Ex Parte Ford

This is a workers' compensation case. We granted the plaintiff Margaret Ford's petition for certiorari review to resolve a question of first impression, specifically, whether a settlement agreement entered into by a worker and her employer at a benefit-review conference conducted by an ombudsman in accordance with Ala. Code 1975, § 25-5-290 et seq., is enforceable if the court does not make a finding, pursuant to § 25-5-83, that the agreement was in the worker's best interest. We conclude that under the facts of this case, where Ford did not seek to have the settlement agreement set aside…