Allen Ritchie

  The legal fight is on. I have to be frank with you. I didn’t expect this outcry over mandatory masks. I have seen laws come, and I have seen them go. So, don’t be surprised to see the law changed.  However, here is where we stand as of the beginning of July...

  It is summer, and the 4th of July is just around the corner. Fewer of us will be traveling this year, so the stay-cation has come to Alabama. If you are fortunate enough to have a pool, you are going to be a very popular neighbor this year. But having a “cement...

  Now that more people here and around Mobile are returning to work, they ask me over and over again - what will happen if I get the disease on the job? What they are really asking about is workers’ compensation. Workers’ comp is an insurance program that pays...

Alabama says if you signed a pre-injury release for a young child, the child could still sue and possibly win. The reason – the legislature has determined that you can not sign away your child’s rights, and the boy or girl is too young to consent. If those forms lack...

  I feel traffic accidents are on the increase. At least calls to our office about traffic accidents are up. Here is what I have learned -- people who have not driven in 3 months are a little shaky behind the wheel. Seriously, some people here in Mobile have not...

  The COVID-19 crisis could change if you can get fired. Here is a real situation. A grocery store worker in Maryland saw that some customers were not wearing masks; therefore, putting workers at the store in danger. He complained to management; he asked...

  The big question is: should Alabama businesses make customers wear masks? It is not a question with an easy answer. It puts “what is right” against “what is legal” and leaves most business owners with unclear guidance of what to do. Here is the legal problem:...

  Are some of the lawyer ads you see misleading? Well, some Alabama lawyers think so, and they want to change that. The Alabama Bar is putting some muscle into tightening the rules that govern lawyer ads. Here are some of the things being considered: No actors...

  You will not receive a jury summons in Mobile County this May or June and probably July. The reason: there are not going to be any local jury trials for the next few months. One of the new realities of COVID-19 is social distancing, and courtrooms were not made...

  My number one question this week: Can I sue a business I visited if I get Coronavirus? Most folks want to know who would pay their potentially enormous medical bills. Here is my legal explanation. If you go out, even if you wear a mask and stay 6 feet from...