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Charles Easley
Charles “Chuck” Easley is a former justice on the Mississippi Supreme Court, District 3 Place 2.
In 2000, Easley defeated incumbent Supreme Court Chief Justice Lenore Prather, the first female justice to serve on the court. In 2008, he ran unsuccessfully for re-election against David Chandler[1]
Education
Easley graduated from the University of Mississippi in 1972 with a Bachelor of Business Administration and Mississippi State University in 1976 with a Master’s of Business Administration. He received a J.D. from the University of Mississippi in 1979.
Career
Easley served as an Assistant District Attorney for the Third Judicial Court District from 1980 to 1983, Prosecutor of the Town of Caledonia, and Judge of the Town of Caledonia. He practiced law in Columbus, Mississippi, from 1983 to 2000.
Awards and associations
Justice Easley is a member of the Mississippi Bar Association, American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), the Lowndes County Bar Association, the American Bar Association (ABA), lifetime member of the National Rifle Association (NRA), Mason, Shriner, York Rite, Scottish Rite, the National Geographic Society, Audubon Society, and American Judges Association. He is a former member of Mississippi Municipal Judge’s Association and Mississippi Prosecutor’s Association.
Justice Easley served on the Mississippi Supreme Court Security Committee, the Mississippi Supreme Court Library Committee, the Mississippi Supreme Court Human Resources Committee and as Chairman of the Mississippi Continuing Judicial Education Committee. He formerly served on the Board of Directors of the following organizations: Big Brothers and Big Sisters, American Cancer Society, and Mississippi Prosecutor’s Association. Justice Easley teaches courses on ethics for both judges and attorneys.[2]
2008 election
On November 4, challenger David Chandler defeated incumbent Justice Charles Easley 67 percent to 33%.[3]
| Candidate | Incumbent | Seat | Election % |  |
|---|---|---|---|---|
David Chandler  |
No | District 3, Position 2 | 66.7% | |
| Charles Easley | Yes | District 3, Position 2 | 33.2% |
Easley came under fire early in the campaign season when he filed to simultaneously run for two different seats on the court, an endeavour he ultimately abandoned. He originally sought to run both for the seat he occupies, as well as the seat occupied by Ann Lamar.
Easley's response to criticisms levelled at him--including a local columnist who said "why would a judge who wanted to be taken seriously resort to such a self-serving tactic?"--is that:
- He was making a statement "about special interest groups wanting appointed judges. Mississippians should always have the right to vote for their judges."
- Easley believed the court was "too liberal" and said it "bends over backwards for criminals," and as a result of these systemic problems, he wanted to protest the way governors appoint judges when midterm vacancies occur.
- "I want voters to maintain the right to elect their judges. It seems to be whoever the governor wants to get appointed. It's just cronyism at its worst."[4]
Rivals outraise incumbents
Some opponents of three Mississippi Supreme Court justices are far outpacing the incumbents in campaign contributions in their quest to gain a seat on the nine-member court, based on initial campaign finance reports. In the Charles Easley race, Easley, who was elected to the high court in 2000, reported receiving $400. His opponent, state Court of Appeals Judge David Chandler of Ackerman, has raised $82,350 and spent $10,159. When asked about the campaign contributions, Easley said, "I don't need a lot of money. He will need the money. I have right justice on my side." Easley said he expects Chandler to raise at least $500,000.[5]
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Clarionledger.com, "Judicial races heating up," September 28, 2008
- ↑ Justice Easley Bio (dead link)
- ↑ Mississippi Secretary of State, 2008 General Election Results: District 3, Position 2
- ↑ The Meridian Star, "Easley's 'statement' is one of lack of respect for state's women," May 13, 2008
- ↑ The Clarion Ledger, "Rivals outraise incumbents,"
Federal courts:
Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Northern District of Mississippi, Southern District of Mississippi • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Northern District of Mississippi, Southern District of Mississippi
State courts:
Mississippi Supreme Court • Mississippi Court of Appeals • Mississippi circuit courts • Mississippi Chancery Court • Mississippi county courts • Mississippi justice courts • Mississippi youth courts • Mississippi Municipal Courts
State resources:
Courts in Mississippi • Mississippi judicial elections • Judicial selection in Mississippi
