Alabama Circuit Courts

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The Alabama Circuit Courts are the state trial courts of general jurisdiction in the State of Alabama. The Circuit Courts have jurisdiction to hear civil and criminal cases. For civil cases, the courts has authority to try cases with an amount in controversy of more than $3,000 and has exclusive original jurisdiction over claims for more than $10,000. [1] The Circuit Courts are the criminal trial courts for most felony charges, [2] and for some misdemeanors and lesser included offenses. [1] The Circuit Courts also have appellate jurisdiction over certain cases arising from the Alabama District Courts (the trial courts of limited jurisdiction in Alabama).

Contents

The state has 148 Circuit Court judges divided among 41 judicial circuits [3] with the number of judges to each circuit set by acts of the Alabama Legislature. The legislature distribution is roughly based upon caseloads of the various circuits. The largest circuit in the state is the 10th Judicial Circuit which encompasses Jefferson County (approximately 20% of the state's population) and is the seat of 27 of the judges. The smallest circuits are the 2nd, 3rd, 24th, 34th, 35th, 36th, 40th, and 41st which each contain just a single judge and represent many of the least populous counties in the state.

Circuit Judges are elected to six-year terms in partisan elections with no limit on the number of terms. Judges may not seek re-election upon turning seventy years of age. The partisan alignment of the Circuit Judges following the 2018 general election is 92 Republicans, 55 Democrats, and 1 Independent. [4] However, a large majority (35) of the Democrats 55 judgeships are in just two counties (Jefferson and Montgomery) while the Republican judgeships are spread among 45 different counties. In the event of a vacancy during a term of office, the Governor of Alabama usually has the authority to fill the unexpired terms. However, the 10th, 18th, 28th Circuits have judicial commissions which submit nominees from which the Governor is obligated to choose. Upon retirement judges may choose to become active retired where they serve as special judges when called upon and are still held to the cannon of ethics. Judges may also serve as special judges outside of their respective circuit while holding office when called upon.

In 2017, the Alabama Legislature established the Judicial Resources Allocation Commission for the purpose of moving vacant circuit court seats between districts to meet demand. It reallocated a circuit court seat for the first time in 2023, moving Jefferson County's 14th seat to Madison County. [5] In May 2023, Governor Kay Ivey signed a bill that increased the total number of circuit and district judges throughout the state, and forbade the Allocation Commission from reallocating vacant seats until January 1, 2027, after the 2026 general election. [6]

List of elected judges

The following judges were elected in the 2020, 2022, and 2024 general elections: [7] [8] [9]

