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.[1]
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."[1]
"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
Endorsements
- Alabama Civil Justice Reform Committee
Shaw Talks About Time Behind the Scenes of Conservative Take-Over (August 2008)
In an address to the Birmingham branch of the Federalist Society, Alabama Supreme Court candidate Greg Shaw said his experience as a Court staff attorney (1984-2000) allowed him to see the advance of Constitutionally-beholden justice in the state's highest court. Most of Shaw's time was spent working with then-Justice Gorman Houston, during which time he "saw conservative justices move from being outspoken dissenters to the court's majority." Shaw told the group, "I have seen the court track from a more liberal court to a more conservative court, in the sense that judges have a more firm grasp on the doctrine of separation of powers and the rule of law."
In 2000, Shaw was elected to the criminal appeals court; he was reelected in 2006. He is currently chief judge on the Alabama Court of the Judiciary, which hears allegations of judicial misconduct.[1]
Shaw's competition, Deborah Bell Paseur, also addressed the group.
Exxon Mobile Ruling Could Play Role in Supreme Court Election (June 2008)
In November of 2007, the Alabama Supreme Court ruled 8-1 in favor of Exxon Mobil in ExxonMobil Corp. v. Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Ms. 1031167 (Ala. Nov. 1, 2007), effectively throwing out a previous $3.6 billion jury award to the state. The dispute related to royalty appropriations. Chief Justice Sue Bell Cobb was the sole dissenting voice.
Joe Turnham, chairman of the state Democratic Party, said Alabamians should be concerned. "People lamented 10 to 15 years ago about tort hell in Alabama," he said. "It's now consumer hell. Big corporations and big oil have bought control of the Supreme Court."
Mike Hubbard, R-Auburn, chairman of the Alabama Republican Party, called Turnham's comments "a typical response from Democrats because that's the way they want to do business."
Nonetheless, the Exxon ruling could potentially rear its head as the race for the single Supreme Court vacancy heats up.
Tom Dart, lobbyist for the Automobile Dealers Association of Alabama, gave Greg Shaw $40,000 from his PACs. But Dart said to his knowledge, his PACs have never received money from Exxon Mobil or any other oil company.
"Some major corporations say they don't contribute, but it's almost impossible to disprove that. Since corporations are capped (for direct contributions at $500), PACs are their way to flood money into a campaign," said Niko Corley, spokesman for the Alabama Association for Justice, formerly the Alabama Trial Lawyers Association.
Shaw has said he's not sure who all his financial supporters are, but is fairly confident some of them can be tied to Exxon. Shaw said he expects Paseur to use the Supreme Court's 2007 Exxon Mobil ruling as an issue. Paseur, who declined comment through her campaign manager, Marion Steinfels, has reported no contributions from PACs so far.[1]
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.”[1]
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
