Jacquelyn L. "Lyn" Stuart (born September 23, 1955)[1] is an American jurist and the first Republican woman Chief Justice of Alabama and the second woman to hold the office. She was first appointed by Alabama Governor Kay Ivey as "acting" Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Alabama on May 6, 2016, when her predecessor, Roy Moore, was suspended from office.[2] At the time of her initial appointment, she had been an associate justice of the Alabama Supreme Court since 2001, which was the longest tenure for any Republican in the Court's history. She had been thrice elected as an associate justice in 2000, 2006, and 2012.

Lyn Stuart
32nd Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court
In office
May 6, 2016 – January 11, 2019
Acting: May 6, 2016 – April 26, 2017
Appointed byKay Ivey
Preceded byRoy Moore
Succeeded byTom Parker
Personal details
Born (1955-09-23) September 23, 1955 (age 68)
Atmore, Alabama, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
SpouseGeorge Stuart
Children3
EducationAuburn University (BA)
University of Alabama,
Tuscaloosa
(JD)
WebsiteOfficial website

In September 2016, Moore's suspension was made permanent, and he resigned in April 2017.[3][4] Upon Moore's actual resignation she was named by Governor Ivey as chief justice on April 26, 2017, without the "acting" title. She sought election to a full six-year term in the Republican Primary on June 5, 2018. However, she lost the Republican nomination for Chief Justice by a relatively narrow 18,826 votes out of more than 514,000 cast. This translated to a percentage 52%-48% loss to Associate Justice Tom Parker.[5]

Background edit

Born in Atmore, Alabama, she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology and education from Auburn University in 1977 and her Juris Doctor degree from the University of Alabama School of Law in 1980.[2] She served as secretary of the Student Bar Association, was a member of the John A. Campbell Moot Court Board, and received the Dean's Service Award at graduation.[2] She served as an Alabama Assistant Attorney General under Charles Graddick. In 1988 and 1994 she was elected as a District Court Judge in Baldwin County, Alabama. In January 1997, she was appointed as a Circuit Judge by Governor Fob James and re-elected without opposition in 1998. She resigned as a Circuit Judge upon her election to the Alabama Supreme Court.

Stuart and her husband, George, have two sons and a daughter.[6]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Who's Who in American Law, 2005-2006. Marquis Who's Who. 2005. p. 1032.
  2. ^ a b c "Lyn Stuart". Judicial.alabama.gov. Retrieved August 29, 2013.
  3. ^ "The Voter's Self Defense System". Vote Smart. Retrieved 1 September 2017.
  4. ^ "Lyn Stuart - Ballotpedia". Judgepedia.org. Retrieved September 1, 2017.
  5. ^ Alabama Secretary of State, election results, June 5, 2018
  6. ^ "Alabama Unified Judicial System -- judicial.alabama.gov". Judicial.alabama.gov. Retrieved September 1, 2017.

External links edit

Legal offices
Preceded by Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court
2016–2019
Acting: 2016–2017
Succeeded by