Greg Shaw
From Judgepedia
James Gregory "Greg" Shaw is a native of Birmingham, Alabama. He currently serves as Chief Judge of the Alabama Court of the Judiciary, to which he was appointed on March 16, 2007. He also serves on the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals.
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Biography
Judge Shaw graduated from Auburn University in 1979, receiving a B.S. degree with a major in chemistry. In 1982, Judge Shaw graduated in the top 10% of his class from Samford University's Cumberland School of Law. While at Cumberland, he received the American Jurisprudence Award for excellence in the study of evidence under Professor Charles Gamble, the author of the preeminent evidence treatise in Alabama. He is married to S. Samantha "Sam" Shaw, who was elected Alabama's State Auditor in 2006.
The Judge and Sam have two sons. Gregory is a second lieutenant in the United States Army, having recently graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point with a degree in engineering. Christopher "CJ" is studying engineering at Georgia Tech. Judge Shaw and his family live in Montgomery, where they are members of Frazer Memorial United Methodist Church. He is also a member of the Kiwanis Club of Montgomery.[1]
Legal Career
After his admission to the Alabama State Bar in 1982, Judge Shaw worked with a small law firm in St. Clair County. He later started his own general law practice in Birmingham. In the fall of 1984, Judge Shaw joined the staff of Supreme Court Associate Justice Janie L. Shores and moved to Montgomery. After serving as Justice Shores's staff attorney for one year, he joined the staff of Supreme Court Associate Justice James Gorman Houston, Jr., in the fall of 1985, where he served as Justice Houston's senior staff attorney for over 15 years. Judge Shaw was elected to the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals in 2000 and was reelected to the court in 2006. On March 16, 2007, Judge Shaw was appointed Chief Judge of the Alabama Court of the Judiciary.[2]
Judge Shaw is one of only three Alabama judges who attended the Graduate Program for Judges at the University of Virginia School of Law. He graduated in 2004 with an LL.M. (master of laws degree) in the Judicial Process. Judge Shaw serves on the Chief Justice's Commission on Professionalism, and is also an Honorary Master of the Bench of the Hugh Maddox Inn of Court in Montgomery. He currently serves on the Advisory Committee on Criminal Procedure, the Alabama State Bar's Committee on Archives and History, the Alabama State Bar's Judicial Liaison Committee, and the Alabama Pattern Jury Instructions Committee- Criminal.
Awards, Memberships and Civic Activities
Judge Shaw completed the Master of Laws program at the University of Virginia School of Law in 2004, receiving the degree of Master of Laws (LL. M.) in the judicial process. He graduated with 30 other state and federal judges selected nationwide and he is one of only 3 judges from Alabama to participate in the program. Judge Shaw is an Honorary Master of the Bench of the Hugh Maddox Inn of Court in Montgomery, and he presently serves on the Chief Justice's Commission on Professionalism, the Alabama State Bar's Committee on Archives and History, the Alabama State Bar's Judicial Liaison Committee, the Alabama Pattern Jury Instructions Committee-Criminal, and the Advisory Committee on Criminal Procedure.
Political Affiliation and Judicial Philosophy
Republican. Judge Shaw's pledge on becoming a Supreme Court Justice, "As your next Alabama Supreme Court Justice, I will continue to put my 23 years of appellate experience to use by fairly deciding each case based solely on the law and the facts. I understand that the judicial branch plays an extremely important, but limited, role in our government. It is not a judge’s function to legislate from the bench, and I won’t do it. I will provide a strong conservative voice for you on the Alabama Supreme Court."[3]
"I love the law and I deeply respect the appellate courts of Alabama as institutions of justice. As a judge, I am in the truth-finding business, and to that end I am committed to excellence in the resolution of my cases. I do not leave my common sense at the courthouse door, and I will not sacrifice my principles for anyone or anything. I will simply continue to do what is expected of a judge -- work hard and render a principled decision in each case -- a decision based solely on the law and the facts. It is an honor to serve on your Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals, and it would be an honor to continue to serve you on your Alabama Supreme Court."
Campaign Contributions
The total raised to date for his run for Supreme Court is $0. For a complete summary, visit Follow the Money: Greg Shaw
Endorsements
- Alabama Civil Justice Reform Committee
In the News: Articles
Campaign Money and Public Perception in Alabama
Campaign finance reports show that political action committees (PACs) driven by pro-business lobbyists account for the vast majority of the money raised for Republican Supreme Court candidate Greg Shaw. A significant percent of the money contributed to the campaign of Lauderdale County District Judge Deborah Bell Paseur, Shaw’s Democratic opponent, has come from law firms, individual attorneys and individuals. Even the candidates recognize the problems with this system. Shaw explained that enormous campaign contributions make voters wary: “There is a perception in Alabama that justice is for sale in this state. . . . That strikes at the very heart of the confidence level that Alabamians have in the Supreme Court.”[4]
See Also
External Links
- Judge Shaw's Campaign Website
- Office of State Auditor Samantha Shaw
- Alabama Supreme Court campaign hitting full stride as two vie for open seat
- Washington Times: Alabama Election Schedule
- Exxon decision may re-emerge in court contest
