Justice Court Judge Crevitt dies in Jackson at age 72

Published 12:00 am Thursday, July 2, 2009

Warren County Justice Court Judge Joseph “Joe” Crevitt Jr. died early this morning at St. Dominic Memorial Hospital in Jackson. He was 72.

Judge Crevitt had been suffering from lymphoma and heart problems, said his son Warren County Investigator Jeff Crevitt. He had been hospitalized for five weeks.

“He was a strong family man and community man,” Jeff Crevitt said. “He never met a stranger.”

Email newsletter signup

Sign up for The Vicksburg Post's free newsletters

Check which newsletters you would like to receive
  • Vicksburg News: Sent daily at 5 am
  • Vicksburg Sports: Sent daily at 10 am
  • Vicksburg Living: Sent on 15th of each month

Judge Crevitt and his wife, Sandra, celebrated 50 years of marriage Jan. 29.

In a special election in November 1997, Judge Crevitt was elected to Justice Court from the Southern District of Warren County, filling the unexpired term of former Judge Jeff Riggs. Judge Crevitt was then elected to three full terms, in 1999, 2003 and 2007.

“His desire to help people is what I’ll remember most,” Northern District Judge Edwin Woods Jr. said today. “Judge Crevitt was very firm in the way he handled his cases but he always had the desire to help people when he could. That’s what we as justice court judges are in a great position to do, because we see so many people per week and per month.”

Bridget Purvis, civil clerk at the justice court, said Judge Crevitt’s desire to help extended to his professional colleagues. “He was a wonderful man, extremely devoted to his job,” she said, fighting back tears. “He came to work no matter what. You could call him at home. If another judge couldn’t go, he was always willing to fill in.”

Sheriff Martin Pace praised Crevitt for his service to those who appeared in his courtroom as well as law enforcement efforts in the county.

“He took his role as justice court judge very seriously and was a fair but firm judge on the bench,” Pace said. “If we needed a judge for a search warrant or whatever he was always available to us, even if it was in the middle of the night.”

Justice courts have jurisdiction over small claims civil cases involving amounts of $3,500 or less, misdemeanor criminal cases and any traffic offense that occurs outside a municipality. Justice Court judges may conduct bond hearings and preliminary hearings in felony criminal cases and may issue search warrants.

Judge Crevitt was retired from the National Guard, where he served for more than 35 years and had been a recruiter, reaching the rank of chief warrant officer. He loved the outdoors, family members said, including deer hunting. He attended Redbone Methodist Church, where “he had probably served on every board,” daughter-in-law Cynthia Crevitt said.

Judge Crevitt had also served as president of the Yokena-Jeff Davis Water District.

In addition to his wife, and son Jeff Crevitt, survivors include sons Chris Crevitt of San Francisco and Marty Crevitt of Vicksburg, and one daughter, Toni Crevitt Lane of Danville, Calif., and two granddaughters.

Funeral arrangements are being handled by Riles Funeral Home.

*

Contact Pamela Hitchins at phitchins@vicksburgpost.com