Alabama Supreme Court
Encyclopedia
The Supreme Court of Alabama is the highest court in the state
of Alabama
. The court consists of an elected Chief Justice
and eight elected Associate Justice
s. Each justice is elected in partisan elections for staggered six year terms. The Governor of Alabama may fill vacancies when they occur for the remainder of unexpired terms. The current partisan line-up for the court is all Republican. There is no specific limitation on the number of terms to which a member may be elected. However, the state constitution under Amendment 328, adopted in 1973, prohibits any member from seeking re-election once they have attained the age of seventy years.
The Supreme Court of Alabama has the authority to review decisions by all the lower courts of the state and the authority to determine certain legal matters over which no other court has jurisdiction. If further has the authority to issue any necessary orders to carry out the general superintendance of the Court System of Alabama. It has exclusive jurisdiction over all appeals where the amount in dispute exceeds $50,000 as well as appeals from the Alabama Public Service Commission
.
The Chief Justice of the Court serves as the administrative head of the Alabama Judicial System. The court further makes all rules governing administration, practice and procedure for all courts in Alabama. The exercise of this authority eliminates many technicalities which usually cause delays in trial courts and reversals in appellate courts.
Former Justice Janie Shores was the first of six women to serve on the court. She was elected to the court in 1974. Two of the current justices are female. The first of three African-Americans to serve on the court was former Justice Oscar W. Adams, Jr., who in 1980 was initially appointed by then Governor Fob James to serve the remainder of an unexpired term. Justice Adams would become the first African-American elected to the court when he was chosen by the voters two years later to serve a full six-year term. Both Justice Shores and Adams retired from the court after long tenures.
The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Alabama is Chuck Malone, who was appointed by Governor Robert Bentley to the position on August 1, 2011, to fill the remainder of the unexpired term of the previous Chief Justice. Justice Malone is expected to seek a full six year term in the election of 2012. The eight current associate justices are James Allen Main, Tom Woodall, Lyn Stuart, Kelli Wise, Mike Bolin, Tom Parker, Glenn Murdoch and Greg Shaw. Justice Woodall has indicated his intention to retire and thus will not seek re-election in 2012. Seven of the current members of the court initially came to their seats via election with the exceptions of the new Chief Justice and Justice James Allen Main who was appointed in January, 2011, to a vacancy created by the retirement of Justice Champ Lyons. Then Governor Bob Riley appointed Main during the waning days of his administration. Like three other members of the current court, Justice Main had previously served on the Appellate Courts of Alabama.
The Clerk of Court is Robert G. Esdale, Sr.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
. The court consists of an elected Chief Justice
Chief Justice
The Chief Justice in many countries is the name for the presiding member of a Supreme Court in Commonwealth or other countries with an Anglo-Saxon justice system based on English common law, such as the Supreme Court of Canada, the Constitutional Court of South Africa, the Court of Final Appeal of...
and eight elected Associate Justice
Associate Justice
Associate Justice or Associate Judge is the title for a member of a judicial panel who is not the Chief Justice in some jurisdictions. The title "Associate Justice" is used for members of the United States Supreme Court and some state supreme courts, and for some other courts in Commonwealth...
s. Each justice is elected in partisan elections for staggered six year terms. The Governor of Alabama may fill vacancies when they occur for the remainder of unexpired terms. The current partisan line-up for the court is all Republican. There is no specific limitation on the number of terms to which a member may be elected. However, the state constitution under Amendment 328, adopted in 1973, prohibits any member from seeking re-election once they have attained the age of seventy years.
The Supreme Court of Alabama has the authority to review decisions by all the lower courts of the state and the authority to determine certain legal matters over which no other court has jurisdiction. If further has the authority to issue any necessary orders to carry out the general superintendance of the Court System of Alabama. It has exclusive jurisdiction over all appeals where the amount in dispute exceeds $50,000 as well as appeals from the Alabama Public Service Commission
Alabama Public Service Commission
The Alabama Public Service Commission, commonly called The PSC, was established by an act of The Alabama Legislature in 1915 to primarily replace the State Railroad Commission. The PSC's responsibility was expanded in 1920 to include regulating and setting rates that utility companies charge their...
.
The Chief Justice of the Court serves as the administrative head of the Alabama Judicial System. The court further makes all rules governing administration, practice and procedure for all courts in Alabama. The exercise of this authority eliminates many technicalities which usually cause delays in trial courts and reversals in appellate courts.
