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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 13, 2008
 
CONTACT: Pamela Weaver, (601) 270-4100

Secretary of State Announces Business Court Study Group Members

Jackson, MS— Mississippi has everything needed to attract outside businesses—an energetic and trainable workforce, attractive climate, and dependable infrastructure.  However, one area in which the State needs progress is resolving legal disputes between businesses. 

“Just as drug courts and family courts have taken some of the strain from our Circuit Courts, business courts will allow for business cases to be considered in a much shorter time-frame,” says Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann.  “Because of increased criminal cases, too often business cases drag on for years in Circuit Court.  This costs businesses, particularly our small business owners, too much time and money which could be better spent on new employees, equipment or a better healthcare plan.”

The Secretary of State has formed a business court study group chaired by the Honorable Edwin Pittman, former Secretary of State and Chief Justice of the Mississippi Supreme Court.  Business court study group members include:

 

Ed Pittman—Chair                                         Ridgeland

James Holland—Vice-Chair                           Jackson

Joey Diaz—Vice-Chair                                   Madison

Blake Wilson—Vice-Chair                             Jackson

Guthrie Abbott                                               University

Rick Barry                                                       Meridian

Cathy Beeding                                                Gulfport

Carolyn Boteler                                               Jackson

Rick Calhoon                                                  Jackson

Henry E. Chatham, Jr.                                    Jackson

Dodds Dehmer                                               Jackson

Larry Edwards                                                Ridgeland

Glenda Glover                                                Jackson

J. Thomas Grantham, Jr.                                 Jackson

Christopher C. Graves                                    Jackson

Malcolm Harrison                                           Jackson

Joel Hill                                                           Jackson

Burton Baynes Hosch, Jr.                               Tupelo

Amanda K. Jones                                            Jackson

Les Lampton, Jr.                                             Jackson

David Landrum                                              Ridgeland      

Shane Langston                                              Jackson

John Laws                                                       Jackson

David Mockbee                                              Jackson

William S. Painter                                           Jackson

David Paradise                                                Natchez

Dale Persons                                                   Greenwood

Joy Lambert Phillips                                       Gulfport         

Carlton W. Reeves                                          Jackson

Tom Rhoden                                                   Flowood

Charlie Ross                                                    Jackson

Brian W. Sanderson                                        Gulfport

George M. Simmerman, Jr.                             Pascagoula

Derrick Simmons                                            Greenville

Robert O. Tatum                                             Hattiesburg

William A. Taylor                                           Louisville

James Threadgill                                             Tupelo

Christopher Collins Van Cleave                     Biloxi

Dan Waring                                                     Vicksburg

Lawrence Warren                                            Hattiesburg

Kelley Williams                                               Jackson

James Grady Wyly, III                                   Gulfport

           

For more information and a complete list of the business court study groups minutes and agenda, you can go to our website http://www.sos.state.ms.us/policy_research/Business_Courts.asp


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