By William C. Singleton III
Journal Contributor
Over the Mountain residents will go to the polls Nov. 6 to select a congressional representative for District 6, various judges to serve Jefferson County’s judicial circuit and a probate judge, circuit clerk and county treasurer.
Here is a list of races that will appear on the Nov. 6 ballot and some information on candidates vying for those positions.
U.S. Representative Congressional District 6
Republican incumbent U.S. Rep. Spencer Bachus faces Democrat Penny “Colonel” Bailey in the U.S. Representative Congressional District 6 race.
Bachus has served in Congress since 1993. He is the senior member of the Alabama U.S. House delegation and chairs the House Financial Services Committee. Bachus is a graduate of Auburn University and the University of Alabama School of Law. He and his wife, Linda, have five children and six grandchildren. Bachus is a Vestavia Hills resident. For more information on Bachus, visit www.spencerbachus.com.
Bailey is the Democratic nominee but considers herself a fiscal conservative and favors a strict interpretation of the Constitution. Bailey served in the U.S. Air Force for 24 years before retiring as a colonel in 2007. She received her bachelor’s degree in history from Samford University. Bailey and her husband, Air Force Col. J.D. Bailey II, have three adult children. She is a Birmingham resident. For more information on Bailey, visit www.pennyforcongress.com.
10th Judicial Circuit Court Judge Place 6
Republican David Faulkner is being challenged by Democrat Don Blankenship for the 10th Judicial Court Judge Place 6 seat.
Faulkner has practiced law for 17 years, focusing on civil and business-related cases. He is a partner at the law firm of Christian & Small, L.L.P. in Birmingham. He is the general counsel for the Mountain Brook Chamber of Commerce. Faulkner graduated from the University of Alabama and received his law degree there also. He and his wife, Nancy, have three children. Faulkner is a resident of Mountain Brook. For more information on Faulkner, visit www.electdavidfaulkner.com.
Blankenship is an attorney who has specialized in land use, real property, probate and civil litigation for 22 years. He has served as city planner, senior city planner and zoning administrator and administrative assistant to the mayor of Birmingham. Blankenship graduated from Samford University and the University of Alabama at Birmingham with bachelor’s and master’s degrees. He is also a graduate of Miles College School of Law. He is married to Rose Marie. He has two adult children. Blankenship is a Gardendale resident. For more information on Blankenship, visit www.blankenshipforjudge.com.
10th Judicial Circuit Court Judge Place 7
Voters will have to decide between Republican J. William “Bill” Cole and Democrat Tracie Todd when they go to the polls to vote in the 10th Judicial Circuit Court Judge Place 7 race.
Cole has served as the Place 7 judge since 2005. Prior to his time on the bench, he was in private practice with Luker, Cole & Associates. He also served as a municipal court judge in Morris. Cole graduated from Vanderbilt University and the University of Alabama School of Law. Cole and his wife, Kelli, have four children. He is a resident of Mountain Brook. For more information on Cole, visit www.judgebillcole.com.
Todd currently serves as a special municipal judge for the city of Birmingham. She is a former deputy district attorney who led juvenile, misdemeanor and felony prosecutions. Todd graduated from Dillard University and from the University of Alabama School of Law and completed a study abroad at the Australian National University College of Law. For more information on Todd, visit www.judgetodd.com.
10th Judicial Circuit Court Judge Place 9
Republican Bobby Lott faces off with Democrat Jim Hughey III in the race for 10th Judicial Circuit Court Judge Place 9.
Lott serves as a municipal judge for the city of Gardendale and as an administrative law judge for the state Department of Education. He is a member of the Birmingham Bar Association’s Solo/Small Firm and Future Leaders sections, the Christian Legal Society and the National Association of Subrogation Professionals. He graduated from the University of Alabama, from the University of Alabama at Birmingham with an MBA and from Birmingham School of Law. He lives with his wife, Kathy, in Gardendale. For more information on Lott, visit www.electjudgebobbylott.com.
Hughey has practiced civil litigation with Lightfoot, Franklin & White since 1998. He has served on various boards of directors, including the Downtown YMCA and the University of Alabama Center for Ethics and Social Responsibility. Hughey graduated from Vanderbilt University and from the University of Alabama School of Law, where he was editor-in-chief of the Alabama Law Review. Hughey and his wife have three children. He is a Birmingham resident. For more information on Hughey, visit www.jimhughey.com.
