Gov. Robert Bentley has appointed Shelby County Presiding Circuit Judge Mike Joiner to serve on Alabama’s Court of Criminal Appeals. The governor has made a very wise choice. Judge Joiner has the intelligence, wisdom and demeanor to be a fine appellate judge and will be a great asset to Alabama’s appellate courts.

Judge Joiner has served our county well as circuit judge. He has tried many very important and high-profile cases and has an outstanding record on the bench. Attorneys and parties who appear before him are always treated with respect and dignity. They are assured that no matter the outcome of their case, they have received a fair trial before Judge Joiner.

Judge Joiner is Shelby County’s presiding Circuit Court judge. That means that he is responsible for all of the administrative duties of running the “business” of the court system in addition to carrying his trial docket.

Under the weight of ever-increasing case loads without the benefit of additional judges, he has kept the dockets as current as possible by bringing in visiting judges from other counties, hiring a court administrator and demonstrating a strong work ethic. Judges and lawyers from around the state frequently comment about Shelby County’s great judicial system; Judge Joiner’s leadership is a big reason for this great reputation.

Shelby County has a drug court that serves as a model for other drug courts around the state. Judge Joiner had the vision and leadership to bring this concept to our county, get it going and make it a model program. His work with drug courts has been recognized by the chief justice of the Alabama Supreme Court. Judge Joiner has also established the accountability court and has been very supportive of our mental health court.

Mike Joiner is a true friend to me. I will miss him as our presiding judge and I will miss our daily visits at lunchtime, but I am very excited for Mike and the opportunity that has been offered to him. We in Shelby County will now share our friend and public servant with the entire state.

Jim Fuhrmeister is the Shelby County Probate Judge.