Former Justice Janie Shores was the first of six women to serve on the court. She was elected to the court in 1974. Two of the current justices are female. The first of three African-Americans to serve on the court was former Justice Oscar W. Adams, Jr., who in 1980 was initially appointed by then Governor Fob James to serve the remainder of an unexpired term. Justice Adams would become the first African-American elected to the court when he was chosen by the voters two years later to serve a full six-year term. Both Justice Shores and Adams retired from the court after long tenures.
The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Alabama is Chuck Malone, who was appointed by Governor Robert Bentley to the position on August 1, 2011, to fill the remainder of the unexpired term of the previous Chief Justice. Justice Malone is expected to seek a full six year term in the election of 2012. The eight current associate justices are James Allen Main, Tom Woodall, Lyn Stuart, Kelli Wise, Mike Bolin, Tom Parker, Glenn Murdoch and Greg Shaw. Justice Woodall has indicated his intention to retire and thus will not seek re-election in 2012. Seven of the current members of the court initially came to their seats via election with the exceptions of the new Chief Justice and Justice James Allen Main who was appointed in January, 2011, to a vacancy created by the retirement of Justice Champ Lyons. Then Governor Bob Riley appointed Main during the waning days of his administration. Like three other members of the current court, Justice Main had previously served on the Appellate Courts of Alabama.
The Clerk of Court is Robert G. Esdale, Sr.
| Justice | Year Service Began | Next Election | Party Affiliation | Law School |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chuck Malone | |
|
Republican Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S... |
Samford University, Cumberland School of Law Cumberland School of Law Cumberland School of Law is an ABA accredited law school at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama. The 11th oldest law school in the United States, it is 160 years old and has more than 11,000 graduates. Its alumni include two United States Supreme Court Justices; Nobel Peace Prize recipient... |
| James Allen Main | |
|
Republican Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S... |
University of Alabama School of Law University of Alabama School of Law The University of Alabama School of Law located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama is a nationally ranked top-tier law school and the only public law school in the state. In total, it is one of five law schools in the state, and one of three that are ABA accredited.The diverse student body, of approximately... |
| Thomas A. Woodall | |
|
Republican | University of Virginia School of Law University of Virginia School of Law The University of Virginia School of Law was founded in Charlottesville in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson as one of the original subjects taught at his "academical village," the University of Virginia. The law school maintains an enrollment of approximately 1,100 students in its initial degree program... |
| Lyn Stuart | |
|
Republican | University of Alabama School of Law University of Alabama School of Law The University of Alabama School of Law located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama is a nationally ranked top-tier law school and the only public law school in the state. In total, it is one of five law schools in the state, and one of three that are ABA accredited.The diverse student body, of approximately... |
| Kelli Wise | |
|
Republican | Thomas Goode Jones School of Law Thomas Goode Jones School of Law The Thomas Goode Jones School of Law, also known as Jones Law, JLS or JSL, is one of the professional graduate schools of Faulkner University. Located in Montgomery, Alabama-History:... |
| Michael F. Bolin | |
|
Republican | Samford University, Cumberland School of Law Cumberland School of Law Cumberland School of Law is an ABA accredited law school at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama. The 11th oldest law school in the United States, it is 160 years old and has more than 11,000 graduates. Its alumni include two United States Supreme Court Justices; Nobel Peace Prize recipient... |
| Tom Parker | |
|
Republican | Vanderbilt University School of Law |
| Glenn Murdock | |
|
Republican | University of Virginia School of Law University of Virginia School of Law The University of Virginia School of Law was founded in Charlottesville in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson as one of the original subjects taught at his "academical village," the University of Virginia. The law school maintains an enrollment of approximately 1,100 students in its initial degree program... |
| Greg Shaw | |
|
Republican | Samford University, Cumberland School of Law |
See also
- List of Justices of the Alabama Supreme Court
- Courts of AlabamaCourts of AlabamaCourts of Alabama include:State courts of Alabama*Alabama Supreme Court**Alabama Court of Civil Appeals**Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals***Alabama Circuit Courts ****Alabama District Courts...
- Alabama Court of Civil AppealsAlabama Court of Civil AppealsThe Alabama Court of Civil Appeals is one of two appellate courts in the Alabama judicial system. The court was established in 1969 when what had been one unitary state Court of Appeals was broken into a criminal appeals court and a civil appeals court...
- Alabama Court of Criminal AppealsAlabama Court of Criminal AppealsThe Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals is one of two appellate courts in the Alabama judicial system. The court was established in 1969 when what had been one unitary state Court of Appeals was broken into a criminal appeals court and a civil appeals court...
- Love Stuff v. City of Hoover