Discovery: Lawyers' examination, before trial, of facts and documents in possession of the opponents to help the lawyers prepare for trial.
Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
person: includes a corporation as well as a natural person. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.
Testify: Answer questions in court.
writing: includes typewriting and printing on paper. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
(1) Any documents, materials, or other information in the control or possession of the department that are furnished by a licensee or an employee or agent acting on behalf of a licensee pursuant to subsection (i) of Section 27-62-4; subdivisions (2), (3), (4), (5), (8), (10), and (11) of subsection (b) of Section 27-62-6; or that are obtained by the commissioner in an investigation or examination pursuant to Section 27-62-7 shall be confidential by law and privileged, shall not be subject to any open records, freedom of information, sunshine, or other public record disclosure laws, shall not be subject to subpoena, and shall not be subject to discovery or admissible in evidence in any private civil action. The commissioner shall not otherwise make the documents, materials, or other information public without the prior written consent of the licensee.(2) Notwithstanding subdivision (1), the commissioner may use the documents, materials, or other information in the furtherance of any regulatory or legal action brought as a part of the duties of the commissioner.(b) Neither the commissioner nor any person who received documents, materials, or other information while acting under the authority of the commissioner or with whom the documents, materials, or other information are shared pursuant to this section shall be permitted or required to testify in any private civil action concerning any confidential documents, materials, or information subject to subsection (a).(c) In order to assist in the performance of the duties of the commissioner under this chapter, the commissioner may do all of the following:
(1) Share documents, materials, or other information, including the confidential and privileged documents, materials, or information subject to subsection (a), with other state, federal, and international regulatory agencies, with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, its affiliates or subsidiaries, and with state, federal, and international law enforcement authorities, provided that the recipient agrees in writing to maintain the confidentiality and privileged status of the documents, materials, or other information.(2) Receive documents, materials, or information, including otherwise confidential and privileged documents, materials, or information, from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, its affiliates or subsidiaries, and from regulatory and law enforcement officials of other foreign or domestic jurisdictions, and shall maintain as confidential or privileged any document, material, or information received with notice or the understanding that it is confidential or privileged under the laws of the jurisdiction that is the source of the document, material, or information.(3) Share documents, materials, or other information subject to subsection (a) with a third-party consultant or vendor, provided the consultant agrees in writing to maintain the confidentiality and privileged status of the document, material, or other information.(4) Enter into agreements governing sharing and use of information consistent with this subsection.(d) No waiver of any applicable privilege or claim of confidentiality in the documents, materials, or information shall occur as a result of disclosure to the commissioner under this section or as a result of sharing as authorized in subsection (c).(e) Nothing in this chapter shall prohibit the commissioner from releasing final adjudicated actions that are open to public inspection to a database or other clearinghouse service maintained by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, its affiliates, or subsidiaries.(f) Documents, materials, or other information in the possession or control of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners or a third-party consultant or vendor pursuant to this chapter shall be confidential by law and privileged, shall not be subject to open records, freedom of information, sunshine, or other public record disclosure laws, shall not be subject to subpoena, and shall not be subject to discovery or admissible in evidence in any private civil action.
