SB279 Alabama 2022 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Bobby D. SingletonSenator

Democrat

Co-Sponsors

Vivian Davis FiguresMalika Sanders-FortierRodger Smitherman

Session

Regular Session 2022

Title

Courts, the further provide for the election of justices of the Supreme Court and judges of the appellate courts, Sec. 12-3-4 repealed; Secs. 12-2-1, 12-3-2, 12-3-3, 12-3-4, 17-6-48, 17-6-48.1 am'd.

Summary

SB279 would restructure Alabama's court elections by moving associate justices and appellate judges to district-based elections while making the chief justice and presiding judges elected statewide.

What This Bill Does

It changes how Supreme Court and appellate court judges are elected: the chief justice and the presiding judges would be elected statewide, while associate justices and most appellate judges would be elected from districts. It also adjusts seat naming and repeals the current method for selecting presiding judges, with phased implementation starting in 2024 and continuing through 2026-2028. The bill sets six-year terms, adds residency and experience requirements for some judges, and introduces panel decision rules for the Court of Civil Appeals.

Who It Affects

• Voters in Alabama will vote statewide for the chief justice and presiding judges, and by district for associate justices and appellate judges according to the new district boundaries and timelines.
• Judges and potential candidates for the Supreme Court and the Courts of Criminal Appeals and Civil Appeals will run under district-based or statewide elections, with new term lengths, eligibility requirements, and placement rules.

Key Provisions

• Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and presiding judges of the Court of Criminal Appeals and Court of Civil Appeals shall be elected by statewide popular vote.
• Associate justices of the Supreme Court and judges of the appellate courts shall be elected by district, with districts aligned to State Board of Education districts; 2024 elections cover Places 1-4, with Places 5-8 in 2026-2028 as specified.
• Place names for seats on the Courts of Appeals are modified to reflect the new district-based system, and the existing method of selecting the presiding judge is repealed.
• A vacancy in the Supreme Court will be filled under constitutional procedures; a candidate for associate justice must meet residency and eligibility requirements, including bar membership (10 years) for judges appointed or elected after January 1, 2010.
• For the Court of Criminal Appeals, the presiding judge will be elected statewide beginning in 2026; places 1-4 are elected from paired State Board of Education Districts starting in 2024, with term lengths of six years.
• For the Court of Civil Appeals, the presiding judge will be elected statewide beginning in 2026; places 1-4 are elected from paired SBOE districts starting in 2024, with term lengths of six years, and Place 4 continues to serve as presiding judge until the statewide election.
• The Secretary of State and clerks must designate ballot places by number and identify them for political parties as specified.
• Beginning January 1, 2023, the act becomes effective, with implementation aligned to the 2024 and later general elections.
• The presiding judge on the Court of Civil Appeals may designate panels of three judges to decide cases, requiring the concurrence of three of five judges.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 22, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Courts