Most Republican appellate court incumbents win without an opponent as Democrats concede state appellate courts to the GOP
Major party qualifying ended on Friday. Four Republican Alabama Supreme Court Justices won election when no opponent – Republican or Democrat came forward. Justices Will Sellers, Tommy Bryan, and Jay Mitchell were all effectively re-elected as they face no Republican primary challenger. Write-in candidates are not allowed in party primaries. No attorney qualified for any of these races as a Democrat, so they are unlikely to face an opponent in the November general election. Chris McCool gave up his seat on the Court of Criminal Appeals to run for the open Place 1 associate supreme court justice seat. He also had no Republican or Democratic opponent qualify. On the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals, Republican incumbent Judges Richard Minor and Bill Cole were both effectively re-elected when no Republican or Democratic opponent qualified for either race. Two Republicans: Rich Anderson and Thomas Govan, qualified for the open Place 2 seat that Chris McCool is leaving to run for Supreme Court. Both Govan and Anderson work in the Alabama Attorney General’s office. No Democrat qualified for that seat either, so Govan and Anderson’s race in the Republican primary on March 5 is likely to decide this race. On the Alabama Court of Civil Appeals incumbents Christy Edwards and Terry Moore were both effectively re-elected when qualifying ended without either facing any opposition. The only incumbent appellate judge in the state to face a challenger is Republican: Republican Chad Hanson at Place 2 on the Court of Civil Appeals is being challenged in the Republican primary by Stephen Davis-Parker. There are four candidates running for Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court. Chief Justice Tom Parker, also a Republican, cannot run again due to the state’s arcane mandatory retirement age for judges provision. Associate Justice Sarah Stewart is giving up her place 1 seat on the court to run for Chief Justice. Former State Senator Bryan Taylor is also running for the office. Taylor is also a former legal counsel for Governors Kay Ivey and Bob Riley. On Friday, Montgomery attorney Jerry Michael Blevins also qualified to run for Chief Justice. Chief Justice is the only state appellate race that the Alabama Democratic Party is even contesting. Judge Greg Griffin will face the eventual Republican nominee for Chief Justice in the November general election. Griffin presently is a Circuit Court Judge in Montgomery’s Fifteenth Judicial Circuit Court. Thirty years ago, Democrats dominated the Alabama appellate courts. That changed in 1994 when retired Judge Perry Hooper Sr. defeated incumbent Sonny Hornsby in a contested race for chief justice. In the years since, Republican fortunes have continued to improve. Only one Democratic candidate, Doug Jones in 2017, has won any statewide race since 2008, and no Democratic judicial candidate has won a statewide race since Sue Bell Cobb was elected Chief Justice in 2006. Democrats are hopeful that Judge Griffin can change their fortunes next year. There is still a slight possibility that an attorney could still qualify as an independent or third-party candidate for one of these offices. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com
Five things you need to know about Chad Hanson
In the race for Alabama Court of Civil Appeals Place 2, Chad Hanson beat out incumbent Terri Thomas in the June 5 primary. Now, facing no Democratic challenger in the November general election, Hanson has presumably won his race and will become Court of Civil Appeals Place 2 Judge in 2019. With that in mind, here are the five things you need to know about Chad Hanson: 1. He’s the founding partner of Seal Hanson LLC Hanson attended the University of Alabama to receive his undergraduate degree, and the Mississippi College School of Law to earn his Juris Doctorate in 2000. In 2008, Hanson founded his own practice, Seal Hanson LLC in Birmingham, where he currently practices. 2. He Beat an incumbent, and spent very little money doing it Incumbent Court of Civil Appeals Place 2 Judge Terri Thomas was backed by the Business Council of Alabama, and raking in the donations when Hanson won just over 53 percent of the votes in the June 5 primary. According to Hanson, “she spent about $140,000 and I spent about $5.” 3. He’s not new to leadership Hanson was not only the founding member of his law firm, he also founded the Vestavia Hills Civitan Club, and the Trussville Civitan Club, where he served as president. He also served as president of the Center Point Chamber of Commerce, according to Birmingham Watch. 4. He’s the son of two educators Hanson is the youngest son of two educators, and his father served as superintendent on the local school board. He says he learned his strong work ethic from his father as he watched him serve his community through leadership, according to his campaign website. 5. He’s been married for 18 years and has two daughters Hanson has been married to the same woman for eighteen years, and they have two daughters together. The family attends Faith Community Fellowship church in Trussville.
BCA endorses Terri Thomas for Alabama Court of Civil Appeals Place 2
ProgressPAC — the political action committee of the Business Council of Alabama — on Monday announced their endorsement of Judge Terri Willingham Thomas in the Alabama Court of Civil Appeals Place 2 in the June 5 Republican primary. “Judge Thomas possesses qualities that businesses desire in members of the state’s highest courts,” ProgressPAC’s Chairman Mike Kemp said. “For this reason, ProgressPAC is proud to endorse Judge Thomas in the June 5 primary.” Kemp said the PAC’s board of directors voted to endorse Thomas because of her commitment to rulings that align with Alabama law. “The importance of electing judges who will rule according to the law cannot be understated,” Thomas said. “Given my experience as a judge at the state and local level, I believe I possess the knowledge, skills, and temperament necessary to continue serving the state of Alabama on an appellate bench.” Thomas, a native of Cullman, Ala., was first elected to the Court of Civil Appeals in 2006 and reelected in 2012. After graduating from law school, she began practicing law in Cullman was soon elected as a district and juvenile court judge in Cullman County, a position she held for a decade. She has also served as president of the Alabama Juvenile and Family Courts Judges Association from, was a Faculty member at the Alabama Judicial College, a member of Alabama’s Juvenile Code Revision Committee, the Judicial System Legislative Coordinating Council, the Standing Committee on Juvenile Procedure, and the Standing Committee on Rules of Conduct and Canons of Judicial Ethics. Thomas faces Chad Hanson in the June 5 Republican primary.
