Alabama Legislature Passes Increase to Jurisdictional Limit in State’s District Courts
by Jordan C. Loper, Associate
Bill SB 297, sponsored by Sam Givhan, was passed and signed by the Alabama Legislature late this summer. This bill increases the jurisdictional limit for the state of Alabama’s district courts from $10,000 to $20,000.
This bill affects attorneys, clients, and the bench by filtering some of the smaller claims out of Circuit Civil Court and into District Court. This change will certainly affect caseloads of District Court judges and Circuit Civil judges. Cases under the $20,000 limit will be on an expedited track and ideally will be disposed of much more quickly than those pending in Circuit Civil Court. The potential is an increase in opportunities for trials in both District Court and Circuit Civil Court.
Alabama lawyers should take this change into consideration in the pursuit of and the defense of claims in state court.