MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Gov. Kay Ivey on Tuesday appointed Judge Bill Lewis to the Alabama Supreme Court, making him the first Black Republican justice in the court’s history. Lewis fills the vacancy left by Justice Jay Mitchell, who resigned Monday to run for state attorney general in 2026.
Lewis, most recently a judge on the Alabama Court of Civil Appeals, has a long record of public service in Alabama’s legal system. He previously served as presiding circuit judge for the 19th Judicial Circuit in Elmore County, where he was known for his leadership and commitment to the community. Before his time on the bench, Lewis was senior partner at the Lewis Law Firm, which he founded in 2006, and served as an assistant district attorney for the 19th Judicial Circuit, handling both criminal and civil cases.
Born and raised in Alabama, Lewis earned undergraduate degrees in political science and economics from the University of the South and a law degree from the Cumberland School of Law. He has also acted as a criminal defense attorney and practiced family law, giving him a broad perspective on the state’s justice system.
Lewis’s appointment marks a historic moment for Alabama, where the Supreme Court has been all-white since 2001 and entirely Republican for more than a decade. He is the fourth Black justice to serve on the court, but the first as a Republican; his predecessors—Oscar Adams, Ralph Cook, and John England—were all Democrats. In a state where one in four residents is Black, Lewis’s rise comes after years of debate over racial diversity in the judiciary, including a failed 2016 lawsuit by Black voters challenging the statewide election of judges.
Lewis’s appointment is effective immediately. He will be required to run for election in 2028 to keep his seat on the court. Meanwhile, Ivey will soon appoint a replacement for Lewis on the Court of Civil Appeals.
As a Republican in a state dominated by the party, Lewis’s judicial philosophy and political leanings are of interest to observers. While his appointment by Ivey—a staunch conservative—and the timing amid a Republican push for judicial influence have drawn attention, there is no public record of Lewis making explicit MAGA or Trump-aligned statements. His background as a former prosecutor, defense attorney, and family law practitioner suggests a pragmatic approach to the law, though his rulings and future decisions will offer more insight into his judicial temperament.