Page 20 - Demo

Proving GroundBy Chief Justice Michael K. RandolphDue to the immense workload ofthe court system, by the time theLegislature crafted the Court ofAppeals, Mississippi was overwhelmed with anearly insurmountable backlog of cases.When the Court of Appeals began in1995, it escaped my vision. I was relentlesslyfocused on serving my clients in state andfederal courts acrossthe nation. Dashingdown the highways of Mississippigoing from Alligatorto Decatur, fromHolly Springs toOcean Springs, stopping only at theMississippi Sound.Nationwide, it wasone day the GoldenGate, the next the TarHeel State. I was handling cases of everykind and complexity,surrounded by plaintiff and defense counsel alike. There werealso adjusters, courtreporters, and paralegals.Before 1995, I do have one distinctmemory. Clients from all over the nationrepeatedly asked, %u201chow long does an appealto the Mississippi Supreme Court take?%u201d Inthose years, the answer was four years . . . ifyou%u2019re lucky.My predecessors, unbeknownst to me,were working diligently to create a new paradigm. Collectively, the bench, bar, legislative,and state leaders were forming an entirelynew court for appellate review. Recently, Iattended the 30th celebration of the Court ofAppeals. I was struck by the bravery of thosefirst judges. They were pioneers, forging apath of their own, as they created an entirelynew court through their hard work and dedication. There were no procedures, no organiChief Justice Michael K. Randolph joinedthe Mississippi Supreme Court in 2004 viaappointment by Governor Haley Barbour andwas then elected to full terms in 2004, 2012,and 2020. After serving as Presiding Justice,he became Chief Justice in 2019. He wasadmitted to the Mississippi Bar in 1975.zation, no furniture, yet in 1995, they issued529 opinions.Their brave commitment inspires meto continue improving our system of justice. Most recently, the Capital ComplexImprovement District court system wasimplemented. I was vested with the responsibility to appoint three new CCID judges tohandle an unknowncaseload. Like theearly days of theCourt of Appeals,there was no physical location for theCCID court, norwere there any operating procedures orstaffing in place.But this obstacle didnot alter the Court%u2019smission and desireto fulfill our oaths.There is nolonger a backlogfor criminal or civilappeals in the Stateof Mississippi. In2024, the SupremeCourt issued 136 opinions and decided a totalof 335 cases, and the Court of Appeals issued335 opinions and decided a total of 370 cases.The time to decision for the Supreme Courtaveraged 167 days, with the Court of Appealsissuing its opinions within 209 days.1 Since itsinception through 2025, the Court of Appealshas issued over 15,400 opinions on the merits. There can be no doubt that our Courtof Appeals plays a pivotal role in appellatematters to serve Mississippians in a timely andefficient manner.Over the years, the Court of Appeals hasserved a vital secondary role in our Judiciarynot advanced when it was founded. It hasbecome a proving ground for future jus1Time is calculated from the date the reply brief was filedor, if none is filed, the date it was due.tices on the Supreme Court. The Court ofAppeals demonstrates to the electorate andthe Governor proven appellate experienceto serve. These Judges hone invaluable skillswhich pay dividends to all parties.Four of my current colleagues previously served on that Court %u2013 Presiding JusticeLeslie King and Justices Jimmy Maxwell,David Ishee, and Kenny Griffis. P.J. King andAssociate Justice Griffis served as Chief ofthe Court of Appeals. Former Justice DavidChandler also served on the Court of Appeals.Judges Leslie Southwick and Cory T. Wilsonwere elevated to the Fifth Circuit Court ofAppeals from the Court of Appeals.In the end, our trial and appellate courtsdepend on men and women who choose toserve as a judge and make many noble sacrifices to do so. Members of our judicial community work together and depend on each otherto ensure the justice owed to Mississippians isaccomplished.Six years ago, when I was sworn in asChief Justice on February 1, 2019, I gave mysolemn oath to the people of Mississippi. Theoath all judges in Mississippi take is quitedifferent from every other elected official.In our oath, we swear to %u201cadminister justicewithout respect to person, and do equal rightto the poor and to the rich[.]%u201d Our oath endswith four words that reveal what our systemof justice is based upon: %u201cSo help me God.%u201dCommitments should be honored to theletter. I am proud that our Court of Appealscontinues to fulfill its mission, 30 years afterits formation, and every court in this Stateperseveres in respecting our oath.2024 JUDICIAL ACTIVITYSupreme Court of MississippiOpinions Issued .........................136Total Cases Decided ................. 335Avg. Time to Decision ........167 daysCourt of Appeals of MississippiOpinions Issued ........................ 335Total Cases Decided ................. 370Avg. Time to Decision .......209 daysTotal Opinions on the Merits (sinceinception to 2025)...............15,400+20 SPRING 2025