Jackson Free Press

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — State Rep. Linda Coleman is becoming a circuit judge in the Mississippi Delta.

Republican Gov. Phil Bryant announced Wednesday that he's appointing Coleman, a Democrat, to serve in a nonpartisan judicial seat in Bolivar, Coahoma, Quitman and Tunica counties. She lives in Mound Bayou, has practiced law since 1987 and has served in the House since 1992.

Coleman succeeds Judge Johnnie Walls of Greenville, who recently retired. Coleman said she expects to be sworn in next week, and that will create a vacancy in the House. A special election will be held to fill Coleman's House seat in parts of Bolivar and Sunflower counties.

Coleman's judicial appointment is temporary. A nonpartisan special election will be held in November to fill the final two years of the four-year term.

Coleman earned her law degree from Mississippi College. She began her legal career with North Mississippi Rural Legal Services in Clarksdale and has been in solo practice since 1994. A Judicial Appointment Advisory Committee recommended her to succeed Walls.

"I look forward to this new challenge with great anticipation and enthusiasm," Coleman said in a news release Wednesday.

The appointment has been one of the worst-kept secrets at the Capitol. On March 1, Republican Rep. John Moore introduced Coleman to the House as the newest judge in the state, but the governor's spokesman said Bryant wasn't prepared to make an announcement because he had not received a recommendation from the advisory committee.