Amid ongoing concern about the Coronavirus COVID-19 throughout Alabama, Hamer Law Group is committed to being supportive and responsive to the needs of our clients, attorneys, staff and the community. We recognize that our clients depend on us and we are focused on continuing to deliver legal services—and we are adding extra precautions to protect the health, safety, and well-being of our clients and employees.

The information in this post is meant to update you on the steps and precautionary measures Hamer Law Group is taking, and what you should expect going forward. Since this is a developing situation, we will keep you informed as additional information becomes available.

Health, Safety and Business Continuity:   

• We are taking extra precautions in our office to ensure surfaces are cleaned on a regular basis and cleaning supplies/hand sanitizer are readily available for all employees.

• We are requiring that any employees who feel sick stay home and not come to work until they are free from fever or symptoms for 24 hours.

• We realize that in person meetings may be necessary in order to provide some services to our clients. In observance of social distancing, we will be utilizing telephone conferences and video conferences in lieu of in person meetings when possible.

• We are encouraging the use of our online case management system for sharing and delivery of case related documents between our clients, attorneys and staff.

Court Closings and Continuances:

During this unprecedented event, we expect that there may be delays that affect our clients’ cases. We will make every effort to communicate with every client affected by court closings and continuances.

On March 13, 2020, the Alabama Supreme Court entered an Administrative Order Suspending All In-Person Proceedings for the Next Thirty Days. Subject to certain exceptions, all in-person proceedings in all state and local courts in Alabama, including, but not limited to, proceedings in the circuit court, district court, probate court, and appellate court are suspended beginning March 16, 2020 through April 16, 2020. The Administrative Order does not prohibit court proceedings by telephone, video, teleconferencing, or other means that does not affect courts’ consideration of matters that can be resolved without in-person proceedings. The Order is subject to modification, revision or rescission at any time during this period.

The Jefferson County Commission has issued a resolution that “all Jefferson County facilities shall be closed to the public through April 6, 2020”. Judge Elisabeth French, Presiding Judge of the 10th Judicial Circuit, and the Hon. Alan L. King, Judge of Probate of Jefferson County, Alabama, have both issued statements that the courthouses in Birmingham and Bessemer will be closed through April 6, 2020. The Jefferson County Probate Court will have e-recording and e-filing available during this time.

Community Involvement:

At Hamer Law Group, we are committed to giving back to our community. We have regularly participated in providing pro bono legal service with Volunteer Lawyers Birmingham (VLB). We plan to continue these efforts by assisting the VLB in providing services via telephone. Additionally, Mayor Randall Woodfin's office has requested that Birmingham attorneys volunteer to help small businesses by reviewing their insurance policies to determine the extent of coverage for an interruption caused by a pandemic. Hamer Law Group has offered to assist with this effort pro bono.

Conclusion:

We are monitoring the situation as it develops and will continue to take steps to protect our clients, attorneys and staff. We will update our clients on specific issues concerning their cases and provide additional information when it becomes available. We appreciate your trust, patience and support during this time. Please know that our hearts are with you and your families as we all navigate this difficult situation.