The Legislature intends by this chapter to require the recusal of a justice or judge from hearing a case in which there may be an appearance of impropriety because as a candidate the justice or judge received a substantial contribution from a party to the case, including attorneys for the party, and all others described in subsection (b) of Section 12-24-2. This legislation in no way intends to suggest that any sitting justice or judge of this state would be less than fair and impartial in any case. It merely intends for all the parties to a case and the public be made aware of campaign contributions made to a justice or judge by parties in a case and others described in subsection (b) of Section 12-24-2.

(a) Any justice or judge of an appellate or circuit court of this state shall file, at least two weeks prior to the commencement of his or her term of office, with the Secretary of State, a statement disclosing the names and addresses of campaign contributors and the amount of each contribution made to him or her in the election immediately preceding his or her new term in office. Contributions from political action committees may be accepted if the committee furnishes to the Secretary of State according to existing law a list of names and addresses of contributors and an amount properly attributable to each contributor. When a justice or judge does not file this annual statement, the Secretary of State shall notify the Administrative Office of Courts and that office shall withhold further compensation to the justice or judge pending compliance with this section.

(b) The Supreme Court shall provide under the appropriate rules of court, a rule or rules which provide as follows: In an appellate court proceeding the attorneys for all parties shall serve certificates of disclosure on all attorneys of record before such court within 28 days after the filing of the notice of appeal; or in a circuit court within 28 days after notice of the identity of the judge presiding on the case. Each certificate shall state the amount, if any, of campaign contributions by the respective individual donor or entity to any justice or judge of an appellate court where the case is pending, or if it is a trial court proceeding, the amount, if any, of campaign contributions by the respective individual donor or entity to the judge presiding over the case, made in the last election by the party or real parties in interest, any holder of five percent (5%) or more of a corporate party's stock, any employees of the party acting under that party's direction, any insurance carrier for the party which is potentially liable for the party's exposure in the case, the attorney for the party, other lawyers in practice with the attorney, and any employees acting under the direction of the attorney or acting under the direction of those in practice with the attorney. The failure to file the certificates of disclosure within the time frames set out above shall not affect the validity of the filing but the court may impose sanctions provided for by Rule 37(b) (2) (C, D) of the Alabama Rules of Civil Procedure, for the failure of a party to comply with this section after being ordered to do so.

(c) The action shall be assigned to a justice or judge regardless of the information contained in the certificates of disclosure. If the action is assigned to a justice or judge of an appellate court who has received more than four thousand dollars ($4,000) based on the information set forth in any one certificate of disclosure, or to a circuit judge who has received more than two thousand dollars ($2,000) based on the information set out in any one certificate of disclosure, then, within 14 days after all parties have filed a certificate of disclosure, any party who has filed a certificate of disclosure setting out an amount including all amounts contributed by any person or entity designated in subsection (b), below the limit applicable to the justice or judge, or an amount above the applicable limit but less than that of any opposing party, shall file a written notice requiring recusal of the justice or judge or else such party shall be deemed to have waived such right to a recusal. Under no circumstances shall a justice or judge solicit a waiver of recusal or participate in the action in any way when the justice or judge knows that the contributions of a party or its attorney exceed the applicable limit and there has been no waiver of recusal.