[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 6 (Thursday, January 11, 2007)]
[House]
[Page H399]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      A TRIBUTE TO ROBERT ADERHOLT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Aderholt) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. ADERHOLT. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to congratulate, pay tribute, 
and honor a great jurist who has served on the bench for over 40 years 
in his home State of Alabama.
  Born on December 6, 1935, to Ruby and Jesse Clifton, he grew up in 
Winston County, Alabama, and graduated from Haleyville High School in 
1954. He pursued his undergraduate degree at Birmingham-Southern 
College. Thereafter, he attended the Cumberland School of Law in 
Lebanon, Tennessee, and obtained his law degree from the University of 
Alabama School of Law.
  As a young attorney, he joined the faculty at the Cumberland School 
of Law, which by that time had moved from Lebanon, Tennessee, to 
Birmingham, Alabama, which is known today as Samford University. It was 
during this time that he authored, along with Professor Sam B. 
Gilreath, Caruther's ``History of a Lawsuit,'' eighth edition.
  In 1958, he married his high school sweetheart, Mary Frances Brown, 
and they have been married for over 48 years. They have one son, who is 
married to the former Caroline McDonald and, two grandchildren, Mary 
Elliott and Robert Hayes.
  In 1962, he began serving as judge of the Court of Law and Equity in 
Winston County and served there until 1973. Then in 1977, he took 
office as one of two judges serving the 25th Judicial Circuit in the 
Alabama court system and has remained on the bench for 30 years.
  He has served the public for more than 40 years and has presided over 
each case that has come before him with integrity and with 
impartiality. He is someone who has a brilliant legal mind; but most 
important, he has compassion for all individuals, regardless of their 
background or their social standing.
  He is a man of faith, prayer, and integrity, who has a great love for 
his family, his country and his God. He has taken his job seriously 
from the first day he stepped up to the bench to preside. In addition 
to his responsibilities on the bench, he has been a businessman and has 
pastored Fairview Congregational Church in Hackleburg, Alabama, for 
over 40 years.
  Mr. Speaker, I know all these things to be true about this individual 
and his character and his reputation because I personally observed him. 
Many times Members don't always have that kind of perspective when they 
come to the floor. I can say these things in all truthfulness as I 
stand here on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives because 
this man, the judge I am talking about, Bobby Aderholt, is my dad.

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