Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals

The Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals is one of two appellate courts in the Alabama judicial system. The court was established in 1969 when what had been one unitary state Court of Appeals was broken into a criminal appeals court and a civil appeals court. The unified Court of Appeals had been operative since 1911. The court is currently housed in the Alabama Judicial Building in Montgomery, Alabama.

The court is composed of five judges, one of whom is elected by the members of the court to serve as presiding judge. The Court of Criminal Appeals hears all appeals of felony and misdemeanor cases, including violations of city ordinances and all post-conviction writs in criminal cases.

The Clerk of the Court is D. Scott Mitchell.

The Court of Criminal Appeals hears appeals on cases that have been decided at the Circuit Court level (of which there are 40 in the state). The five judges that sit on the Court of Criminal Appeals hear all criminal appeals including felony cases, convictions involving misdemeanors, and violations of multiple ordinances.

Judges are usually elected to the court in statewide partisan elections for six-year terms on the court. However, the Governor has the power to fill court vacancies when they occur, usually due to death, resignation or elevation to a higher court by one of its members. The two newest members of the court were appointed under such circumstances. Michael Joiner, the Presiding Circuit Judge in Shelby County was appointed to the court on February 7, 2011, by Governor Robert J. Bentley, to fill the remainder of the term of James Allen Main. Justice Main was appointed to the Alabama Supreme Court by Governor Bob Riley in January, 2011. Judge Joiner was elected to the remainder of that term on November 6, 2012 and will be eligible for a six-year term in 2014.

Governor Bentley also appointed Marshall County District Judge Liles C. Burke to the court on February 16, 2011, to fill the remainder of Justice Kelli Wise' term. Justice Wise was elected to the Alabama Supreme Court in November 2010. Judge Burke was elected to a full six-year term on November 6, 2012.

To serve on the court, a person must:

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