Charles Graddick
Encyclopedia
Charles Allen Graddick is Circuit Judge of the 13th Judicial Circuit of Alabama
, United States
.
Graddick attended the all-male University Military School, the forerunner of UMS-Wright Preparatory School
, graduating in 1963. He attended the University of Alabama
where he was a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon
fraternity, receiving his undergraduate degree in 1967. He received his Juris Doctor
degree from Cumberland School of Law in 1970, having the honor of being chosen class president. He was elected District Attorney for Mobile County
in 1975. Graddick served in the Alabama National Guard
from 1969-1992. In 1979, Mr. Graddick was elected Attorney General
for the state of Alabama
and was re-elected to a second term in 1983.
The 1986 Democratic primary for the gubernatorial race saw Graddick in a runoff with then Lt. Gov. Bill Baxley
. Graddick won by a few thousand votes, but the state State Democratic party ruled he had violated primary regulations by encouraging Republicans to “cross over” and vote as Democrats. The court told the Democratic Party to hold another election or pick Baxley. The party picked Baxley. Alabama is a non-registration party state. At that time, the Democratic party had never enforced such a rule in any election because Alabama was a single party state. Alabamians, used to a one-party state where anybody and everybody could vote in a primary, were outraged and took out their frustrations by voting against Baxley and for H. Guy Hunt
, the GOP nominee. Hunt, who had previously been considered a token candidate, won easily, giving Alabama its first Republican governor since Reconstruction.
Hunt's election surprised many Alabamians since no living person had seen a Republican win the election for Alabama governor. The press paid little attention to the Republican gubernatorial primaries, fully expecting that the nominee would be the next loser in the general election.
After the campaign for governor in 1986, he established a statewide law practice and at the request of the Governor in 1991 filled an unexpired term as District Attorney for Montgomery County, Alabama
, returning to private practice in 1992. Gov. Bob Riley
appointed Graddick to fill the post left vacant when 13th Judicial Circuit Circuit Court Judge William McDermott died in May 2004. He was then elected in January 2005 to serve a six year term in the same post. He also was selected by his fellow circuit judges to serve as Presiding Judge of the 13th Judicial Circuit.
In 2011, Graddick declared his candidacy for Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court
, in the election to be held in 2012. Graddick is switching parties, this time running as a Republican. Graddick is running against current Associate Lyn Stuart. Both Graddick and Stuart had lobbied Gov. Robert Bentley
for his appointment to replace then-Chieft Justice Sue Bell Cobb
, who stepped down from the office before her term expired.
Graddick has been married forty years to the former Corinne Whiting and they have three grown children, Charles Allen Jr., Herndon Whiting, and Corinne.
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...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Graddick attended the all-male University Military School, the forerunner of UMS-Wright Preparatory School
UMS-Wright Preparatory School
- History :The UMS-Wright Preparatory School has its foundation in the life of one man—Julius Tutwiler Wright. His goal was an education for the whole person-mental, moral, and physical-intensively tailored to the needs of the individual student. His goal remains central today to the educational...
, graduating in 1963. He attended the University of Alabama
University of Alabama
The University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States....
where he was a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon
Delta Kappa Epsilon
Delta Kappa Epsilon is a fraternity founded at Yale College in 1844 by 15 men of the sophomore class who had not been invited to join the two existing societies...
fraternity, receiving his undergraduate degree in 1967. He received his Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
degree from Cumberland School of Law in 1970, having the honor of being chosen class president. He was elected District Attorney for Mobile County
Mobile County, Alabama
Mobile County[p] is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of a tribe of Indians, the Maubila tribe . As of 2011, its population was 415,704. Its county seat is Mobile, Alabama...
in 1975. Graddick served in the Alabama National Guard
United States National Guard
The National Guard of the United States is a reserve military force composed of state National Guard militia members or units under federally recognized active or inactive armed force service for the United States. Militia members are citizen soldiers, meaning they work part time for the National...
from 1969-1992. In 1979, Mr. Graddick was elected Attorney General
Attorney General
In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general, or attorney-general, is the main legal advisor to the government, and in some jurisdictions he or she may also have executive responsibility for law enforcement or responsibility for public prosecutions.The term is used to refer to any person...
for the state 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...
and was re-elected to a second term in 1983.
