Governor appoints new judge

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) - Choctaw County prosecutor Joe Thompson has been named district judge in Alabama’s First Judicial Circuit.

Gov. Bob Riley announced the appointment of Thompson Friday. He will replace Pedro Scurlock, whose district court seat became vacant last month when Riley appointed him to a circuit court judgeship.

Thompson is the chief assistant district attorney in the First Judicial Circuit. A native of Choctaw County, he graduated from the University of Alabama in 2000 and the Cumberland School of Law of Samford University in 2004.

The First Judicial Circuit includes Choctaw, Clarke and Washington counties.
   
   
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