Biography
Joel Pearson is a partner in the Montgomery office. His practice focuses on auto accident defense, construction law, insurance bad faith, premises liability defense, products liability defense, and trucking and transportation defense.
Legal Assistant
Joel's primary areas of practice are insurance defense, insurance coverage, and general civil trial practice. He has appeared in state circuit courts throughout Alabama and in each of Alabama's three federal district courts. Joel has extensive experience in federal jurisdictional issues and the removal of cases from state court to federal court. He has also participated in the mediation of cases throughout the state of Alabama and is a registered mediator for the Alabama Center for Dispute Resolution.
Joel has tried numerous civil jury and non-jury cases in Alabama state and federal courts. Some of the cases he has tried include fraud, insurance fraud, bad faith, premises liability, automobile, product defects, employment discrimination, and workers' compensation. He has also tried a number of cases before administrative bodies.
Joel has served as counsel on numerous appeals, with reported appellate court decisions from each of Alabama's appellate courts and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. He has presented oral argument before both the Supreme Court of Alabama and the Alabama Court of Civil Appeals and has served as a Hearing Officer for the State of Alabama. Joel has also been appointed and served as a Deputy Attorney General for the State of Alabama.
Joel graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management from the University of South Alabama in 1981, and he received his J.D. from the University of Alabama School of Law. Joel has been admitted to practice before all Alabama state and federal courts since 1985. He is also admitted to practice before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit and the U.S. Supreme Court. Joel has Martindale-Hubbell's highest "AV" rating.
He is a member of the Alabama State Bar, Alabama Defense Lawyers Association, Montgomery County Bar Association, and an alumni member of the American Inns of Court.
Paralegal
Practice Areas
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NewsMay 2013 – Ball, Ball, Matthews & Novak Attorneys Selected for 2013 Alabama Super Lawyers
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Notable Cases2017 – Alabama Supreme Court affirms trial court’s order granting defendant homeowners carrier’s motion for summary judgment wherein plaintiff asserted claims of breach of contract and bad faith. (Alabama Supreme Court Case No: 1131074) 2017 – Following a week long trial, obtained a verdict in favor of the defendant insurer, with a finding that the insurance policy at issue did not provide coverage for the claims asserted by the plaintiff. (Lee County) 2017 – Summary Judgment in favor of insurer as to bad faith claims asserted by the plaintiff/insured. (Autauga County) 2016 – Successfully defended insurance company in connection with breach of contract and bad faith claims. Following a trial of the matter, the jury returned a verdict below the amount offered by the insurer before trial. (Geneva County) 2015 – Successfully defended insurance company in trial concerning payment of insurance benefits, with verdict returned being less than amount offered before trial. (Dale County) 2015 – Summary judgment entered in favor of homeowners insurance carrier as to the breach of contract claims asserted against carrier by 130 individual plaintiffs. (Calhoun County) 2015 – Summary judgment entered in favor of homeowners insurer concerning the plaintiffs’ claims of breach of contract, fraud and bad faith. (Tuscaloosa County) 2015 – Summary judgment entered in favor of timber dealer and against plaintiff, who suffered serious injuries resulting in over $500,000 in medical bills. (Calhoun County) 2015 – Successfully defended class action claim made against homeowners insurer. Following the class certification hearing, the trial court entered an order denying the plaintiff’s motion for class certification. (Chambers County) 2014 – Prevailed on appeal to the Alabama Supreme Court concerning the trial court’s ruling against homeowners insurer. Alabama Supreme Court held that trial erred in ruling against insurer and reversed the judgment of the trial court. (Baldwin Mutual Insurance Company v. Adair, 181 So. 3d 1033) 2014 – Summary judgment rendered in favor of homeowners insurer concerning the insured’s claims of bad faith. (Northern District of Alabama) 2014 – Summary judgment entered in favor of homeowners insurer as to the plaintiffs’ claims of bad faith. Christian v. Country Mutual Insurance Company, 2014 WL 2434294 (N.D. Ala. 2014) 2013 – Successfully defended homeowners insurer in connection with Plaintiffs’ claims of fraud, conversion and breach of contract. Following jury trial, case settled while case was on appeal to the Alabama Supreme Court. (Marion County) 2013 – Defendant’s verdict at the conclusion of jury trial wherein the plaintiff alleged personal injuries caused by the defendant. (Montgomery County) 2013 – Summary judgment rendered in favor of homeowners insurer as to plaintiff’s claims of breach of contract and bad faith. (Chambers County) 2013 – Summary judgment rendered in favor of homeowners insurer concerning plaintiff’s claims of breach of contract and bad faith arising out of April 27, 2011 Alabama tornadoes. (Clay County) 2013 – Summary judgment entered in favor of homeowners insurer concerning plaintiff’s claims of breach of contract and bad faith arising out of April 27, 2011 Alabama tornadoes. (Escambia County) 2012 – Summary judgment rendered in favor of homeowners insurer with respect to plaintiff’s claims of breach of contract and bad faith arising out of April 27, 2011 Alabama tornadoes. (Marion County) 2010 – Successfully defended homeowners insurer against plaintiff’s claims of breach of contract and bad faith. After week long jury trial, jury returned a verdict in the amount of $46,000. Plaintiff asked the jury to return a verdict in the amount of $2 million. (Bibb County) 2009 – Alabama Supreme Court affirms trial court’s order granting summary judgment in favor of insurer as to plaintiff’s underinsured motorists claims. (Kendall v. USAA, 23 So. 3d 1119)
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Other Reported DecisionsHarris v. Preskitt, 911 So. 2d 8 (Ala. Civ. App. 2005) – Trial court’s order enforcing settlement affirmed on appeal. Burt v. Shield Insurance Company, 902 So. 2d 692 (Ala. Civ. App. 2004) – Summary judgment in favor of defendant insurer affirmed on appeal. Rosen v. Montgomery Surgical Center, 825 So. 2d 735 (Ala. 2001) – Order dismissing plaintiff’s claims affirmed by Alabama Supreme Court.
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Attorney Testimonials"I have worked on a case in opposition to Mr. Brittain. He is a very professional and competent attorney." "Evans is an excellent attorney and well respected member of our local bar." "I have worked up 3-4 cases against Evans and he has always been the consummate professional..." "Evans is a fine lawyer and works hard for his clients."
Joel H. Pearson
Member | Montgomery