STARKVILLE — William Eshee wears a lot of hats.
He”s a judge, a professor, a hunter, a soldier and a father.
At the end of this month, Eshee will take off two of those hats when he retires as municipal court judge for the city of Starkville, and as a business law professor at Mississippi State University. He officially retires from both jobs June 30.
Eshee was appointed municipal court judge March 1, 1976, and has been reappointed every four years in the three decades since. He also has been working at Mississippi State since 1976.
Looking back on his 33 years of service to the city and MSU, Eshee said he”s satisfied with the work he”s done, but he”s also looking forward to some down time. He plans to spend time with his wife, children and grandchildren, volunteering with his church, and hunting all over North America.
“I suppose whenever you step out into the unknown, there is some apprehension, perhaps, because you haven”t been there before,” Eshee said. “But I look forward to retiring. I know it”s time to retire. I”ve always believed that a person should retire when they”re at the top of their performance and then step aside and let somebody younger step into their place, and that”s what I”m doing now.”
Starkville attorney Rodney Faver, 47, will replace Eshee as municipal court judge. Eshee recommended Faver take over his spot when, in February, he told the city”s Board of Aldermen he would be retiring at the end of June.
Eshee knew Faver from all the times he has represented clients in municipal court. And Eshee was pleased the Board of Aldermen appointed Faver to serve as the next municipal judge.
“(Faver) is first a man of integrity; that I”ve seen demonstrated time and time again,” Eshee said. “I”ve observed him, I”ve known him for about 12 years, and I believe he has the judicial temperament necessary to make an outstanding judge for the people of Starkville. I would recommend him without hesitation.”
Faver has sat in on countless municipal court cases in the past few months to observe Eshee in action. The pair also has met several times to discuss the workings of the court and, last weekend, went to a municipal judges” conference.
Faver couldn”t help but smile when talking about his new job.
“I”m extremely honored that Judge Eshee, who I have a tremendous, tremendous amount of respect for, thought of me to recommend me to follow in his footsteps,” Faver said. “I”m also extremely honored that this board thought enough of me to appoint me to this position. I”m humbled by the awesome responsibility that I feel a municipal judge has, but on the other hand, I feel like I”m prepared to take over the responsibility of the job.”
The jurisdiction of the municipal court extends to all traffic offenses, all misdemeanor offenses for final disposition — which is a finding of guilty or innocent and a sentence — and preliminary hearing authority over all felonies, Eshee said.
With thousands of cases under his belt, he feels like he”s made a difference in the city during his time on the bench.
“I think the greatest satisfaction that I have gotten out of being a judge is that I feel like I”ve contributed to the good of our community by running a strict and fair court, where my foremost objective is to serve the interest of justice for all,” Eshee said.
Faver hopes to continue that tradition.
“What I want to do is be fair to everybody — both sides,” Faver said. “If I can be fair and impartial and I can lay my head on the pillow at night and go to sleep, then I”ve done my job and I know I”ve been fair. I”ll know I”ve been fair to the citizens and I”ve been fair the defendants. I think that”s what every judge strives for.”
Faver is a 1980 graduate of Starkville High School. He received his undergraduate degree from Mississippi State in 1984 and graduated from law school at the University of Mississippi in 1987.
He practiced in Florida for a number of years after law school before he returned to Starkville in 1997.
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