10th Judicial Circuit Court Place 13
Voters casting their ballots in the 10th Judicial Circuit Court Place 13 race will have to choose between Republican Pat Thetford and Democrat Carole Smitherman.
Thetford is a civil litigator for the law firm of Wade S. Anderson and Associates and staff counsel for State Farm Automobile Insurance Company. He has tried nearly 75 civil litigation cases. Thetford was named as a finalist to complete the remaining two years of Jefferson County Circuit Court Judge G. William Noble’s term. Gov. Bob Riley chose Judge Nicole “Nikki” Still to fill Noble’s unexpired term. Thetford graduated from the University of Alabama, from the University of Alabama at Birmingham with an MBA and from Samford University’s Cumberland School of Law. He and his wife, Mary, have two sons. Thetford is a resident of Mountain Brook. For more information on Thetford, visit www.electpatthetford.org.
Smitherman is in her third term on the Birmingham City Council and has served as the council president and briefly as mayor. She has worked in the district attorney’s office, as a circuit court judge and operates a private law practice with her husband, State Sen. Rodger Smitherman. Smitherman graduated from Spellman College and from Miles College School of Law. She and her husband have five children. Smitherman is a Birmingham resident. For more information on Smitherman, visit www.facebook.com/pages/Carole-Smitherman.
10th Judicial Circuit Court Place 15
Republican incumbent Suzanne Childers is being challenged in the 10th Judicial Circuit Court Place 15 race by Democrat Patricia Ann Stephens.
Childers was elected to her judicial position in 2006. Prior to her service as a judge with the domestic relations court, Childers served as Guin Municipal Court judge and practiced law with a focus on divorce law. She graduated from the University of Alabama and Birmingham School of Law. She has one adult daughter. Childers and her husband, David, live in Birmingham. For more information on Childers, visit www.reelectjudgesuzannechilders.com.
Stephens is an attorney with McMath Law Firm. She served as a deputy district attorney for eight years and as lead prosecutor in capital murder, rape, robbery and child sex abuse cases. She graduated from Auburn University and Miles College School of Law. She lives in Fultondale and has two adult sons. For more information on Stephens, visit www.stephensforjudge2012.com.
10th Judicial Circuit Court Place 18
Voters casting their ballots for 10th Judicial Circuit Court Place 18 will have to decide between incumbent Republican Brian Huff and Democratic challenger Raymond Pearson Chambliss.
Huff was elected to his judicial position in 2006. He was appointed to the position in 2005. He is currently the presiding judge for Jefferson County Family Court. He also serves as the president of the Alabama Juvenile Judges’ Association, chairman of the Jefferson County Children’s Policy Council and on several boards of directors for children’s causes. He graduated from the University of Alabama and Birmingham School of Law. Huff is a Birmingham resident. For more information on Huff, visit www.judgehuff.com.
Chambliss is a private practice attorney. He previously served as a Birmingham Municipal Court judge for 15 years, eight of those as presiding judge. He also served as a deputy district attorney and lawyer for Legal Aid in the Jefferson County Family Court. Chambliss graduated from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and Miles College School of Law. Chambliss is a Birmingham resident. Chambliss does not have a website,
10th Judicial Circuit Court Place 27
Republican Jim Neill is challenging Democratic incumbent Virginia Vinson in the 10th Judicial Circuit Court Place 27 race.
Neill is a deputy district attorney with Jefferson County and a former Hoover police officer and sergeant and served as a police officer with the University of Alabama. He has tried hundreds of criminal cases in his 12 years as deputy district attorney. Neill graduated from the University of Alabama and Birmingham School of Law. He and his wife, Janie, have two sons. He is a Hoover resident. For more information on Neill, visit www.electjimneill.com.
Vinson is running for her third term as circuit judge for Place 27. Vinson presides over all aspects of felony jury trials and also is presiding judge over the Jefferson County Mental Health Court. Vinson had 20 years as a practicing attorney before she joined the bench. She graduated from Samford University and Birmingham School of Law. She is a Trussville resident. For more information on Vinson, visit www.judgevirginiavinson.com.
