Lafayette County Judge Candidates: Meet Tiffany Kilpatrick

Lafayette County residents will vote to elect the county’s first County judge on Nov. 8.

Eight local attorneys have qualified to run for the new seat. They include Steve Jubera, James B. Justice, Cornelia Fondren, Thomas A. Waller, Josh Turner, Ray Garrett, Tiffany Kilpatrick and Christine Tatum.

Over the next few days, Hotty Toddy News will be running profiles of each candidate, along with their answers to three questions that were presented to them.

Profile information was provided by each candidate to the Lafayette County Circuit Clerk’s Office and is also listed on the Election page of the Lafayette County website.

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Tiffany Kilpatrick

A mother and lawyer, Kilpatrick has practiced for 17 years and currently serves as the Assistant District Attorney over Abuse and Sexual Assault Cases for the Mississippi Third Circuit Court District, where she serves the entire district (Benton, Calhoun, Chickasaw, Lafayette, Marshall, Union, and Tippah Counties). She primarily practiced criminal defense and family law in private practice. She has served as the Lafayette County Public Defender at the felony level, the Youth Court Public Defender for Lafayette County, and City Prosecutor for Abbeville as well as Adjunct Professor at her alma mater University of Mississippi School of Law. Thanks to her experience as a public defender in circuit and youth courts and her current position, she’s become a passionate advocate for children and adults.

Kilpatrick possesses a wealth of courtroom experience and a natural passion for the people she serves. She strives to ensure fairness on both sides of the aisle. Taking immense pride in being a woman of integrity, Tiffany stands for justice, equality and the uplifting of individuals no matter their ethnicity, religion or cultural background.

Kilpatrick has the ability to bring efficiency without delay of justice, is committed to community, and holds impartiality, integrity, and fairness as her guiding principles each day. Kilpatrick has a passion for service and making a difference, which drives her commitment to the community. She serves the community and she’s committed to community.

1. Why are running for County Judge?

I am running for county judge because I believe my experience and the passion I have for serving my community will be put to best use on the county bench. Anyone who has been in the courtroom knows I love the work. For me, it was really just a question of where I could make the most positive change.

2. What makes you the best candidate?

With my experience in both the civil and criminal arenas coupled with my service as both the Lafayette youth court public defender and Lafayette felony public defender and as the Lafayette assistant district attorney over sex and abuse cases, I’m in the unique position of being equipped to take over youth court day one, preside over felony trials, and manage the civil docket so that the parties can have their cases heard fairly and without delay. 

3. With this being a new court for the county, what do you hope to
accomplish with this position if elected?

Access to justice. Both the civil and criminal dockets are woefully crowded and, as a result, leave criminal defendants and civil parties waiting over a year or more for their “day in court.” I want to give people meaningful and quick trial dates. On the youth court side, I intend on starting an intervention court similar to a drug court. 

Staff report