House Concurrent Resolution 54

(As Adopted by House)

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION MOURNING THE LOSS AND COMMEMORATING THE LIFE AND EXTRAORDINARY LEGACY OF CIRCUIT JUDGE CLAIBORNE "BUDDY" MCDONALD IV.

WHEREAS, it is written in Ecclesiastes 3:1 that "To everything there is a season and a time for every purpose under the Heaven," and as such, the immaculate author and finisher of our soul's destiny summoned the mortal presence of Circuit Judge Claiborne "Buddy" McDonald IV of Picayune, Mississippi, on January 1, 2024, to rest eternally; and

WHEREAS, the son of Claiborne and Edith Rapp McDonald and the grandson of Claiborne and Helen Camp McDonald and William and Margaret Lockhart Rapp, Judge McDonald attended Picayune Public Schools and earned a bachelor of arts degree in political science from Mississippi State University in 1970 and a law degree from the University of Alabama School of Law in 1973 and did post-graduate work in criminal justice at the University of Southern Mississippi; and

WHEREAS, Judge McDonald served in the United States Army Reserve and National Guard in the Transportation Corps, Quartermaster Corps, and Judge Advocate General Corps, and after his heroic service, he was honorably discharged with the rank of Captain; and

WHEREAS, the Pearl River County native served as Circuit Judge of the 15th District for eight years, taking the bench in January 2016, and he previously served for seven years as district attorney for the 15th District, and 16 years as an assistant district attorney, and the district includes Jefferson Davis, Lamar, Lawrence, Marion and Pearl River counties; and

WHEREAS, he also previously served as Pearl River County prosecuting attorney, city attorney and later municipal judge in Picayune, and municipal prosecutor for the city of Poplarville, and he engaged in the private practice of law in Pearl River County from 1973 through 1984 and 2006 through 2016; and

WHEREAS, Judge McDonald was recognized at The Mississippi Bar Convention in July for 50 years as a member of The Mississippi Bar, and his colleagues and friends remembered him as a brilliant and well-respected jurist and public servant whose death is a devastating loss to the community, as numerous lawyers across south Mississippi recalled him as a mentor whose counsel and advice shaped their lives and legal careers; and

WHEREAS, Buddy, as his friends called him, spoke with a soft voice, but his dry sense of humor and gift for storytelling could captivate an audience, and he loved history and read widely about a variety of subjects; and

WHEREAS, Judge McDonald was admired by all of his colleagues and others who had the opportunity to work with him and experience his greatness, and they all would agree that he was "a man of solid integrity, a dedicated servant of the law, and a reliable servant of the public; as a prosecuting attorney, he was fair and he was formidable; and as a trial judge, he took his oath of office seriously and served with impartiality, patience, and devotion to the rule of law"; and

WHEREAS, several attorneys and judges throughout the State of Mississippi considered Judge McDonald to be a great mentor who always had time to teach and impart his wisdom to the younger attorneys; and

WHEREAS, during his time as district attorney, Judge McDonald was a leader among state prosecutors, serving as president of the Mississippi Prosecutors Association and as a member of the Board of Directors of the National District Attorneys Association; and

WHEREAS, additionally, during that time, he served as an instructor in the National College of District Attorneys career prosecutors course, served by appointment of the Supreme Court on the Bar Complaint Tribunal and on the Supreme Court Advisory Committee on Criminal Rules of Practice and Procedure, served on the Mississippi State Board of Law Enforcement Standards and Training, the Legislative Advisory Committee on Redrafting the Mississippi Criminal Code and the Mississippi Legislative Advisory Committee on Juvenile Justice; and

WHEREAS, Judge McDonald was president of the Pearl River County Bar Association, a Commissioner of The Mississippi Bar, a Fellow of the Mississippi Bar Foundation and a member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys, and he was admitted to practice before all state courts in Mississippi, the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi, the Fifth United States Circuit Court of Appeals and the United States Supreme Court; and

WHEREAS, as one of the best trial attorneys and litigators in the state, the practice of law just came naturally to Judge McDonald, but he was also an extremely hard worker and dedicated to the profession as well as the oath he took at each step in his career; and

WHEREAS, Judge McDonald truly believed in public service in and outside the legal profession, and after Hurricane Katrina ravaged Pearl River County, he provided great emergency assistance to his community during the disaster and the recovery efforts as his logistics experience from his military service were vital as he worked in the Emergency Operations Center in Pearl River County; and

WHEREAS, additionally, Judge McDonald quietly contributed his time and efforts through civic, church and charitable activities, particularly to provide assistance for underprivileged children, and he was a mentor at the Boys and Girls Club of Picayune; a board member of "Puttin' on the Pink" Breast Cancer Foundation; a fellow of Picayune Rotary Club; director of Picayune Main Street; and Post Judge Advocate of the Picayune American Legion, and he was a member of St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church in Picayune, where he served on the church Finance Council; and

WHEREAS, few individuals have lived to match Judge McDonald's long and remarkable career, which was spent honoring and upholding the law and his responsibilities, and he often shared with colleagues and staff that he was proud that the cornerstone of his career was his service to his city, county and state, but his proudest accomplishment was his family; and

WHEREAS, Judge McDonald's legacy will survive not only in the cases, courtrooms, and with fellow jurists, but it also will continue to refresh the hearts and fond memories of his beloved survivors: his wife, Suzy Stockstill McDonald; children, Hugh C. McDonald, Neil Sullivan Angus McDonald, Emily Nowell and Erin Smith; 13 grandchildren; and a host of other relatives and friends; and

WHEREAS, it is the policy of this Legislature to acknowledge the selflessness and benevolence of such a humanitarian and affectionate individual of esteemed caliber as Circuit Judge Claiborne "Buddy" McDonald IV:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE SENATE CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby mourn the loss and commemorate the life and extraordinary legacy of Circuit Judge Claiborne "Buddy" McDonald IV, and extend sincere and deepest sympathy to his family and friends upon his passing.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to the family of Circuit Judge Claiborne "Buddy" McDonald IV and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.