(a) The General Rules set forth in Part A govern both civil and criminal
proceedings in this District. The Rules set forth in Part B govern civil
proceedings in this District. The Rules set forth in Part C govern criminal and
petty offense proceedings in this District. The Rules are to be cited as follows:
“S.D. Ala. GenLR ___”; “S.D. Ala. CivLR ___”; and “S.D. Ala. CrLR ___.”
(b) These Rules are intended to supplement the Federal Rules of Civil
Procedure, the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, and other controlling
statutes and rules. They shall be applied, construed, and enforced to avoid
inconsistency with other governing statutes and rules, and shall be employed to
provide fairness and simplicity in procedure to avoid technical and unjustified
delay and to secure a just, expeditious, and inexpensive determination of all
proceedings.
(c) In these Rules, “Court” includes both District Judges and Magistrate
Judges; “Judge,” without specifying “District” or “Magistrate,” includes both;
“Clerk” means the Clerk of the District Court and includes Deputy Clerks of
Court; and “Marshal” means the United States Marshal and includes Deputy
Marshals.
(d) Any Judge may, in the interests of justice in a particular case, suspend
application and enforcement of any Local Rule or any portion thereof.
(e) Subject to the review of the District Court, the Bankruptcy Court for the
Southern District of Alabama is authorized to make and amend rules governing
practice and procedure in all actions within its jurisdiction. Any rules made
pursuant to this authorization must be consistent with Bankruptcy Rule 9029,
as well as Fed. R. Civ. P. 83, and may not limit the use of the Official Forms.
