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Gov. Kay Ivey this afternoon appointed Associate Justice Lyn Stuart to serve as the new Chief Justice of the Alabama State Supreme Court.

The appointment comes after former chief justice Roy Moore, suspended from the court for the remainder if his term, announced today he was resigning to run for the United States Senate.

"Chief Justice Stuart has served with honor and integrity on the high court for over 16 years. I look forward to working with her as she now leads the judicial branch of state government," Ivey said.

It was Stuart who administered Ivey's oath of office after the resignation of former Gov. Robert Bentley.

Chief Justice Lyn Stuart is a native of Atmore. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Auburn University with high honor in 1977 and her Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Alabama in 1980. Her legal career includes stints as an Assistant State Attorney General, Special Assistant Attorney General for the State Department of Corrections, and as an Assistant District Attorney for Baldwin County.

She was elected a District Judge in 1988 and again in 1994. She was appointed a Circuit Court Judge in 1997 and was elected to the position in 1998. She has been elected three times to the Supreme Court, in 2000, 2006 and 2012.

Stuart has served as Acting Chief Justice since Moore's suspension began on May 6, 2016.

"I also thank Roy Moore for his years of public service to the people of Alabama and wish him the best in the next step of his journey," Ivey added.

Moore's resignation gives Ivey a chance to make a quick and lasting impact on the state's court system.

In addition to naming Stuart chief justice, Ivey will now be able to appoint a new associate justice to give Alabama's highest court its full nine members.

If Ivey appoints a judge from a lower court to the state supreme court, she can then appoint a new judge to that court.

Sue Bell Cobb in 2006 became the first woman to serve as Alabama's Chief Justice. With Stuart as chief justice and Ivey governor, this is likely the first time two branches of Alabama government have been led by women.

Associate Justice Tom Parker said today he plans to run for chief justice in 2018.

AL.com reporter Kent Faulk contributed to this report.