Office: Shelby County Circuit Judge, Place 2

Name:  S. Phillip Bahakel

Party: Republican

Age: 63

Residence: Pelham

Past Political Experience: Elected Jefferson County District Judge, 2000; ran unsuccessfully for judgeships in 2006 and 2010; has volunteered with Shelby County Republican Party Executive Committee.

Professional Experience: Bahakel began practicing law in 1981, including serving as a Jefferson County District Court judge from 2001-2007. He currently is in private practice in Pelham with an emphasis on family law, appeals, wills and estates and personal injury law.

Civic Experience:  Has volunteered with United Cerebral Palsy and the Knights of Columbus.

Education: Juris doctor, Cumberland School of Law at Samford University, 1981; Bachelor’s degree, University of Alabama, 1976.

Main Issues: In a press release announcing his candidacy, Bahakel pledged to run an efficient courtroom. “As a judge, he understood the importance of providing litigants their day in court as quickly as possible … he listened to the facts and followed the law. Judge Bahakel does not believe in legislating from the bench,” the press release states. As in previous campaigns, Bahakel is mounting a grassroots self-funded ground-game campaign.

Top Contributor: $11,801, himself.

Campaign: https://shelbycountygop.com