James W. Kitchens

James W. Kitchens (born April 29, 1943) is an American jurist who served as a justice of the Supreme Court of Mississippi for the Central District from 2009 to 2025. He served as one of two presiding justices, from 2017 to 2025. A graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi and the University of Mississippi School of Law, Kitchens was elected the district attorney for Mississippi's 14th Judicial District three times from 1971 to 1982, representing Copiah, Lincoln, Pike, and Walthall counties. During his tenure as district attorney, he survived an assassination attempt that resulted in wounds to his hand and leg.

Returning to private practice, Kitchens has worked on several high-profile cases, including serving as counsel in the 2000 Robert Johnson estate case and as a court-appointed attorney for Byron De La Beckwith in 1994. He won election to the Supreme Court in 2008 in an upset victory over incumbent Chief Justice James W. Smith Jr. and was re-elected in 2016. Known for his moderate judicial philosophy, Kitchens has been characterized by legal observers as a centrist jurist. His notable dissenting opinions have addressed issues of judicial authority and prosecutorial discretion.

Kitchens ran for a third term on the Mississippi Supreme Court in 2024, in which he lost in a runoff election.

Early life and education Kitchens was born on April 29, 1943, in Crystal Springs, Mississippi. His parents were Edith F. Kitchens and Lloyd W. Kitchens, an alderman and eventual mayor of Crystal Springs. Kitchens graduated from Crystal Springs High School in 1961. He subsequently earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Southern Mississippi in 1964, followed by a Juris Doctor from the University of Mississippi School of Law in 1967. Upon completion of his legal studies, he returned to Crystal Springs to practice law.

In 1967, Kitchens unsuccessfully challenged Harold Fortenberry in an election for the Mississippi House of Representatives seat representing Copiah and Lawrence counties.

Legal career Kitchens has gained admission to the bar in both Mississippi and the District of Columbia. He has been admitted to practice before the United States District Courts for the Northern and Southern Districts of Mississippi, the United States 5th Circuit Court of Appeals and the United States Supreme Court. He won reelection in 1975 and 1979. During his tenure as district attorney, he survived an assassination attempt that resulted in wounds to his hand and leg. He initially did general practice before specializing in civil and criminal trial practice. In 1994, he was a court-appointed attorney for Byron De La Beckwith.

In 2000, Kitchens served as counsel for Claud Johnson in a highly publicized Mississippi Supreme Court case regarding the estate of Johnson's father, blues musician Robert Johnson. Kitchens won the case for Johnson, securing his inheritance rights. He was encouraged to run by friends to bring diversity in opinion to the court. The Mississippi chapter of the National Federation of Independent Business endorsed against Kitchens.

In an upset, Kitchens won with 53.4% of the vote, defeating Smith and James. Two other incumbent justices, alongside Smith, lost reelection, an outcome that political analysts attributed to public reaction against perceived corruption in the state's judicial system. Kitchens took the oath of office on January 5, 2009, and had an investiture ceremony on January 17, 2009, in Hazelhurst.

2016 election

Griffis:

Tie: Kitchens: In 2016, Kitchens faced Mississippi Court of Appeals Judge Kenny Griffis in his bid for reelection. Griffis campaigned on modernizing the court system, while Kitchens emphasized his judicial experience and "folksy" values. The race drew significant political attention, with Governor Phil Bryant, Lieutenant Governor Tate Reeves, and other top Republicans endorsing Griffis, while Kitchens positioned himself as a moderate jurist. Griffis received contributions from Phil Bryant, Haley Barbour, Joe Nosef, and Mike Chaney.

Despite the candidates' mutual expressions of respect, the campaign was marked by negative advertising from independent political action committees targeting Kitchens. He was sworn into office on January 3, 2017.

2024 election In 2024, Kitchens announced his candidacy for a third term on the Supreme Court. He cited his mother, a piano teacher who retired at 99, for inspiration as why he ran again. His opponent, Republican State Senator Jenifer Branning, received support from the Mississippi GOP, while Kitchens received endorsements from prominent Democrats and the Southern Poverty Law Center. Campaign finance reports indicated Kitchens received substantial support from trial attorneys statewide, while Branning's funding derived from interest groups, trade associations, and a self-provided loan of $250,000.

Tenure Kitchens served as a Presiding Justice for the Mississippi Supreme Court starting in late 2017. As Presiding Justice, he handled administrative duties and made recommendations to other justices as part of the Court's executive committee.

His dissenting opinions frequently addressed issues of judicial authority and prosecutorial discretion.

His wife founded the Mississippi's Toughest Kids Foundation, a nonprofit that runs a camping facility for chronically ill children. Its founding was inspired by one of their children having cancer.

Kitchens lives in Crystal Springs with his wife.