Bosch is now at the wheel of Alabama's 28th Judicial Circuit

By Allison Woodham
Posted 11/30/16

Oct. 24, Baldwin County received a new presiding judge: Judge Carmen Bosch.

A presiding judge in Baldwin County handles the business end of running the local court.

“I’m the person who …

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Bosch is now at the wheel of Alabama's 28th Judicial Circuit

Posted

Oct. 24, Baldwin County received a new presiding judge: Judge Carmen Bosch.

A presiding judge in Baldwin County handles the business end of running the local court.

“I’m the person who connects to the state office of court on behalf of our circuit,” Bosch said. “I deal with the county commission for matters involving our space and anything that has to do with our facilities.”

Bosch also works with the legislative delegation.

Bosch first began dealing with family oriented topics when she was employed with the district attorney’s office.

“I ran the child support unit for a number of years; I was the CARE House lawyer; I tried prosecution of crimes against children for a number of years; I was the juvenile prosecutor for crimes that children have committed; and it was just a very natural fit for me,” she said. “I’m not really sure what about me made it such a great fit, but it seems that’s where I’ve always worked as an attorney and it feels right and I feel like I’m helping people.”

Bosch said it’s rewarding work, making a difference in a young person’s life.

“Whereas a lot of times when I prosecute crimes at the DA’s office, I felt like I was doing the right thing and for the right reason, but a lot of times someone that I had worked very hard to get a conviction on, they were out of jail really fast and committing other crimes because they were back on the docket that I was prosecuting,” Bosch explained. “It wasn’t as rewarding as if you made a difference in a young person’s life and you didn’t see them anymore. Most of the kids I see, I see once. There’s a few I see over and over in juvenile court, but there’s always a few you see over and over. Most of the kids I see once and they figure out how to make it work right. I’m lucky to have a really great staff of juvenile probation officers that go out in the field with the kids and help them discover what their talents are and help them excel, and they don’t have to turn to crime.”

After graduation and passing the bar examination, Bosch spent several months in Covington County, writing briefs for Frank Tipler.

“It wasn’t home and I wanted to come home,” Bosch said.

Bosch was hired under David Whetstone.

“He hired me to run the child support unit; I was there for about 10 years,” she said. “I worked with CARE House and I handled major crimes. I tried two capital murder trials as an assistant DA. I was the first assistant DA to try capital cases that weren’t tried by the elected DA.”

Bosch has been a judge since 2003, first as a district judge and then as a circuit judge.

The reason Bosch decided to study law is simple.

“I wanted to help people; I know it’s cliché, but it’s what I wanted to do,” she said. “When I was a child, I grew up in Foley and spent I don’t know how many hours of my time tagging along with my folks with the Rotary Club.”

Bosch’s father, Ed Bosch, was a Rotarian for many years, as was Bosch.

“My folks were very active in the community in Foley,” she said. “There was always a service project with Rotary or with my mom who was active in the PTA … I saw living examples of service to the community and I saw how it made my parents very happy to do that. I grew up watching it.”

After a trip to Camp ASSCA, Bosch knew she wanted to help people as a job.

“Law was very attractive to me because I enjoy reading and learning and decided law school would be the way to go,” she said.

So, what does Bosch do when she isn’t in the courtroom?

“I like to say my hobbies include volunteering at the school and driving my child to dance class,” she said, laughing. “I have an elementary school-aged child, and I believe very firmly that a school is only as strong as the parent’s participation who support it. I live what I preach to the largest extent possible, so I volunteer at the school a lot. I spend my non-court time with my family and I enjoy fitness as well.”

One thing’s for sure. Bosch is where she wants to be.

“It’s good to be home; it’s the right place to be,” she said, “coming home and giving back to the community that raised you is the right thing to do.”