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James L. Roberts Jr.

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James L. Roberts Jr.
Justice of the Supreme Court of Mississippi
In office
1992–1999
Preceded byJames L. Robertson
Succeeded byKay B. Cobb
Personal details
Born
James Lamar Roberts Jr.

(1945-06-08) June 8, 1945 (age 79)
Pontotoc, Mississippi, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
EducationUniversity of Mississippi School of Law (JD)
ProfessionJudge

James Lamar Roberts Jr. (born June 8, 1945)[1] is an American retired jurist who served as a justice of the Supreme Court of Mississippi from 1992 to 1999.[2]

Born in Pontotoc, Mississippi, Roberts received a J.D. from the University of Mississippi School of Law in 1971,[3] and served as the prosecuting attorney for Pontotoc County, Mississippi from 1972 to 1983. In 1984, Governor Bill Allain appointed him State Commissioner of Public Safety, a position he held for four years.[4]

Roberts became a justice of the Supreme Court of Mississippi in 1992.[5] In April 1999, Roberts resigned form his seat on the Supreme Court to campaign for the office of governor in that year's election.[4] He sought the Democratic nomination, facing Lieutenant Governor Ronnie Musgrove.[6] Roberts did little to build a gubernatorial platform and spent most of his time attacking Musgrove for his use of state vehicles for campaign activities.[7] Musgrove won the August 3 Democratic primary, taking 57 percent of the vote to Roberts' 26 percent.[8]

In January 2019, Roberts suffered a stroke. He tendered his resignation from his circuit court judgeship effective February 29, 2020.[4]

References

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  1. ^ Who's Who in American Law, 2002-2003. Marquis Who's Who. 2002. p. 541.
  2. ^ Leslie Southwick, Mississippi Supreme Court Elections: A Historical Perspective 1916-1996, 18 Miss. C. L. Rev. 115 (1997-1998).
  3. ^ Moore, William (January 23, 2020). "Circuit Judge James Roberts resigns". Daily Journal.
  4. ^ a b c Helms, David (January 29, 2020). "Judge James L. Roberts, Jr., tenders resignation". Pontotoc Progress. Retrieved August 26, 2023.
  5. ^ "State of Mississippi Judiciary". courts.ms.gov.
  6. ^ Watson & Campbell 2003, p. 133.
  7. ^ Watson & Campbell 2003, p. 134.
  8. ^ Ammerman, Joseph (August 4, 1999). "It's Musgrove vs. Parker for Governor's Mansion". The Clarion-Ledger. pp. 1A, 6A.

Works cited

[edit]
Political offices
Preceded by Justice of the Supreme Court of Mississippi
1992–1999
Succeeded by