Circuit Courts hear felony criminal prosecutions and civil lawsuits. Circuit Courts hear appeals from County, Justice and Municipal courts and from administrative boards and commissions such as the Workers’ Compensation Commission and the Mississippi Department of Employment Security.There are 23 Circuit Court districts and 57 Circuit Court judges. The number of Circuit Judges per district ranges from one to four. Circuit Court judges are selected in non-partisan elections to serve four-year terms.Trials are heard with a 12-member jury and usually one or two alternate jurors. A judge may preside without a jury if the dispute is a question of law rather than fact.
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Qualifications & Education
Bachelor's Degree from Mississippi State, Law Degree from Mississippi College, 20 years of experience as a litigator, former Firefighter and Police Officer.
Links - Social Media, Other
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Once a defendant has been convicted beyond a reasonable doubt, the job of a judge is foremost to ensure the safety of the community. The sentence imposed should ensure that the community is safe from future crimes that the defendant is likely to commit. In cases where a defendant is not a threat to the safety of the community, a judge should seek to fashion a sentence that maximizes the likelihood the victim can recoup their losses from the defendant in restitution. There are certain cases where a particular defendant does not pose a danger to the community and is unlikely to recidivate if they are given an opportunity to rehabilitate themselves, for example from an addiction. In these cases, a judge should ensure that the defendant is required to strictly comply with rehabilitation program requirements and impose meaningful community service obligations that will require the defendant to serve the community in which their crime was committed.
I am proud of my service to the community over the course of my adult life. Prior to becoming a lawyer, I served the community as a firefighter, EMT and as a police officer. I worked as a federal prosecutor for 10 years. While in private practice for the last decade, I have continued to serve the community in various ways, for example, by representing police officers involved in use of force incidents and by teaching and training law enforcement officers in critical areas of the law.
I am an AV Preeminent Peer Review Rated Lawyer by Martindale-Hubbel. I have been recognized by Best Lawyers in America as the Lawyer of the Year in 2026, 2023 and 2022 and for the last several years by Best Lawyers for my work in Health Care Law, Qui Tam Law and Criminal Law.
As a federal prosecutor, I received the 2013 Investigation of the Year award from the National Health Care Anti-Fraud Association.
I am a lifelong resident of Rankin County and the 20th Judicial District. I live in Brandon, with my wife Caroline and our two children Garrett (17) and Anna Claire (15). I am a Deacon at Brandon Baptist Church, where we have been members for over twenty years. We have deep family roots in Rankin County. Caroline and I are both active in the community, having coached youth sports and been members in various community organizations.
I am the only candidate that has been a practicing litigator for my entire career. I have significant experience trying cases, civil and criminal, in front of juries in state and federal courts, and handling appeals at the state and federal level. I am admitted to practice in all state courts in Texas and Mississippi, and before the 5th and 11th Federal Circuit Courts of Appeal, and the United States Supreme Court.
I am also a lifetime member of the Charles Clark Inns of Court, which is a peer nominated organization for litigators.
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