New Law Provides for Quicker Resolution of Alabama Personal Injury Claims
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This article discusses a new law in Alabama allowing parties to hire a private judge to preside over certain cases, including non-jury personal injury claims. In addition to providing details of the new law, this article also identifies the benefits that a personal injury claimant may reap from utilizing the new private judge system.
Alabama’s budget concerns have been a major topic of discussion in recent history. The state’s financial woes have had a significant impact on the court system, resulting in numerous lay-offs in almost every county courthouse in the state.
While many judges, attorneys, and litigants have been quick to point out that reductions in court employees has led to slowed and sometimes stalled dockets, most have had no solutions to keep cases moving throughout the court system. The result was that some Alabama personal injury claims had essentially fallen victim to the financial constraints of local courts.
Fortunately, a recently-enacted law provides a new option to personal injury victims in Alabama. The law, which became effective this summer, allows parties to certain disputes to agree to hire a private judge to preside over their case. The private judge must be a former/retired Alabama state judge with at least six years of experience on the bench and in the legal field in which they are hired to hear a case.
While the private judge option is not available to cases where utility companies and the state of Alabama are named parties, it is available to most non-jury tort cases like automobile accidents and other common personal injury claims.
Under the law, once a case is filed in state court the parties can agree to ask the trial court judge to appoint a private judge to preside over the case. Both parties split the costs of the private judge and the case proceeds as if it were in the traditional court system. As they may in the traditional setting, parties may appeal a private judge’s ruling to the state’s appellate courts.
The new option may be beneficial for an individual bringing a personal injury claim. Instead of waiting months or years for a trial, the private judge system intends to streamline the process and allow for a quick (or at least a quicker) resolution of a party’s claim.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: S. Drew Barnett- Drake Law Firm
S. Drew Barnett is a personal injury attorney at Drake Law Firm in Birmingham, Alabama. His practice primarily includes the representation of victims of automobile accidents, workplace injuries, trucking collisions, and defective products. The trial attorneys at Drake Law Firm offer free case evaluations and front all legal costs associated with bringing an Alabama personal injury claim.
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More information about Drake Law Firm
Disclaimer: While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this publication, it is not intended to provide legal advice as individual situations will differ and should be discussed with an expert and/or lawyer. For specific technical or legal advice on the information provided and related topics, please contact the author.
While many judges, attorneys, and litigants have been quick to point out that reductions in court employees has led to slowed and sometimes stalled dockets, most have had no solutions to keep cases moving throughout the court system. The result was that some Alabama personal injury claims had essentially fallen victim to the financial constraints of local courts.
Fortunately, a recently-enacted law provides a new option to personal injury victims in Alabama. The law, which became effective this summer, allows parties to certain disputes to agree to hire a private judge to preside over their case. The private judge must be a former/retired Alabama state judge with at least six years of experience on the bench and in the legal field in which they are hired to hear a case.
While the private judge option is not available to cases where utility companies and the state of Alabama are named parties, it is available to most non-jury tort cases like automobile accidents and other common personal injury claims.
Under the law, once a case is filed in state court the parties can agree to ask the trial court judge to appoint a private judge to preside over the case. Both parties split the costs of the private judge and the case proceeds as if it were in the traditional court system. As they may in the traditional setting, parties may appeal a private judge’s ruling to the state’s appellate courts.
The new option may be beneficial for an individual bringing a personal injury claim. Instead of waiting months or years for a trial, the private judge system intends to streamline the process and allow for a quick (or at least a quicker) resolution of a party’s claim.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: S. Drew Barnett- Drake Law Firm
S. Drew Barnett is a personal injury attorney at Drake Law Firm in Birmingham, Alabama. His practice primarily includes the representation of victims of automobile accidents, workplace injuries, trucking collisions, and defective products. The trial attorneys at Drake Law Firm offer free case evaluations and front all legal costs associated with bringing an Alabama personal injury claim.
Copyright Drake Law Firm - Google+
More information about Drake Law Firm
View all articles published by Drake Law Firm
Disclaimer: While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this publication, it is not intended to provide legal advice as individual situations will differ and should be discussed with an expert and/or lawyer. For specific technical or legal advice on the information provided and related topics, please contact the author.
