Don Blankenship (Alabama)
Don Blankenship was a judge of the Alabama 10th Judicial Circuit Place 6. He left office on January 20, 2025.
Blankenship (Democratic Party) ran for re-election for judge of the Alabama 10th Judicial Circuit Place 6. He won in the general election on November 6, 2018.
Blankenship was first elected to the court in 2012.
Biography
Blankenship received his undergraduate degree from Samford University in 1978, his master's degree in 1982, and his J.D. from Miles Law School in 1989.[1] Below is a summary of Blankenship's professional experience.
- 2013-present: Judge, Alabama 10th Judicial Circuit
- 1994-2013: Attorney, Blankenship & Company
- 1990-1994: Attorney, Waldrep, Stewart, and Kendrick Law Firm
- 1981-1990: Various positions with the City of Birmingham[1]
Elections
2018
General election
General election for Alabama 10th Judicial Circuit Place 6
Incumbent Don Blankenship won election in the general election for Alabama 10th Judicial Circuit Place 6 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Don Blankenship (D) | 97.2 | 156,362 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 2.8 | 4,518 | ||
| Total votes: 160,880 (100.00% precincts reporting) | |||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Alabama 10th Judicial Circuit Place 6
Incumbent Don Blankenship advanced from the Democratic primary for Alabama 10th Judicial Circuit Place 6 on June 5, 2018.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ | Don Blankenship | |
| ||||
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Selection method
- See also: Partisan elections
There are 144 judges on the Alabama Circuit Courts, each elected to six-year terms. They appear on partisan election ballots statewide and must face re-election if they wish to serve again. The chief judge of a circuit court is selected by peer vote and serves a three-year term.[2]
Only voters residing in a particular circuit may vote for the circuit judge of that region.[2]
Qualifications
To serve on this court, a judge must be:
- licensed to practice law for at least five years;
- a resident of his or her circuit 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 term expires)[2][3]
2012
- See also: Alabama judicial elections, 2012
Blankenship defeated David Lawrence Faulkner in the general election on November 6, winning 53.59 percent of the vote.[4][5]
Birmingham Bar Association ratings
In October, the Birmingham Bar Association compiled results of its Judicial Primary Qualifications Poll. 687 members of the association participated in the poll, though all members did not participate in each evaluation. Below are the candidate's results.[6]
- Highly Qualified: 12%
- Qualified: 18%
- Not Qualified: 11%
- Unknown: 60%
See also
- Courts in Alabama
- Local trial court judicial elections, 2018
- Municipal elections in Jefferson County, Alabama (2018)
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Don Blankenship for Circuit Court Judge campaign website, About
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Alabama," archived October 2, 2014
- ↑ Judicial Retirement Laws, "Alabama: Mandatory Retirement Provisions Applicable Generally," accessed March 31, 2016
- ↑ Alabama Secretary of State, "Certified 2012 General Election Results," February 21, 2013
- ↑ Alabama Secretary of State, "Democratic Primary Candidates," January 20, 2012
- ↑ Birmingham Bar Association, "Birmingham Bar Association Releases Judicial Candidate Qualifications Poll Results," October 9, 2012
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
