Hartselle Teen Elected Boys State Chief Judge Despite Difficult Road

HARTSELLE, Ala. (WHNT) — Colter Moore was one of three Hartselle High School students selected to attend Boys State in Montgomery this year.

Moore made the most of his opportunity to obtain the position of chief justice. This allowed him to try a real case before the state Supreme Court and meet with an Alabama Supreme Court justice. But the road to get to Boys State wasn't easy for Colter.

According to Colter, he is being raised by his grandmother, Sherry Moore, and great-grandmother Janice Roberson because his father is in prison and his mother lives in another state.

Despite this, Colter put his head down and worked hard, something he says he learned from his great-grandmother.

“Just looking at someone who has had this much success in their life and seeing that before me,” Moore said. “It lets you know that the next generation can’t live through this.”

Colter said his grandmother also played a fundamental role in his upbringing.

“Special thanks to Sherry Moore for raising me and giving me the courage to pursue my dreams,” Moore said.

Now that Colter has gained the experience of what it means to sit in a courtroom and try a case, he won't let go of his dream of becoming a lawyer.

“Before, it was just the hope that I would eventually be able to sit behind a bench or maybe finish law school, but now it’s in front of me,” Moore said. “It’s not something I want to do, it’s something I have to do to be able to live with myself.”