Mobile County Judicial Commission Sets Timeline to Fill Circuit Court Vacancy, After Another Judge Resigns

Mobile, AL (BuzzReport) — The Mobile County Judicial Commission has announced a detailed timeline for filling a vacancy on the Mobile County Circuit Court following the resignation of Circuit Judge Michael Sherman.

According to a release issued March 24, the vacancy affects Place 9 on the Circuit Court. Under Alabama law, the Judicial Commission is tasked with overseeing the nomination process to fill the seat.

The application process is now underway. Individuals interested in the position can obtain application packets from Court Administration, located on the eighth floor of Mobile Government Plaza at 205 Government Street, Room 858. All completed applications must be submitted by April 23.

The commission will make the list of applicants public on April 24, initiating a public comment period that will remain open through May 11. This phase allows community members to provide input on the candidates under consideration.

Following a review of applications and public feedback, the commission is scheduled to meet on May 14 to select three finalists. Those nominees will then be submitted to Alabama Governor Kay Ivey, who will appoint one candidate to fill the vacancy.

Sherman’s resignation follows another recent judicial departure in Mobile County. District Court Judge Deborah Tillman stepped down on February 27. Tillman had been appointed to the bench in July 2025 by Governor Ivey.

The upcoming appointment marks the second judicial vacancy the governor will fill in Mobile County in recent months, highlighting a period of transition within the local court system.