During a campaign stop at the Inez Monday afternoon, MississippiSouthern Judicial District candidate Randy “Bubba” Pierce presentedhimself to a gathering of Brookhavenites as a purveyor of simple,swift and fair justice.

The Greene County native and Gov. Haley Barbour-appointedchancery judge for Greene, George and Jackson counties pledged hisintention – if elected – to the state Supreme Court, to simplyinterpret the law and not attempt to double dip into the duties ofthe other branches of government.

“Once a law becomes a law, judges should interpret it, not makeit,” Pierce said. “Unfortunately, the judiciary has tried to stepoutside of the original intent of our founding fathers of beingarbiters. A judge should not force his or her will on thepeople.”

One of the primary duties of the state Supreme Court, Piercesaid, should be to move the docket along so that those awaitingcourt decisions would receive fair and timely rulings.

Pierce asked those local residents who came by for a handshakeand a few words to ask themselves what to look for while weighingtheir decision to support a state Supreme Court justice -particularly what developed a candidate’s sense of fairness.

Pierce claimed his own sense of fairness stems from hisblue-collar parents, love for the Lord and dedication tofamily.

“As a chancery court judge, I see family issues in thecourtroom; cases that affect children,” he said. “The (state)Supreme Court currently has no chancery judges.”

The addition of a chancery judge to the state Supreme Court,Pierce believes, would bring balance and new insight to the bench.He said the reason the court currently has no chancery judges isbecause of the large workload such judges endure, making itdifficult for them to find time to get out in the district andcampaign.

But, while Pierce makes the time, he said Lincoln County was aprime campaign stop.

“Any time you have a population center like Brookhaven, itwarrants attention,” he said. “Lincoln County is a vital part ofthis district, and it will play an important part in theelections.”

Pierce is facing incumbent Justice Oliver Diaz and Gulfport’sPaul M. Newton Jr. for the District 2, Place 2 seat on the stateSupreme Court bench. The contest will appear on the Nov. 4 generalelection ballot.