Carlton takes judicial oath of office

JACKSON — Mississippi Court of Appeals Presiding Judge Virginia C. Carlton, took her oath of office on Friday, Dec. 15 following her re-election to the District 4 Place 1 seat.

Carlton, a native of Columbia, represents Franklin, Adams, Amite, Copiah, Covington, Jefferson Davis, Lawrence, Lincoln, Marion, Pike, Simpson, Walthall and Wilkinson counties along with portions of Hinds and Jones counties on the court.

Her new term of office will start on Monday, Jan. 2, and will run through January, 2031.

Carlton has served on the Court of Appeals for 16 years and was elected to her third term on Tuesday, Nov. 8 during the general election.

She had previously served as District 100 state representative from January, 2004 to December, 2006.

Carlton was also an assistant district attorney and county public defender.

In addition, she had 24 years of military service, which included being a U.S. Army JAG officer and military judge.

She served as a military trial judge and as an associate appellate judge on the U.S. Army Court of Criminal Appeals.

She retired from the military in February, 2015 at the rank of colonel.

She is a graduate of the U.S. Army Command and Staff College and the U.S. Army War College.

She earned a bachelor of business administration degree from the University of Mississippi and her juris doctor from the University of Mississippi School of Law.

During the investiture ceremony, Chief Judge Donna Barnes swore in Carlton along with Judge Jim M. Greenlee of Oxford, Judge Joel Smith Jr., of Gulfport and Judge John H. Emfinger of Brandon.

The Court of Appeals hears cases from across Mississippi and decides appeals on issues in which the law is already settled.

Ten judges are elected from five districts in staggered, non-partisan elections.

The other fourth district judge — representing Place 2 — on the Court of Appeals is David Neil McCarty, who was elected in November, 2018 and began serving when he took his oath of office on Jan. 7, 2019.