(a) The office of Court Administrator of the Twenty-third Judicial Circuit of Alabama is redefined as provided in this section. On May 10, 2012, but not less than five days thereafter, the presiding circuit judge of the Twenty-third Judicial Circuit shall nominate for appointment, subject to the approval of a majority vote of the circuit and district judges of the Twenty-third Judicial Circuit, a court administrator, who shall be a confidential employee of this state, subject to laws and rules of the Unified Judicial System of Alabama, and shall be supervised by the presiding circuit judge of the circuit. The court administrator and each confidential employee of the office of court administrator shall be compensated under the Unified Judicial System. The duties and responsibilities of the court administrator include, but are not limited to, all of the following:
(1) The court administrator shall work with the judges of the Twenty-third Judicial Circuit and the circuit court clerk to compile, obtain, and digest information concerning the administration of justice in the Twenty-third Judicial Circuit.
(2) The court administrator shall apply for and receive any grants or other assistance and coordinate and conduct studies and projects in connection with the improvement of the administration of justice in the Twenty-third Judicial Circuit.
(3) The court administrator shall carry on or assist in programs designed to aid the continuing legal and judicial education of judges, clerks, and other court personnel.
(4) The court administrator shall prepare and administer certain financial information necessary for accounting and procurement.
(5) The court administrator shall assist the judges in the Twenty-third Judicial Circuit in gathering information needed in the management of any pretrial release program in operation in Madison County.
(6) The court administrator shall manage the jury system.
(7) The court administrator shall prepare and submit to the court, at least annually, a report of the activities and the state of business of the court. This document shall be published by the court and shall include a description of innovations and modifications introduced to improve the court.
(b) Immediately upon the appointment of the court administrator, the court administrator may select three administrative, clerical, or other support personnel to serve in the court administrator’s office of the Twenty-third Judicial Circuit. All support personnel in the office of the court administrator shall serve as confidential employees pursuant to the laws and rules of the Unified Judicial System.
(c) All personnel of the office of Court Administrator of the Twenty-third Judicial Circuit, including the court administrator, shall be protected pursuant to the Madison County Preservation of Justice Act.
(d) The purposes of this section are to effect efficiency and economy in the operation of the courts of the Twenty-third Judicial Circuit of Alabama.
(e) Upon the appointment of a court administrator pursuant to subsection (a), the position of court administrator as provided before May 10, 2012, is abolished.
Last modified: May 3, 2021