Montgomery, AL – The Alabama Legislature has passed a bill to set minimum experience requirements for judges.
The House gave final approval Thursday to a bill that requires a state appeals court judge to have been a lawyer for at least 10 years. Circuit judges would need five years' experience and district judges three years. The requirements will take effect for judicial candidates in next year's elections. Current judges are exempt.
The Alabama State Bar pushed the bill along with Republican Rep. Paul DeMarco of Homewood and Democratic Sen. Roger Bedford of Russellville. Bedford said Friday the bill will help improve the quality of judges in Alabama.
There are currently no experience requirements for judges in the state.
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