A powerful new documentary is shining a spotlight on conditions within Alabama’s prison system, raising significant questions about civil rights, constitutional protections, and legal accountability in the state’s correctional facilities. The Documentary’s Revelations “The Alabama Solution,” directed by Andrew Jarecki and Charlotte Kaufman, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on January 21, 2025. The film…
After a lengthy legal battle spanning six years, the family of an Alabama man killed by police will receive a $750,000 settlement. The agreement resolves a federal civil rights lawsuit following a jury’s initial award of $4.5 million nearly a year ago. Case Background On June 15, 2019, Birmingham police officer Aric Mitchell attempted to…
The mother of a 16-year-old boy has filed a federal wrongful death lawsuit against the city of Mobile and police officers involved in a fatal no-knock raid that took place in November 2023. The case highlights growing concerns about police tactics in Alabama and raises important questions about accountability in wrongful death situations. The Incident…
In October 2013, the Alabama Supreme Court delivered a ruling that upended 24 years of family law precedent and transformed the financial landscape for thousands of divorced parents across the state. The case—Ex parte Carolyn Sue Christopher—centered on a mother who refused to pay for her son’s college expenses just days after he turned 19. …
In Alabama courtrooms, child support payment methods matter far more than many parents realize. As one recent Court of Civil Appeals case demonstrated in 2022, a father’s $1,348 monthly support payments—calculated based on income verified through his employer’s pay stubs—resulted in significant overpayments when the court modified his obligation. Despite documentation proving these excess payments,…
In October 2013, the Alabama Supreme Court delivered a landmark ruling that fundamentally transformed family law across the state. The court’s decision in Ex parte Carolyn Sue Christopher overturned 24 years of established precedent that had allowed judges to order divorced parents to pay college expenses for their adult children. One mother’s refusal to contribute…
In Alabama courtrooms, the consequences of unpaid child support extend far beyond the original missed payments. When a parent falls behind, each missed payment automatically transforms into a final judgment that accrues statutory interest at 12% annually. As highlighted in a significant 2002 Alabama Court of Civil Appeals case, even when a father was found…
“I cannot say that the trial court’s judgment was plainly and palpably wrong under the law as it stands now; therefore, I have no choice but to concur, albeit reluctantly,” wrote Alabama Court of Civil Appeals Judge Monroe in Anderson v. Loper. His special concurrence revealed his belief that requiring parents to support an 18-year-old…
“I just want to draw attention to the fact that what we’re doing is pretty outlandish here,” declared Tennessee Senator Jeff Yarbro during a heated debate over parental rights legislation in 2024. Though speaking about a different issue, his words resonate with many emancipated minors in Alabama who discover that legal independence brings unexpected challenges…
“I think we’ve got to be practical about this. The majority of parents care about their kids, and are not abusing their kids,” stated Alabama Senator Sam Givhan during a recent legislative debate over minors’ rights. His words echo the tension at the heart of Alabama’s emancipation laws—where the desire to protect parental authority collides…