HB4 Alabama 2010 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Joseph C. Mitchell

Democrat

Session

Regular Session 2010

Title

Supreme Court Associate Justices, appellate, circuit, and district judges, election from districts, Sections 6.02, 6.03, 6.04, 6.05, (Sections 140, 141, 142, 143, Recompiled Constitution of Alabama of 1901, as amended), am'd., const. amend.

Summary

HB4 would require that Associate Justices of the Alabama Supreme Court, appellate judges, circuit judges, and district judges be elected from districts.

What This Bill Does

The bill would amend the Constitution to impose district-based elections for the specified courts. It would create a system of districts for each court, with one judge elected from each district, while keeping the chief justice statewide elected. Incumbent judges may complete their current terms, and removal to the state capital during a term would not make them ineligible for their district’s successor; elections would follow existing constitutional and election laws.

Who It Affects

• Voters in Alabama would vote for judges by district rather than statewide in the specified courts.
• Judges and judicial candidates for the Supreme Court, appellate courts, circuit courts, and district courts would be elected from districts, potentially changing how they run for office and how districts are drawn.

Key Provisions

• Amends Sections 6.02-6.05 to require district-based elections for associate justices, appellate judges, circuit judges, and district judges.
• Divides the state into Supreme Court districts with one associate justice elected from each district; chief justice remains elected statewide.
• Divides the Court of Appeals, Court of Civil Appeals, and Court of Criminal Appeals into districts with one judge elected from each district.
• Divides each judicial circuit into districts with one circuit judge elected from each district; districts are aligned with the number of circuit judges.
• Divides each county with multiple district judges into districts with one judge elected per district; district courts remain of limited jurisdiction and hold court in county seats.
• Incumbent judges and justices may complete their current terms; the amendment does not abridge the term of anyone already holding office; removal to the state capital does not render a judge ineligible for their successor from the same district.
• Elections are to be held in accordance with Sections 284-285 of the Constitution and the state's election laws; ballot language will describe the proposed amendment.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Constitutional Amendments