Administrative Office of Courts
Judge Howorth to take oath of office Jan. 2 in Oxford The swearing in ceremony for Circuit Judge Andrew K. Howorth is set for 2 p.m. Jan. 2 at the Lafayette County Courthouse in Oxford. Senior Circuit Judge Henry L. Lackey will administer the oath of office. The courthouse ceremony is expected to be short, followed by a reception at Howorth's former law office at 1005 West Jackson Avenue in Oxford. Gov. Ronnie Musgrove appointed Howorth, 46, of Oxford, to replace Circuit Judge Kenneth Coleman. Coleman is retiring Dec. 31. Howorth will hear civil and criminal cases all over the 3rd Circuit District, which includes Benton, Calhoun, Chickasaw, Lafayette, Marshall, Tippah and Union counties. He will begin hearing cases in Lafayette County in the term which begins Jan. 7. Howorth said, "Our first responsibility is to work on a very crowded docket and to try to reduce the caseload. We are going to work hard to do that." "I've always wanted to be in public service. This is an opportunity to be in public service and to work to preserve the integrity of the judicial system, as is the responsibility of every judge," Howorth said. "The part I'm most looking forward to is meeting and working with new people." Howorth, a native of Oxford and a graduate of the University of Mississippi School of Law, was admitted to the practice of law in 1987. His private law practice has included representing defendants and plaintiffs in civil litigation. For more information, call Beverly Pettigrew Kraft, court public information officer, at the Administrative Office of Courts, 601-354-7452. #### |