CircuitPlaceJudgePartyLast
elected		Counties
served		Notes
1stNo. 1J. Perry NewtonRepublican2022 Choctaw, Clarke, Washington
No. 2Charles R. MontgomeryRepublican2022
2ndCleve PooleRepublican2024 Butler, Crenshaw, Lowndes
3rdBurt SmithartDemocratic2022 Barbour, Bullock
4thNo. 1Collins Pettaway Jr.Democratic2024 Bibb, Dallas, Hale, Perry, Wilcox
No. 2Don McMillanDemocratic2022
No. 3Marvin Wayne WigginsDemocratic2022
5thNo. 1Kevin M. HallRepublican2022 Chambers, Macon, Randolph, Tallapoosa
No. 2Isaac WhortonRepublican2024
No. 3Steve PerrymanRepublican2024
6thNo. 1Brad AlmondRepublican2022 Tuscaloosa
No. 2Jim Roberts Jr.Republican2024
No. 3Elizabeth Colwick HamnerRepublican2024
No. 4Daniel F. PruetRepublican2024
No. 5Al MayRepublican2024
No. 6Dennis SteversonRepublican2022
No. 7Vacant2026Seat established in 2023 [6]
7thNo. 1Dustin MerrittRepublican2024 Calhoun, Cleburne
No. 2Timothy C. BurgessRepublican2024
No. 3Jennifer WeemsRepublican2022
No. 4Peggy P. Miller LacherRepublican2020
No. 5Shannon C. PageRepublican2022
8thNo. 1Jennifer Millwee HowellRepublican2024 Morgan
No. 2Charles B. ElliottRepublican2024
No. 3Stephen Fate BrownRepublican2024
9thNo. 1Shaunathan BellRepublican2024 Cherokee, DeKalb
No. 2Andrew HairstonRepublican2024
No. 3Jeremy TaylorRepublican2022
10thNo. 1Anne L. DurwardDemocratic2022 Jefferson
No. 2Shanta OwensDemocratic2020
No. 3Kechia DavisDemocratic2020
No. 4Javan Joielle PattonDemocratic2022
No. 5David CarpenterDemocratic2024
No. 6Chuck PriceDemocratic2024
No. 7Tiara Young HudsonDemocratic2024
No. 8Marshell Jackson HatcherDemocratic2024
No. 9Shera Craig GrantDemocratic2024
No. 10Patrick James BallardDemocratic2020
No. 11Brendette Brown GreenDemocratic2022
No. 12Thomas E. ThrashDemocratic2022
No. 13Frederic A. BollingDemocratic2024
No. 14Vacant2016Seat abolished in 2022
No. 15Patricia Ann StephensDemocratic2024
No. 16Kandice PickettDemocratic2022
No. 17Elisabeth FrenchDemocratic2022
No. 18Janine Hunt-HilliardDemocratic2024
No. 19David J. HobdyDemocratic2022
No. 20Alisha Ruffin MayDemocratic2022
No. 21Monica AgeeDemocratic2022
No. 22Tamara Harris JohnsonDemocratic2022
No. 23Adrienne Moffett PowellDemocratic2022
No. 24Stephen WallaceDemocratic2022
No. 25Reginald L. JeterDemocratic2022
No. 26Michael StreetyDemocratic2022
No. 27Alaric MayDemocratic2024
11thNo. 1Benjamin GravesRepublican2022 Lauderdale
No. 2Will PowellRepublican2022
No. 3Gil SelfRepublican2022
No. 4Carole Coil MedleyRepublican2024Seat established in 2023 [6]
12thNo. 1Sonny ReaganRepublican2024 Coffee, Pike
No. 2Shannon R. ClarkRepublican2022
No. 3Jeff W. KelleyRepublican2022
13thNo. 1Wes PipesRepublican2024 Mobile
No. 2Ben BrooksRepublican2024
No. 3Michael WindomRepublican2024
No. 4Jay YorkRepublican2024
No. 5Walter HoneycuttRepublican2024
No. 6Brandy B. HambrightRepublican2024
No. 7Jill P. PhillipsRepublican2022
No. 8Edmond G. NamanRepublican2024
No. 9Michael ShermanRepublican2024
No. 10Michael A. YoungpeterRepublican2024
No. 11Vicki DavisRepublican2024
14thNo. 1Joeletta Martin BarrentineRepublican2020 Walker
No. 2Doug FarrisRepublican2024
No. 3Gregory M. WilliamsRepublican2024
15thNo. 1Greg GriffinDemocratic2022 Montgomery
No. 2Brooke E. ReidDemocratic2020
No. 3Monica L. ArringtonDemocratic2022
No. 4J. R. GainesDemocratic2020
No. 5James H. AndersonDemocratic2022
No. 6Monet Mccorvey GainesDemocratic2024
No. 7Lloria Munnerlyn JamesDemocratic2020
No. 8Calvin L. WilliamsDemocratic2022
No. 9Johnny HardwickDemocratic2020
16thNo. 1George C. DayRepublican2024 Etowah
No. 2Brynn CrainRepublican2024
No. 3Sonny J. SteenRepublican2024
No. 4Cody D. RobinsonRepublican2024
17thGregory S. GriggersDemocratic2024 Greene, Marengo, Sumter
18thNo. 1Jonathan A. SpannRepublican2022 Shelby
No. 2Patrick E. KennedyRepublican2024
No. 3Bill BostickRepublican2022
No. 4Lara McCauley AlvisRepublican2022
19thNo. 1Patrick D. PinkstonRepublican2024 Autauga, Chilton, Elmore
No. 2Joy Pace BoothRepublican2022
No. 3Amanda BaxleyRepublican2022
No. 4Dee Dee CalhoonRepublican2024Seat established in 2023 [6]
No. 5Vacant2026Seat established in 2023 [6]
20thNo. 1John John SteenslandRepublican2024 Henry, Houston
No. 2J. Kevin MoultonRepublican2024
No. 3Butch BinfordRepublican2022
No. 4Chris RichardsonRepublican2022
No. 5Todd DerrickRepublican2020
21stNo. 1Jeff WhiteRepublican2024 Escambia
No. 2Jeffrey Todd StearnsRepublican2022
22ndNo. 1Lex ShortRepublican2024 Covington
No. 2Benjamin M. BowdenRepublican2022
23rdNo. 1Karen K. HallRepublican2024 Madison
No. 2Alison AustinRepublican2020
No. 3Ruth Ann HallRepublican2024
No. 4Claude HundleyRepublican2020
No. 5Donna S. PateRepublican2024
No. 6Chris ComerRepublican2022
No. 7Alan MannRepublican2022
No. 8Patrick M. TutenRepublican2024
No. 9Don RizzardiRepublican2024Seat established in 2023 [6]
24thSam JunkinRepublican2022 Fayette, Lamar, Pickens
25thNo. 1Daryl BurtRepublican2020 Marion, Winston
No. 2Talmage Lee CarterRepublican2024
26thNo. 1Zachary T. CollinsDemocratic2022 Russell
No. 2David JohnsonDemocratic2020
27thNo. 1Christopher F. AbelRepublican2022 Marshall
No. 2Jay M. MastinRepublican2024
No. 3Matt ElliottRepublican2024
28thNo. 1Joseph NortonRepublican2024 Baldwin
No. 2Jody W. BishopRepublican2024
No. 3J. Clark StankoskiRepublican2024
No. 4Scott P. TaylorRepublican2022
No. 5Carmen BoschRepublican2020
No. 6Karol J. KempRepublican2024Seat established in 2023 [6]
No. 7Vacant2026Seat established in 2023 [6]
29thNo. 1Chad E. WoodruffRepublican2024 Talledega
No. 2Will HollingsworthRepublican2024
30thNo. 1Bill WeathingtonRepublican2022 St. Clair
No. 2James E. Hill IIIRepublican2024
31stNo. 1Mitch HaysRepublican2024 Colbert
No. 2Kyle W. BrownRepublican2024
32ndNo. 1Gregory A. NicholasRepublican2024 Cullman
No. 2Emily Niezer JohnstonRepublican2024
33rdNo. 1Bill FilmoreRepublican2024 Dale, Geneva
No. 2Kimberly A. ClarkRepublican2022
34thBrian HamiltonRepublican2024 Franklin
35thJack Booker WeaverDemocratic2024 Conecuh, Monroe
36thCallie Chenault WaldrepRepublican2022 Lawrence
37thNo. 1Jeff TickalRepublican2022 Lee
No. 2Chris HugheskRepublican2022
No. 3Mike FellowsRepublican2022
No. 4Vacant2026Seat established in 2023 [6]
38thNo. 1John GrahamDemocratic2024 Jackson
No. 2Brent BensonRepublican2020
39thNo. 1Chad WiseRepublican2022 Limestone
No. 2Matthew R. HugginsRepublican2022
40thDavid F. LawRepublican2024 Clay, Coosa
41stGreg ReidRepublican2024 Blount

