Josiah Dennis Coleman

Justice Josiah Dennis Coleman was elected to the Mississippi Supreme Court on Nov. 6, 2012, and began his term on Jan. 7, 2013.

He previously practiced law for 12 years, first in Tupelo, then in Oxford. His practice concentrated on defense litigation and appellate advocacy in the areas of insurance, product liability and professional malpractice. He is admitted to practice before all Mississippi state and federal courts, and before the Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Justice Coleman is the second member of his family to serve on the Mississippi Supreme Court. Both his grandfather and his father were appellate court judges. He is the grandson of the late J.P. Coleman, who served as Mississippi Governor and on the Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. J.P Coleman also served briefly as a justice of the Mississippi Supreme Court, resigning to accept appointment as state attorney general. Thomas Coleman, the younger Justice Coleman’s father, was one of the original members of the Mississippi Court of Appeals when the intermediate appellate court began in 1995.

Justice Coleman grew up in Choctaw County, near Ackerman, and graduated valedictorian from Ackerman High School. He graduated cum laude from the University of Mississippi with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history and philosophy. He earned his law degree from the University of Mississippi School of Law, where he served as treasurer of the Moot Court Board and the Criminal Law Society.

He bagged groceries at the Ackerman Piggly Wiggly in high school, and worked as a dishwasher, camp counselor and life guard while pursuing his undergraduate degree. He worked as a policy research intern in the office of the Secretary of State before starting law school. He served as a summer law clerk at a Tupelo firm. After earning his law degree, he served for almost two years as a law clerk for U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Allan Alexander in Oxford.

• Car Accidents
• Insurance Bad Faith

Mississippi

Justice

Mississippi Supreme Court

2013 - Current

Attorney

Private Practice

2001 - 2013

Practice concentrated on defense litigation and appellate advocacy in the areas of insurance, product liability and professional malpractice.

Law Clerk

U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Allan Alexander in Oxford

1999 - 2001

University of Mississippi

B.A. | History and Philosophy

University of Mississippi

J.D. | Law

Activities: Treasurer of the Moot Court Board and the Criminal Law Society.

Mississippi State Bar

Member

Current

College Hill Presbyterian Church in Oxford

Board of deacons

Current

The International Guest House in Oxford

Board of Directors

Current