Gov. Phil Bryant had never met Jack Wilson before Bryant appointed him last year to the Mississippi Court of Appeals to serve out the final 18-month term Larry Roberts, of Meridian, who retired.

Despite the lack of a personal relationship with Wilson, Bryant was familiar with Wilson’s conservative ideals. Bryant has endorsed Wilson over two other candidates in Tuesday’s election for Court of Appeals District 3, Position 1 race.

Wilson is running against County Court Judge and Special Circuit Judge for Madison and Rankin counties Ed Hannan, of Madison, and Dow Yoder, of Ridgeland.    

“Sixteen months ago I appointed Jack Wilson to the Court of Appeals. I wanted a great jurist who would do a good job,” Bryant said Wednesday in Meridian during a campaign stop for Wilson. “Jack Wilson never campaigned for me so he doesn’t owe any political favors. I wanted a judge who knows the law and rules with empathy.”

 

Wilson, 37, grew up in Jackson until the age of 13 when his family moved to Tupelo. He entered private law practice in Jackson in 2014. Wilson said when Roberts retired, he jumped at the opportunity.

“I applied for the job. The governor had set up a committee to study the appointees. I was on the short list. I think he appointed me because he trusts my values and judgment. I definitely have a conservative judicial philosophy. My record on the court supports that,” Wilson said.

From July 2015, Wilson said the Court of Appeals has decided 500 ore more cases and he has written 78 majority opinions, the most of any judge since he began on the court.

“We’re assigned an equal number of opinions, but the fact that I’ve written more shows voters I’ve been working and that I’ve also had an impact on our court,” Wilson said.

Wilson said he has a strong record.

“I’m the only candidate voters can look at my record an appellate judge with published opinions,” Wilson said. “Our opinions are publicly available. I feel like my work the last 16 months is up to public scrutiny. I have yet to hear any criticism from anybody who said I haven’t followed the law, but only the ones who said that I just followed the law and did a good job.”

 

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

 

Hannan resides in Madison and grew up in Grenada. He has been a judge 19 years. He has been a municipal judge in Madison from 1997-2006 and was elected county judge in 2006 and was twice reelected. He was appointed Special Circuit Judge in 2011 by the State Supreme Court and reappointed in 2014.

“We need trial judges with jury trial experience. As of now, we don’t have any. There are no former circuit or county court judges on the Appeals Court,” Hannan said. “We need experienced people.”

Hannan is chairman of Conference of County Court Judges and a member of the Judicial Advisory Study Committee. In his 19 years as a judge, he has heard cases in six different courts, including county, circuit, felony drug. youth, special court of eminent domain and municipal domain.

“This race is about experience and qualifications,” Hannan said. “Experience matters.”

Yoder was unavailable for comment after repeated attempts to reach him proved unsuccessful.