Appellate Law

Party Cannot Amend Complaint After Final Judgment Entered

In Ex parte Progressive Specialty Ins. Co., [Ms. 1080366] (Ala. Aug. 21, 2009), the Alabama Supreme Court issued a writ of mandamus directing the trial court strike an amendment purporting to add new claims and new parties made after final judgment was entered. Once the trial court enters a final judgment, the trial court loses jurisdiction to allow amendments to pleadings: "a trial court has no jurisdiction to entertain a motion to amend a complaint to add new claims or new parties after a final judgment has been entered, unless that 'judgment is first set aside or vacates' pursuant to the state's rules of civil procedure." Slip Op. pp. 9-10, quoting Faith Properties, LLC v. First Commercial Bank, 988 So. 2d 485, 490 (Ala. 2008).  Here, there was no post-judgment motion, so the trial court was without jurisdiction to accept any amendments to the pleadings after the judgment was entered.

Full post as published by Alabama Appellate Watch on September 02, 2009 (boomark / email).