Presiding Judge Virginia Carlton annou-nced her intention to run for re-election to the Mississippi Court of Appeals.

The Columbia, MS native has served for the past 16 years and is one of 2 Presiding Judges on the Court. The Court of Appeals is often referred to as the “work horse” court due to the number of cases it is assigned to handle. She participates in over 400 cases a year and authors approximately 40-50 majority opinions a year, in addition to numerous separate opinions. The Court also determines approximately 1,500 motions each year.

In addition to her current service on the court, Judge Carlton has served her state and nation in various other capacities over the course of her career. Prior to her election to the court, she was a State Representative from Columbia where she also served as an assistant district attorney, county public defender, U.S. Army JAG officer, and as a Command and General Staff College Instructor.

As an Army JAG officer, Judge Carlton served in a variety of legal positions including as a military trial judge and as an Associate USAR military appellate Judge on the U.S. Army Court of Criminal Appeals. Carlton’s 24 years of total military service included active duty, U.S. Army Reserve duty, and National Guard duty.

She retired from the military in 2015 with the rank of Colonel.

Virginia attended the University of Mississippi for her undergraduate and her law school education. She continued her professional education in the military and is a graduate of the U.S. Army Command and Staff College and of the US Army War College. She and her husband, Dr. Scott Carlton are the parents of three children.

They live in Jackson where she is an active member of Galloway Methodist Church.