After deciding against running for chief justice of Alabama’s Supreme Court, Atmore native and Alabama Supreme Court Justice Lyn Stuart has announced her intentions to run for re-election in 2012.

Stuart, who has served on the Alabama Supreme Court since being elected in 2000, will be making a bid for her third term to be an associate justice, with her current term ending in January 2013. She is a graduate of Escambia County High School.

With experience on her side, Stuart said she will run her campaign based on her knowledge of the court system.

“I have served as a district, circuit and appellate judge over the last 22 years,” she said. “I also had the privilege to serve as an assistant attorney general and assistant district attorney, so I have a deep knowledge and understanding of how our state’s legal system works from top to bottom.

Stuart also cited her work in the face of the economy and cuts that the state has faced.

“Our courts have been dealt substantial budget cuts with rising caseloads and increasing demands. It is crucial for our state to have someone with my background and experience who is hard working and dedicated to the highest quality of work in extremely challenging times.”

Prior to becoming an associate justice, Stuart worked as an assistant attorney general for the state as well as an assistant district attorney for Baldwin County. In 1988, she was elected as a district judge and re-elected ot the position in 1994. In 1997, Stuart was chosen by Gov. Fob James to serve on the circuit bench and she was elected without opposition in 1998. Stuart then ran for Alabama Supreme Court in 2000 and has served since being elected and re-elected in 2006.

With her campaign for her third term on the Alabama Supreme Court beginning, Stuart said she plans to run a campaign focused on positives.

“As I have since my first election in 1988, I am proud to run for office as a Republican,” she said. “I’m proud to be a candidate of the party that represents my faith, my family and my conservative judicial philosophy. As I begin this re-election campaign, I pledge to run as positive and honorable a campaign as befits my office. We officeholders have been granted a special privilege and solemn responsibility to uphold the public’s trust. I have every intention to renew and preserve that trust if they see fit to re-elect me for another term in 2012.”

Stuart is married to her husband George, and has two sons, Tucker and Shepard and a daughter, Kelly.