Mississippi Supreme Court appoints new members to Advisory Committee

The state’s high court adds four to the Rules Advisory Committee and reconfirms two others.

The Mississippi Supreme Court has appointed new members to the Advisory Committee on Rules. Two new judges and two new attorneys will now serve on the Committee.

The Committee on Rules serves to advise the Supreme Court on any needs for changes regarding procedural rules that determine how issues are handled within various courts throughout the state.

Representatives on the committee come through nominations to the Rules Advisory Committee by the conference of Chancery Judges (2 seats), the Conference of Circuit Judges, the Mississippi Bar, the Mississippi Association for Justice and the Mississippi Defense Lawyers Association. One member each is also appointed from the Conference of County Court Judges, the Mississippi College School of Law, the University of Mississippi School of Law, the Mississippi Prosecutors Association and the Mississippi Public Defenders Association.

The new members include:

• Hinds County Chancellor Crystal Wise Martin, nominated by the Conference of Chancery Court Judges
• Circuit Judge Celeste Embrey Wilson of Southaven, nominated by the Conference of Circuit Court Judges
• Attorney Lauren R. Hillery of Gulfport, nominated by the Mississippi Bar
• Attorney Katherine S. Kerby of Columbus, nominated by the Mississippi Defense Lawyers Association

Judge Martin replaced Chancellor Lawrence Primeaux and has served as a Hinds County Chancellor for four years. She previously worked as an attorney for the Hinds County Board of Supervisors and was a special master in the Hinds County Chancery Court.

Judge Wilson will replace Circuit Judge Anthony Mozingo after his retirement on December 31, 2022. Wilson has served as a Circuit Judge for the 17^th Circuit District since February of 2017. She began her term for what is a newly created 23^rd Circuit Court of DeSoto County on January 1, 2023.

Hillery is an assistant public defender in Harrison County and has previously worked as an assistant public defender in Hinds County. She worked for the Biloxi law firm of Don Dornan in private practice as well as Copeland, Cook, Taylor and Bush in Ridgeland.

Kerby owns and operates her own firm, Kerby Law Firm, in Columbus. She represents clients across the state with an emphasis on civil rights litigation. She has practiced law for over 40 years and has also served as the MDLA vice-president, Quarterly editor and board member for 12 years.

In addition to these four appointees, attorneys Edwin A. Snyder of Madison and Charles R. Mullins of Jackson were reappointed to the Advisory Committee on Rules.