Administrative Office of Courts
Chancellor Charles Smith to take oath Jan. 2 in Meridian December 20, 2018 An investiture ceremony for new Chancellor Charles E. (Charlie) Smith will be held Jan. 2 at 9 a.m. in Lauderdale County Chancery Court in Meridian. Retiring Chancellor Jerry G. Mason will administer the oath of office. Judge Mason, the longest currently serving chancellor in the state, will retire Dec. 31 after 37 years on the bench. The 12th Chancery District includes Clarke and Lauderdale counties. Judge Smith, 66, served as Youth Court prosecutor 1983-2014, and as Lauderdale County Prosecutor for more than three years. He maintained a general law practice in Meridian. He is a graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi and the former Jackson School of Law, now Mississippi College School of Law. Across the state, 42 new judges will take their oaths of office in ceremonies scheduled during the next three weeks. New judges include three new Court of Appeals judges, 20 new Chancery Court judges, nine new Circuit Court judges and 10 new County Court judges. New judicial terms begin on Jan. 1, 2019. A list of investiture ceremonies around the state is at this link: https://courts.ms.gov/Ceremonies.php. #### |
