Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley has appointed District Judge Scott Taylor to a Baldwin County circuit court vacancy, elevating him from the district bench effective June 22 and setting off a new round of judicial changes in the county.
Taylor will move into the circuit judgeship left open after longtime Judge Robert Wilters announced his retirement, effective this month. Wilters is not stepping away from public service altogether; he has said he plans to run for Baldwin County district attorney in the March 2016 primary, challenging incumbent Hallie Dixon.
Taylor had been one of three finalists under consideration for the circuit court seat, alongside Fairhope attorney Clark Stankoski and Daphne attorney William “Bill” Scully Jr. Under Alabama’s process for filling judicial vacancies, a nominating commission reviews interested candidates and forwards a list of names to the governor, who then has 30 days from receiving that list to make a final selection.
As a circuit court judge, Taylor will not simply keep the post indefinitely by appointment. He will be required to run for election to the seat next year, giving Baldwin County voters the chance to weigh in on his tenure at the ballot box.
Taylor’s move up to circuit court creates a new vacancy on the district court bench, where he had served as judge for Place 1. That opening is expected to trigger the same nominating commission process, with a new slate of candidates eventually presented to the governor for consideration.
The shuffle reflects the kind of ripple effect common in smaller judicial circuits, where a single retirement can prompt a chain of appointments and, eventually, new elections. Baldwin County’s circuit and district courts handle a broad range of civil, criminal and family matters for one of the fastest-growing counties in the state, making judicial appointments closely watched by the local legal community.
Local attorneys said they expect the district court vacancy left by Taylor’s promotion to draw interest quickly, given the relatively steady caseload and the visibility that comes with serving on the Baldwin County bench.