10th Judicial Circuit Court Place 3
Voters will choose between Republican W. Davis Lawley Jr. and Carnella Green Norman when they cast their ballots for 10th Judicial Circuit Court Place 3.
Lawley has 23 years of legal experience, having served as presiding judge for the Jefferson County Drug Court. He also served as special circuit judge for various courts in the 10th Judicial Circuit. Lawley served as an assistant district attorney who headed the North Alabama Arson Task Force and as a member of the North Alabama Drug Task Force. He graduated from Hampden-Sydney College and the Washington University School of Law. He is a Birmingham resident. Lawley does not have a website.
Norman is a private practice attorney and mediator. She served as Birmingham Municipal Court judge for 11 years. She graduated from Birmingham-Southern College and Miles College School of Law. She also studied at the University of Nevada at Reno’s National Judicial College and Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy’s School of Government. Norman is a Birmingham resident. For more information on Norman, visit www.facebook.com/carnella.norman.
10th Judicial Circuit Court Place 6
Republican Gloria Bahakel is challenging Democratic incumbent Katrina Ross for the 10th Judicial Court Place 6 seat.
Bahakel served as a circuit court judge in the criminal division for 12 years before losing a re-election bid in 2010. She has presided over hundreds of criminal cases, including death penalty cases. She is currently in private practice with Bahakel and Bahakel. She graduated from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and Birmingham School of Law. She is a Birmingham resident. For more about Bahakel, visit www.gloriabahakel.com.
Ross was elected as District Court Judge Place 6 in 2006. As judge, she handles specialty domestic violence cases. She is the first woman to sit as a District Court Judge in the Criminal Division. She also served in Family Court and in the District Court Criminal Division as a Special Judge. Ross graduated from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and Miles College Law School. She is a Birmingham resident. For more information on Ross, visit www.judgeKatrinaRoss.com.
Jefferson County Probate Judge Place 2
Voters will have to decide between Republican challenger Ginger McCord Barbee and Democratic incumbent Sherri Coleman Friday in the election for Jefferson County Probate Judge Place 2.
Barbee has practiced law for 15 years and has focused on defending the indigent, mentally ill and those with substance abuse problems. She served as a civics and special education teacher before she entered the legal profession. Barbee graduated from the University of Alabama, the University of Northern Colorado and Birmingham School of Law. Barbee and her husband, Ron, have two children. She is a Trussville resident. For more information on Barbee, visit www.gingerbarbee.com.
Friday was elected to the Jefferson County Probate Judge Place 2 position in 2006. Prior to her term on the bench, she practiced for 18 years with the law firm of Coleman and Friday. She specialized in divorce law with experience also in bankruptcy, probate, personal injury, worker’s compensation and commercial litigation. Friday graduated from the University of Alabama and Samford University’s Cumberland School of Law. She is a Mountain Brook resident. For more information on Friday, visit www.sherrifriday.com.
Jefferson County Circuit Clerk
Republican Jerry Bahakel is challenging Democratic incumbent Anne-Marie Adams for the Jefferson County Circuit Clerk position.
Bahakel unsuccessfully challenged Adams for the circuit clerk position in 2006. He is currently a law clerk with Bahakel and Bahakel. He was formerly a county sheriff’s deputy and Birmingham police officer. He graduated from Jefferson State Community College, Samford University and Birmingham School of Law. He lives in Vestavia Hills. Bahakel does not have a website.
Adams was elected circuit clerk in 2000 and 2006. She served as executive director to the Alabama Supreme Court for 13 years and prior to that served as secretary and paralegal for the law firm of Adams, Baker & Clemon. Adams attended Xavier University and the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Adams does not have a website.
Jefferson County Treasurer
The ballot for Jefferson County Treasurer will look familiar to some voters, as Republican incumbent Jennifer Parsons Champion is once again being challenged by Democrat Mike Miles.
Champion defeated Miles in the 2008 Democratic primary. She went on to defeat the then-appointed incumbent Ken Gormany in the general election. Champion served as a paralegal with the law firm of Waldrep, Stewart and Kendrick. For more information on Champion, visit www.jenniferparsonschampion.com.
