Graves possible for judgeship: Justice mentioned as leading candidate for Appeals Court, 5th Circuit

[usregimechange]

James E. Graves, Jr., Presiding Justice, Supreme Court of Mississippi
Potential nominee for the United States Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit
56 Years Old


State Supreme Court Justice James Graves Jr. is being mentioned as a leading candidate for an appointment to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit in New Orleans. "It's no secret that I have expressed an interest in the position," Graves said Tuesday.

Graves would not say whether he has been interviewed by President Barack Obama's administration. He's undergoing a U.S. Department of Justice background check, a normal requirement of consideration for a federal judicial appointment.

http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20100324/NEWS/3240349/1001/rss01

[Rowdyboy]

1. Judge Graves is a very impressive figure....what a breath of fresh air for the 5th circuit....

[usregimechange]

2. He isn't nominated yet, what do you know about his philosophy?

[WolverineDG]

3. he only lives in the same state as the judge

:eyes:

[usregimechange]

4. making him more likely than most of us to know about his rulings

[Rowdyboy]

6. Actually I have met the judge-I'm just slow in responding (see other response)

[Rowdyboy]

5. Judge Graves has regularly supported civil rights and the consumer....

during his career on the Supreme Court. He is usually one of two dissenters in every major opinion the court issues. Since our courts decisions are almost universally "pro-business/anti-consumer/Republican/conservative" that speaks volumes about his philosophy.

My only personal connection came some years ago when my partner was asked to find a speaker for his high school Martin Luther King Day ceremony. My best friend at work knew the judge from their wilder days in high school and still holds him in very high regard. He introduced Graves to my partner and made it happen.

Here's a link to his wikipedia page-its quite interesting...

http://judgepedia.org/index.php/James_Graves

Graves holds a B.A. from Millsaps College, in Jackson, Mississippi; a Masters of Public Administration degree from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, in Sycracuse, New York; and his law degree from Syracuse University College of Law, in Syracuse, New York.

He worked as a staff attorney at Central Mississippi Legal Services. As a special assistant attorney general, he was head of the Human Services Division of the Attorney General's Office. Prior to his appointment as Circuit Judge, he was director of the Division of Child Support Enforcement of the Mississippi Department of Human Services. He was also engaged in the private practice of law for more than three years. His teaching experience includes serving as a teaching team member at Harvard Law School where he taught trial advocacy. He has been a presenter at Stanford Law School on two occasions and was a jurist-in-residence at Syracuse University School of Law. Justice Graves has also served as an adjunct professor at Jackson State University, Tougaloo College, and Millsaps College where he taught media law, civil rights law, and sociology of law.<2>

Judge Graves was appointed by then-governor Ronnie Musgrove, a Democrat, on November 1, 2001 to serve on the Supreme Court, and subsequently was elected by the people in November 2004, representing one of three seats in Mississippi's Judicial District 1. His opponent was Samac Richardson. Since Mississippi's justices serve eight year terms, he will next face re-election in 2012. Justice Graves is currently the only African-American on the nine-member court.