Impending vacancy on district court bench
attracts large pool of judicial hopefuls
By Chip Drago
Mobile Bay Times
Twenty-two Mobile attorneys are seeking to fill an impending vacancy on the Mobile County District Court bench.
With Mobile County District Judge Judson Wells announcing earlier his intention to retire from the bench at the end of the year, the local Judicial Selection Committee began the process of choosing three finalists for the position. Wells, 46, has spent 10 years on the bench. He decided to return to the private sector, joining the law firm of Carr Allison.
Their names will be submitted to Gov. Bob Riley who will make the appointment.
The deadline for submitting an application was noon Tuesday, Nov. 27.
The applicants are:
- Edward Blount, Jason Botop, Adam Bourne, Barbara Brown, Angela Cooper, Randy Crane and Duncan Crow;
- Glenn Davidson, Grady Edmondson, Karlos Finley, Jeff Glidewell, Matthew Green, Lars Granade and Carol Little;
- Melinda Maddox, Barney March, Martin Poynter, Ashley Rich, Bob Sherling, Ed Smeltzer, Richard Vollmer and John C. Williams.
The Judicial Selection Committee will interview the candidates over the next three weeks. Public comment on the applicants will also be open for three weeks. The schedule calls for the finalists to be determined Tuesday, Dec. 18. Members of the JSC are Presiding Circuit Judge Charlie Graddick, attorneys Ken Nixon and Billy Bedsole and lay members Freda Roberts and Sherry Moss.
An opening already exists on the circuit bench here following the resignation of Circuit Judge Herman Thomas. Riley is expected to choose a successor to Thomas soon from among the three finalists -- Crane, E.J. Saad and Michael Youngpeter.
