Lyn Stuart takes helm of Alabama Supreme Court

There’s a new chief justice at the helm of the Alabama Supreme Court.

While she may only be the acting Chief Justice, Lyn Stuart has been elevated to the position in the wake of Chief Justice Roy Moore being permanently suspended from the court.

Stuart, the senior member of the state’s Supreme Court, has been leading the state’s judiciary since May when the ethics charges against Roy Moore first led to his suspension. The Alabama Court of the Judiciary Sept. 30 suspended Moore for the remainder of his term, which doesn’t end until in 2019. Moore is appealing the ruling.

Nevertheless, Stuart has a long resume that has prepared her for this position.

A native of Atmore, Alabama, Stuart received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology and Education from Auburn University with high honors in 1977 and her Juris Doctorate degree from The University of Alabama School of Law in 1980.

Upon graduation from law school, Stuart worked as an assistant attorney general for the State of Alabama under former Attorney General Charles Graddick. She also served as executive assistant to the commissioner and special assistant attorney general for the State Department of Corrections. Upon moving to Baldwin County, she became an assistant district attorney for Baldwin County on the staff of District Attorney David Whetstone.

In 1988, Stuart was elected district judge, and was re-elected in 1994. Gov. Fob James appointed her to the circuit bench in January 1997 and she was elected, without opposition, to a six-year term in 1998.

Now, as the top administrator of the state’s Supreme Court, Stuart will to oversee the day-to-day operations and will also have to address the perpetual struggle to get the necessary funding to operate the system.