Former State Sen. Bryan Taylor, a candidate for chief justice of the Alabama Supreme Court, disagreed with a recent court ruling upholding a jury’s record-breaking award in a malpractice case.
Taylor (R-Prattville) is seeking the position of retiring Chief Justice Tom Parker.
In the malpractice case, a doctor at Springhill Memorial Hospital in Mobile made an error that resulted in the death of Jay West.
Taylor’s contention in the wrongful death case was not about the facts but, rather, the $10 million award.
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Taylor criticized the jurors as a “runaway jury,” during a recent campaign appearance with the Republican Women of Northern Shelby County. He said the courts play a crucial role in shaping the state’s economic landscape.
“The courts are part of our economic development strategy – tools to attract jobs to the state,” he said. “Companies considering Alabama need assurance from the courts. They need to know that if they face lawsuits here, they’ll be treated fairly.”
Taylor said the courts should consistently uphold the legal and constitutional limits on jury awards, even in cases involving significant negligence, because he said it’s the proper role of a judge to apply the law and the Constitution as written — not to legislate from the bench.
However, in this case, the State Supreme Court affirmed the jury award.
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Parker can’t run again due to Alabama’s age restrictions on judges. Associate Justice Sara Stewart, who agreed with Parker’s stance, is a candidate for chief justice.
Republicans occupy every seat on the Alabama Supreme Court. The last time a Democrat secured an appellate court race in Alabama was in 2006 when Sue Bell Cobb defeated former Gov. Bob Riley appointee Drayton Nabors for chief justice.
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