J. Rhea Tannehill, Jr.
Rhea Tannehill has been practicing law in Oxford since he graduated from the University of Mississippi School of Law in 1996. The first six years of his legal career Rhea worked for a firm representing individuals primarily in the areas of personal injury and criminal defense from 1996 until 2002. Rhea ventured out on his own and opened the Tannehill Law Firm, PLLC in Oxford in January 2003. In his solo practice, Rhea successfully served individuals in the areas of personal injury, criminal defense, collection law (creditors), and estate planning and probate. Rhea was honored with an appointment to serve as Board Attorney for the Oxford Housing Authority and Mississippi Region II Housing Authority, both of whom he still represents today.
Jay Carmean joined Rhea in January 2004 and they opened the law firm of Tannehill Carmean, PLLC. For 20 years Rhea and Jay’s practice has focused largely on representing the rights of injured persons, criminal defense, estate planning and probate, real estate, and collection law (creditors) in all State and Federal Courts in Mississippi. Rhea serves as Managing Partner for the firm they founded with a common goal of providing exceptional service to their clients while maintaining a positive and rewarding work environment for themselves and their employees.
In the last 15 years Rhea’s practice has gravitated toward personal injury and criminal defense work because of the fulfillment that comes from helping individuals and families facing difficult situations. Some people are quick to pass judgment on others who have been charged with a crime, but those same people are quick to look for the best legal representation they can find when they or someone in their family has been caught drinking and driving or worse.
The same is true for personal injury cases. People often jeer at trial lawyers as “ambulance chasers,” yet they are quick to call one if they, or someone in their family, is in a car wreck or feels they have been wronged in some way. Rhea’s experience and success has allowed him to be recognized by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America every year since 2009 in the area of personal injury.
In addition to his civil practice, Rhea has served as Municipal Court Judge of Sardis, Mississippi since 2007 where he previously served as Municipal Court Prosecutor.
Rhea is a native of Union, Mississippi, and a graduate of Union High School. His parents, Jack Rhea Tannehill and Jane Tannehill owned and operated The Union Appeal, which is a weekly newspaper, while he was growing up. Rhea helped in the family business with the printing and distribution of the newspapers and other printed materials until he graduated from high school. Jack Tannehill owned and operated The Newton County Appeal (the successor of The Union Appeal) until he retired in 2012 – 44 years after taking over The Union Appeal.
Rhea received a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Administration and Master’s Degree in Education from the University of Mississippi in 1991 and 1992, respectively. While an undergraduate at the University of Mississippi, Rhea was elected President of the Associated Student Body and inducted into the Student Hall of Fame. Rhea was an active member of the Mississippi Alpha Chapter of Phi Delta Theta Fraternity, for which he served as Vice-President
Rhea recently retired from a 28 year career in the Mississippi Army National Guard at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He enlisted in Headquarters Battery, 4/114th Field Artillery of Newton,
Mississippi as a cannon fire direction specialist, and did his basic training at Ft. Sill, Oklahoma in 1992. Rhea was stationed there until his unit transformed into Headquarters Battery, 1/204th Air Defense Artillery, and he served as a crewmember on the Avenger and Man Portable Air Defense System (Stinger Missile) Weapons Systems. In 1999, Rhea accepted a direct commission to First Lieutenant in the Judge Advocate Generals’ Corps (JAG), and went on to graduate from the Judge Advocate Officer Basic Course (2001) and Judge Advocate Officer Advanced Course (2007).
Most recently Rhea served as Military Judge for the Mississippi Military. He completed the Military Judge’s Course in 2018 as one of only three members of the National Guard in the class. The Military Judge’s Course is notorious for being the most challenging and difficult military legal courses, with service members from Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard. As Military Judge, Rhea heard all courts-martials in Mississippi and presided over administrative hearings regarding National Guard Soldiers
Rhea’s most challenging role in the military was his service as Brigade Trial Counsel for the 168th Engineering Brigade headquartered in Vicksburg, Mississippi during a thirteen month deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom from November 2008 until December 2010. Rhea was stationed at Forward Operating Base Sharana, Afghanistan. While in Afghanistan Rhea served as the only JAG Officer on Forward Operating Base Sharana and rendered legal assistance to all Soldiers, civilians, and contractors on the FOB. Rhea also advised the Commanders within his Brigade on military justice and general legal matters. Rhea and his wife, Robyn, maintained a website during his deployment where they share photographs and their experiences at www.thetannehillfamily.com. During his deployment to Afghanistan, Rhea was awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Combat Action Badge, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Overseas Service Ribbon, and Global War on Terrorism Medal.
