Administrative Office of Courts
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Court of Appeals Judge Cory Wilson sworn in Feb. 15 February 15, 2019 New Court of Appeals Judge Cory T. Wilson was sworn in on Feb. 15 in Jackson.  Court of Appeals Chief Judge Donna M. Barnes administered the oath. Chief Judge Barnes said the occasion is an important one for the Court. “Each judge brings his or her unique personal background and experiences in the practice of law to our deliberations. We are excited to have Judge Cory Wilson on the Court of Appeals and look forward to the many contributions he will make to our Court.” Wilson thanked his family, Gov. Phil Bryant and Supreme Court Justice T. Kenneth Griffis. Gov. Bryant appointed Wilson to Griffis’ former position on the Court of Appeals after the Governor appointed Griffis to the Supreme Court. Gov. Bryant and Justice Griffis watched Judge Wilson take the oath. Justice Griffis opened the ceremony with prayer. Judge Wilson said, “I am very grateful and humbled by the confidence you have shown in me, and I’m going to work as hard as I can to do the best job I can for the people of Mississippi.” Judge Wilson’s wife Stephanie and son Webb helped him put on his robe. Judge Wilson, 48, will serve the remainder of an unexpired term that will end Jan. 2, 2023. He resigned from the House of Representatives on Feb. 14 to accept the appointment to the Court of Appeals. He served House District 73, representing part of Madison County, since 2016. He lives near Flora. 
From 2014 to 2015, Wilson served as senior advisor and counsel to State Treasurer Lynn Fitch and had a part-time private law practice. He was chief of staff to Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann from 2008 to 2011, managing day to day operations and facilitating policy-making in elections administration, securities and charities regulation, and reform of LLC and business laws, administrative procedures, and public lands. From 2005 to 2006, Wilson served as a White House Fellow. During the Fellowship, he was a special assistant to Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld. As part of the White House Fellowship, he traveled on policy related trips across the United States, Europe, North Africa and Latin America. Wilson's law practice included business, commercial and construction litigation, elections law and appellate practice in state and federal courts. He most recently practiced at the firm of Jernigan Copeland Attorneys, PLLC, in Ridgeland. Before joining Jernigan Copeland in 2016, Wilson established and managed the Jackson office of Heidelberg, Steinberger, Colmer & Burrow, expanding the firm from offices on the Gulf Coast. Prior to his work with the Secretary of State's office, Wilson was an equity partner in the Jackson office of Bradley Arant Rose & White LLP. He began practicing law with Watkins Ludlam Winter & Stennis, P.A. in 1996. Judge Wilson is a native of Moss Point. He graduated from Moss Point High School in 1988. He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree, summa cum laude, in economics from the University of Mississippi School of Business in 1992. He earned his law degree from Yale Law School in 1995. He served as a law clerk to Judge Emmett R. Cox of the Eleventh U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Judge Wilson is a member of The Mississippi Bar and the Madison County Bar Association. Among other civic activities, he was chair of the Mississippi Council on Economic Education, was active in the Madison County Business League & Foundation, and served on the board of directors of the Madison County Chamber of Commerce. He is a 2001 graduate of Leadership Mississippi. #### |
