Philip K. Seay

attorney profile

Of Counsel
*Retired Circuit Judge

Judicial:

Pell City Municipal Judge, January 2025 to Present
Circuit Judge St. Clair County, September 2011 to January 2025
Presiding Circuit Judge, St. Clair County, 2013 to January 2025
President, Alabama Circuit Judges’ Association, 2022-2023
President, Alabama Association of Drug Court Professionals, (2 terms)2017 to 2021
District Judge St. Clair County, January 2005 to September, 2011
Presiding District Court Judge, January 2009 to 2011
American Board of Trial Advocates-Alabama Trial Judge of the Year 2024
Registered on the Alabama State Court Mediator Roster
Registered on the Alabama State Mediator Private Judge Roster
Dedicated Domestic Violence Court
Alabama Drug Court Award, 2013
Adult Drug Court Judge, November 2008 to present
Juvenile Drug Court Judge, February 2008 to September 2011
Veteran’s Treatment Court Judge, February 2013 to present
President Alabama Juvenile Judges Association, 2010-2011
Alabama Circuit Judges’ Association
Alabama Circuit Judges’ Legislative Committee, Chairman
Alabama Circuit Judges’ Executive Committee
Member Executive Board of Alabama Children’s Policy Council
Administrative Office of Courts Legislative Committee
Administrative Office of Courts Judicial Education Committee
By appointment of Chief Justice, member of various other committees addressing policies relevant to the Administrative Office of Courts.
St. Clair County Community Corrections Board

Legal :

Church, Seay, Lasseter and Minor, Pell City, AL 1992-2005
Represented civil, criminal and domestic relations defendants and plaintiffs in Circuit and District Courts in a general law practice.
City Attorney, Pell City 1992-2005
County Attorney, St. Clair County 1992-1995
Prosecutor City of Pell City 1992-2005
Prosecutor City of Ragland 1995-2005
Member Alabama Bar Association 1992-present
Member St. Clair County Bar Association 1992-present

Education:

Abbeville High School 1983
University of Alabama, B.S. Marketing 1988
Cumberland School of Law-Samford University J. D. 1992

Military Experience :

U.S. Army National Guard 1989-1992
167th Support Command Birmingham
JAG Corps Legal Specialist
Basic Training – Ft. McClellan, AL 1989
MOS Training-Ft. Benjamin Harrison 1990
Operation- Feurtes Caminos, Panama 1991

Family :

Married to wife Michele for 32 years. Two children; Thomas 28 and Margaret 25.

Church :

Member First Baptist Church Pell City
Chairman and Member of the Committee on Committees 2006-2009
Usher
Bylaws Committee

Community Civic Organizations :

Alabama Opioid Settlement Oversight Commission by Gubernatorial

Profession Affiliations :

Alabama Bar Association
St. Clair County Bar Association

Areas of Practice :

Personal Injury
Domestic Relations
Probate / Administration
Criminal Defense
Adoption
Government Law
Commercial Development
Corporate Law
Alternative Dispute Resolution
Estate Planning

Providing Private Judging, Mediations, Alternative Dispute Resolution & Civil Litigation in St. Clair and surrounding counties.

Retired Presiding Circuit Judge Philip K. Seay began practicing law in 1992. He served as the County Attorney, City Attorney for Pell City, Prosecutor for Pell City and Ragland. He was elected as St. Clair County District Judge in 2005, Presiding District Court Judge in 2009, Circuit Judge in 2011 and Presiding Circuit Judge in 2013. He was the President of the Alabama Circuit Judges Association from 2021-2023.

In 2024, Philip K. Seay was named the American Board of Trial Advocates-Alabama Trial Judge of the Year.

He is registered on the Alabama State Court Mediator Roster and Alabama State Mediator Private Judge Roster.

Presides over Felony Criminal Bond Hearings and Preliminary Hearings; Misdemeanor Criminal Dockets; Domestic Violence Dockets; Traffic Dockets; Juvenile Delinquency and Chins Dockets; Juvenile Drug Court; Child Support Cases; Civil District and Small Claims and Protection from Abuse cases. Managed heaviest caseload in the state 2005-2009

Established St. Clair County’s first dedicated Domestic Violence Docket. Two dockets each month dedicated to Domestic Violence cases only

Presides over Adult Drug Court with 152 graduates since its inception with 96.5% success rate felony re-offenders holding Drug Court Sessions every Thursday 7:30 am

Started first Juvenile Drug Court in St. Clair County meeting every Tuesday 3:30 pm with over 20 graduates

Elected by state Juvenile Judges who are members of the Alabama Juvenile Judges Association. Duties include developing statewide Juvenile Court Policies, legislation and sitting on many statewide Judicial Committees

Established St. Clair County’s first Community Corrections in 2009 for pre-trial and post-conviction offenders as well as prison diversions with over 1200 participants.