We know there is a large amount of uncertainty in our community at this time. We hope everyone is doing what they can to keep their families safe and healthy. There have been some significant developments in the court system in Alabama and we wanted to take a moment to address some of the most common questions we are hearing in regard to the Coronavirus. If you have other questions you would like to ask, you can reach us with this contact form.
How does court being suspended due to COVID-19 impact my ongoing cases?
All court proceedings have been suspended for thirty (30) days. Although this is not an extended period of time, it will have a significant impact. All cases that were set for trial have now been postponed for an unknown date in the future. Also, all hearings are postponed to an indefinite date and this will limit the lawyers’ ability to move cases forward.
For civil cases, both hearings and court trials will resume at some point in the future but the resulting delay may last for much more than just 30 days.
Criminal cases are also on hold and trials will be continued. Persons in who are in jail waiting on a trial date will stay in jail until their case can be presented.
I have a 2-year statute of limitations approaching my case. What is going to happen since the courts are suspended?
Fortunately, Alabama has an electronic filing system that allows attorneys to file online. So, even though court hearings have been suspended, your attorney can move forward with filing your case.
I’ve settled my case but haven’t received compensation. With court hearings postponed and companies closing or working from home, will I still get paid during the quarantine?
Good news! The insurance industry has for some time allowed for remote work and/or work from home and much of the files are processed electronically so we can continue to move some cases along regardless of the impact of the court suspension or even if there is a significant quarantine.
What do I do if I need to contact an attorney at this time? Are you open? Should I come in?
We are always here to help if you have an emergency. However, in consideration of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), we are practicing social distancing to protect our staff and our community.
Our office is open, but with limited staff in the office, so our doors will be locked. We have the ability to work remotely and serve our clients by conducting all meetings through conference or video calls.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out through our website contact form, by calling our office, or through direct message on our Facebook page.