HB689 Alabama 2015 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Steve HurstRepresentative

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2015

Title

Sheriff, deputies who are attorneys, authorized to practice civil law, Sec. 34-3-14 am'd.

Summary

HB689 would explicitly bar deputy sheriffs from practicing criminal law, while keeping the current ban on sheriffs and other court officials from practicing law.

What This Bill Does

The bill adds an explicit prohibition that deputy sheriffs may not practice criminal law or act as an attorney in criminal cases. It clarifies and preserves the existing overall ban on sheriffs and deputy sheriffs from practicing law, and maintains related prohibitions for clerks, registers, and probate court staff. The act would take effect immediately after the Governor signs it into law.

Who It Affects

• Deputy sheriffs would be explicitly prohibited from practicing criminal law (and from acting as an attorney in criminal cases).
• Sheriffs and other court officials named in Section 34-3-14 (such as sheriffs, clerks and their deputies, registers and their deputies, and probate court staff) would continue to be prohibited from practicing law; the bill reinforces these prohibitions.

Key Provisions

• Amends Section 34-3-14 to specify that a deputy sheriff may not practice criminal law or act as an attorney in criminal cases.
• Maintains the prohibition that the sheriff and deputy sheriff must not practice law in general.
• Preserves prohibitions on other court officials (clerks, deputy clerks, registers and their deputies, probate court staff, etc.) from practicing law within their respective roles.
• Effective date: becomes effective immediately following the Governor's approval.

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

Subjects

Attorneys