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Chief Justice Tom Parker joined Governor Kay Ivey for the signing of Senate Bill 39 into law. SB39 sponsored by Sen. Sam Givhan and carried by Rep. Jim Hill in the House provides for an additional 13 circuit and district judgeships in those circuits in greatest need for an additional judgeship as determined by the weighted case load study approved by the Alabama Supreme Court. These are the first judgeships added to the State of Alabama since 2007.
Chief Justice Tom Parker spoke of the effort to get the bill passed: “Since the beginning of my term as Chief Justice our highest priority has been to address filling needed judgeships across the State. I am thankful this bill was passed this Session which will enable those areas in most need of a judge the opportunity to address the shortage.”
This legislation specifically provides for the creation of additional circuit judgeships in the Sixth Judicial Circuit (Tuscaloosa), the Eleventh Judicial Circuit (Lauderdale), the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit (2 judges–Autauga, Chilton, Elmore), the Twenty-third Judicial Circuit (Madison), the Twenty-eighth Judicial Circuit (2 judges–Baldwin) and the Thirty-seventh Judicial Circuit (Lee).
District Judgeships created through this legislation consist of Baldwin County, DeKalb County, Mobile County, Madison County and Shelby County.
This Act creates four additional circuit judgeships (11th, 19th, 23rd and 28th Judicial Circuits) and three additional district judgeships (Baldwin, DeKalb and Mobile Counties) to be filled at the 2024 General Election and creates four additional circuit judgeships (6th, 19th, 28th and 37th Judicial Circuits) and two additional district judgeships (Madison and Shelby Counties) to be filled at the 2026 General Election. The initial judges shall serve for a six-year term holding office from the first Monday following the second Tuesday in January after the general election at which the judges are elected.
