Mississippi chief justice: Time for another to lead court
Practice Focuses
After 21 years on the Mississippi Supreme Court and 10 years as chief justice, Bill Waller Jr. says it's time for someone else to take the helm.
Waller's court has at times questioned problems with forensic evidence, but passed when asked to rule on the legality of Mississippi's cap on punitive damages. He said his biggest regret is not getting a statewide system of county courts.
Gov. Phil Bryant has announced that he will replace Waller with Court of Appeals Chief Judge Kenny Griffis, while Presiding Justice Michael Randolph will become the next leader of the nine-member Supreme Court, based on seniority. The outgoing chief justice, son of the late Gov. Bill Waller Sr., a Democrat who served from 1972 to 1976, said he still might run for governor himself.
Waller came on to the court in a different time, before the new judicial building was started, when most record-keeping was on paper and when a hot political battle was waging over limiting damages on civil lawsuits. Another change has been improvements in how inmates are represented in appeals, with the creation of the Office of Capital Post-Conviction Counsel and then the Office of Indigent Appeals.
Related listings
-
Sri Lanka court orders prime minister to refrain from duties
Practice Focuses 12/03/2018A Sri Lankan court on Monday ordered disputed Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and his ministers to refrain from carrying out their duties as it hears an appeal against them.While the ruling by the Court of Appeal is an interim order, it is yet anoth...
-
Malaysia court to resume Kim Jong Nam murder trial on Jan. 7
Practice Focuses 11/05/2018A Malaysian court on Wednesday set Jan. 7 for two Southeast Asian women charged with murdering the North Korean leader’s half brother to begin their defense, as their lawyers complained that some witnesses were unreachable.A High Court judge in...
-
Juvenile waived to adult court in Indy doctor's slaying
Practice Focuses 09/14/2018A juvenile has been waived to adult court to face charges in the fatal shooting of an Indiana University doctor and educator last year.Online court records say 16-year-old Tarius Blade faces three felony burglary charges in the Nov. 20, 2017, slaying...