Judge Gary McAliley hit the ground running in his new role as district attorney for the 12th Judicial Circuit of Alabama. In charge of prosecutions for Pike and Coffee Counties, McAliley has already dealt with several daily misdemeanor trials and is preparing to start hearing major cases in Pike County on Jan. 27.

According to McAliley, a former circuit judge for the area, he's had no problems picking up the prosecutorial reins from former DA Mark Fuller, who was given a federal judgeship in December.

McAliley had blasted Fuller's office for financial mismanagement and he says that

"Things are rolling right along," he said. "We've got all the assistant s in place and we're having status conferences with lawyers to make some determinations about these cases before they come to trial."

The DA's office will also be busy preparing prosecution for cases to be heard by the grand jury. The Pike County grand jury will begin Feb. 10.

McAliley will be attending a state conference for district attorneys in Birmingham next week and hopes to pick up some tips of the trade from the 35 DAs across the state.

"I may stay in the background and keep a low profile until I get a little more comfortable with what's going on," he said.