William L. Waller Jr.

Last updated
Bill Waller
StJosFeastJudgeWaller.jpg
Chief Justice of Mississippi Supreme Court
In office
January 5, 2009 –January 31, 2019
Preceded by James W. Smith Jr.
Succeeded by Michael K. Randolph
Justice of Mississippi Supreme Court
In office
January 1998 –January 31, 2019
Preceded by Dan Lee
Succeeded by Kenny Griffis
Personal details
Born
William Lowe Waller Jr.

(1952-02-09) February 9, 1952 (age 67)
Jackson, Mississippi, U.S.
Political party Republican
Spouse(s)Charlotte Brawner
Relatives Bill Waller (Father)
Carroll Overton (Mother)
Education Mississippi State University (BA)
University of Mississippi (JD)

William Lowe Waller Jr. (born February 9, 1952) [1] is a Republican candidate for Governor of Mississippi in the 2019 election [2] [3] and is the former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Mississippi.

Republican Party (United States) Major political party in the United States

The Republican Party, also referred to as the GOP, is one of the two major political parties in the United States; the other is its historic rival, the Democratic Party.

A governor is, in most cases, a public official with the power to govern the executive branch of a non-sovereign or sub-national level of government, ranking under the head of state. In federations, governor may be the title of a politician who governs a constituent state and may be either appointed or elected. The power of the individual governor can vary dramatically between political systems, with some governors having only nominal or largely ceremonial power, while others having a complete control over the entire government.

Mississippi State of the United States of America

Mississippi is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. Mississippi is the 32nd largest and 34th-most populous of the 50 United States. Mississippi is bordered to the north by Tennessee, to the east by Alabama, to the south by the Gulf of Mexico, to the southwest by Louisiana, and to the northwest by Arkansas. Mississippi's western boundary is largely defined by the Mississippi River. Jackson is both the state's capital and largest city. Greater Jackson, with an estimated population of 580,166 in 2018, is the most populous metropolitan area in Mississippi and the 95th-most populous in the United States.

Contents

Early years

Waller, a native and current resident of Jackson, Mississippi, is the son of William "Bill" Waller. Sr., the former Governor of Mississippi from 1972 to 1976, and Carroll Waller, the former First Lady of Mississippi. [4] The junior Waller graduated from Murrah High School and Mississippi State University in 1974, where he was a member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity. He received his law degree from the University of Mississippi School of Law in 1977.

Jackson, Mississippi Capital of Mississippi

Jackson, officially the City of Jackson, is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County, along with Raymond, Mississippi. The city of Jackson also includes around 3,000 acres comprising Jackson-Medgar Evers International Airport in Rankin County and a small portion of Madison County. The city's population was estimated to be 165,072 in 2017, a decline from 173,514 in 2010. The city sits on the Pearl River and is located in the greater Jackson Prairie region of Mississippi.

Bill Waller American governor of Mississippi

William Lowe Waller Sr. was an American politician. A Democrat, Waller served as the Governor of Mississippi from 1972 to 1976.

Ava Carroll Waller was an American preservationist, writer and former First Lady of the U.S. state of Mississippi. Waller served as the First Lady of Mississippi from 1972 to 1976 during the administration of her husband, the late Governor Bill Waller. Carroll Waller spearheaded the restoration of the Mississippi Governor's Mansion in Jackson, Mississippi. She also led the move to have the Governor's Mansion designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1975, which was only the second time that a governor's residence had been listed as a NHL in the U.S. Additionally, Waller helped to purchase and restore the Manship House in Jackson. In 1980, the Mississippi Historical Society awarded Carroll Waller its Award of Merit for her work in historic preservation in the state.

Career

Waller practiced law with the firm of Waller and Waller in Jackson for over 20 years and served as a Municipal Judge for the City of Jackson. Waller was elected to the Mississippi Supreme Court in November 1996, for a term beginning in January 1998, winning reelection in November 2004. He served as a Presiding Justice from January 2004 until December 2008, and assumed the position of Chief Justice in January 2009

Waller has sought to bring reforms in the administration of justice. He supported adoption by the Supreme Court of mediation rules for civil litigation and served as chairman of the Mississippi Public Defender Task Force from 2000 to 2005. Waller was principal architect of what became legislation which created the Office of Capital Post Conviction Counsel, the Office of Indigent Appeals and the Comprehensive Electronic Court Systems Fund. Waller served as chairman of the Supreme Court Rules Committee from 2001 to 2008. In 2012, he led efforts that resulted in the passage of judicial compensation reform legislation.

Justice Waller was the recipient of the Judicial Innovation Award for 2003–2004 by the Hinds County Bar Association and the Jackson Young Lawyers Association. He received the Chief Justice Award in 2005 for his work as chairman of a special study committee to develop a statewide e-filing and docket management system. He received the Mississippi State University Pre-Law Society’s Distinguished Jurist award in 2009. He received the Judicial Excellence Award for 2011–2012 from the Capital Area Bar Association and the Jackson Young Lawyers Association. Mississippi College School of Law presented him with an honorary degree of Doctor of Laws in 2012.

Hinds County, Mississippi County in the United States

Hinds County is a county located in the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of the 2010 census, the population was 245,285, making it the most populous county in Mississippi. Its county seats are Raymond and Jackson, the state capital. The county is named for General Thomas Hinds, a hero of the Battle of New Orleans during the War of 1812.

Waller is currently a member of the Stennis Institute Advisory Board at Mississippi State University. He is a former Eagle Scout and serves on the Advisory Board of the Andrew Jackson Council, Boy Scouts of America. Justice Waller also serves on the adjunct faculty of the Mississippi College School of Law.

2019 Governor candidacy

He is a candidate for Governor of Mississippi in the 2019 election. [3]

Military career

Presently assigned to the Retired Reserve, Justice Waller attained the rank of Brigadier General while serving as Commander of the 66th Troop Command, Mississippi Army National Guard, Jackson, Mississippi.

Mississippi Army National Guard

The Mississippi Army National Guard is the Army National Guard component of the Mississippi National Guard. It was originally formed in 1798. It is a component of the United States Army and the United States National Guard. It is managed by the Mississippi Military Department.

Personal life

Waller and his wife, Charlotte, have three children and are members of First Baptist Church Jackson, where he has served as chairman of the deacons.

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References

  1. ↑ Mississippi. Secretary of State (2001). Mississippi Official and Statistical Register. Secretary of State. ISSN   0196-4755 . Retrieved 2015-09-10.
  2. ↑ "Former Chief Justice Waller to enter governor's race, setting up cramped GOP primary". Mississippi Today. 2019-02-13. Retrieved 2019-03-04.
  3. 1 2 Associated Press (January 3, 2019). "As expected, GOP's Reeves files for Mississippi governor". Mississippi Business Journal . Retrieved January 3, 2019.
  4. ↑ "Former Miss. First Lady Carroll Waller dies at 87". Mississippi News Now . 2014-10-28. Retrieved 2014-11-27.
Legal offices
Preceded by
Dan Lee 		Justice of the Mississippi Supreme Court
1998–2019		Succeeded by
Kenny Griffis
Preceded by
James W. Smith Jr. 		Chief Justice of Mississippi Supreme Court
2009–2019		Succeeded by
Michael K. Randolph
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