : 
" T h i s C o u r t h a s e s t a b l i s h e d a 
' b u r d e n - s h i f t i n g ' 
p r o c e s s when a p a r t y 
r a i s e s t h e d e f e n s e o f 
S t a t e -
a g e n t 
i m m u n i t y . 
G i a m b r o n e v . D o u g l a s , 
874 So. 2d 
1046, 1052 ( A l a . 2 0 0 3 ) . I n o r d e r t o c l a i m S t a t e - a g e n t 
i m m u n i t y , 
a 
S t a t e 
a g e n t 
b e a r s 
t h e 
b u r d e n 
o f 
d e m o n s t r a t i n g t h a t t h e p l a i n t i f f ' s 
c l a i m s a r i s e f r o m 
a 
f u n c t i o n 
t h a t 
w o u l d 
e n t i t l e 
t h e S t a t e 
a g e n t t o 
i m m u n i t y . 
G i a m b r o n e , 
874 So. 2d a t 1052 
; Ex 
p a r t e 
Wood, 852 So. 2d 705, 709 ( A l a . 2 0 0 2 ) . I f t h e S t a t e 
a g e n t makes s u c h a s h o w i n g , t h e b u r d e n t h e n s h i f t s t o 
t h e 
p l a i n t i f f 
t o show 
t h a t 
t h e S t a t e 
a g e n t 
a c t e d 
w i l l f u l l y , 
m a l i c i o u s l y , 
f r a u d u l e n t l y , i n b a d 
f a i t h , 
o r b e y o n d h i s 
o r h e r a u t h o r i t y . G i a m b r o n e , 874 So. 2d 
a t 1052; Wood, 852 So. 2d a t 709; Ex p a r t e D a v i s , 721 
So. 2d 685, 689 ( A l a . 
1 
9 9 8 ) . 
'A S t a t e 
a g e n t 
a c t s 
b e y o n d 
a u t h o r i t y and i s t h e r e f o r e n o t immune when he 
o r 
she 
" f a i l [ s ] 
t o d i s c h a r g e d u t i e s 
p u r s u a n t t o 
d e t a i l e d 
r u l e s o r r e g u l a t i o n s , 
s u c h as t h o s e 
s t a t e d 
on 
a 
c h e c k l i s t . " ' 
G i a m b r o n e , 
874 So. 2d a t 1052 
( q u o t i n g Ex p a r t e 
B u t t s , 775 So. 2d 173, 178 
( A l a . 
2 
0 
0 0 ) ) . " 
Ex 
p a r t e 
E s t a t e 
o f R e y n o l d s , 
94 
6 So. 2d 450 , 
452 ( A l a . 
8 
1051667 
2 0 0 6 ) ( e m p h a s i s a d d e d ) . 
I n t h e i r r e s p o n s e i n o p p o s i t i o n t o APOSTC and 
B e n e f i e l d ' s 
m o t i o n f o r a summary j u d g m e n t , t h e V i n e s e s a r g u e d t h a t 
t h e r e 
e x i s t e d " g e n u i n e i s s u e s o f m a t e r i a l f a c t s u c h t h a t j u d g m e n t i n 
f a v o r 
o f 
[APOSTC 
and 
B e n e f i e l d ] 
i s n o t 
a p p r o p r i a t e 
a t 
t h i s 
t i m e . " 
As 
d i s c u s s e d 
a b o v e , 
t h e 
d e f e n s e 
o f 
i m m u n i t y 
may 
be 
r e b u t t e d by a s h o w i n g t h a t t h e S t a t e a g e n t ' s c o n d u c t meets 
t h e 
e x c e p t i o n s 
t o S t a t e - a g e n t 
i m m u n i t y as p r o v i d e d by Cranman. 
The 
V i n e s e s 
a d d r e s s e d 
t h e 
i m m u n i t y 
i s s u e 
by 
a s s e r t i n g 
t h a t 
" B e n e f i e l d 
... 
i n 
[ h i s ] 
i n d i v i d u a l 
c a p a c i t [ y 
has] 
a c t e d 
w i l l f u l l y , 
i n 
b a d 
f a i t h , 
b e y o n d 
[ h i s ] 
s c o p e 
o f 
a u t h o r i t y 
a n d / o r u n d e r a m i s t a k e n i n t e r p r e t a t i o n o f 
l a w . " 
The 
demands 
f o r 
c o m p e n s a t o r y 
and 
p u n i t i v e damages 
f o r 
c e r t a i n 
o f 
B e n e f i e l d ' s 
c o n d u c t 
i n 
h i s 
i n d i v i d u a l 
c a p a c i t y 
r e q u i r e more t h a n 
t h e mere c o n c l u s o r y 
s t a t e m e n t s 
o f f e r e d 
by 
t h e 
V i n e s e s . 
