MONTGOMERY (AP) — Tuscaloosa County Circuit Judge Scott Donaldson has been appointed to a seat on the Alabama Court of Civil Appeals.

Gov. Robert Bentley announced Tuesday that he was appointing Donaldson to the appeals court. The seat was vacated last week when former Civil Appeals Court Judge Tommy Bryan was sworn-in to the Alabama Supreme Court after being elected last year.

Donaldson has served as a circuit judge in Tuscaloosa County since 2003. He is a graduate of the University of Alabama School of Law and practiced law for 18 years before becoming a circuit judge.

A spokesman for Bentley, Jeremy King, says the governor will choose a replacement for Donaldson on the Tuscaloosa County bench from a list of three names that will be provided by a nominating committee.