Supreme Court Justice Amanda Jones Tollison, at left, takes the oath of office on Sept. 1 at the Mississippi Supreme Court while her husband, Circuit Judge Grady Tollison III, center, holds the Bible. Chief Justice Mike Randolph, at right, administers the oath.
Supreme Court Justice Amanda Jones Tollison of Oxford took the oath of office on Sept. 1 before a crowd of judges, former law partners, family and friends in Jackson.
She thanked Gov. Tate Reeves for appointing her to the Court. “I appreciate so much his confidence and trust in me to take this position and to serve the people of the Northern District….I also want to thank the people who have inspired me over my life.”
The former Mississippi Bar President said, “I’m standing here behind a podium today, but I feel like I’m more of a turtle on a fence post. As one of my pastors used to say … if you see a turtle on a fence post, you know he didn’t get there by himself.”
Chief Justice Mike Randolph, who administered the oath of office to Justice Tollison, said, “It’s really difficult for me to express how pleased I was when the Governor made the appointment…. I know she’s going to do a fine job.”
Justice Tollison is the seventh woman to serve during the history of the Mississippi Supreme Court. With her appointment, the Supreme Court has three female Justices serving – the most in the history of the Court. Justice Jenifer B. Branning of Philadelphia was elected in November 2024 and began serving in January 2025. Justice Celeste Embrey Wilson of Southaven was appointed on Aug. 1. Six men currently serve on the state’s highest court.
Justice Tollison said that her family and mentors shaped her career. She grew up in the Thompson community of Amite County, where her father was a dairy farmer and her mother was a teacher. Her father instilled a work ethic, and her mother inspired a love of learning. She also was inspired by her husband, Circuit Judge Grady Tollison III of Oxford, who served in the Legislature for 24 years before his appointment, then election to the bench.
She has practiced law for 30 years. Early in her career, she practiced with Bradley Arant Rose & White LLP and Phelps Dunbar LLP. She got her first experience in public service working as legal counsel to former Gov. Haley Barbour. She advised Gov. Barbour from 2008 to 2012 on legal, legislative and policy matters, including judicial appointments, elections, budget issues and disaster recovery efforts. Before her appointment to the bench, she was a partner in the firm of Butler Snow, joining the firm in 2012.
Former Gov. Barbour said after the ceremony, “This is a wonderful appointment to our Supreme Court. Amanda Tollison has the broad experience, the keen intellect, and the perfect attitude for a Supreme Court Justice, and I congratulate Governor Reeves on his choice.”
Her practice areas included administrative and regulatory law, election and campaign finance, environment permitting and compliance matters, governmental litigation, government relations and public utilities. She also has experience in complex commercial and product liability litigation and white-collar criminal defense.
She served as President of the Mississippi Bar from July 2019 through July 2020. She served on the National Conference of Bar Presidents and the Southern Conference of Bar Presidents 2018-2022. While serving as President of the Young Lawyers Division of the Mississippi Bar in 2005, she led the Disaster Legal Assistance Program, which provided pro bono legal services to thousands of Mississippians in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. She is a Fellow and former trustee of the Mississippi Bar Foundation and a member of the University of Mississippi Lamar Order. She served in numerous other state Bar leadership roles, and was a member of the Access to Justice Commission.
Gov. Reeves appointed Justice Tollison to a vacancy created on Dec. 18, 2025, due to the confirmation of former Justice James D. Maxwell II of Oxford to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi. The appointive term will expire on Jan. 3, 2028. A special election for District 3, Place 2 on the Supreme Court will be held on Nov. 2, 2027.