George C. Carlson, Jr.

The Hon. George Clarence Carlson, Jr. (born May 23, 1946, Greenwood, Mississippi) is a Presiding Justice of the Supreme Court of Mississippi. He represents District 3, Place 3.

Early years

The son of the late Christine Wooley Carlson and the late Dr. George C. Carlson, Justice Carlson was born in Greenwood, Mississippi. Six months after his birth, he moved with his family from Moorhead, Sunflower County, to Batesville, Panola County, Mississippi.

He is a 1964 graduate of South Panola High School in Batesville; a 1969 graduate of Mississippi State University with a Bachelor of Science Degree; and a 1972 graduate of the University of Mississippi with a Law Degree. Carlson also graduated from the National Judicial College, University of Nevada, Reno, in October 1982.

Career

From June 1972, through December 31, 1982, Carlson was in the private practice of law in Panola County. In November 1982, he was elected Circuit Judge for the Seventeenth Judicial District of Mississippi, comprising DeSoto, Panola, Tallahatchie, Tate, and Yalobusha counties, and took office on January 1, 1983. He was reelected as Circuit Judge without opposition in 1989, 1990, 1994, and 1998.

Carlson served as a member on the Governor's Criminal Justice Task Force in 1991, and as a member of the Commission on the Courts in the 21st Century, 1992-1993. He served as a member of the Professionalism Committee of the Mississippi Bar, 1998-1999, and as a member of the Law School Professionalism Program Task Force, 1998-1999.

Carlson was appointed to the Supreme Court by Gov. Ronnie Musgrove on October 29, 2001, to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Justice Michael P. Mills. Justice Carlson took office November 1, 2001, and served the remainder of Justice Mills’ unexpired term. On November 2, 2004, Justice Carlson was elected to serve an eight-year term. The term began January 3, 2005, and will expire on January 6, 2013. Since arriving at the Supreme Court, Justice Carlson has continuously served on the Court’s Rules Committee. Justice Carlson is a recipient of the 2003 Chief Justice Award for his work on the Rules Committee. Justice Carlson likewise serves as the Supreme Court representative on the Board of Governors of the Mississippi Judicial College.

He is a member of the American Bar Association, the American Judges Association, the Mississippi Bar, and the Lamar Order, University of Mississippi School of Law. Justice Carlson is a member and past president of the Panola County Bar Association, and a member and past president of the William C. Keady American Inns of Court. He was invited and named in February 1995 as a Fellow of the Mississippi Bar Foundation. Justice Carlson served as vice-chair of the Mississippi Circuit Judges Conference in 1998-1999, and chair of the Conference in 1999-2000.

Personal life

Carlson is married to the former Jane Ivy Russel of Cleveland, Mississippi, daughter of the late Mary Augusta Russel and the late Dr. John C. Russel. They have two children: Russel Carlson and Meredith Carlson Fleming.

George C. Carlson, Jr. is an Elder in the Batesville Presbyterian Church.

References

• Supreme Court of Mississippi