Jack Wilson will keep his seat on the State Court of Appeals after beating challenger Ed Hannan in Tuesday’s runoff election.

Wilson took about 60 percent of the vote, according to the Associated Press. He will begin an eight-year term in January.

The district encompasses all of 14 counties and parts of five others in the east central part of the state.

In Lauderdale County, Wilson received 1,286 votes to Hannan’s 767.

Gov. Phil Bryant appointed Wilson to the bench 16 months ago to fill the unexpired term of retiring Judge Larry Roberts of Meridian.

Court of Appeals judges preside over criminal, child custody, workers compensation and medical malpractice cases.  

Wilson grew up in Jackson and Tupelo and graduated from Tupelo High School. He attended the University of Memphis, earned a Bachelor of Accountancy from the University of Mississippi, and received a Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School, where he was an editor of the Harvard Law Review. 

Wilson previously practiced law with the firm of Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP in Jackson and Mayer Brown LLP in Washington, DC. His practice focused on appellate litigation and general civil litigation involving a variety of subject matters including business and commercial disputes, class and collective actions, and arbitrations. He represented clients in state and federal trial and appellate courts throughout the country, including the U.S. Supreme Court. Judge Wilson also served as Deputy Counsel and later Chief Counsel to Gov. Phil Bryant.

Wilson and his wife, Amanda, have three children, Emily, Jack, and Henry. They live in Madison, where they are active members of Pear Orchard Presbyterian Church.

Newton County judge race

In Newton County, Scott Round, with 884 votes, beat Angel Measell’s total of 570 votes in the runoff for the Justice Court, District 1 seat.  

Round will succeed Jan Addy, who died earlier this year, in January. 

Round, a paramedic, said Tuesday night he would take his experience in working with the public into the courtroom.  

 “I’m going to continue to be the guy I’ve always been – a fair and honest, humble person,” he said. 

Round said his election would not have been possible “without the love, support and prayers from the citizens of Newton County.” 

Justice court judges have jurisdiction over matters in small claims civil cases involving amounts of $3,000 or less, misdemeanor criminal cases and traffic offenses that happen outside a municipality. They also conduct bond hearings and preliminary hearings in felony criminal cases and can also issue search warrants. Justice court judges are the only Mississippi judges that are elected in partisan races. They serve four-year terms.