" I n 
o u r 
r e v i e w 
o f 
[ t h e 
p l a i n t i f f ' s ] 
a f f i d a v i t , 
we 
a r e m i n d f u l 
t h a t we 
s h o u l d v i e w a l l f a c t s 
s t a t e d 
i n h e r 
a f f i d a v i t most f a v o r a b l y t o t h e p l a i n t i f f , 
b u t 
we 
a r e 
a l s o m i n d f u l 
t h a t '[s]ummary j u d g m e n t i s 
n o t 
p r e v e n t e d 
by 
" c o n c l u s o r y 
a l l e g a t i o n s " 
o r 
" s p e c u l a t i o n " t h a t a f a c t i s s u e e x i s t s . B a r e a r g u m e n t 
o r c o n j e c t u r e 
w i l l n o t 
s a t i s f y a [ n o n m o v a n t ' s ] b u r d e n 
t o o f f e r f a c t s t o d e f e a t 
t h e m o t i o n . ' R i g g s v. 
B e l l , 
564 
So. 
2d 882, 
885 
( A l a . 1990) 
( c i t a t i o n s 
o m i t t e d ) . 
T h i s C o u r t has 
r e i t e r a t e d t h i s 
p r i n c i p l e 
f r e q u e n t l y 
9 
1051667 
s i n c e 
R i g g s , 
c i t i n g 
t h a t c a s e : M c G a r r y v. 
F l o u r n o y , 
624 
So. 
2d 1359, 
1361 
( A l a . 1 9 9 3 ) ; Crowne I n v s . , 
I n c . 
 
v. B r y a n t , 
638 
So. 
2d 
873, 
878 
( A l a . 1994) 
( ' [ M ] e r e 
c o n c l u s o r y 
a l l e g a t i o n s 
o r 
s p e c u l a t i o n 
t h a t 
f a c t 
i s s u e s 
e x i s t 
w i l l 
n o t 
d e f e a t 
a p r o p e r l y 
s u p p o r t e d 
summary 
j u d g m e n t 
m o t i o n , 
and 
b a r e 
a r g u m e n t 
o r 
c o n j e c t u r e 
d o e s 
n o t 
s a t i s f y 
t h e 
n o n m o v i n g 
p a r t y ' s 
b u r d e n 
t o 
o f f e r 
f a c t s 
o r 
t o 
d e f e a t 
t h e 
m o t i o n . ' ) ; 
B l a c k b u r n v. 
S t a t e 
Farm A u t o . 
I n s . 
Co., 
652 
So. 
2d 
1140, 
1142 
( A l a . 1 9 9 4 ) ; H u f f v. 
U n i t e d 
I n s . 
Co. 
o f 
 
A m e r i c a , 
674 
So. 
2d 
21, 
24 
( A l a . 1 9 9 5 ) ; and 
R e i d 
v. 
 
J e f f e r s o n C o u n t y , 
672 
So. 
2d 
1285, 
1290 
( A l a . 
1995) 
( ' [ t h e n o n m o v a n t ' s ] s t a t e m e n t s a r e c o n c l u s o r y . 
Thus, 
t h o s e 
s t a t e m e n t s 
do 
n o t 
c o n s t i t u t e 
s u b s t a n t i a l 
e v i d e n c e 
and, 
t h e r e f o r e , 
do 
n o t 
w a r r a n t 
s u b m i t t i n g 
[ h i s ] 
c l a i m t o t h e 
j u r y ' ) . T h i s C o u r t has 
s t a t e d : 
'[A 
p a r t y 
o p p o s i n g 
a 
summary-judgment 
m o t i o n ] 
must 
p r e s e n t 
f a c t s , 
n o t 
m e r e l y 
i n f e r e n c e s 
b a s e d 
upon 
b e l i e f , 
t h a t c o u n t e r f a c t s o f f e r e d i n s u p p o r t o f 
t h e 
m o t i o n . ' D a v i s v. 
F o r d M o t o r C r e d i t Co., 
599 
So. 
2d 
1123, 
1125 
( A l a . 1 9 9 2 ) . " 
Brown ex 
r e l . Brown v. 
S t . 
