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By NOAH WORTHAM | Managing Editor

ALABASTER – The Alabaster City Council appointed Arthur Teele III as the new court clerk and chief magistrate for the city of Alabaster.

During a City Council meeting on Monday, June 23, the Alabaster City Council approved a resolution appointing Teele as the chief court clerk and chief magistrate. Upon approval, Judge Joey Walden swore in Teele to the new position.

“I wanted to take a brief second to just say, ‘Thank you’ to Arthur for taking the opportunity on us,” Mayor Scott Brakefield said. “I hope we can contribute to the quality of life for him and also that he can help us continue to move our court department forward.”

Teele comes to the city of Alabaster with more than 18 years of experiences with courts after serving the city of Birmingham for 15 years as magistrate supervisor and chief administrator. He also served for three years as court administrator for the city of Tuscaloosa.

“I want thank all of our magistrates for being involved in the process,” Brakefield said. “I really feel like we hit a home run, got a great person in here and am excited to see what he can do for our department moving forward.”

As part of the resolution, the Alabaster City Council also appointed the following individuals to positions during the meeting:

• Susan “Kate” Shoupe: Senior magistrate and deputy court clerk
• Iva Krukowski: Magistrate and deputy court clerk
• Denise Dozier: Magistrate and deputy court clerk
• Pamela R. Smith: Magistrate and deputy court clerk
• Christopher Dwayne Curtis: Administrative assistant and limited magistrate

The Alabaster Municipal Court is the judicial branch of the city’s government and focuses on interpreting the meaning of laws as well as applying them to individual cases while ensuring civil liberties are protected.

“The purpose of the Alabaster Municipal Court is to provide a fair, impartial and efficient process whereby city ordinances and misdemeanor complaints are adjudicated,” read an official post on the city’s website. “It is our mission to provide the best quality service to the citizens of Alabaster and those who visit.”

The municipal court is divided into several offices and divisions that perform various functions and deliver services such as information management, financial management and administrative functions related to municipal and state justice services.

The municipal court works alongside the public and the Alabaster Police Department. When individuals are arrested for minor crimes, they report to the municipal court for those cases.

The Alabaster Municipal Court meets every Wednesday at 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. at City Hall.

Those interested in learning more about the Alabaster Municipal Court may visit the city’s website at Cityofalabaster.com/162/Municipal-Court.