Credit: Ellen Rodgers
I have decided to run for the Mississippi Court of Appeals in the position currently held by Chief Judge Joe Lee, who last week announced he would no longer run for office. It has been my honor to practice before Chief Judge Lee for years. I intend to carry on Judge Lee’s legacy of service and humility.
I have devoted my legal career to the unique practice of appeals, beginning as a law clerk at the Mississippi Supreme Court. In the past thirteen years, I have represented dozens of clients in federal and state appeals—from small businesses to parents who were fighting for the best for their children. In over 30 oral arguments, I traveled before our Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, and the Fifth Circuit to advocate for my clients.
I want to be that same tireless advocate for the people in Mississippi.
In the past decade, I have also worked with other lawyers to found the Appellate Practice Section of the Mississippi Bar, which I have served as Chair. We worked to develop a Pro Bono Rule to expand access to justice for Mississippians of all backgrounds.
My service has not just been in the courtroom and boardroom, but also in the classroom. I have served as an adjunct professor at my alma mater, Mississippi College School of Law, which I attended after graduation from Mississippi State University. I have taught at MC Law for over a decade, educating students in classes on evidence, legal writing, appellate advocacy, and pretrial and trial practice. As part of this path, I authored a comprehensive study on the Rules of Evidence in the leading book Encyclopedia of Mississippi Law.
This is not a partisan office, and I will not run a partisan campaign. The business of the courts is not declaring winners or losers based on the politics or perceived power of one party or the other—there is a reason Lady Justice wears a blindfold. The business of the courts is reaching the right result under the law.