The Mississippi Supreme Court has appointed Clarence Webster III of Jackson to the Bar Complaint Tribunal and reappointed five members of the Tribunal.

Reappointed to the Tribunal are Circuit Judge Smith Murphey V of Batesville, Circuit Judge Anthony A. Mozingo of Oak Grove, Hinds County Court Judge LaRita Cooper Stokes of Jackson, attorney Brehm T. Bell of Bay St. Louis and attorney William H. Davis Jr. of Corinth.

Chief Justice Mike Randolph signed the appointments order on Nov. 5. The three-year terms will begin Jan. 1, 2021.

Members of the Complaint Tribunal hear and decide disciplinary matters arising out of complaints against attorneys. Discipline may range from private reprimand to disbarment. Decisions from the Complaint Tribunal may be appealed to the Mississippi Supreme Court. Actions by the Complaint Tribunal are final if not appealed.

The 27-member Complaint Tribunal is made up of nine judges and 18 lawyers selected by the nine members of the Supreme Court from three Supreme Court districts. The Complaint Tribunal sits in panels of three, with each panel comprised of two attorneys and one judge.

Judge Cooper-Stokes, Judge Murphey, Judge Mozingo,  Bell and Davis have served on the Tribunal for three years.

Judge Murphey joined the 17th Circuit Court  bench in January 2011. He has served on the Mississippi Board of Bar Admissions since January 2009. He became an alternate member of the Commission on Judicial Performance earlier this year.

He previously served as chair, vice-chair and secretary  treasurer of the Conference of Circuit Judges. He was an assistant district attorney of the 17th Circuit District for almost 15 years.

He is former president of the Mississippi Prosecutors Association and former president of the Prosecutors Section of the Mississippi Bar.

Judge Murphey earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Mississippi and a law degree from Mississippi College School of Law.

Cutline: Murphey