Supreme Court of Alabama

The Supreme Court of Alabama is the highest court in Alabama. Its justices are chosen by partisan election. This page lists every justice to serve on the court, current and former, with when they joined the bench and whom they succeeded.

Current bench verified against the court’s official roster, 2026-07-02.

Current justices

• SSChief JusticeSarah H. Stewart2019
• GS Greg Shaw2009
• AW Alisa K. Wise2011
• TB Tommy E. Bryan2013
• WS William B. Sellers2017
• BM Brady E. Mendheim Jr.2018
• GC Greg Cook2023
• CM Chris McCool2025
• WP Will Parker2025

Former justices

Justice	Years
JMJames Allen Main	2011
CMChuck Malone	2011–2013
Sue Bell Cobb	2007–2011
GMGlenn Murdock	2007
MBMichael F. Bolin	2005
TPTom Parker	2005
PSPatricia M. Smith	2005–2011
DNDrayton Nabers	2004–2007
RHR. Bernard Harwood Jr.	2001–2007
Roy S. Moore	2001–2003
LSLyn Stuart	2001
TWTom Woodall	2000–2012
JBJean Brown	1999–2005
JEJohn Henry England Jr.	1999–2001
DJDouglas I. Johnstone	1999–2005
CLChamp Lyons	1998–2011
HSHarold See	1997–2009
Perry O. Hooper Sr.	1996–2000
TBTerry L. Butts	1995–1998
RCRalph D. Cook	1993–2001
KIKenneth F. Ingram	1991–1997
EHErmest C. Hornsby	1989–1995
MKMark Kennedy	1989–1999
HSHenry B. Steagall II	1986–1995
JHJ. Gorman Houston Jr.	1985–2005
OAOscar W. Adams Jr.	1980–1993
CTClement Clay Torbert Jr.	1977–1989
SBSamuel A. Beatty	1976–1989
RAReneau P. Almon	1975–1999
TET. Eric Embry	1975–1985
JSJanie L. Shores	1975–1999
JFJames H. Faulkner	1972–1986
RJRichard L. Jones	1972–1991
OSOrmond Somerville Jr.	1972–1972
HHHowell T. Heflin	1971–1977
AMAlva Hugh Maddox	1969–2001
DMDaniel T. McCall Jr.	1969–1975
JBJames N. Bloodworth	1968–1980
JKJohn B. Kohn	1968–1968
RHRobert B. Harwood	1962–1975
JCJames S. Coleman	1957–1975
NSNorman T. Spann	1956–1957
JMJames J. Mayfield	1954–1956
PCPreston C. Clayton	1953–1954
PMPelham J. Merrill	1953–1976
JGJohn L. Goodwyn	1951–1968
RSRobert Tennent Simpson Jr.	1944–1972
DSDavis F. Stakely	1943–1962
TLThomas S. Lawson	1942–1972
JLJ. Edwin Livingston	1940–1971
TKThomas Edmund Knight	1931–1943
AFArthur B. Foster	1928–1953
JBJoel B. Brown	1927–1953
VBVirgil Bouldin	1923–1944
BMBenjamin M. Miller	1921–1927
WTWilliam H. Thomas	1915–1945
LGLucien D. Gardner	1914–1951
JMJ. J. Mayfield	1909–1920
ASAnthony D. Sayre	1909–1931
JAJohn Crawford Anderson	1904–1940
RSRober Tennent Simpson	1904–1912
HSHenry A. Sharpe	1898–1904
TMThomas N. McClellan	1889–1923
HSHenderson M. Somerville	1880–1890
RBRobert C. Brickell	1873–1884
Thomas M. Peters	1868–1874
BSBenjamin F. Safford	1868–1874
SRSamuel F. Rice	1853–1859
JPJohn D. Phelan	1852–1854
SPSimon L. Perry	1828–1831

How a justice reaches this court. Justices of the Supreme Court of Alabama are chosen in partisan elections to 6-year terms. Midterm vacancies are filled by gubernatorial appointment until the next general election. Selection methods vary by jurisdiction and have changed over time; this page reflects the court’s current method (source: National Center for State Courts). Open any justice to see their tenure and whom they succeeded.

Source: Current roster: Alabama Judicial System — Supreme Court (judicial.alabama.gov) and CourtListener / Free Law Project (bulk data); selection method from the National Center for State Courts. Data as of 2026-07-02 (official roster); historical bench 2026-03-31 (CourtListener bulk snapshot). Verify against the primary source before relying. Not a consumer report (FCRA).