Posts by Luke Williams
Alabama’s New “Beau’s Law” Doesn’t Just Protect Dogs. It Could Change How Dog Bite Cases Are Argued in Court.
For 16 years, a senior dog named Daphne lived at the end of a heavy chain. She had no regular food. No clean water. A bucket sat near her doghouse, and when it rained, she drank from it. When Baldwin County Animal Protection Officer John McCargo finally reached her, she was covered in filth and…
Read MoreAlabama Crime Victims Will Have Twice as Long to File for Compensation Under New Bill Sent to Governor Ivey
For an Alabama family dealing with the aftermath of a violent crime, the first twelve months can pass in a fog. Between medical appointments, court dates, funerals, and the quiet work of trying to survive the emotional weight of what happened, the paperwork needed to apply for state financial assistance often gets lost in the…
Read MoreThree Members of One Wilmer Family Found Murdered Inside Their Home. Here’s What Mobile County Knows So Far
At 2:30 a.m. on Monday, April 20, 2026, Mobile County Sheriff’s deputies arrived at a home on Auble Moody Road in Wilmer. What they found inside is the kind of scene that stays with investigators long after they leave it. A mother. Her teenage daughter. Her 12-year-old son. All three dead. All three in separate…
Read MoreA Father’s Plea After Moulton Crash Kills a Mother and Three of Her Children
There are stories that stop you mid-scroll. On April 11, 2026, a family drive through Lawrence County ended in a collision that took the lives of four people. By the time the week was over, a fifth family member would be gone too. What remained was a community in mourning, a ten-year-old boy waking up…
Read MoreAlabama House Unanimously Passes HB1: First Time DUI Offenders Could Soon Face Mandatory Ignition Interlocks
When Representative Barbara Boyd took the floor of the Alabama House on February 3, 2026, she spoke not only as a legislator but as a survivor. Boyd, who represents District 32 and survived a serious car crash involving an impaired driver in 2024, watched her fellow lawmakers cast a 100 to 0 vote in favor…
Read MoreWhat Happens If a Child Refuses to Follow a Visitation Schedule in Alabama?
Ask any family law attorney what question they hear most from divorced parents, and “my child doesn’t want to go” will rank near the top of the list. Online parenting forums are filled with parents debating whether a 12-year-old can simply refuse visitation, and the advice is almost always wrong. Alabama law is clear: a…
Read MoreYour Digital Trail in the Courtroom: Can Text Messages, Social Media, or Emails Be Used as Evidence in an Alabama Custody Case?
The average American sends over 40 text messages a day and spends more than two hours on social media — and every one of those interactions creates a digital record that can surface in a courtroom. In Alabama custody disputes, judges are increasingly relying on screenshots, message threads, and social media posts to evaluate a…
Read MoreWhat Happens If a Parent Wants to Move Out of State With a Child in Alabama?
Every year, roughly one in 13 Americans changes residences, and for divorced or separated parents, a move across state lines can trigger a legal conflict that reshapes their entire custody arrangement overnight. Alabama is one of several states with specific relocation statutes that restrict a custodial parent’s ability to simply leave with a child —…
Read MoreWhat to Do If Your Spouse Won’t Sign Divorce Papers in Alabama
Alabama processes thousands of divorce filings every year, and in a significant number of those cases, one spouse simply refuses to participate. They ignore the paperwork, dodge the process server, or flatly declare they will never agree. The good news is that Alabama law does not give one person the power to trap the other…
Read MoreYour Biggest Asset on the Line: What Happens to the Family Home During a Divorce in Alabama?
For most married couples, the family home is not just where they live — it is the single largest financial asset they share.  The median home value in Alabama sits around $230,000, and for many households, the equity tied up in that property represents years of mortgage payments, renovations, and accumulated wealth. When a marriage…
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