Daily Leader - "State Supreme Court candidate promises fair, swift justice"

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Daily Leader - "State Supreme Court candidate promises fair, swift justice"

During a campaign stop at the Inez Monday afternoon, Mississippi Southern Judicial District candidate Randy "Bubba" Pierce presented himself to a gathering of Brookhavenites as a purveyor of simple, swift and fair justice.
The Greene County native and Gov. Haley Barbour-appointed chancery judge for Greene, George and Jackson counties pledged his intention - if elected - to the state Supreme Court, to simply interpret the law and not attempt to double dip into the duties of the other branches of government.

"Once a law becomes a law, judges should interpret it, not make it," Pierce said. "Unfortunately, the judiciary has tried to step outside of the original intent of our founding fathers of being arbiters. A judge should not force his or her will on the people."

One of the primary duties of the state Supreme Court, Pierce said, should be to move the docket along so that those awaiting court decisions would receive fair and timely rulings.

Pierce asked those local residents who came by for a handshake and a few words to ask themselves what to look for while weighing their decision to support a state Supreme Court justice - particularly what developed a candidate's sense of fairness.

Pierce claimed his own sense of fairness stems from his blue-collar parents, love for the Lord and dedication to family.

"As a chancery court judge, I see family issues in the courtroom; cases that affect children," he said. "The (state) Supreme Court currently has no chancery judges."

The addition of a chancery judge to the state Supreme Court, Pierce believes, would bring balance and new insight to the bench. He said the reason the court currently has no chancery judges is because of the large workload such judges endure, making it difficult for them to find time to get out in the district and campaign.

But, while Pierce makes the time, he said Lincoln County was a prime campaign stop.

"Any time you have a population center like Brookhaven, it warrants attention," he said. "Lincoln County is a vital part of this district, and it will play an important part in the elections."

Pierce is facing incumbent Justice Oliver Diaz and Gulfport's Paul M. Newton Jr. for the District 2, Place 2 seat on the state Supreme Court bench. The contest will appear on the Nov. 4 general election ballot.

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