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ALABAMA COURT OF CIVIL APPEALS
OCTOBER TERM, 2009-2010

2080589

Ex p a r t e V a r o n i k a

Hamilton

PETITION FOR WRIT OF MANDAMUS r e : Varonika Hamilton v. S t a t e Department o f Postsecondary E d u c a t i o n and C h a t t a h o o c h e e V a l l e y Community C o l l e g e ) (Montgomery C i r c u i t Court, CV-08-901412) (In

THOMPSON, P r e s i d i n g J u d g e . Varonika Circuit Court Hamilton filed a complaint court") Education i n t h e Montgomery the Alabama

("the t r i a l

against

Department

of Postsecondary Valley

("the Department") and ("CVCC") seeking of a

Chattahoochee declaratory

Community

College

relief

or, i n thealternative,

the issuance

2080589 writ of mandamus together requiring referred the t o as with Department and CVCC to

(hereinafter reinstate filed other

"the petitioners") CVCC. The

h e r t o h e r employment

petitioners

a m o t i o n t o d i s m i s s H a m i l t o n ' s c o m p l a i n t , a r g u i n g , among things, that because also the t r i a l court lacked subject-matter to a had hearing; to

jurisdiction the

H a m i l t o n was n o t e n t i t l e d asserted that Hamilton

petitioners

failed

exhaust administrative and that the equitable The trial motion

r e m e d i e s t h a t m i g h t be a v a i l a b l e doctrine court to of laches an The barred order

toher

Hamilton's the a

claims.

entered

denying

petitioners' timely

dismiss.

petitioners

filed

petition fora writ denial of a motion

o f mandamus i n t h i s to dismiss

court. upon a

The timely Constr.

i s reviewable Ex p a r t e

filed

petition f o ra writ

o f mandamus.

Flint

C o . , 775 S o . 2 d 8 0 5 , 808 ( A l a . 2 0 0 0 ) ; 937 S o . 2 d 5 6 , 57

Drummond C o . v . Our

Alabama Dep't o f T r a n s p . , supreme court has stated:

( A l a .2006).

"This Court has c o n s i s t e n t l y h e l d t h a t t h e w r i t o f mandamus i s a n e x t r a o r d i n a r y and d r a s t i c w r i t and t h a t a p a r t y s e e k i n g s u c h a w r i t must meet c e r t a i n criteria. We w i l l i s s u e t h e w r i t o f mandamus o n l y when (1) t h e p e t i t i o n e r h a s a c l e a r l e g a l r i g h t t o the relief sought; (2) t h e r e s p o n d e n t h a s an i m p e r a t i v e d u t y t o p e r f o r m a n d h a s r e f u s e d t o do s o ; (3) t h e p e t i t i o n e r h a s no o t h e r a d e q u a t e r e m e d y ; a n d 2

2080589 (4) t h i s C o u r t ' s j u r i s d i c t i o n i s p r o p e r l y i n v o k e d . Ex p a r t e M e r c u r y F i n . C o r p . , 715 S o . 2 d 1 9 6 , 198 (Ala. 1997). B e c a u s e mandamus i s a n e x t r a o r d i n a r y remedy, t h e s t a n d a r d by w h i c h t h i s Court r e v i e w s a p e t i t i o n f o r t h e w r i t o f mandamus i s t o d e t e r m i n e whether the t r i a l court has c l e a r l y abused i t s discretion. S e e E x p a r t e R u d o l p h , 515 S o . 2 d 7 0 4 , 706 (Ala. 1987)." Ex parte The the Flint Constr. C o . , 775 S o . 2 d a t 8 0 8 . to this court reveal CVCC three The in that 2008.

materials the p a r t i e s submitted Hamilton

following facts.

began h e r employment w i t h

on A u g u s t 1 5 , 2 0 0 5 . years pursuant entered

She was e m p l o y e d b y CVCC f o r a l m o s t of appointment." of

to a s e r i e s of " l e t t e r s into the last "letter

parties

appointment"

September 2007. it was

On J u l y 2 9 , 2 0 0 8 , CVCC n o t i f i e d H a m i l t o n h e r employment as of August 13,

terminating requested

Hamilton

a hearing to contest the termination ofher request was denied.

employment, b u t t h a t The Code Fair

D i s m i s s a l A c t ("FDA"),

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