Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 2

Dennis E. O’Dell

Age:  67

Party: Republican

Residence: Huntsville

Political experience: Madison County District Judge, Place 2, 2005-2010, appointed by then-Gov. Bob Riley in 2005 and elected in 2006; Madison County Circuit Judge, Place 4, 2010-present, elected in 2010 and 2016; ex-officio member, Madison County Republican Executive Committee.

Professional experience:  Private practice for 28 years; in 2016, served on ad hoc committee of the Alabama Circuit Judges’ Association to research impact of recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions on Alabama’s capital murder statutes regarding advisory juries and juvenile capital sentencing.

Civic experience: Deacon and member, First Baptist Church of Huntsville; past member of the board of directors of the American Heart Association’s Madison County Unit; other civic organizations.

Main issues: O’Dell points out that he is the only trial judge in the race for a seat on the Court of Criminal Appeals.

“Since members of the appellate courts sit in judgement of the rulings and decisions of our state’s trial judges, I believe I am the best candidate to sit on Place 2 of the Court of Criminal Appeals, “he said. “I have the vital judicial experience needed to be an appellate judge.”

O’Dell said his nearly three decades as a practicing attorney before moving to the bench would be an asset to the appellate panel. “Even before my years as a judge, I spent over 28 years as an attorney trying cases from the other side of the bench,” he said.

Education: Juris doctorate, University of Alabama, 1976; bachelor’s in criminal justice, Jacksonville State University, 1973.

Top Contributors: Dennis O’Dell, $4,000 (loans); Doug Benson, $1,500; Morris, King & Hodge, $1,500; Rod Steakley, $1,500; Watson McKinney, $1,197.03 (combined in-kind contribution and cash).

Campaign website: judgedennisodell.com