Griffis takes oath as Mississippi Supreme Court justice

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) – A new justice has been sworn in to serve on the Mississippi Supreme Court.

Kenny Griffis of Ridgeland was surrounded by family Friday as he took his oath from the new chief justice, Michael Randolph of Hattiesburg.

Griffis had served on the state Court of Appeals since January 2003 and was that court’s chief judge for the past month. Gov. Phil Bryant appointed him to succeed Bill Waller Jr. of Jackson, who retired from the Supreme Court on Jan. 31.

Griffis is a Meridian native. He was a certified public accountant from 1984 to 2007 and was in private law practice from 1995 to 2003.

Waller had been chief justice, a position determined by seniority. Randolph moved up into the top position on the nine-person Supreme Court.

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