With over 40 years of premier trial experience, Tom Fortner has established a powerful reputation across Mississippi for sophisticated, unrelenting criminal defense and appellate mastery in state and federal court structures.
Strategic legal solutions backed by decades of proven results across Mississippi.
Aggressive and analytical defense representations covering complex felony indictments, violent offenses, and highly charged state trials across all South Mississippi courts.
Criminal Defense Services →Extensive defense architecture covering major multi-defendant drug trade conspiracies, white collar fraud, firearm allegations, and complex corporate federal investigations.
Federal Criminal Defense →A national-profile practice reviewing trial transcripts, compiling master appellate briefs, and leading oral defenses before the Mississippi Supreme Court and Federal Circuits.
Appeals & Post-Conviction Relief →Tom Fortner has devoted his entire career to criminal defense. He served as Public Defender for Jackson County, Mississippi from 1981 to 1991 and for Hinds County, Mississippi from 1991 to 2005, then with the Maricopa County, Arizona Office of Legal Defender from 2005 to 2009 before joining the firm in 2009. Over more than four decades he has tried hundreds of cases to verdict before juries.
Tom’s felony practice covers the most serious charges Mississippi law allows, including capital murder and other death-penalty-eligible cases, murder and manslaughter, robbery, burglary, assault, sexual assault, and controlled substance offenses. His post-conviction practice addresses wrongful convictions, ineffective assistance of counsel, wrongful incarceration, and challenges to guilty pleas, and he handles criminal appeals from every circuit court in the state to the Mississippi Supreme Court and Mississippi Court of Appeals. He also handles DUI defense and expungements of eligible felony and misdemeanor convictions.
Tom’s influence extends beyond his own docket. He served on the Mississippi Supreme Court Advisory Committee on Rules from 1982 to 2000 and on the Mississippi State Legislature Criminal Justice Task Force from 1998 to 2005. He is a founding and life member of the Mississippi Public Defenders Association, a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, a member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and a charter member and former president of the Mississippi Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.
Yes. Tom Fortner defends clients in both state and federal court, including multi-defendant drug conspiracy cases, white collar fraud, and firearm allegations. He is admitted to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and the U.S. District Courts for the Northern and Southern Districts of Mississippi.
Tom has practiced criminal defense for over 40 years, having been admitted to the Mississippi Bar in 1980.
Yes. His appellate and post-conviction practice includes briefing and oral argument before the Mississippi Supreme Court and federal appellate courts.
Tom is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, one of the most selective honors for trial lawyers in the United States, and a charter member and former president of the Mississippi Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (MACDL).
Yes. Tom defends the most serious felony charges under Mississippi law, including capital murder and other death-penalty-eligible cases.
Yes. Tom is admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court, the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, all U.S. District Courts in Mississippi, and all Mississippi state courts.
Tom served as Public Defender for Jackson County, Mississippi (1981–1991) and Hinds County, Mississippi (1991–2005), and with the Maricopa County, Arizona Office of Legal Defender (2005–2009) before joining the firm in 2009.
One of seven attorneys practicing together at Lowrey, Fortner, & Miri P.A. — a Hattiesburg firm that has stood with Pine Belt families and businesses since 1980.
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Call (601) 582-5015