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Alabama intermediate appellate court elections, 2026
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The terms of four Alabama intermediate appellate court judges will expire on January 18, 2027. The four seats are up for partisan election on November 3, 2026. A primary is scheduled for May 19, 2026. A primary runoff is scheduled for June 16, 2026.
Judges with expiring terms
- This is a list of the judges who must stand for partisan election in 2026 in order to remain on the bench. Judges may choose not to stand for election. The list is subject to change if judges retire or are appointed.
Alabama Court of Civil Appeals
Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals
■ J. Elizabeth Kellum
■ Mary Windom
Candidates and results
Note: The following list includes official candidates only. Ballotpedia defines official candidates as people who:
- Register with a federal or state campaign finance agency before the candidate filing deadline
- Appear on candidate lists released by government election agencies
Alabama Court of Civil Appeals
Ben Bowden's seat
There are no official candidates yet for this election.
General election
The general election will occur on November 3, 2026.
Matt Fridy's seat
There are no official candidates yet for this election.
General election
The general election will occur on November 3, 2026.
Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals
Mary Becker Windom's seat
There are no official candidates yet for this election.
General election
The general election will occur on November 3, 2026.
J. Elizabeth Kellum's seat
There are no official candidates yet for this election.
General election
The general election will occur on November 3, 2026.
Voting information
- See also: Voting in Alabama
Ballotpedia will publish the dates and deadlines related to this election as they are made available.
Court of Civil Appeals selection
The five judges on the Alabama Court of Civil Appeals are selected through partisan elections for six-year terms. They appear on partisan election ballots statewide and face re-election if they wish to serve again.[1][2] For more information about these elections, visit the Alabama judicial elections page.
Qualifications
To serve on this court, a judge must be:
- licensed to practice law for at least 10 years;
- a state resident for at least one year;
- under the age of 70 at the time of election (judges who turn 70 in office may serve until their terms expire).[3][4]
Chief judge
The chief judge of the court is the most senior judge and serves for an indefinite term.[2][1]
Vacancies
Should a vacancy occur between regularly scheduled elections, which take place in November of even-numbered years, an interim judge is appointed by the governor. Any judge appointed in this fashion must then stand for election in the next general election occurring at least one year after taking office.[2][5]
Court of Criminal Appeals selection
The five judges on the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals are selected through partisan elections for six-year terms. They appear on partisan election ballots statewide and face re-election if they wish to serve again.[2][6] For more information about these elections, visit the Alabama judicial elections page.
Qualifications
To serve on this court, a judge must be:
- licensed to practice law for at least 10 years;
- a state resident for at least one year;
- under the age of 70 at the time of election (judges who turn 70 in office may serve until their terms expire).[4][3]
Chief judge
The chief judge is selected by the members of the court and serves for an indefinite term.[6]
Vacancies
Should a vacancy occur between regularly scheduled elections, which take place in November of even-numbered years, an interim judge is appointed by the governor. Any judge appointed in this fashion must then stand for election in the next general election occurring at least one year after taking office.[2][5]
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Alabama Court of Civil Appeals, "About the Court," accessed March 23, 2023
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Alabama Judicial System, "Qualification of Judges," accessed March 23, 2023
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Judicial Retirement Laws, "Alabama: Mandatory Retirement Provisions Applicable Generally," 1999
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Alabama Secretary of State, "Minimum Qualifications for Public Office," accessed March 23, 2023
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Brennan Center for Justice, "Judicial Selection: An Interactive Map," accessed March 23, 2023
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals, "About the Court," accessed March 23, 2023
Federal courts:
Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Northern District of Alabama, Middle District of Alabama, Southern District of Alabama • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Northern District of Alabama, Middle District of Alabama, Southern District of Alabama
State courts:
Alabama Supreme Court • Alabama Court of Civil Appeals • Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals • Alabama Circuit Courts • Alabama District Courts • Alabama Juvenile Courts • Alabama Municipal Courts • Alabama Probate Courts • Alabama Small Claims Courts
State resources:
Courts in Alabama • Alabama judicial elections • Judicial selection in Alabama
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