MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

1999 Regular Session

To: Rules

By: Senator(s) Tollison, Gordon, Minor, Browning, Turner, Bryan

A RESOLUTION TO COMMEND W.L. "DON" GRIST, CHANCELLOR OF THE 18TH CHANCERY COURT DISTRICT.

WHEREAS, Don Grist was born on April 8, 1938, in Calhoun County, Mississippi; and

WHEREAS, the youngest child of William V. and Clara Dell Grist, he attended Randolph High School; and

WHEREAS, after graduating in 1956, he attended Itawamba Community College and the University of Southern Mississippi, earning a bachelor's degree in chemistry in 1963; and

WHEREAS, following college, he worked for the Goodyear Corporation in California developing rubber seals for the NASA space shuttle program; and

WHEREAS, Don earned the Juris Doctor degree from the Jackson School of Law in 1973; and

WHEREAS, while working as an attorney in Vardaman, Don entered the political arena in 1975 when he was elected to the Mississippi House of Representatives for District 23; and

WHEREAS, during his 15-year career in the Legislature, he served on the Ways and Means Committee, chaired the Banks and Banking Committee, and served on the Local and Private, Apportionment and Elections, PEER and Judiciary Committees, and also worked to secure 25 nursing home beds for Calhoun County; and

WHEREAS, Don also served as the City Attorney for the City of Vardaman; and

WHEREAS, in 1990, Don was elected to serve as Chancellor for the 18th Chancery Court District comprised of Benton, Calhoun, Lafayette, Marshall and Tippah Counties; and

WHEREAS, he attended the National Judicial College in Reno, Nevada, in 1991, and was elected chairman of the Conference of Chancery Judges in 1997; and

WHEREAS, during his judicial career, Chancellor Grist signed some 9,000 orders with approximately 20 cases appealed and only four reversed, and all decisions pending in his court were rendered and complete before he left office for retirement; and

WHEREAS, Judge Grist's career goal was to apply the law fairly and equally to all the people in his court; and

WHEREAS, it is the practice of this Legislature to recognize the achievements of the citizens of this state:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MISSISSIPPI STATE SENATE, That we do hereby commend W.L. "Don" Grist for his contributions and dedication to the public in his service in state and local government and in the judiciary. We congratulate him upon his retirement from the bench, and wish him the richly deserved blessings of friends and family in this new phase of his life.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be presented to Chancellor Grist.