Riley names Nabers as Alabama Chief Justice

	6/22/2004, 12:17 p.m. CT MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) -- Gov. Bob Riley appointed his state finance director, Drayton Nabers, as chief justice Tuesday, filling the post vacated with the ouster of Roy Moore. Gorman Houston, the state Supreme Court's senior associate justice who became acting chief justice last year, said he's looking forward to Riley's naming a chief justice. "It has been a very hard job working as senior associate justice and acting chief justice," Houston said. The chief justice oversees the operation of the entire state court system. Riley made the announcement and administered the oath of office at the state Capitol with other members of the state Supreme Court watching. Houston is a defendant in a celebrated federal case and has been accused of violating federal court orders. It is unclear, at this time, if the federal case has anything to do with the new chief justice appointment, coming just one day before Defendant Chief Justice Gorman Houston's required response in the federal case. Pursuant to Rule 25(d)(1) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, the Honorable Drayton Nabers Jr., in his official capacity as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Alabama, is due to be substituted for the Honorable J. Gorman Houston Jr., in his official capacity as Acting Chief Justice.
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