Edwin L. Pittman

Edwin Lloyd Pittman (January 2, 1935 – September 25, 2024) was an American jurist and politician who served as a justice of the Supreme Court of Mississippi from 1989 to 2001 and as chief justice from 2001 to 2004. He also served as the state's attorney general, secretary of state, and treasurer.^[1] Pittman reached the rank of brigadier general in the Mississippi National Guard.

Edwin Pittman
Official portrait, 1981
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Mississippi
In office January 2001 – March 31, 2004
Preceded by	Lenore L. Prather
Succeeded by	James W. Smith Jr.
Justice of the Supreme Court of Mississippi
In office 1989–2004
Succeeded by	Michael K. Randolph
37th Attorney General of Mississippi
In office 1984–1988
Governor	William Allain
Preceded by	William Allain
Succeeded by	Mike Moore
32nd Secretary of State of Mississippi
In office 1980–1984
Governor	William F. Winter
Preceded by	Heber Austin Ladner
Succeeded by	Dick Molpus
Mississippi State Treasurer
In office 1976–1980
Governor	Cliff Finch
Preceded by	Brad Dye
Succeeded by	John L. Dale
Personal details
Born	Edwin Lloyd Pittman (1935-01-02)January 2, 1935 Hattiesburg, Mississippi, U.S.
Died	September 25, 2024(2024-09-25) (aged 89) Ridgeland, Mississippi, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Alma mater	University of Southern Mississippi (BS) University of Mississippi (JD)

Early life and education

Pittman was born in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, on January 2, 1935. He received his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Southern Mississippi in 1957 and his J.D. from the University of Mississippi in 1960.

Political career

Pittman was first elected to the Mississippi State Senate in 1964 and was reelected in 1968 from Forest County.^[2] In 1975, he was elected as the State's Treasurer.^{[citation needed]} He was sworn in on January 14, 1976.^[3]

In 1980, he was elected Mississippi's Secretary of State. In 1984, he was elected attorney general.

Pittman ran for the 1987 Democratic nomination for governor, finishing fifth.^[2]

Judicial career

Pittman was first elected to the State Supreme Court in 1988 and reelected in 1996.^[2]

Notable rulings

In 2000, Justice Pittman ruled that the courts are not in the position of determining the state flag. He wrote, "In this case, the NAACP failed to offer any proof that the flying of the state flag deprived any citizen of a constitutionally protected right."^[4]

Personal life and death

Pittman was married to Virginia Lund Pittman and had seven children.^[5] He died on September 25, 2024, at the age of 89.^[6]