Kirby v. Jack's Family Rests., LP

240 So. 3d 607
CourtCourt of Civil Appeals of Alabama
DecidedJune 16, 2017
Docket2160220
StatusPublished

This text of 240 So. 3d 607 (Kirby v. Jack's Family Rests., LP) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Civil Appeals of Alabama primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Kirby v. Jack's Family Rests., LP, 240 So. 3d 607 (Ala. Ct. App. 2017).

Opinion

DONALDSON, Judge.

Hope Kirby appeals from an order of the Lauderdale Circuit Court ("the trial court") dismissing her tort-of-outrage claim against Jack's Family Restaurants, LP ("Jack's"). The order did not dismiss all of Kirby's claims against all the defendants, but it was certified as final and appealable pursuant to Rule 54(b), Ala. R. Civ. P.1 Because we find that the order was not appropriately certified as final, we dismiss the appeal.

The procedural history relevant to this appeal can be summarized as follows. Kirby, who had been an employee of Jack's, filed a complaint in the trial court seeking benefits under the Alabama Workers' Compensation Act, § 25-5-1 et seq., Ala. Code 1975 ("the Act"), and seeking damages for the tort of outrage and retaliatory discharge. Kirby named as defendants Jack's, the Alabama Self-Insured Worker's Compensation Fund, Employer's Claim Management, Inc., and Directions Management Services, Inc. (hereinafter referred to collectively as "the defendants"). Jack's filed a motion pursuant to Rule 12(b)(6), Ala. R. Civ. P., seeking to dismiss Kirby's claim asserting the tort of outrage. Thereafter, the other defendants also filed similar motions to dismiss. Kirby, with leave of the trial court, filed two amended complaints attempting to support her claim asserting the tort of outrage. On October 5, 2016, after a hearing, the trial court granted the defendants' motions to dismiss. On October 12, 2016, in response to a motion filed by Jack's seeking to clarify the October 5, 2016, dismissal order, the trial court entered an order dismissing Kirby's tort-of-outrage claim asserted against Jack's and clarified that the dismissal was directed to the tort-of-outrage claim asserted in Kirby's second amended complaint. The trial court certified that order as final pursuant to Rule 54(b). On November 22, 2016, Kirby timely filed a notice of appeal to the supreme court. Thereafter, the supreme court deflected the case to this court pursuant to § 12-2-7(6), Ala. Code 1975.

"Although neither party has raised the issue of the appropriateness of *610the [trial] court's Rule 54(b), Ala. R. Civ. P., certification of its ... order [dismissing Kirby's tort-of-outrage claim], this Court may consider that issue ex mero motu because the issue whether a judgment or order is sufficiently final to support an appeal is a jurisdictional one." Firestone v. Weaver, [Ms. 1151211, May 12, 2017] --- So.3d ----, ---- (Ala. 2017).

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Bluebook (online)
240 So. 3d 607, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/kirby-v-jacks-family-rests-lp-alacivapp-2017.