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Bill Lewis
2025 - Present
2027
0
Bill Lewis (Republican Party) is a judge of the Alabama Supreme Court. He assumed office on May 20, 2025. His current term ends on January 18, 2027.
On September 2, 2025, President Donald Trump (R) nominated Lewis to the United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama.[1] As of September 2, 2025, Lewis was awaiting a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Click here for more information on Lewis' federal judicial nomination.
The United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama is one of 94 U.S. District Courts. They are the general trial courts of the United States federal courts. To learn more about the court, click here.
Lewis first became a member of the Alabama Supreme Court through gubernatorial appointment. Governor Kay Ivey (R) appointed Lewis to the seat vacated by Jay Mitchell. To learn more about this appointment, click here.[2]
Prior to serving on the Alabama Supreme Court, Lewis served on the Alabama Court of Civil Appeals. He was appointed to this position by Gov. Ivey in February 2024. He also previously served as a circuit court judge for the Alabama 19th Judicial Circuit.[2]
Judicial nominations and appointments
United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama
- See also: Federal judges nominated by Donald Trump
On September 2, 2025, President Donald Trump (R) nominated Lewis to the United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama.[1] To read more about the federal nominations process, click here.
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| Nominee Information |
| Name: Bill Lewis |
| Court: [[United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama]] |
| Progress |
| 9 days since nomination. |
 Nominated: September 2, 2025
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 ABA Rating:
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| Questionnaire: |
| Hearing:
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| QFRs: (Hover over QFRs to read more) |
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Nomination
On August 13, 2025, President Donald Trump (R) announced his intent to nominate Lewis to the United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama. The president officially nominated Lewis on September 2, 2025. Click here for a list of other nominees who have been nominated by President Donald Trump.
Lewis was nominated to replace Judge Andrew Brasher, who was elevated to the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit on June 30, 2020.[3]
Alabama Supreme Court
On May 20, 2025, Governor Kay Ivey (R) appointed Bill Lewis to the Alabama Supreme Court.[2] Lewis replaces Justice Jay Mitchell, who retired on May 19, 2025. Mitchell resigned to focus on his campaign for Alabama Attorney General, which is scheduled for election in November 2026.[4] Lewis is Gov. Ivey's fourth nominee to the nine-member supreme court.
In Alabama, state supreme court justices are elected in partisan elections. There are eight states that use this selection method. To read more about the partisan election of judges, click here.
Should a vacancy occur between regularly scheduled elections, which take place in November of even-numbered years, an interim justice is appointed by the governor. Any justice appointed in this fashion must then stand for election in the next general election occurring at least one year after taking office.[5]
Biography
Lewis obtained a B.A. from The University of the South and a J.D. from Cumberland School of Law.[6]
Lewis was senior counsel at his own law firm, the Law Office of Bill Lewis, LLC. His professional experience also includes work as a prosecutor and as an indigent defender for the Elmore County District Court.[6]
Lewis has served as president and secretary of the Elmore County Bar Association, as a member of the Federal Criminal Justice Act Panel, and on the boards of directors of the River Region United Way, the Elmore County Community Foundation, and the Wetumpka Chamber of Commerce.[6]
About the court
The Middle District of Alabama has original jurisdiction over cases filed within its jurisdiction. These cases can include civil and criminal matters that fall under federal law.
There are three court divisions, each covering the following counties:
The Eastern Division, covering Chambers, Lee, Macon, Randolph, Russell, and Tallapoosa counties.
The Northern Division, covering Autauga, Barbour, Bullock, Butler, Chilton, Coosa, Covington, Crenshaw, Elmore, Lowndes, Montgomery, and Pike counties.
The Southern Division, covering Coffee, Dale, Geneva, Henry, and Houston counties.
State supreme court judicial selection in Alabama
- See also: Judicial selection in Alabama
The nine justices on the Alabama Supreme Court 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.[5] 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).[7][8]
Chief justice
The chief justice of the court is selected by popular vote, serving in that office for his or her full six-year term.[5][9]
Vacancies
Should a vacancy occur between regularly scheduled elections, which take place in November of even-numbered years, an interim justice is appointed by the governor. Any justice appointed in this fashion must then stand for election in the next general election occurring at least one year after taking office.[5][10]
The map below highlights how vacancies are filled in state supreme courts across the country.
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 The White House, "Nominations Sent to the Senate," accessed September 9, 2025
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Office of the Governor, "Governor Ivey Appoints Judge Bill Lewis to Serve on Supreme Court of Alabama," May 20, 2025 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "appt" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ Federal Judicial Center, "Brasher, Andrew Lynn," accessed July 7, 2020
- ↑ Alabama.com, "Alabama Supreme Court justice resigning to run for another office in 2026," May 19, 2025
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Alabama Judicial System, "Qualification of Judges," accessed March 23, 2023
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Law Office of Bill Lewis, LLC, "Attorneys," accessed October 14, 2016
- ↑ Judicial Retirement Laws, "Alabama: Mandatory Retirement Provisions Applicable Generally," accessed August 10, 2021
- ↑ Alabama Secretary of State, "Minimum Qualifications for Public Office," accessed March 23, 2023
- ↑ Justia, "Article VI, Alabama Constitution - Section 152," accessed March 23, 2023
- ↑ Brennan Center for Justice, "Judicial Selection: An Interactive Map," 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
