Clayton D. Potter (January 12, 1880 – September 1, 1924)"Clayton Potter Killed When Automobile Skids Into Ditch on Highway", ''Jackson Clarion-Ledger'' (September 2, 1924), p. 1. was a justice of the Supreme Court of Mississippi from 1916 to 1917, Leslie Southwick
Mississippi Supreme Court Elections: A Historical Perspective 1916-1996
18 Miss. C. L. Rev. 115 (1997-1998). and Attorney General of Mississippi from 1922 to 1924.

Biography

Born in Hinds County, Mississippi, near Jackson, Potter was a son of Daniel Mayes Potter and Octavia Smith Potter. He first attended the Liberty Grove school, near Jackson, and later he attended the Jackson public schools. He graduated from the literary department of Millsans college in 1902. He

read law Reading law was the method used in common law countries, particularly the United States, for people to prepare for and enter the legal profession before the advent of law schools. It consisted of an extended internship or apprenticeship under the ...

to gain admission to the bar in 1904, thereafter practicing in Jackson. From 1905 to 1912, he served in the

Mississippi State Senate The Mississippi Senate is the upper house of the Mississippi Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Mississippi. The Senate, along with the lower Mississippi House of Representatives, convenes at the Mississippi State Capitol ...

. Potter managed the 1915 campaign of Governor

Theodore G. Bilbo Theodore Gilmore Bilbo (October 13, 1877 – August 21, 1947) was an American politician who twice served as governor of Mississippi (1916–1920, 1928–1932) and later was elected a U.S. Senator (1935–1947). A lifelong Democrat, he was a fil ...

, and thereafter "was appointed by Governor Bilbo in January 1916 to one of the three new judgeships". When Potter ran for election to the seat, his opponent,

George H. Ethridge George Hamilton Ethridge (February 26, 1871 – November 26, 1957)"Judge George Ethridge Dies Here At Age Of 86", ''Jackson Clarion-Ledger'' (November 27, 1957), p. 1, 3. was a justice of the Supreme Court of Mississippi from 1917 to 1941. Leslie ...

, made several allegations against Potter, including that Potter "had promised when accepting the governor's January appointment that he would not be a candidate for a full term", and that Potter only wanted the brief appointment to the court to bolster his reputation in practice. Ethridge lead the vote in the August 15 Democratic primary, and won the September 5 runoff by a more substantial margin. In 1922, Governor

Lee M. Russell Lee Maurice Russell (November 16, 1875May 16, 1943) was an American politician from Mississippi. He was born in Lafayette County, Mississippi, to William Eaton Russell and Louisa Jane (Mackey) Russell, and he later attended the University of ...

appointed Potter Attorney General of Mississippi, to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Frank Robertson. Potter completed the term and then returned to private practice. Potter never married. He died in a car accident outside Raymond, Mississippi, at the age of 44.

References

1880 births 1924 deaths People from Hinds County, Mississippi Democratic Party Mississippi state senators Justices of the Mississippi Supreme Court Mississippi Attorneys General Road incident deaths in Mississippi {{Mississippi-state-judge-stub