MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2001 Regular Session

To: Rules

By: Senator(s) Tollison, Turner, Chamberlin, Robertson, Carlton, Farris, Walls

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING PROFESSOR MICHAEL FEATHERSTONE UPON THE OCCASION OF HIS RETIREMENT.

WHEREAS, Professor Michael Featherstone has taught at the University of Mississippi School of Law since 1972, specializing in the areas of property law, civil procedure, family law, eminent domain and youth court; and

WHEREAS, Professor Featherstone was educated at Davidson College, from which he was graduated in 1963; and

WHEREAS, he earned the Juris Doctor degree from the University of South Carolina in 1970 and the L.L.M. from the University of Georgia in 1971; and

WHEREAS, he has published articles in professional journals, as well as authoring books including Law: A Way of Life in Mississippi (1973), Mississippi Youth Court Guidebook (1985 and 1988), Mississippi Eminent Domain (1991 and 2000), and Mississippi Family Law (1991); and

WHEREAS, in his 30-year teaching career, he has had the opportunity to directly influence the legal education of hundreds of students who have gone on to become practicing lawyers and leaders in our state; and

WHEREAS, his students and former students hold him in both respect and affection; and

WHEREAS, his bearing as a former officer of the United States Army (1963-1965) and tough teaching style earned him the sobriquet of "Iron Mike"; and

WHEREAS, his Section II property class in the Fall of 1982 was even moved to honor and thank him with their originally-composed "Ballad of Iron Mike"; and

WHEREAS, one hallmark of his teaching method was to require the student called upon to come to the front of the class to give an analysis of the case being discussed; and

WHEREAS, one freshman student confused the dissent with the majority opinion, whereupon Professor Featherstone pronounced: "Keep doing that and one day you'll be on the Supreme Court"; and

WHEREAS, that student was Justice Bill Waller, Jr.; and

WHEREAS, Professor Featherstone once humorously told another student: "You've been here six or seven years now; maybe you'll amount to something"; and

WHEREAS, that student was Governor Ronnie Musgrove; and

WHEREAS, he taught as an Assistant Professor of Law at Mercer University for one year before joining the faculty at Ole Miss; and

WHEREAS, he was convinced that the University of Mississippi was the one school where he did not ever want to teach; and

WHEREAS, he remains grateful to this day to fellow professor Tommy Etheridge for convincing him otherwise, because he has had a very satisfying career teaching at Ole Miss and has come to love Mississippi and to regard it as his home; and

WHEREAS, he is married to the former Sally Ware of whom he says: "We were married as teenagers and have been together ever since" and "If not for Sally, none of these good things would have happened"; and

WHEREAS, he and his wife intend to continue to live in their home in Oxford in retirement, with frequent visits to Pickwick; and

WHEREAS, they are blessed to have four children, Cathy, Janie, Mike and Sam; and

WHEREAS, it is the desire and pleasure of this Legislature to commend Michael Featherstone, Professor of Law at the University of Mississippi School of Law, for his faithful dedication to both his students and the legal profession through the span of his career in teaching:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That Michael Featherstone is hereby commended for his devotion to his students and the law over the past thirty years, and we congratulate him upon his retirement and wish him happiness and health in the years to come in the company of his wife, family and friends.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be given to Professor Featherstone.