A day after the state’s self-monitoring professional judiciary body reprimanded former District Judge Kim Chaney for findings of ethics violations, local attorneys released a resolution of overwhelming support for a public figure who, at the time of his retirement, stepped away from the bench as Cullman County’s longest-serving judge.

The Cullman Bar Association approved the step by a unanimous vote of all who attended the Monday meeting at which the idea was first presented, according to Bar president Annette Parker. “We had about 20 people at the meeting, and of those, everyone in attendance was in favor of doing this resolution in support of Judge Chaney,” Parker said Tuesday.

The Alabama Court of the Judiciary on Monday found Chaney responsible for three ethics violations in connection with case appointments made to Alex Chaney, his son, dating from 2015 to 2017. Chaney retired earlier this month from a 27-year career as district judge for Alabama’s 32nd judicial circuit, cutting short his fifth term in office.

Despite the state court’s reprimand, local attorneys who’ve worked alongside Chaney for nearly three decades say there’s much to admire about a well-regarded public servant whose community contributions will long overshadow — and outlive — the circumstances of his departure.

Among other remarks, the Bar’s resolution observes that Chaney “has served this community all of his life with honor and dignity,” and that his career “exemplified the true meaning of dedication, honor, impartiality, knowledge, ethics, and compassion.”

You can read the Bar’s resolution in support of Judge Chaney in its entirety below:

RESOLUTION IN RECOGNITION AND SUPPORT OF KIM J. CHANEY, DISTRICT JUDGE, CULLMAN COUNTY, ALABAMA

Whereas, Judge Kim Chaney has served this community all of his life with Honor and dignity and;

Whereas, for the last 27 years he has served his fellow citizens as Presiding District Judge for the 32nd Judicial Court and;

Whereas, during his service he has exemplified the true meaning of dedication, honor, impartiality, knowledge, ethics, and compassion to those who have come before him and;

Whereas, he has always maintained the highest ethical and moral standards of the office and has been an example to all, what a Judge should represent and;

Whereas, through his 27 years of service he has always put the public first and;

Whereas, Chaney’s career includes a number of achievements, including:

• 1993 — Sworn in for first term in office
• The longest serving District Judge in Cullman County
• In 2018 became the longest serving District Court Judge in Alabama
• Headed Cullman County’s Juvenile and Drug Court programs
• Helped start the Cullman County Community Corrections program
• Helped found the Boot Camp Wilderness program for delinquent youth
• Founding member of the Cullman County Human Trafficking Task Force
• Served as president of the Alabama Juvenile Judges’ Association
• Served as president of the Alabama District Judges’ Association
• Served as president of the Alabama Association of Drug Court Professionals
• Recipient of the Howell Heflin Award for exemplary service to the Court Parole
• People Against a Littered State (PALS) Governor’s Award
• 2001 The Cullman Times Distinguished Citizen of the Year
• 2011 Cullman High School Distinguished Citizen
• 2013 Lions Club Chester Freeman Service to Others Award
• 2016 Cullman County Chamber of Commerce Emma Marie Edelman Award
• 2019 accepted Alabama Children’s Policy Council Award of Excellence on behalf of County Children’s Policy Council, in his capacity as Juvenile Court Judge.

Whereas, his dedication to the law will be sorely missed, but his example will be followed for years to come.

It is truly with great sadness we acknowledge his retirement, but will be forever grateful to the devotion to the law, citizens, and the Cullman County Bar, Judge Kim Chaney has given during his time of service as deputy sheriff, an Assistant District Attorney, and as a District Judge.

Passed unanimously by the Cullman County Bar Association this the 24th day of February, 2020.

The Cullman County Bar Association