V i n c e n t ' s 
Hosp., 
899 
So. 
2d 
227, 
238-39 
( A l a . 2 0 0 4 ) . The 
V i n e s e s had 
t h e b u r d e n o f 
p r e s e n t i n g 
e v i d e n c e 
i n d i c a t i n g 
t h a t 
B e n e f i e l d 
a c t e d 
w i l l f u l l y , 
m a l i c i o u s l y , 
f r a u d u l e n t l y , 
i n 
b a d 
f a i t h , 
o r 
b e y o n d 
h i s 
a u t h o r i t y 
when 
he 
p e r f o r m e d 
t h e 
d u t i e s 
a s s o c i a t e d 
w i t h 
" h i r i n g , 
f i r i n g , 
t r a n s f e r r i n g , 
a s s i g n i n g , 
o r 
s u p e r v i s i n g 
p e r s o n n e l . " 
Cranman, 
792 
So. 
2d 
a t 
405. 
The 
V i n e s e s , 
w i t h 
t h e i r 
c o n c l u s o r y 
a l l e g a t i o n s , 
f a i l e d 
t o meet 
t h e i r 
b u r d e n . 
T h e r e f o r e , 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
s h o u l d have g r a n t e d t h e m o t i o n 
f o r 
a summary j u d g m e n t as t o B e n e f i e l d i n h i s i n d i v i d u a l c a p a c i t y 
10 
1051667 
b a s e d upon 
t h e 
p r i m a 
f a c i e s h o w i n g 
he made 
o f 
S t a t e - a g e n t 
i m m u n i t y . 
M o r e o v e r , 
as 
s t a t e d 
p r e v i o u s l y , 
t h e 
V i n e s e s 
o f f e r e d 
no 
e v i d e n c e i n d i c a t i n g t h a t B e n e f i e l d was more t h a n a mere a g e n t 
f o r 
APOSTC, t h e 
e n t i t y t h a t 
d i r e c t e d 
t h e 
t e r m i n a t i o n 
o f 
t h e 
V i n e s e s ' 
e m p l o y m e n t . 
C o n s e q u e n t l y , 
t h e 
V i n e s e s 
h a v e 
n o t 
o f f e r e d 
s u b s t a n t i a l e v i d e n c e 
i n d i c a t i n g t h a t 
B e n e f i e l d 
a c t e d 
w i l l f u l l y , 
i n 
b a d 
f a i t h , 
b e y o n d 
h i s 
a u t h o r i t y , 
o r 
u n d e r 
a 
m i s t a k e n 
i n t e r p r e t a t i o n o f 
l a w when he 
r e p o r t e d 
t h e 
d e c i s i o n 
o f APOSTC t o t e r m i n a t e 
t h e employment o f 
a l l SWAPA 
p a r t - t i m e 
e m p l o y e e s , i n c l u d i n g t h e 
V i n e s e s . 
IV. 
C o n c l u s i o n 
C o n s e q u e n t l y , 
t h e 
p e t i t i o n 
f o r 
t h e 
w r i t 
o f mandamus 
i s 
g r a n t e d 
and 
t h e 
w r i t 
i s s u e d ; 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
i s d i r e c t e d 
t o 
d i s m i s s 
t h e c l a i m s 
a g a i n s t APOSTC and 
a g a i n s t B e n e f i e l d i n h i s 
o f f i c i a l c a p a c i t y , b e c a u s e , b a s e d on S t a t e i m m u n i t y , t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
a c q u i r e d 
no 
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 them, 
and 
t o e n t e r 
a summary j u d g m e n t as t o t h e c l a i m s 
a g a i n s t 
B e n e f i e l d 
i n 
h i s i n d i v i d u a l c a p a c i t y . 
P E T I T I O N GRANTED; WRIT ISSUED. 
Cobb, 
C . J . , 
and 
L y o n s , 
S t u a r t , 
S m i t h , 
B o l i n , and 
Shaw, 
J J . , 
c o n c u r . 
W o o d a l l and M u r d o c k , J J . , c o n c u r i n t h e 
r e s u l t . 
11 
1051667 
MURDOCK, J u s t i c e 
( c o n c u r r i n g i n t h e 
r e s u l t ) . 
I c o n c u r i n t h e r e s u l t . 
See Ex p a r t e S a w y e r , 984 So. 2d 
1100 ( A l a . 
2007) 
( M u r d o c k , J . , c o n c u r r i n g i n t h e 
r e s u l t ) . 
12