Athens attorney and prosecutor Chad Wise has announced his candidacy for the office of Circuit Court Judge, Place 1.

The seat is currently held by Judge James Woodroof Jr., a Democrat, who previously announced he would not seek re-election. Wise, a Republican, will face Athens attorney James D. Moffatt in the March 1, 2016, primary.

Wise, 43, believes his experience, temperament and background make him the most qualified person for the job.

“A circuit judge hears a wide variety of cases including civil lawsuits, domestic relations, and criminal cases,” he said. “In my 18 years of law practice, I have handled all types of cases, and I sincerely believe that I am uniquely experienced to serve the citizens of Limestone County as their next circuit judge.”

Background

The son of a retired school teacher and a former principal, Wise was born and raised in Limestone County. He is a 1990 graduate of Athens High School and a 1994 graduate of the University of Alabama in Huntsville. He obtained his law degree from the University of Alabama in 1997, where he served as a justice on its honor court and volunteered time assisting the underprivileged with their legal problems.

Wise is married to the former Rikki Taye Floyd, who is a first-grade teacher at Creekside Elementary School. They have six children — Chase, 23, Kaitlyn, 19, Alysa, 15, Matthew, 11, Drake, 10, and Crew, 4. 

Wise has served on the boards of many nonprofit organizations, coached several ball teams and has been recognized by the Alabama State Bar for his participation in the Volunteer Lawyers Program. 

He is presently a board member of CASA of Limestone County and is a member of the National Rifle Association. He is a Christian and has been a member of First Baptist Church of Athens for 34 years.  

Political background

Wise is presently a member of the Limestone County Republican Executive Committee and previously served as a member of the Limestone County Young Republicans and Limestone County Republican Steering Committee in high school and college.

Wise believes he provides Limestone County voters with a fair, firm and conservative choice for circuit judge. He added he’s been a Republican since becoming able to choose his own political affiliation, and said President Ronald Reagan had a “tremendous impact” on his views.

“When I came home and told my mother I had enrolled in the Young Republicans, you would have thought I told her I joined some rogue motorcycle gang,” he said. “Those were the days of Wilson White and low turnouts at Republican rallies here in Limestone County. That’s the party I believed in then and that’s still the party I believe in now.”

Experience

Wise is a part-time prosecutor for the city of Athens and the town of Ardmore. He also serves as an assistant attorney general in the prosecution of child support cases for the Department of Human Resources and has served as a special probate judge on several occasions.  

In addition to his duties for governmental entities, Wise is an advocate in civil, criminal, real estate and probate cases and appears in court multiple times a week.  He said he has handled thousands of cases and that he knows what it takes to be an excellent circuit judge.  

“We are fortunate here in Limestone County to have judges who are competent and impartial, and who apply good common sense in making their decisions and following the law,” he said. “I am confident that I can carry on that tradition and protect the values and principles of the citizens of our county.”

Crime and punishment

Wise supports the death penalty in appropriate cases and believes the repeat felony offender is the most serious problem presently facing our system of justice.  

“If a criminal has already been convicted of a felony offense and re-offends, then that person should encounter a considerable prison sentence to punish his or her criminal activity and to protect our families,” he said. “The protection of our society from repeat felony offenders should be a priority for any circuit judge. If I am elected, you can count on me making that a priority.”

The Alabama Republican Party primary election is March 1, 2016.