Alabama Workers' Comp Blawg

  • 24
  • Aug
  • 2021

Alabama Supreme Court Declares Temporary State of Emergency and Authorizes Video Trials in Place of In-Person Bench Trials

 

On August 22, 2021, the Alabama Supreme Court issued Administrative Order No. 13, which declared a temporary state of emergency for the entire Judicial Branch of the State of Alabama due to recent increases in COVID-19 infections. The Order expressly provides that, subject to any party’s substantive or constitutional rights, any Alabama rule or statute that impedes a judge's or court clerk's ability to utilize available audio/visual technologies is suspended until November 29, 2021.

 

Judges are now temporarily authorized to use their discretion to allow any discovery, testimony, appearance, proceeding, hearing, review, or bench trial to be conducted by audio/video technologies upon making a written finding that, for good cause shown, time is of the essence for the administration of justice.


About the Author

This blog submission was prepared by Mike Fish, an attorney with Fish Nelson & Holden, LLC, a law firm dedicated to representing self-insured employers, insurance carriers, and third party administrators in all matters related to workers’ compensation. Fish Nelson & Holden is a member of the National Workers’ Compensation Defense Network. If you have any questions about this submission or Alabama workers’ compensation in general, please contact Fish by e-mailing him at mfish@fishnelson.com or by calling him directly at 205-332-1448.




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