Ex Parte Water Works and Sewer Bd. of City of Birmingham

The Water Works and Sewer Board of the City of Birmingham (the "Water Works") petitions for a writ of mandamus compelling Judge William E. Hereford, of the St. Clair Circuit Court, to vacate his order requiring production of certain documents.

A petition for the writ of mandamus is the proper means for obtaining review of the question "whether a trial court has abused its discretion in ordering discovery, in resolving discovery matters, and in issuing discovery orders." Ex parteCompass Bank, 686 So.2d 1135, 1137 (Ala. 1996).

On May 9, 1997, the Water Works filed a declaratory judgment action in…