The 1986 Democratic primary for the gubernatorial race saw Graddick in a runoff with then Lt. Gov. Bill Baxley
Bill Baxley
William Joseph Baxley II is an American Democratic politician and attorney.He was born in Dothan, Alabama and attended law school at the University of Alabama, graduating in 1964. He served two terms as Attorney General of Alabama, from 1971–1979; at the age of 27, he was the youngest to hold that...
. Graddick won by a few thousand votes, but the state State Democratic party ruled he had violated primary regulations by encouraging Republicans to “cross over” and vote as Democrats. The court told the Democratic Party to hold another election or pick Baxley. The party picked Baxley. Alabama is a non-registration party state. At that time, the Democratic party had never enforced such a rule in any election because Alabama was a single party state. Alabamians, used to a one-party state where anybody and everybody could vote in a primary, were outraged and took out their frustrations by voting against Baxley and for H. Guy Hunt
H. Guy Hunt
Harold Guy Hunt was an American politician who served as the 49th Governor of Alabama from 1987 to 1993. He was the first Republican to serve as governor of the state since Reconstruction.- Early life :...
, the GOP nominee. Hunt, who had previously been considered a token candidate, won easily, giving Alabama its first Republican governor since Reconstruction.
Hunt's election surprised many Alabamians since no living person had seen a Republican win the election for Alabama governor. The press paid little attention to the Republican gubernatorial primaries, fully expecting that the nominee would be the next loser in the general election.
After the campaign for governor in 1986, he established a statewide law practice and at the request of the Governor in 1991 filled an unexpired term as District Attorney for Montgomery County, Alabama
Montgomery County, Alabama
Montgomery County is a county in the U.S. state of Alabama. It is the most populous county in the Montgomery Metropolitan Statistical Area; its population in 2010 was 229,363 .- History :...
, returning to private practice in 1992. Gov. Bob Riley
Bob Riley
Bob Riley may refer to:* Bob Riley, 52nd Governor of Alabama* Bob C. Riley, acting Governor of Arkansas for 11 days in 1975* Bob Riley , sports car designer and founder of Riley Technologies...
appointed Graddick to fill the post left vacant when 13th Judicial Circuit Circuit Court Judge William McDermott died in May 2004. He was then elected in January 2005 to serve a six year term in the same post. He also was selected by his fellow circuit judges to serve as Presiding Judge of the 13th Judicial Circuit.
In 2011, Graddick declared his candidacy for Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court
Alabama Supreme Court
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 Justices. Each justice is elected in partisan elections for staggered six year terms. The Governor of Alabama may fill vacancies when they occur...
, in the election to be held in 2012. Graddick is switching parties, this time running as a Republican. Graddick is running against current Associate Lyn Stuart. Both Graddick and Stuart had lobbied Gov. Robert Bentley
Robert Bentley
Robert Bentley was an English botanist. He is perhaps best remembered today for the four-volume Medicinal Plants, published in 1880 with Henry Trimen and containing over three hundred hand-colored plates by botanist David Blair.-Life:Robert Bentley was born in Hitchin, Hertfordshire in 1821...
for his appointment to replace then-Chieft Justice Sue Bell Cobb
Sue Bell Cobb
Sue Bell Cobb is an American jurist and was the Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court from 2007 until her resignation in 2011. Cobb was the first woman elected as Alabama's Chief Justice and had previously served from 1995 to 2007 as a judge on the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals, the state...
, who stepped down from the office before her term expired.
Graddick has been married forty years to the former Corinne Whiting and they have three grown children, Charles Allen Jr., Herndon Whiting, and Corinne.