Mississippi
#Mississippi#
##Justices##
- Chief Justice William Waller – Assumed Chief in 2009. Term expires 2012 (moderate to conservative)
- Presiding Justice George Carlson – Term ends 2012 (moderate)
- Presiding Justice James Graves Jr. – Term ends 2012 (leans progressive)
- Presiding Justice Jess Dickinson – Term ends 2012 (leans conservative)
- Associate Justice Michael Randolph – Term ends 2012 (leans conservative)
- Associate Justice Ann Lamar – Appointed 2007, term ends 2012 (leans conservative)
- Associate Justice James Kitchens – Elected 2008, term ends 2016 (moderate to progressive)
- Associate Justice David Chandler – Elected 2008, term ends 2016 (moderate to conservative)
- Associate Justice Randy Pierce – Elected 2008, term ends 2016 (leans conservative)
##About the court##
The Mississippi Court is non-partisan with a conservative majority.
Terms are 8 years, with staggered elections. The next election cycle is 2012.
Mississippi has been arguing over whether to elect or appoint Justices since the drafting of the original state constitution in 1817, an argument that continues to present day. And due to heavy special interest spending that circumvents campaign finance laws, the battle is now between pro-trail lawyer vs. pro business/medical interests.
Newly elected Justice Jim Kitchens defeated 16-year incumbent Chief Justice Jim Smith in 2008. The race was highly contested, with candidates and special interest groups spending more than $3 million. It was the political upset of the year in Mississippi. Kitchens was able to garner bi-partisan support, in part because of the overwhelmingly conservative direction in which Smith had led the court. Under Smith, the court had reversed nearly 90 percent of pro-plaintiff verdicts and not one pro-corporate defense verdict.