News

Judge Beam to take oath of office January 5

December 14, 2010

Newly elected Tenth District Chancery Judge Dawn H. Beam will be sworn in at an investiture ceremony at 9 a.m. Jan. 5, 2011, in Purvis. The ceremony will be in the Justice Courtroom at the Lamar County Law Enforcement Building.

Senior Chancery Judge Johnny L. Williams will administer the oath of office. Retiring Senior Chancery Judge Sebe Dale Jr. will speak.

Judge-elect Beam will fill the judgeship which Judge Dale held for the past 32 years.

Judge Beam is among 17 new chancery, circuit, and county court judges statewide who will take the oath of office within the next few days. State trial court judges serve four-year terms.

Beam, of Sumrall, is the first female chancellor to be elected in the Tenth Chancery District, and the first Lamar County resident to be elected chancellor in the district. The Tenth Chancery District includes Forrest, Lamar, Marion, Pearl River and Perry counties.

Beam since 2007 has served as County Attorney for Lamar County. She has been in the private practice of law since 1995.

She worked for the Department of Human Services 1989-1993, and for Maximus Inc. 1993-1995. Maximus contracted to do child support enforcement services for the Mississippi Department of Human Services.

Beam earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in business from the University of Mississippi, and a law degree from the University of Mississippi School of Law.

Beam is a former chair of the Family Law Section of the Mississippi Bar. She is a member of the South Central Mississippi Bar Association.

She coached high school mock trial teams from Oak Grove High School, leading teams to state finals. She is a founder and leader of the Lamar County Youth Council. She has been active in Sumrall Development Foundation. As a Lions Club member, she helped build a local children’s park. She has worked in missions to Honduras.

She and her husband, Dr. Stephen Beam, are active in Parkway Heights United Methodist Church, where they teach a young couples Sunday School class. They have five children.

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