1st Circuit

Counties Served: Choctaw, Clarke, Washington

Circuit Seats: Choctaw County Courthouse (Butler), Clarke County Courthouse (Grove Hill), Washington County Courthouse (Chatom)

Current Judges [10]
TitleNameSeatDuty StationTermSeat up
Presiding Circuit JudgeGaines C. McCorquodale1 Grove Hill 2009–present2022
Circuit JudgeCharles R. Montgomery2 Chatom 2010–present2022

2nd Circuit

Counties Served: Butler, Crenshaw, Lowndes

District Seats: Butler County Courthouse (Greenville), Crenshaw County Courthouse (Luverne), Lowndes County Courthouse (Hayneville)

Current Judge [11]
PartyTitleNameDuty StationTermSeat up
RepublicanPresiding Circuit JudgeCleve Poole Greenville 2021–present2030

3rd Circuit

Counties Served: Barbour, Bullock

District Seats: Barbour County Courthouse (Clayton), Bullock County Courthouse (Union Springs)

Current Judge [12]
TitleNameDuty StationTermSeat up
Presiding Circuit JudgeLeon Bernard Smithart Union Springs 1999–present2022

4th Circuit

Counties Served: Bibb, Dallas, Hale, Perry, Wilcox

District Seats: Bibb County Courthouse (Centreville), Dallas County Courthouse (Selma), Hale County Courthouse (Greensboro) Perry County Courthouse (Marion), Wilcox County Courthouse (Camden)

Current Judges [13]
TitleNameSeatDuty StationTermSeat up
Presiding Circuit JudgeMarvin W. Wiggins3 Greensboro 1999–present2022
Circuit JudgeCollins Pettaway, Jr.1 Selma 2013–present2018
Circuit JudgeDonald McMillan2

