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Judge Larry E. Roberts of Meridian joined the Mississippi Court of Appeals on Jan. 4, 2006. Judge Roberts was appointed by Gov. Haley Barbour to fill the position created by the retirement of Judge Billy G. Bridges.
Before his appointment to the Court of Appeals, Judge Roberts served as a trial court judge for 27 years. He was elected Lauderdale County Court Judge in 1978 at the age of 29. Gov. Bill Allain appointed him as circuit judge for the 10th Circuit Court District effective Dec. 31, 1986. He was elected without opposition; he had no opponent in subsequent bids for re-election. He served for 19 years in the circuit court district which includes Clarke, Kemper, Lauderdale and Wayne counties.
Judge Roberts was born June 27, 1949, in Cleveland, Mississippi. When he was a child, his parents moved to Pachuta, then to Meridian. He grew up in Meridian.
He graduated with honors from Meridian High School in 1967. He attended Mississippi State University for a semester in 1966 as part of an honors program before high school graduation. He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of Mississippi in 1970, and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Mississippi School of Law in 1973.
He was admitted to the Mississippi Bar May 1, 1973. He engaged in the general practice of law in Meridian from May 1973 until December 1978.
Judge Roberts served as a U.S. Army reservist for 20 years. He served on active duty for almost a year during Operation Desert Storm in 1990 and 1991. He was assigned to the 1181st USA Transportation Terminal Unit in Meridian. He retired in 1994 with the rank of lieutenant colonel.
Judge Roberts currently serves as a member of the Board of Governors of the Mississippi Judicial College and as co-chairman of the Supreme Court Committee on Uniform Criminal Rules. He is a past member of the Supreme Court Advisory Committee on Rules. He previously served as chairman of the Conference of County Court Judges and the Conference of Circuit Court Judges. He also previously served as a presiding judge of the Bar Complaints Tribunal for attorney discipline. He is a member of the Lauderdale County Bar Association, the Mississippi Bar and the American Judicature Society.
He is a deacon at First Baptist Church in Meridian. He previously served as chairman of deacons and as an adult Sunday School teacher.
Judge Roberts is married to Sheila McCollum Roberts, formerly of New Albany. She has taught elementary students in Meridian public schools for 31 years. They have two sons, David W. Roberts and Bryan P. Roberts. Judge Roberts’ brother, Edwin H. Roberts Jr. of Oxford, is a Chancery Judge of the 18th Chancery District.
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