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Steps taken for cases to be heard The Alabama Administrative Office of Courts and local court officials have taken steps to ensure that the many civil and criminal cases on the dockets in the First Judicial Circuit will still be heard despite the suspension of Judge Stuart DuBose. DuBose is one of two judges in the circuit. Along with Judge Thomas Baxter, he was responsible for circuit court cases in Choctaw, Clarke and Washington counties. His suspension on charges of ethical misconduct puts him off the bench until his guilt or innocence is resolved. Monday, retired Circuit Judge Harold Crow was on the bench in Judge DuBose's courtroom at the Clarke County Courthouse in Grove Hill, calling the docket and handling other routine cases. He also handled Judge Tom Baxter's docket call since Baxter was still involved in a civil trial that had carried over from the previous week. There are three retired circuit judges in the First Judicial Circuit eligible to hear cases- Crow and Hardie Kimbrough, both of Thomasville and Richmond Pearson of Leroy. Lee McPhearson of Butler is also a former judge but stepped down before becoming eligible to draw retirement benefits and is therefore not eligible to hear cases. All the district judges in the First Judicial Circuit have been authorized to hear circuit court matters. These judges are Bill Kimbrough of Clarke County, Pedro Scurlock of Choctaw County and Jerry Turner of Washington County.
In addition, Circuit Judge Dawn Hare of Monroe County, District Judge Wade Drinkard of Marengo County and retired Circuit Judge Braxton Kittrell of Mobile County have been mentioned as possible fill-ins.
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