5th Circuit

Counties Served: Chambers, Macon, Randolph, Tallapoosa

6th Circuit

Counties Served: Tuscaloosa

7th Circuit

Counties Served: Calhoun, Cleburne

8th Circuit

Counties Served: Morgan

9th Circuit

Counties Served: Cherokee, DeKalb

10th Circuit

Counties Served: Jefferson

11th Circuit

Counties Served: Lauderdale

12th Circuit

Counties Served: Coffee, Pike

13th Circuit

Counties Served: Mobile

14th Circuit

Counties Served: Walker

15th Circuit

Counties Served: Montgomery

16th Circuit

Counties Served: Etowah

17th Circuit

Counties Served: Greene, Marengo, Sumter

Judge Eddie Hardaway is the only Judge covering all three Counties

18th Circuit

Counties Served: Shelby

19th Circuit

Counties Served: Autauga, Chilton, Elmore

20th Circuit

Counties Served: Henry, Houston

21st Circuit

Counties Served: Escambia

22nd Circuit

Counties Served: Covington

23rd Circuit

Counties Served: Madison

24th Circuit

Judge: Sam Junkin

Counties Served: Fayette, Lamar, and Pickens.

District Seats: Fayette Courthouse (Fayette), Lamar Courthouse (Vernon), Pickens Courthouse (Carrollton).

25th Circuit

Counties Served: Marion, Winston

26th Circuit

Counties Served: Russell

Current Judges
PartyTitleNameSeatDuty StationTermSeat up
DemocraticPresiding Circuit JudgeMichael Bellamy1 Phenix City 2013–present2022
DemocraticCircuit JudgeAlbert David Johnson2 Phenix City 2014–present2026

27th Circuit

Counties Served: Marshall

28th Circuit

Counties Served: Baldwin

Circuit Court Judges

Carmen Bosch, Jody W. Bishop, C. Joseph Norton, Scott P. Taylor, J. Clark Stankoski

29th Circuit

Counties Served: Talledega

30th Circuit

Counties Served: St. Clair

31st Circuit

Counties Served: Colbert

32nd Circuit

Counties Served: Cullman

33rd Circuit

Counties Served: Dale, Geneva

34th Circuit

Counties Served: Franklin

35th Circuit

Counties Served: Conecuh, Monroe

36th Circuit

Counties Served: Lawrence

37th Circuit

Counties Served: Lee

38th Circuit

Counties Served: Jackson

Current Judges [14]
PartyTitleNameTermSeat upSource
DemocraticPresiding Circuit JudgeJohn Graham2006-Present2030 [15]
RepublicanCircuit JudgeBrent Benson2020-Present2026 [16]

39th Circuit

Counties Served: Limestone

40th Circuit

Counties Served: Clay, Coosa

41st Circuit

Counties Served: Blount

See also

References

  1. 1 2 The Guide to Alabama Courts
  2. ↑ District Courts may hear guilty pleas in felony cases not invoking capital punishment.
  3. ↑ Alabama Unified Judicial System Structure Archived 2010-05-27 at the Wayback Machine .
  4. ↑ Williams & Garrett, The Alabama Guide (2009)
  5. ↑ Gann, Heather (March 24, 2023). "Alabama Supreme Court allows Jefferson County judgeship transfer to Madison County". AL.com . Retrieved September 12, 2025.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Senate Bill 39 as enrolled" (PDF). Secretary of State of Alabama . Retrieved September 12, 2025.
  7. ↑ "Canvass of Results; General Election; November 3, 2020" (PDF). Secretary of State of Alabama . Retrieved September 12, 2025.
  8. ↑ "Canvass of Results; General Election; November 8, 2022" (PDF). Secretary of State of Alabama . Retrieved September 12, 2025.
  9. ↑ "Canvass of Results; General Election; November 5, 2024" (PDF). Secretary of State of Alabama . Retrieved September 12, 2025.
  10. ↑ "Search: Circuit 1". Alabama State Bar. Accessed 4 Apr. 2017
  11. ↑ "Republican Cleve Poole Sworn in as Circuit Judge for 2nd Judicial Circuit". Alabama Republican Party. June 21, 2021. Retrieved August 27, 2025.
  12. ↑ "Search: Circuit 3". Alabama State Bar. Accessed 4 Apr. 2017.
  13. ↑ "Search: Circuit 4". Alabama State Bar. Accessed 4 Apr. 2017.
  14. ↑ "Jackson County - Thirty-Eighth Circuit Court of Alabama". jackson.alacourt.gov. Retrieved August 27, 2025.
  15. ↑ Reports, Staff (March 9, 2024). "Jackson County Circuit Judge John Graham kicks off re-election campaign at Payne's". Jackson County Sentinel. Retrieved August 27, 2025.
  16. ↑ Report, Staff (March 3, 2020). "Benson wins without a runoff; three incumbents defeated". Jackson County Sentinel. Retrieved August 27, 2025.
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