Administrative Office of Courts
Retired Supreme Court Administrator Jack Pool died March 6 Retired Supreme Court Administrator and Counsel Jack Pool, 77, died March 6, 2015, at his home in Dallas, surrounded by his family. 
A graveside service is scheduled for May 2 at 3 p.m. at the Natchez City Cemetery. Mr. Pool retired March 15, 2011, after serving for 11 years as director of the Central Legal staff, then more than five years as Supreme Court Administrator and Counsel. He served under six chief justices during his 16 years at the court. The late Chief Justice Armis Hawkins hired him as director of the Central Legal staff in 1994. He served under Chief Justices Hawkins, Dan Lee, Lenore Prather, Edwin Lloyd Pittman, Jim Smith and Bill Waller Jr. His work for the Court earned him the Chief Justice Award in 2003 and 2005. His work included drafting major rule revisions while managing daily operations of appellate courts which dispose of more than 1,000 direct appeals and 7,000 motions annually. He was the point person for the court in the construction of the new Carroll Gartin Justice Building, which was occupied by the courts in 2008 and completed in 2011. At the time of his retirement, Mr. Pool said he felt the most satisfaction from helping the court catch up on a backlog of cases, revise the Code of Judicial Conduct and establish the offices of Capital Defense Counsel and Capital Post-Conviction Counsel. After he retired from the court and moved to Dallas, he volunteered in the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) program of Collin County. He served as guardian ad litem for minors, representing children’s best interests before the courts. Mr. Pool’s parents were Texans, but he grew up in and spent most of his adult life in Natchez. He was born in Jennings, La. His parents were Jessie Doris Johnson Pool, formerly of Lufkin, Texas, and George Edward Pool of Conroe, Texas. He graduated from Natchez High School, Millsaps College and the University of Mississippi School of Law. His career as a lawyer spanned nearly 55 years. He began practicing law in Natchez. After the death of his father, he took over management of ADCO drilling company and ran an early computerized data archive for local businesses. Survivors include wife Margaret Pool of Dallas; brother Gary Pool of New Orleans; son Christopher Pool of Lexington, Ky.; daughters Leslie Pool DeShazer of Dallas and Bridget Pool Broadley of New Orleans; three grandchildren; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. #### |
