MUMBLINGS August 17, 2006

America is a country with more legal litigation than any other in the world, or so we are told. At least we have plenty of lawyers to go around. Baldwin has 253 and Mobile has over 1100.

Alabama has five law schools, turning out new lawyers at the rate of 400 to 500 a year. The oldest and biggest is the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. Others are Samford University, Birmingham School of Law and Miles College all located in Birmingham. The one farthest south is Faulkner University’s Jones School of Law in Montgomery. All except Birmingham School of Law and Miles College are ABA accredited, which is the highest recognition for law schools.

In 1937, I was a twenty-one year old Editor and Publisher of the Baldwin Times. It is the oldest continuous business institution in the county and at that time, the widest circulation of the only three papers in the county. It included the Foley Onlooker and the Fairhope Courier.

At the time, legal ads were important financial help to newspapers, particularly weekly. I discovered that the attorneys in Baldwin did not have a bar association and we thought it might be wise to help organize one. This I did.

At the time there were fewer than ten. Arrangements were made to feed them at Spanish Fort, where there was a nice restaurant and motel. Having heard that lawyers sometime took a drink, it occurred to me that I needed to make it possible for them to have something to drink.

Not knowing anything about whiskey, I asked J.B Blackburn to name a kind. He said Old Forester in a 5th will be enough. I had to send out of town to get it. Incidentally, the 5th of Old Forester for the seven present was sufficient.

Among the county attorneys then were Blackburn, John Chason, Judge Hawkins, Hubert Hall, W.C Beebe all of Bay Minette and Foley and Fairhope had one each.

Mr. Charlie Hibart was a partner of Chason but lived in Monroeville, which was a part of the 28th judicial circuit, which included Monroe, Escambia, Conecuh and Baldwin Counties. The law was changed in 1947 creating the 21st judicial circuit for Baldwin County. Judge Hare was the judge for all four counties and Ralph Jones was the district attorney both of Monroeville. They had court in Baldwin County only a few weeks a year.

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Baldwin lawyers did form the Baldwin County Bar Association in1947, which has been in existence ever since and has grown as fast as anything else in the county.
After organizing in Baldwin, the group had their meetings at the old Malbis Restaurant and later moved its annual meetings to Probate Judge Harry D’Olive’s camp on Sibley Creek. As a result of his hospitality, Judge D’Olive became the only non-lawyer ever given a lifetime membership in the county bar association.

Years ago, practically all lawyers settled in the county seat. This is not true any more. You might be interested in knowing where they are located.

Bay Minette has 48, Daphne is equal to Bay Minette with 48, Fairhope has 38, Foley has 32, Gulf Shores has 16, Robertsdale has 9, Spanish Fort has 5, Elberta has 4, Loxley has 3, Montrose has 3, Summerdale has 3, Stapleton has 1, Magnolia Springs has 1, one has an address in Pensacola, and another has one in Harrison, Arkansas.

Officers of the Baldwin County Bar Association are President Harold “Trey” Koons, Vice President is Kelly McGriff, and executive Director is Lynn Biles.

The county has five circuit court judges: James H. Reid, Jr., Robert E. Wilters, Charles C. Partin, J.Langford Floyd and Carmen E Bosch, who was appointed to the new circuit judge slot recently. There are two District Court Judges: Jody W. Bishop and Michelle Hart, who was appointed to serve the unexpired term of Bosch.

Probate Judge is Adrian Johns, Jody Campbell is Clerk, Circuit & District Court, and Jane Still is Juror Information Officer. Judy Newcomb is the District Attorney, having succeeded J. David Whetstone, who retired. The assistant District Attorneys are: James Vollmer, Micheal Pylant, Emily Conti, David Horton, Matthew Green, John Gamble, Hallie Dixon and Crystal Boudreux.

See you again soon, I hope.