Ben McGough Sworn In as Second Circuit DA
McGough takes over prosecution in Butler, Crenshaw and Lowndes counties after Charlotte Tesmer's retirement.
Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Criminal Justice
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Ben McGough was sworn in as district attorney for Alabama's Second Judicial Circuit, succeeding Charlotte Tesmer, who retired. The circuit prosecutes cases in Butler, Crenshaw and Lowndes counties.
Why it matters
This is the first change in the circuit's district attorney in more than two decades. McGough's office has taken several pleas and adopted policies aimed at resolving older cases and handling new ones more quickly across the state's southern counties.
McGough was sworn in on November 7, 2026, after returning to the Second Circuit about 18 months ago. Tesmer now serves as a supernumerary district attorney, and the extraction does not specify the outcome of the backlog reduction effort.
The players
Ben McGough
Ben McGough is a prosecutor who previously worked in the Montgomery district attorney's office before returning to Alabama's Second Judicial Circuit.
Charlotte Tesmer
Charlotte Tesmer is the former district attorney who retired and now serves as a supernumerary district attorney.
The details
The case backlog was attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic and a limited number of jury terms. McGough previously worked in the Second Circuit and the Montgomery district attorney's office, where he handled larger cases, and he plans to seek significant prison time for people convicted of violent crimes.
Timeline
COVID-19 pandemic period: backlog begins building in the circuit.
About 18 months before swearing-in: McGough returns to the Second Circuit.
November 7, 2026: McGough is sworn in as district attorney.
Legal Context
The circuit's backlog grew out of the COVID-19 pandemic and a limited number of jury terms, a pattern that many Alabama circuits faced during that period. McGough's push to resolve older cases through pleas and new policies represents a response to that legacy.
Residents in Butler, Crenshaw and Lowndes counties may see changes in how older cases are resolved and how quickly new cases move through the courts. McGough's stated plan to seek significant prison time for violent offenders affects how serious cases are handled locally.
The takeaway
A change in district attorney can reset how a circuit clears its backlog, and the outcome depends on whether pleas and new policies reduce delays for victims and defendants alike. Watching case resolution times in the circuit will show whether the approach is working.
Further reading
For broader context on how prosecutors handle case backlogs, see Criminal Justice coverage across the state.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Wsfa.
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