Lafayette County Judge Candidates: Meet Thomas Waller

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.

This week, Hotty Toddy News is 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.

Thomas Waller could not be reached for the questions/answers part of today’s article.

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Thomas Waller

Born to Charles and Mary Ann Waller, Thomas Waller was raised right here in Lafayette County.

He is the proud parent of teen-aged children, Thomas and Sela Waller. He graduated from Oxford High School in 1986 and continued his education at the University of Mississippi. After graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering in 1990, he attended the University of Mississippi School of Law.

There, he was a member of the Mississippi Law Journal and the Moot Court Board before obtaining his Juris Doctor in May of 1994. Upon completion of this degree, he became a member of the Mississippi Bar and immediately started to practice law.

He is admitted to practice in all Courts in the State of Mississippi, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court. Waller’s practice of law has not been limited to just one area over his career, as he has been fortunate to practice law in various counties throughout the state, and in particular, County Courts.

Waller has represented sheriff’s departments, school districts, farmers, and small businesses. He has assisted clients who have been injured or accused of crimes. He has defended juveniles and their parents in Youth Courts, County Courts, and Chancery Court where children’s issues arise.

Presently, Mississippi has 22 County Courts and 32 County Court Judges. County Court Judges serve four-year terms. Lafayette County will bring that total to 23 Courts and 33 Judges.

This new Court should alleviate issues of overcrowded dockets of the Circuit, Chancery, and Justice Courts by providing concurrent jurisdiction with civil cases for amounts in controversy up to $200,000, criminal and felony cases not involving the death penalty, and appeals from the Municipal Court of Oxford. County Court has exclusive jurisdiction over eminent domain, partition of personal property, and actions for unlawful entry and detainer (generally, trespass). Additionally, the present Youth Court will become part of the County Court and rule on matters concerning juveniles and their welfare.