By JESSA PEASE / Staff Writer

COLUMBIANA— Shelby County District Court Judge James R. “Jim” Kramer will continue to serve in his current seat after the countywide election March 1.

With about 92 percent of the ballots tallied, Kramer earned about 64 percent of the citizen’s votes.

Kramer, who has been in office since 2004, ran against local attorney Lori Frasure, who cited a desire to speed up cases in Shelby County’s District Court when announcing her candidacy.

“I’d like to thank the people of Shelby County, the voters, for showing the confidence in me to continue handling cases involving their children and families,” Kramer said after the election. “I think it does show that experience does count, that people do care about who it is that is making those tough decisions. I work with a lot of good people, and I think we are doing a great job. I am just glad we can continue that.”

Kramer received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Montevallo in 1981 and his juris doctorate degree from Cumberland School of Law in 1984. In his current position, Kramer presides over the Shelby County Juvenile Drug Court, Truancy Court, Child Support Court, early warning sessions and is chairman of the Children’s Policy Council.

He is a board member of the Developing Alabama Youth Program, Family Connection and the Court appointed special advocate program. He is chairman of the Drug Free Coalition and a recipient of the Safe Harbor “Beacon of Light” Award. He has attended and successfully completed numerous educational institutes and conferences appropriate to the work and objectives of his court.

Kramer said he has presided over thousands of cases in the Juvenile Court of Shelby County. He created the Shelby County Family Dependent Treatment Court, which strictly supervises parents whose children were removed from their homes as a result of the parents’ substance abuse.

Over the years, Kramer has served as a municipal judge for Alabaster, a child support referee for Shelby County and the prosecutor for the city of Calera. He practiced in the Juvenile Court of Shelby County for 20 years as a contract attorney with the state of Alabama, representing indigent parents and juveniles. Kramer is a member of the Shelby County and Alabama Bar Associations, Alabama District Judges Association, Alabama Association of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, National Association of Drug Court Professionals and National Juvenile and Family Court Judges.

He and his wife, Lynette, have two adult children, are members of First Baptist Church of Alabaster and are involved in several other civic organizations in the county.

As of the night of March 1, Frasure had not returned phone calls or text messages seeking comment on the results of the election.