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James Lamar Roberts Jr. (born June 8, 1945) is an American retired jurist who served as a justice of the Supreme Court of Mississippi from 1992 to 1999.

Born in Pontotoc, Mississippi, Roberts received a J.D. from the University of Mississippi School of Law in 1971, and served as the prosecuting attorney for Pontotoc County, Mississippi from 1972 to 1983. In 1984, Governor Bill Allain appointed him State Commissioner of Public Safety, a position he held for four years.

Roberts became a justice of the Supreme Court of Mississippi in 1992. In April 1999, Roberts resigned form his seat on the Supreme Court to campaign for the office of governor in that year's election. He sought the Democratic nomination, facing Lieutenant Governor Ronnie Musgrove. Roberts did little to build a gubernatorial platform and spent most of his time attacking Musgrove for his use of state vehicles for campaign activities. Musgrove won the August 3 Democratic primary, taking 57 percent of the vote to Roberts' 26 percent.

In January 2019, Roberts suffered a stroke. He tendered his resignation from his circuit court judgeship effective February 29, 2020.

References

1. Who's Who in American Law, 2002-2003. Marquis Who's Who. 2002. p. 541.
2. Leslie Southwick, Mississippi Supreme Court Elections: A Historical Perspective 1916-1996, 18 Miss. C. L. Rev. 115 (1997-1998).
3. Moore, William (January 23, 2020). "Circuit Judge James Roberts resigns". Daily Journal.
4. ^ Helms, David (January 29, 2020). "Judge James L. Roberts, Jr., tenders resignation". Pontotoc Progress. Retrieved August 26, 2023.
5. "State of Mississippi Judiciary". courts.ms.gov.
6. Watson & Campbell 2003, p. 133.
7. Watson & Campbell 2003, p. 134.
8. Ammerman, Joseph (August 4, 1999). "It's Musgrove vs. Parker for Governor's Mansion". The Clarion-Ledger. pp. 1A, 6A.

Works cited

• Watson, Robert P.; Campbell, Colton C., eds. (2003). Campaigns and Elections: Issues, Concepts, Cases. Lynne Rienner Publishers. ISBN 9781588261441.

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