Under existing law, generally, vacancies in judicial office are filled by appointment by the Governor and the appointee holds office until the first Monday after the second Tuesday in January following the first general election held more than one year after the appointee takes office.
Notwithstanding the general provision, vacancies in the Office of Circuit Court Judge and District Court Judge in Mobile County, are filled by the Governor based on nominations made by the Mobile County Judicial Commission and the appointee holds office until the next general election for any state officer held at least six months after the vacancy occurs. Thereafter, a successor is elected for the remainder of the unexpired term of the original judgeship.
This bill would propose an amendment to Amendment 408 of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, now appearing as Local Amendments, Mobile County, Section 16, of the Official Recompilation of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, as amended, specifying that when a vacancy in the office of circuit or district judge in Mobile County is filled by an appointment, the term of office of the appointed judge would be the same as for judicial vacancies generally.
Read for the first time and referred to the Senate committee on Local Legislation, Mobile County
Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass adopted Roll Call 480
Third Reading Passed
Read for the second time and placed on the calendar
Read for the first time and referred to the House of Representatives committee on Mobile County Legislation
Source: Alabama Legislature