Justice Ann Hannaford Lamar was appointed to the Mississippi Supreme Court on May 21, 2007. Governor Haley Barbour appointed Justice Lamar to the vacancy created by the retirement of Presiding Justice Kay B. Cobb. In November 2008, she was elected to serve an eight year term beginning January 1, 2009. Justice Lamar is the third woman to serve on the Mississippi Supreme Court.

Prior to her appointment to the Supreme Court, Justice Lamar served as a Circuit Court Judge in the 17th Circuit Court District, which is made up of Desoto, Tate, Panola, Yalobusha, and Tallahatchie counties. She also presided over the 17th Circuit Drug Court, supervising program participants in four of the five counties.

Justice Lamar served as District Attorney in the 17th district until her appointment to the circuit bench in November 2001. Prior to her election as District Attorney, she had served nine years as an assistant district attorney and eight years in the private practice of law. Upon graduation from law school in 1982, Justice Lamar began practicing law with her husband in Senatobia under the firm name of Lamar & Lamar.

Justice Lamar attended Northwest Mississippi Junior College and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in education from Delta State University in 1974. She earned her law degree from the University of Mississippi School of Law in 1982. Justice Lamar also attended the National Judicial College in Reno, Nevada, in 2002.

Since arriving at the Court, Justice Lamar has served on the Court’s Rules Committee. She also serves on the Board of Governors of the Mississippi Judicial College. In 2008, Justice Lamar served as Co-Chair of the Commission for the Study of Domestic Abuse Proceedings. During her tenure as a circuit court judge, Justice Lamar served the Conference of Circuit Court Judges as Chairman in 2006-2007, Vice-Chairman in 2005-2006, and Treasurer for the preceding three years. She is a member and past president of the William C. Keady American Inns of Court. She is also a former member of the Board of Directors of the Mississippi Prosecutor’s Association.

Justice Lamar is the daughter of Bobbie Jean Hannaford and the late Chancery Judge Leon Hannaford. She is married to John Lamar of Senatobia. They are the proud parents of two adult children, John T. Lamar, III (Trey) and Vance Lamar, and they have two grandchildren. The Lamars are active members of First Baptist Church in Senatobia.