Sr. Chancellor

Judge Drungole-Ellis serves as the Senior Judge for the Fourteenth Chancery Court District. A Summa Cum Laude graduate of Rust College, Holly Springs, Mississippi, Judge Drungole-Ellis received her Juris Doctor Degree from the University of Kansas School of Law, Lawrence, Kansas.

She was admitted to the Mississippi Bar in 1986 and began her legal career practicing in various State and Federal Courts. In 2009, she was appointed as the Oktibbeha County (Starkville) Youth Court Judge and served in that capacity until 2018 when she was elected Chancery Court Judge on November 6, 2018. She was re-elected on November 8, 2022.

She is continually active in community service and serves her church’s denomination both nationally and locally. Internationally, she is very active in Missions particularly in the Kenya East Africa area serving as a Missionary and supporting two orphanages and other “self-sustaining” training projects, throughout the year. During her yearly mission trips, she is able to provide clothing, food, various supplies and other assistance to several hundred Kenyans, mostly children and the elderly.

Judge Drungole-Ellis has served on various boards and associations, including the Methodist Senior Services Board of Directors, the State Department of Education Judicial Task Force, with membership in numerous organizations such as the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ), and the American Judges Association, (AJA).

Chancellor

Judge Studdard serves as Chancery Judge for the Fourteenth Chancery Court District. He was born in Gadsden, Alabama, and after moving to Columbus was educated in the Lowndes County public schools (New Hope), East Mississippi Junior College, Mississippi State University (graduating cum laude)and the University of Mississippi School of Law(graduating cum laude ).

Judge Studdard is very active in civic and community service, having served as President of the Columbus Kiwanis Club, President of the New Hope Exchange Club, President of the local MSU Alumni Association as well as on the national Board of Directors, on the Frank P. Phillips YMCA Board of Directors and on the Board of the Lowndes County Chapter of the American Red Cross. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of Columbus Christian Academy.

Prior to his election to the bench, Judge Studdard practiced law in Lowndes County for approximately 31 years. He is married to the former Stephanie Cunningham of Columbus, and they have two children.

Chancellor

Judge Faver serves as Chancery Judge for the Fourteenth Chancery Court
District. In 1984, he received a B.A. degree from Mississippi State University and subsequently received his J.D. from the University of Mississippi in 1987.

Judge Faver was admitted to the Florida Bar in 1987 and the Mississippi Bar in
1996 and practiced in Florida until 1997. At that time he returned to Mississippi and began his legal career in Mississippi in private practice in Oktibbeha County. During his legal career in private practice, and prior to being elected Chancery Court Judge in 2018, Judge Faver served as the Attorney for OCEDA and the Greater Starkville Development Partnership. He also served as City Prosecutor for the City of Starkville, County Prosecutor for Oktibbeha County, City Attorney for the City of Starkville, and most recently served as Municipal Court Judge for the City of Starkville for nine and a half years. Judge Faver has been
married to his wife, Patricia, for more than twenty-two years, and they have two children.