ROBERTSDALE, Ala. — Robertsdale High School head football coach Justin Jones has filed a lawsuit against the Alabama High School Athletic Association, the Baldwin County Board of Education and Robertsdale High School principal William White, after he and ten players were suspended.
According to court documents, Jones had a hearing at 9 a.m. Friday, Sept. 18, at the Fairhope Satellite Courthouse. He is seeking a temporary restraining order allowing him to coach the Golden Bears Friday night in their home game against Fairhope.
The Letter From the Superintendent
The documents indicate Jones received a letter on Tuesday, Sept. 15, from Baldwin County School Superintendent Marty McRae, telling him that he, the assistant coach and the players were not to participate in football activities.
An Anonymous Letter Started It
The lawsuit claims an anonymous letter was sent to AHSAA executive director Heath Harmon, prompting an investigation.
Harmon then requested information from White about the coaches and players. The principal responded on Sept. 9; however, the AHSAA determined the response was “not sufficient” and suspended the coaches and players on Sept. 15.
The sequence described in the filing is notable for what it indicates about where the dispute sits. The suspension followed not from a finding of a specific violation announced publicly, but from the association’s assessment that the school’s response to its inquiry was inadequate. The nature of the underlying allegation in the anonymous letter is not described in the available documents.
What a Temporary Restraining Order Does
A temporary restraining order is emergency relief. It is sought when a party argues that waiting for a normal hearing schedule would cause harm that cannot later be undone.
In athletics cases, that argument is usually straightforward: a season has a fixed number of games, and one missed cannot be restored by a later ruling. Courts weigh the likelihood that the party will ultimately succeed on the merits, whether the harm is genuinely irreparable, the balance of hardships, and the public interest.
Alabama courts have historically been reluctant to intervene in AHSAA eligibility and disciplinary decisions, generally treating the association as a voluntary membership organization entitled to enforce its own rules. That reluctance is not absolute, however, particularly where a party argues the association’s own procedures were not followed.
Who Is Being Sued and Why
Naming three defendants — the association, the school board and the principal — reflects the layered structure of the decision. The AHSAA issued the suspension. The Baldwin County Board of Education, through the superintendent, communicated and implemented it. The principal supplied the response the association found insufficient.
Ten players were suspended alongside the coaching staff, which means the outcome affects not only the coach who filed the suit but a substantial portion of the roster.
Where the Season Stands
Robertsdale is 1-3 this season, having won its first game last week against Davidson.
The Golden Bears’ Friday opponent is Fairhope, a Baldwin County rival.
What Has Not Been Established
The claims described here come from the lawsuit Jones filed and reflect his account of events. The AHSAA, the Baldwin County Board of Education and the principal have not publicly responded to the allegations in the available documents, and no court has ruled on the merits.
The nature of the conduct alleged in the anonymous letter has not been made public.
Update: The Due Process Claim at the Center of the Suit
Additional detail from the filing, made late Wednesday in the Circuit Court of Baldwin County, sharpens what Jones is actually arguing. His central claim is not that the underlying allegations are false — it is that he was never told what they were.
The lawsuit states that neither Jones nor the affected players were told the specific allegations, interviewed, or given an opportunity to respond before being removed from football activities.
“No due process was provided, and as such, we don’t know what the evidence there is, if there has even been an investigation, and why Jones has been suspended from coaching,” the lawsuit states. “Until such time that allegations are levied against Jones, evidence is obtained related to those allegations and Jones has had an opportunity to respond or the dispute the allegations, he should be allowed to coach.”
What the AHSAA Asked For
According to the court filing, Harmon and the AHSAA requested information from principal William White related to Jones and the students on Sept. 8.
“Much of the information requested was personal information related to students and their parents as well as information that would not even be in the possession of White,” the suit states.
White responded with “as much information as he had available and could obtain” on Sept. 9, per the suit. On Sept. 15, the AHSAA notified White the information provided was not sufficient. White, in turn, suspended Jones and the others.
Who Is Not Talking
Jones did not immediately return a phone message Thursday night.
An email was sent to Baldwin County communications coordinator Chasity Riddick on Tuesday with questions for Superintendent Marty McRae about a possible AHSAA investigation of the Robertsdale football program. Riddick replied that questions on that issue were being referred to Board of Education attorney Nash Campbell and said she would reach out to him.
Neither Riddick nor Campbell responded since late Tuesday, despite another inquiry Thursday morning. AHSAA communications director Scott Griffin said the AHSAA does not comment on ongoing legal matters.
Earlier Eligibility Questions
According to a report earlier this week, three Robertsdale players were held out earlier this year due to eligibility concerns. That report said those three players were cleared to play last Friday.
Robertsdale started the season 0-3 before winning 28-14 at Davidson last week.
Jones’s Coaching Record
Jones is in his second season at Robertsdale and his 14th season as a head coach. He is 5-9 so far with the Golden Bears. He has also been head coach at Beauregard, Cordova, New Brockton and Florala.
Two Other AHSAA Actions This Week
The AHSAA levied penalties on two other football programs during the same week. Class 1A No. 1 Maplesville was forced to forfeit its first two wins over a player eligibility issue, and Carroll head coach Steve McLendon was suspended for two games for violating the AHSAA unsportsmanlike conduct rule.
Those actions provide context for the association’s posture but are unrelated to the Robertsdale matter.