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An Order of Magnitude  Even though he has spent the past 20 years on the bench, Judge Glen Harris Davidson said it doesn’t seem nearly that long. “I enjoy the interchange between attorneys, witnesses and jurors,” said Davidson (BA 62, JD 65). “We have some really good attorneys in north Mississippi, and good attorneys make my job easier.” Davidson, who grew up in Pontotoc, chose Ole Miss for his undergraduate and law degrees because both his parents were alumni, and it was the nearest and best school. “When I attended the UM law school, there were 225 students,” he said. “Every student knew all the other students and professors, and all the faculty knew all the students as well. I have fond memories of law school.” After graduating and a few years of active duty in the U.S. Air Force, Davidson went into private practice in Tupelo. From 1981-1985, he served as U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi and lived in Oxford. In November, he had completed 20 years of service on the federal bench, the last five as chief judge of the Northern District of Mississippi. The only other Northern District judge to serve longer was Allen Cox, who served from 1929-1958 and was appointed by President Calvin Coolidge. Davidson’s career as a judge began in fall 1985, when he was appointed to the bench by President Ronald Reagan on the recommendation of U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran, also a Pontotoc native According to Davidson, about 1,500 civil cases are filed each year in the Northern District, about 400 active civil cases per judge are pending at all times and approximately 120 criminal indictments are divided evenly among the judges.
“The Judicial Conference is the voice of the judiciary to the Congress,” he said. “It’s composed of the chief judge of each circuit and a district judge elected from each circuit. On Oct. 1, 2004, I was elected to my three-year term.” The Judicial Conference was created by Congress in 1922 and works through committees established to recommend national policies and legislation on all aspects of federal judicial administration. Committees include budget, rules of practice and procedure, court administration and case management. Members meet twice a year in the Supreme Court building in Washington, D.C. “It is an interesting time to serve on the Judicial Conference,” Davidson said. “In March of 2005, the meeting was presided over by Chief Justice William Rehnquist. The second meeting in September of 2005 was presided over by Senior Justice John Paul Stevens, and our next meeting will be presided over by Chief Justice John Roberts, so it has been a real transition period.” “Judge Davidson is a highly respected member of the federal judiciary, not only in Mississippi and the 5th Circuit, but nationally as well,” said Dean Samuel Davis. “As one of only 26 members of the Judicial Conference, he has tremendous influence on the rules of practice and procedure in the federal courts. I am greatly pleased that one of our graduates, and a friend, occupies a position of such trust and responsibility.” Fellow Judge Neal B. Biggers describes Davidson as a “multifaceted judge.” “Just like some teachers and professors would rather teach and do research than be a school or college administrator, some judges would rather be in the courtroom and doing research rather than administering the work of the court,” Biggers said. “But since Judge Davidson assumed the title of chief judge of the Northern District of Mississippi in 2000, he has shown he enjoys the work of administration as well, while continuing his work as a keen student and judge of the law. “He runs a tight ship both in the courtroom and as chief administrator of the U.S. District Court of North Mississippi, and it is a pleasure working with him.” Davidson said that the time he spent at the UM law school prepared him well for his career, and he encourages current students to be active participants in their communities. “Lawyers have historically been leaders in the community and in government,” he said. “Get involved, that’s my advice.” Although he may be thinking about retirement in a few years, Davidson said he still enjoys his job. “I’ve worked with good judges, and I’ve enjoyed that association,” he said. “Judge L.T. Senter Jr. and Neal Biggers and I worked together on the bench in the district for 13 years, and it’s unusual not to have changes in that length of time. It is also a pleasure to work with current judges Allen Pepper and Mike Mills, as well as our magistrate judges.” When not at work, Davidson enjoys tennis and hunting, and is a member of the Kiwanis Club, American Bar Association, Federal Bar Association, American Judicature Society and the board of the Yocona Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America. He is immediate past president of the William C. Keady American Inns of Court and past president of the First Judicial District Bar Association. Davidson and his wife, Bonnie, live in Tupelo and have two children.
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One of Davidson’s recent accomplishments was being elected by the U.S. district judges of Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas to represent the 5th Circuit on the Judicial Conference of the United States, which is the federal courts’ national policy-making body.