Governor to name new district judge

By Staff
Clif Knight, Hartselle Enquirer
Governor Bob Riley has received the recommendations of the Morgan County Republican Party Executive Committee for the appointment of a third Morgan County District Judge.
Eleven candidates have submitted applications for the position and the GOP committee chose to recommend four of them. Those recommended are Assistant District Attorneys Wesley Lavender and Brent Craig and attorneys Jon Sedlak and Charles Langham.
The other candidates are Assistant District Attorney Paul Matthews and attorneys Jerry Knight, Tom Di Giulian, Richard Sparkman, Britt Cauthen, Tim Kyle and Huel Harris.
Both Langham and Matthews were unsuccessful candidates for the district judgeship vacated by retired Judge David Bibb in 2006. Shelly Waters won that race and is presently serving in the office.
While it is normal procedure for political party committees to submit recommendations to the governor for appointments to vacant local offices, the final decision is in his hands.
All 11 candidates were interviewed recently by a GOP committee panel consisting of Clay Marlow, committee chairman, John Mays, vice chairman, Julie Clausen, secretary, Jim O’Hara, treasurer and Bill Wood, chairman of the 4th Congressional District.
Wood said he expects Governor Riley will conduct personal interviews with all four of the candidates in the near future.
The new judgeship was approved by the state legislature in 2000 under a bill sponsored by State Representative Bill Dukes of Decatur. Funding was approved recently as a result of work done by Senator Arthur Orr.
It will cost about $270,00 a year to operate the office, with the judge to receive a salary of $114,892.30.