Justice Sarah Stewart of the Alabama Supreme Court addressed the East Alabama Republican Assembly on Monday, June 26th of 2023 at their meeting in Opelika. Stewart is currently running for Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court and took the time to travel all the way from her home town of Mobile to speak with the EARA and answer their questions. After introducing herself and sharing highlights of her life's journey, Stewart provided a master class in describing at length the inner workings of the judicial system in Alabama. For those fortunate enough to be present for Stewart's brilliant presentation, it was a blessing of precious knowledge that they will carry with them for the rest of their lives.
During her address, Stewart emphasized how her experiences have shaped her values and the issues that she holds near and dear to her heart which include an appreciation for the many gifts of liberty that are enjoyed by citizens of what is still the greatest nation on earth. Honoring the sacrifices made by veterans is also a critical concern for Stewart as well as building strong relationships founded on trust with her constituents that are a cornerstone to a functioning republic. Transparency, honesty, integrity and accountability are core values that Stewart embraces for herself and every public servant that holds office under her watch. Journalism imbued with integrity is another quality that Stewart cherishes, giving her praise to the renowned Lagniappe newspaper based out of her home of Mobile which is widely respected for their independent reporting that speaks truth to power.
During an exclusive interview with the Examiner, Justice Stewart shared her keen insights in addressing some of the key concerns facing Lee County residents. In particular she elucidated on the complex nature of probate court judge offices in Alabama by explaining that although their salary is paid by the county in which they serve and they are not considered to be employees of the state, they are enrolled in the Retirement Systems of Alabama unlike other municipal judges. Questionable precedents set by the Lee County Commission such as giving both the current probate court judge and his predecessor hefty salary increases shortly before their retirement in order to ostensibly boost their benefits with the RSA have been a significant factor in causing havoc for the accounting processes of the Alabama Unified Judicial System.
Since probate court judges pay 8.5% of their salary into the RSA during the course of their career it is problematic for them to contribute at a lower rate for the bulk of their time in office, only to cash out upon retirement based on an inflated level of compensation pushed through at the end. This problematic practice by elected bodies such as the Lee County Commission creates budgetary shortfalls in the UJS where the difference is paid out of the entire court's general operating fund at the end of the probate court judge's career. Although the probate court judge's salary has been paid by their county commission for the duration of their tenure, the Lee County Commission finds a way to get themselves off the hook and leave the state's entire court system and by extension taxpayers at large footing the bill to provide a lavish retirement package for their rarified employee.
Justice Stewart also weighed in on the vital importance of citizen comments being included in the minutes and live streams of county commission meetings, as their absence would be antithetical to the virtues of representative government. Establishing a distinct office for county commission chairmen that is separate from the probate court judge position is also something that Stewart advocates for in densely populated areas such as Lee County. In her expert opinion, it is paramount that a probate court judge devote their full time and attention to their judicial duties without the demands and distractions of holding the executive office of a county commission chairman disrupting their core mission in the judiciary.
Conservative voters in Alabama can rest assured that Justice Sarah Stewart has been their voice on the state's Supreme Court heretofore and look forward to a bright future with her presiding as Chief Justice. In articulating her Judicial Values in a statement on her official website, Justice Stewart declares “I am humbled by and take seriously the faith Alabama citizens placed in me by electing me to the trial court bench three times and then to the highest court in our State in 2018. I work daily to ensure the law is applied justly and consistently. I have done my best to serve Alabama with honor and integrity and hope to have the privilege to continue to serve in the role as Chief Justice.” Her statement goes on to continue “It is important for a justice to have strongly developed judicial values. My record reflects my conservative approach to dispensing justice impartially, ensuring Alabama’s body of jurisprudence evolves in strict accordance with conservative principles. My work as a Justice speaks for itself - I will never legislate from the bench and I will always fiercely defend your constitutional rights.”
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