The Alabama Supreme Court has denied a final appeal by the city of Gulf Shores in a legal battle involving recently elected Baldwin County Commissioner John “Tater” Harris over a golf cart rental business.

In an order issued Friday, Oct. 9, the Alabama Supreme Court denied the city’s petition to review a lower court ruling in Harris’ favor. The case stems from a legal dispute between Gulf Shores and Harris, who was previously convicted on two counts of operating a business without a license after Gulf Coast Rental Company rented golf carts to customers between May and June 2024.

Harris owned a minority interest in Gulf Coast Rental Company and served as the company’s vice president. According to court documents, the company has held a business license in Gulf Shores since 2019 for rental items such as beach gear. However, the city said the company failed to obtain an additional business license required for golf cart rentals by April 2022.

The case proceeded through local courts in Gulf Shores and Baldwin County, where Harris was convicted on two counts of operating a business without a license. He received two suspended 30-day jail sentences, 12 months of probation and two $500 fines.

Gulf Coast Rental Company argued that a separate business license was not required and pursued civil action against the city. Following an appeal by Harris, the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals later overturned Harris’ convictions, finding that Gulf Coast Rental Company had a valid business license when the rentals occurred in 2024.

The appeals court also found that Gulf Shores had failed to establish that the company needed a separate business license specifically for golf cart rentals. At the time, Gulf Shores did not have an ordinance prohibiting commercial golf cart rentals. The city later approved and adopted such an ordinance in August 2024.

Following the ruling, Gulf Shores asked the Alabama Supreme Court to review the decision. The Oct. 9 order denying the city’s request leaves the Court of Criminal Appeals’ ruling in place. The Supreme Court did not issue an opinion explaining its decision, but the decision effectively ends the city’s legal avenues against Harris in the case.

“I’m just happy to get this behind me and move forward,” Harris told GCM. “Glad the decision came out the way it did and (I’m) pretty much excited with the outcome.”

Earlier this year, Harris was elected to the District 4 seat on the Baldwin County Commission following a primary runoff election.