Jones v. State

In this proceeding we must resolve a dispute between the Court of Civil Appeals and the Court of Criminal Appeals as to which court is the appropriate appellate forum for this case. The salient facts are set forth in the opinion of the Court of Civil Appeals in Jones v. State, 900 So.2d 1227 (Ala.Civ.App. 2004):

"Jeffro Jones ('the defendant') was arrested at his home, pursuant to a search warrant, by officers of the Birmingham Narcotics Unit on October 18, 1996, at which time police officers found, among other things, several marijuana plants, numerous plastic sandwich bags containing…