Alabama Appellate Courts

Court of the Judiciary Members

Chief Judge

J. William Cole

Court of Criminal Appeals
300 Dexter Avenue
Montgomery, AL 36104

Members

Elisabeth A. French

Circuit Judge
716 Arrington Blvd N
Birmingham, AL 35203

J. Clark Stankoski

P.O. Box 529
Fairhope, Alabama 36533

Pamela R. Higgins

District Judge
P.O. Box 1667
Montgomery, AL 36102-1667

Jana Russell Garner

Attorney at Law
P.O. Box 364
Selma, Alabama 36702

Michael E. Upchurch

Attorney at Law
P.O. Box 1686
Mobile, AL 36633-1686

Walter Body

P.O. Box 365
Shannon, AL 35142

Frederick D. Ard

P.O. Box 122
Saginaw, AL 35137

Sandra Dunaway

P.O. Box 851414
Mobile, AL 36685

Court of the Judiciary Overview

The Court of the Judiciary is created consisting of one judge of an appellate court, other than the Supreme Court, who shall be selected by the Supreme Court and shall serve as Chief Judge of the Court of the Judiciary; two judges of the circuit court, who shall be selected by the Circuit Judges' Association; and one district judge who shall be selected by the District Judges' Association.

Other members of the Court of the Judiciary shall consist of two members of the state bar, who shall be selected by the governing body of the Alabama State Bar; two persons who are not lawyers who shall be appointed by the Governor; and one person appointed by the Lieutenant Governor. Members appointed by the Governor and Lieutenant Governor shall be subject to Senate confirmation before serving. Provided, however, that on January 1, 2005, the appointment authority granted to the Lieutenant Governor shall revert to the Governor and the Governor shall therefore be entitled to appoint three persons who are not lawyers, subject to Senate confirmation.

The court shall be convened to hear complaints filed by the Judicial Inquiry Commission. The court shall have authority, after notice and public hearing (1) to remove from office, suspend without pay, or censure a judge, or apply such other sanction as may be prescribed by law, for violation of a Canon of Judicial Ethics, misconduct in office, failure to perform his duties, or (2) to suspend with or without pay, or to retire a judge who is physically or mentally unable to perform his duties. Taken from the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, Amendment 581, §6.18.

Contact Information


Supreme Court of Alabama
334.229.0700
Court of Civil Appeals
334.229.0733
Court of Criminal Appeals
334.229.0751
State Law Library
334.229.0578
Appellate IT Help Desk
334.229.0500