Judge Terrett named a Fellow by Mississippi Bar Foundation

At the 2022 Mississippi Bar Convention this week, Ninth District Circuit Court Judge Toni Walker Terrett was formally inducted as a Fellow by the Mississippi Bar Foundation.

The Fellows designation is the Foundation’s highest honor. Only 10% of the lawyers in Mississippi are eligible for membership as a fellow. Their selection is recognition by their peers that the attorney has achieved the highest level of professionalism, competence, and leadership. Fellows are selected for membership based not only on their excellence as a lawyer but also by their dedication and service to the public and profession.

On November 6, 2018, Toni Walker Terrett was elected Ninth District Circuit Court Judge. She is the first woman to serve the district in this capacity. The position covers Warren, Sharkey and Issaquena Counties. The Ninth Judicial District consists of two judges –  Judge Terrett and Judge M. James Chaney.

She previously served as a judge for the city of Vicksburg for more than nine years in the following areas– community court judge, municipal judge pro tem and senior municipal judge. She is the former director of the Vicksburg Domestic Violence Victim’s Empowerment program.

Prior to her judicial career, she worked in private practice as a solo practitioner. In addition to representing clients in a variety of legal matters, her background includes experience as a Drug Court Public Defender, law clerk to Ninth District Chancellor Vicki Barnes, and contract attorney for the Mississippi Center for Legal Services.

She is the recipient of various awards and recognitions and was named a fellow with the Judicial Engagement Network. She is active or has been active in community with organizations such as Mountain of Faith Ministries, the Cary Christian Center, the United Way of West Central Mississippi and the Salvation Army. She is a member of the Vicksburg Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and Mt. Alban M.B. Church where she serves as pianist for the Women of Faith Choir.

Terrett is a magna cum laude graduate of Vicksburg High School. She earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Tougaloo College and master’s in journalism from the University of Memphis. She also studied at Purdue University. She graduated from the Mississippi College School of Law and is a member of the American Bar, Mississippi Bar, Warren County and Magnolia Bar Associations. She has served on the faculty of Alcorn State University teaching mass communications law and social media courses.

Terrett and her husband, Andre, are the proud parents of five children, Gabrielle, Aaron, Samuel, Elysse and Ellis.