Hon. Patrick M. Tuten
Circuit Court Judge
Phone: 256-532-3432
Judge Patrick M. Tuten was appointed by Governor Kay Ivey as a District Court Judge on January 18, 2019. He was elected by the citizens of Madison County in 2020. On July 18, 2022 Governor Ivey again appointed Judge Tuten, this time to fill a new Circuit Judge position (Place 8) for Madison County. This was the first Circuit Judgeship added to Alabama’s 23rd Judicial Circuit since 2011.
Judge Tuten opened his law practice in Huntsville in 1996 where, as a sole-practitioner, he handled a variety of legal matters in general practice but focused primarily on criminal litigation at both the State and Federal levels as his practice grew. As a practicing attorney, Judge Tuten was a member of the Huntsville Madison County Bar Association where he served previously as secretary. Judge Tuten received both merit and president’s awards from the Alabama Criminal Defense Lawyers Association for which he served on the Board of Directors and was named President in 2012. During his legal career Judge Tuten has served on several Statewide and local committees involving criminal justice issues including Madison County’s Local Indigent Defense Advisory Board, Alabama’s Judicial Study Commission and the Alabama Law Institute’s Criminal Code Committee. Judge Tuten also served as a faculty member for the National Judicial College’s Capital Litigation Improvement Initiative in 2009 and 2010. Judge Tuten served as legal counsel for the Madison County Republican Executive Committee from 2012 until his appointment to the bench and currently serves as a member of Alabama’s State Republican Executive Committee.
Judge Tuten has been married to his wife, Holly, for over 30 years and they have two children.