Mississippi Supreme Court Appointment
Governor Reeves Appoints Judge Celeste Wilson to Mississippi Supreme Court, Adding Second Woman
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Key Points
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Judge Wilson earned her J.D. from the University of Memphis School of Law and a B.A. from Delta State University.
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Before taking the bench, Wilson spent seven years as an assistant district attorney in Mississippi's 17th Judicial District, prosecuting cases across North Mississippi.
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Wilson has served as a circuit court judge for Mississippi’s 21st Judicial District in DeSoto County since February 2017, after previously serving as DeSoto County's county court judge from January 2009 through February 2017.
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Reeves has not yet named a successor to James Maxwell, whose seat on the Mississippi Supreme Court remains vacant, leaving the court with eight of nine justices.
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Gov. Reeves praised Wilson, saying, "Judge Wilson has dedicated her career to serving the people of Mississippi with integrity, fairness, and a steadfast commitment to the rule of law."
Governor Tate Reeves has appointed DeSoto County Circuit Court Judge Celeste Embrey Wilson of Southaven to the Mississippi Supreme Court, filling a vacancy on the state's highest bench Sun Herald. Wilson's term begins August 1 and will run until a special election picks a permanent replacement.
The seat opened when Justice Robert Chamberlin left the court after being confirmed to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi, a federal post he received following a nomination by President Donald Trump and Senate approval Mississippi Today. Wilson becomes the second woman currently serving on the court, joining Justice Jenifer Branning, and brings the total number of seated justices to eight of nine Mississippi Today.
Wilson Brings Over 16 Years on the Bench
Wilson has served as a circuit court judge for Mississippi's 21st Judicial District in DeSoto County since February 2017 Action News 5. Before that, she was DeSoto County's county court judge from January 2009 through February 2017. That adds up to more than 16 years of judicial experience before her Supreme Court appointment.
Before taking the bench, Wilson spent seven years as an assistant district attorney in Mississippi's 17th Judicial District, prosecuting cases across North Mississippi Sun Herald. She earned her law degree from the University of Memphis School of Law and her undergraduate degree from Delta State University.
Reeves Praises Wilson's Commitment to Rule of Law
Governor Reeves spoke highly of his pick. "Judge Wilson has dedicated her career to serving the people of Mississippi with integrity, fairness, and a steadfast commitment to the rule of law," he said Yahoo News. Reeves has a pattern of appointing judges and prosecutors with strong courtroom backgrounds to vacant judicial seats.
Court Filling a Seat in a Disputed Northern District
Wilson's appointment fills one of two vacant seats in Mississippi Supreme Court Northern District 3 Mississippi Today. A federal court has previously ruled that the district's boundaries were drawn in a discriminatory way. The legal challenge to those boundaries adds political weight to who sits in this seat.
The court still has one empty seat. Reeves has not yet named a replacement for Justice James Maxwell, whose vacancy remains open Daily Memphian. Until that seat is filled, the Mississippi Supreme Court will operate with eight of its nine justices.
Chamberlin's Exit Opened the Door for Wilson
Justice Chamberlin stepped down from the state Supreme Court after winning confirmation to the federal bench Action News 5. President Trump nominated him for the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi, and the Senate confirmed the move. His departure left the state court short-handed and triggered Reeves's search for a replacement.
Wilson, a Southaven resident, was seen as a natural fit given her long record in DeSoto County courts Sun Herald. Her deep roots in North Mississippi align with the geographic seat she was chosen to fill. She will hold the post until voters choose a permanent justice in a future special election.
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