Longtime Tuscaloosa Circuit Judge Brad Almond Retires, Ivey Weighing Replacements

A Tuscaloosa County circuit judge who has overseen criminal and civil cases here for almost 20 years retired on Monday, and Governor Kay Ivey is looking at a trio of candidates who could replace him on the bench.

Almond was first appointed by former Governor Bob Riley in 2008, and his courtroom has seen several high-profile criminal cases and murder trials in those 17 years, including some that are still ongoing.

The slate of potential successors was created and submitted to Ivey by the nine-member Tuscaloosa County Judicial Commission. If Ivey chooses to appoint one of the three suggested judges, they will serve until the next circuit judge election cycle in 2028 and would need to run for the office at that time.

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Six attorneys applied for the seat, and the commission narrowed the field to three: John Baird, Chad Hobbs, and Corey Seale, who were chosen for their experience, character, and temperament, according to a press release announcing their nominations.

All three candidates are seeking judicial office for the first time, work in the public service sector of the law, and graduated from the University of Alabama School of Law.

"Baird, 41, was admitted to the practice of law in 2010. He is a Supervising Trial Attorney in the Tuscaloosa County Public Defender’s Office, where he has worked his entire career," the Commision wrote. "He has served in multiple leadership positions in the Tuscaloosa County Bar Association, and he has received multiple awards of merit for his work in the courtroom. He is a lifelong resident of Tuscaloosa County."

"Hobbs, 47, entered the practice of law in 2004. He is a Senior Associate City Attorney with the City of Tuscaloosa," they continued. "He has worked with Office of the City Attorney since 2020, and he worked with Rosen Harwood, P.A. from 2004 – 2020. He is licensed to practice law in Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee. Hobbs was raised in Baldwin County but has lived in Tuscaloosa since 2001."

"Seale, 36, began practicing law in 2016. She serves as a Senior Assistant District Attorney with the Tuscaloosa County District Attorney’s Office, where she has worked since 2018," they concluded. "From 2016 – 2018, she worked at Phelps, Jenkins, Gibson, and Fowler, LLP. She has served in leadership positions with multiple local and statewide legal organizations. She was raised in Marengo County but has lived in Tuscaloosa since 2008."

Ivey has 60 days to consider which, if any, of the three to appoint to the bench until 2028 - if she does not select from the submitted pool, the Commission will convene to decide how to proceed.

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