James Luke Farmer at a glance
- Current role
- Circuit Court Judge
- Jurisdiction
- Alabama · State
- Judicial service
- Active
James Luke Farmer
Circuit Court Judge · Alabama Fifth Judicial Circuit Court
Biography
Professional career
- James Lewis “Luke” Farmer is an Alabama Circuit Judge for the Fifth Judicial Circuit, appointed by Governor Kay Ivey in February 2026 to succeed the late retiring
- Private law practice
- Legal clerkships with the Alabama Attorney General’s Office and the 37th Judicial Circuit Court in Lee County
- Assistant District Attorney in Lee County
- Circuit Judge for the Fifth Judicial Circuit, which covers Chambers, Macon, Tallapoosa, and Randolph counties in northwestern
Education
Additional information
- Governor Kay Ivey announced Farmer’s appointment on February 20, 2026, as part of 31 statewide judicial and prosecutorial appointments.
- He succeeds Judge Steven R. Perryman, who retired after 19 years on the bench Office of the Governor of Alabama.
- His office is located at the Macon County Courthouse, 125 North Broadnax, Dadeville, AL.
- Featured in official Alabama court listings for the Fifth Circuit and in local news outlets such as Elmore-Autauga News, which covers his judicial activities in the region Elmore-Autauga News.
- Governor Ivey noted that Farmer brings “a broad range of legal and prosecutorial experience” and is committed to serving with fairness, integrity, and respect for the rule of law WBMA.
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 Fifth 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 ↗