James E. Hill, III at a glance
- Current role
- Circuit Court Judge
- Jurisdiction
- Alabama · State
- Judicial service
- Active
James E. Hill, III
Circuit Court Judge · Alabama Thirtieth Judicial Circuit Court
Biography
Professional career
- Elected Alabama Circuit Court Judge serving in St. Clair County (Circuit 30) until December 31, 2030
- He retired from the bench in 2013 after 19 years on the district and circuit benches, then returned as of counsel to the law firm Hill, Gossett, Kemp, Barrentine & Seay, P.C., which he co‐founded.
Education
- Cumberland School of Law — J.D.
Additional information
- In 2025, he was elected back to the Circuit bench in St. Clair County and left the firm to serve.
- Public Records: Listed in the Alabama Administrative Office of Courts official judicial roster
- Professional Experience: held the role of City Attorney for Leeds and Moody, Alabama Held leadership roles in the Alabama League of Municipalities City Attorney Association Former partner at Hill, Gossett, Kemp, Barrentine & Seay, P.C.
- Hill’s judicial career includes prior service as St. Clair County District Judge and Circuit Judge before his current elected role.
Applicable Court Rules & Procedures
Recording and broadcasting
Statewide
Alabama Rule of Criminal Procedure 9.4 permits televising, photographing, or radio broadcasting of judicial proceedings only as provided by Alabama judicial ethics canons, law, or another court rule.
The taking of television pictures or other photographs in or of the courtroom during the progress of judicial proceedings or the radio broadcasting of judicial proceedings may be permitted as provided in Canon 3(A)(7) and (7B), Canons of Judicial Ethics, promulgated by the Alabama Supreme Court, or as otherwise may be permitted by law or other rule of court.Alabama Rule of Criminal Procedure 9.4: Televising, photographing, or radio broadcasting of judicial proceedings ↗
Published courtroom rules
Shared court rules
Alabama Rule of Criminal Procedure 9.4: Televising, photographing, or radio broadcasting of judicial proceedings
Alabama Thirtieth Judicial Circuit Court
Scope is limited to the court class in the source claim. Criminal proceedings only. Shared court context only; case-type restrictions, exceptions, later amendments and case orders apply. This is not a personal preference or a complete rules inventory.
Official source ↗ · Collected 2026-07-26Sources
Identity source checked July 29, 2026.
Biography sources checked July 29, 2026.
Alabama Administrative Office of Courts official judicial roster
Identity source · HTML · Source checked July 29, 2026
View Alabama Administrative Office of Courts official judicial roster ↗Alabama Rule of Criminal Procedure 9.4: Televising, photographing, or radio broadcasting of judicial proceedings
Statewide source · PDF · Source checked July 26, 2026
View Alabama Rule of Criminal Procedure 9.4: Televising, photographing, or radio broadcasting of judicial proceedings ↗