JACKSON — Mississippi University for Women graduate Kathy Gillis began working Monday as the clerk of the state Supreme Court and Court of Appeals.
An employee of the courts since 1981, Gillis has been chief deputy clerk for nearly 17 years. She replaced Betty Sephton, who retired Sunday as the courts” chief record keeper.
Gillis, 58, was appointed by the Supreme Court.
“Kathy Gillis” vast experience and extensive knowledge of the office of the clerk will continue to be an asset to the courts,” Chief Justice Bill Waller Jr. said in announcing her appointment.
As clerk of the courts, Gillis supervises a staff of 13. They manage the docket of about 1,500 cases at any given time, according to the courts, and track their progress to ensure documents are timely filed and complete.
“We want to continue to give good service to the courts and to the citizens,” Gillis said in a statement issued by the court.
She received a bachelor”s degree in history from MUW in 1972 and a master”s in 1978. She taught ninth-grade English in Columbus in 1974 and then worked in the MUW registrar”s office from 1976 to 1978.
Gillis had planned for a career teaching history. But an application with the state job bank led her to the Supreme Court clerk”s office in 1981. Rather than teaching history, she has worked to manage the records of the courts, including some which have made history.
“History is all about written documents,” Gillis said.
More than 1,000 appeals were filed and decided by the Supreme Court and Court of Appeals last year, and the appellate courts received more than 7,000 motions.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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