Jackson Free Press

President Barack Obama named Mississippi Supreme Court Justice James Graves to the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals today.

"Throughout his career James E. Graves has shown unwavering integrity and an outstanding commitment to public service," Obama said in a statement. "I am proud to nominate him to serve on the United States Court of Appeals."

Graves is the only African American currently serving on the state Supreme Court and would be the first African American from Mississippi to serve on the Fifth Circuit.

Graves served as a Hinds County Circuit Judge from 1991 until his appointment to the the Supreme Court in 2001.

He attended Millsaps College and Syracuse University, where he received his law degree in 1980. After law school, Graves worked for three years as a staff attorney for Central Mississippi Legal Services before entering private practice. He has also worked in the Office of the Attorney General and the Mississippi Department of Human Services.