Criminal and civil procedure; continuance of case when party, attorney, or witness is on active military duty; bail required to be set in such cases subject to conditions

SB 53 requires Alabama courts to delay (continue) criminal and civil cases when a party, their lead attorney, or a key witness is on active military duty (including National Guard). In criminal cases where a continuance is granted for military absence, the bill mandates that bail be set for the defendant (with exceptions for violent offenses or capital crimes). The law also specifies that witnesses must be material, located outside the state, and that military testimony requests must follow federal guidelines. This bill, pending in the Alabama Senate Judiciary Committee, would take effect October 1, 2026, and requires the Alabama Supreme Court to update its rules to align with these changes.