Judge Bert RiceSherry Digmon

Judge Rice honored
By SHERRY DIGMON News Publisher The retirement ceremony for Escambia County Presiding Judge Bert Rice was anything but somber. Laughter filled Courtroom One at the Brewton Courthouse as Judge Rice was honored – and also slightly roasted. The ceremony and reception were held Thursday afternoon, January 31, with the judge’s family and dozens of co-workers and well-wishers in attendance. Attorney Wade Hartley, president of the Escambia County Bar Association, welcomed…
Judge Bert Rice
After 40 years on bench, venerable jurist ‘retiring’ By DON FLETCHER News Staff Writer After more than 40 years of hearing cases in Atmore Municipal Court, Escambia County Circuit Court and the occasional out-of-town courtroom, Judge Bert Rice is retiring. Well, sort of. Rice, who joined the circuit court bench in 2007 after Judge Joseph B. Brogden retired, presided over his first case as Atmore’s municipal judge on November 21,…
Rice not seeking reelection
Circuit Judge Bert Rice has decided not to run for reelection. In a letter issued January 4 to members of the Escambia County Bar Association, Rice made this statement: “After much prayer and consideration with and for my family, I have decided to not seek reelection as Circuit Judge. I will conclude my present term in January, 2019. I am forever grateful that the Lord has allowed me this great…
Presiding judge discusses digital record-keeping, addiction
Judge Bert Rice, the presiding circuit court judge for the Escambia County Judicial Circuit, pointed out last week that Alabama leads the nation in two separate but related statistics. One, involving the state’s courts, he is proud of; the other, which is helping drive an increase in criminal cases heard in those courts, is not a source of pride. “One of the best things about Alabama’s courts is because of…