Senate confirms Greg Cook to federal judgeship in northern Alabama

Cook’s Alabama Supreme Court seat now awaits Ivey appointment

The U.S. Senate confirmed Alabama Supreme Court Justice Greg Cook on Thursday, 11-12-2026, to serve as a U.S. District Court judge for the Northern District of Alabama, voting 49-27 along party lines.

Cook reached the federal bench through the recommendation of his home-state senators. President Donald Trump nominated him in June at the recommendation of U.S. Sens. Katie Britt and Tommy Tuberville, both Republicans from Alabama.

Before the vote, Britt commended Cook’s service on the Alabama Supreme Court. Cook was elected in 2022 after a career at Balch & Bingham, LLP.

“Greg wrote the Alabama Civil Procedure Rules of Civil Procedure book, which is quite thick. Greg would take it out around as he talked to what he would hope to be the people he was able to serve on the Alabama Supreme Court, the citizens of the great state of Alabama,” Britt said. “He would always tell them the one thing that they could count on from him is not only his tireless hard work, but that he would be boring and predictable. What he meant by that was he was going to follow the law.”

Cook’s tenure on the state court included a recusal. He stepped aside in the Supreme Court case brought by now-Gov.-elect Tuberville that challenged the then-candidate’s qualifications to be governor.

Tuberville congratulated Cook in a social media post. Gov. Kay Ivey also congratulated Cook in a social media post.

The confirmation creates a vacancy on the Alabama Supreme Court that Ivey must fill. Gina Maiola, a spokesperson for Ivey, said in a statement Thursday evening that the governor is ready to act.

“Governor Ivey is prepared to make an appointment to the Alabama Supreme Court. As we await the president’s signature on Greg Cook’s judicial commission, we anticipate being able to make an announcement soon,” Maiola said.