Sand Mountain Reporter

A recent letter to the public written by District Judge Howard Hawk has voters questioning what happened between he and District Judge Tim Riley just prior to qualifying ended.

Both judges have qualified to run for the open circuit judge’s slot in Marshall County. The opening comes with the impending retirement of Circuit Judge David Evans.

According to Hawk’s letter, published in The Reporter and other local newspapers in April, it accuses Riley of making a promise not to run against him for the circuit judgeship. Hawk said the two men shook hands after Riley made the decision just before court on Feb. 15.

“Every word, every comma and every period in the letter is true,” Hawk said. “I probably counted to 10 about 50 different times. The people can’t make a decision unless the facts are reported. I never meant for the letter to be mean spirited. I just wanted to tell the truth.”

Riley said he could not recall exactly what was said between the two men, but knows he did not commit to not running.

“In my mind, I don’t think I ever said I wasn’t going to run,” Riley said. “I made up my mind at the last minute. I think I told him that I don’t think I’m going to run. I think we shook hands on that. That’s a long way from what he put in his letter.”

Riley said he made his decision just days before qualifying ended. Riley, a Democrat since he first became district judge, qualified as a Republican on the last day of qualifying. Hawk was one of the first to qualify as a Democrat when qualifying opened.

Both men had two meetings prior to the Feb. 15 conversation with Circuit Judge Tim Jolley.

“I was in two meetings that they had,” Jolley said. “The meetings were requested by Judge Hawk. It was primarily to clear the air between them. What I wanted to do was talk to them about whether there was going to be a contested election.

“The first time, Judge Riley indicated he was probably going to run. The second meeting they discussed some of the same things. In that meeting, Judge Riley indicated he was not running but said he had not made up his mind.”

Despite what was said during that February meeting, both men have pledged to work together, at least where judicial business is concerned.

“The judges in this county have to work together,” Hawk said. “I will not let this disappointment stand in the way of accomplishing the best for this system.”

Riley said the election will decide who will be the next circuit judge.

“The voters need to decide who needs to be circuit judge,” Riley said.

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Serving Albertville and the Sand Mountain region

Publisher: Ben Shurett

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Albertville, Alabama 35950

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