Alabama Republican Chief Justice Tom Parker has appointed Rich Hobson — a former congressional candidate who, like Parker, was a longtime ally of Roy Moore — as the new administrative director of the Alabama Court System.
Hobson has held the position twice before, when Moore was the chief justice. Hobson brings over three decades of experience in the court system to the job.
“There is no one in Alabama who knows and understands the Court System better than Rich Hobson,” Parker said. “He is an effective, efficient, and competent administrator who has hit the ground running. Rich is a true innovator who will help me towards my goal of improving and modernizing our courts, as well as increasing funding for the court system.”
“Like me, Rich is a strong constitutional conservative who shares my philosophy and will help me keep leftist influences out of our court system,” Parker added.
Hobson earned his doctorate in public administration at night from the University of Alabama while working in the Alabama Judicial College. During his career, Hobson authored the Trial Court Security Plan, as well as being responsible for the expansion of technology and information services throughout the State. Chief Justice Parker has asked Hobson to do a similar review so that citizens can have access to speedy justice.
Hobson managed Judge Roy Moore’s campaign for U.S. Senate. More recently, Hobson ran for the U.S. House of Representatives challenging incumbent Martha Roby (R-Montgomery) in the Republican Primary in 2018.
Hobson was a U.S. Air Force reservist from 1985 to 1991. He was the administrative director of the Alabama Judicial System from 2001 to 2003, and again from 2013 to 2016. In that capacity, he oversaw a budget of over $180 million for the 2,000 employees and elected officials that make up the state’s court system.
Hobson has also served as the executive director of the Foundation for Moral Law, a Montgomery based nonprofit legal organization that fights for religious liberties across the nation.
He and his wife of 36 years, Susie, live in Montgomery. They attend Lakeview Baptist Church. They are the parents of two married daughters and have a grandson and granddaughter.
Tom Parker was sworn in as Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court in a ceremony in Montgomery on Friday. Parker defeated appointed Chief Justice Lyn Stuart in the 2018 Republican Party primary and Jefferson County Judge Robert Vance Jr. in the November general election.
