Sand Mountain Reporter

GUNTERSVILLE — Marshall County has a model judicial system, the state’s top judge said in a visit this week.

Sue Bell Cobb, Alabama’s chief justice, toured the county’s courthouses in Guntersville and Albertville and praised the judicial staff and programs in place here.

“What y’all are doing is what we’re advocating in all the counties,” Cobb told judges and legislators. “I just really want to tell you congratulations.”

She promised to tell the story of Marshall County’s successes statewide.

Among the “best practices” Cobb liked are the county’s use of drug court, family court and community corrections.

She said those kinds of programs take more effort but ultimately work to reduce crime make a better society.

“The judges in Marshall County are wanting to do the hard work of helping people” and not what she called the easy work of filling prisons.

Cobb’s presence in the county was enough to win her praise from her hosts.

“I’ve been here practicing for 20 years, and I’ve never seen a chief justice in the county courthouse,” said state Rep. Jeff McLaughlin, D-Guntersville.

State Rep. Frank McDaniel said Cobb advocated children’s programs even before she became chief justice last January.

McDaniel, D-Albertville, said programs such as the Marshall County Community Punishment and Corrections Authority have made the area better.

“Through that,” he said, “we have provided restitution for a whole lot of folks.”

Judge Howard Hawk said the new family court has been successful due to hard work by the four county judges.

Hawk said the changes include steps so that “the left hand (knows) what the right hand is doing in the court system.”

“It’s evidence-based practice,” Cobb said. “That is the best way that evidence shows to handle these cases.

“We want to congratulate them for being bold enough to take these steps.”

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Serving Albertville and the Sand Mountain region

Publisher: Ben Shurett

1603 Progress Drive
Albertville, Alabama 35950

Tel: 256-840-3000 | Email

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