Rhea was also mobilized with the Mississippi Army National Guard in 2005 for almost two months with Headquarters Battery, 631st Field Artillery Brigade after Hurricane Katrina struck the Mississippi Gulf Coast. His unit performed disaster relief and clean-up operations, and he was awarded the Mississippi Magnolia Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, Mississippi Commendation Medal and the Mississippi Emergency Service Medal for his service.
During his military service Rhea was also awarded the Mississippi War Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal, Army Reserve Component Overseas Training Ribbon (2), Army Commendation Medal, Mississippi Commendation Medal (2) and the Mississippi Recruiting Medal. He has served as Staff Judge Advocate for the 155th Armored Brigade Combat Team, and the 66th Troop Command.
Rhea has been an active member of The Mississippi Bar during his entire career. Rhea served as President of the Young Lawyers’ Division of the Mississippi Bar during 2006-2007, Commissioner of The Mississippi Bar and Executive Committee of the Mississippi Bar from 2006-2008. In 2011 Rhea was selected as a Fellow of the Young Lawyers’ Division of the Mississippi Bar.
Rhea currently serves on the Mississippi Bars Ethics’ Committee, which issues “advisory opinions” for its members regarding complex and contentious ethical issues. Prior to his service on the Ethics Committee, Rhea served five years on The Mississippi Bar’s Professional Responsibility Committee. This committee reviews all complaints filed against lawyers in Mississippi, and Rhea was honored to serve as Chairman in 2008.
Rhea was selected by his peers as a Fellow of the Mississippi Bar in 2011, which is the Foundation’s highest honor. Fellows only represent approximately 10% of the Mississippi Bar’s membership, who have achieved the “highest level of professionalism, competence, and leadership. Fellows are selected for membership based not only on their excellence as a lawyer but also by their dedication and service to the public and profession.”1
In 2020, Rhea was appointed by the Mississippi Supreme Court to serve as a member of the Complaint Tribunal. “The 27-member Complaint Tribunal is made up of nine judges and 18 lawyers selected by the nine members of the Supreme Court from three Supreme Court districts. The Complaint Tribunal sits in panels of three, with each panel comprised of two attorneys and one judge…. Members of the Complaint Tribunal hear and decide disciplinary matters arising from complaints against attorneys. Discipline may range from private reprimand to disbarment.”2
Rhea also served on Board of Bar Commissioner’s Committee on Character and Fitness for 12 years. He has been honored to participate in the James O. Dukes Professionalism Program for first year law students at the University of Mississippi since its inception. Rhea is a member of and has served as President of the Lafayette County Bar and the Tri-County Jr. Bar Associations.
Perhaps Rhea’s biggest professional accomplishment is being elected as President of the Mississippi Bar. He will serve a term as Incoming President from July 2024 to July 2025, and then serve as President from July 2025 to July 2026.
Rhea has been active in the Oxford and Lafayette County communities through civic and community organizations including the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council and the Oxford/Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce. Rhea is a graduate of Leadership Lafayette and former member of the Oxford/Lafayette County United Way Board of Directors, Life Member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion Post 55, and University of Mississippi Alumni Association.
Rhea is married to his best friend, the former Robyn McKenzie of Florence, Alabama, have been married for 30 years. Robyn is in her second term as Mayor of Oxford. Robyn and Rhea have three children, Maggie (24), who lives in Starkville and works Court Appointed Special Advocates in Tupelo, Mississippi, Jack (21), who plays football at the University of Southern Mississippi, and Molly Catherine (19), who attends Mississippi State University. The Tannehill’s love Oxford High School sporting events, the Neshoba County Fair, going to Southern Miss Football games, the Neshoba County Fair, and drinking coffee or a cold beer on their back porch. The Tannehill’s are members of Christ Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Oxford, which is a church they help found and charter in 1995.
Bar Admission
- Mississippi, 1996
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of Mississippi, 1996
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of Mississippi, 1996
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit, 1996
Education
- J.D., University of Mississippi, 1996
- M.Ed., University of Mississippi, 1992
- B.P.A., University of Mississippi, 1991
Professional and Civic Involvement
- Mississippi Bar
- Mississippi Young Lawyer’s Division, Board of Directors
- Mississippi Trial Lawyers Association
- Lafayette County Bar, Vice President (2000-2001)
- Lafayette County Bar, President (2001-2002)
- Tri-County Jr. Bar Association
- Lafayette County United Way, Board of Directors
- Trial Counsel, CPT, 631st FA, BDE, MS Army National Guard
1. https://www.msbar.org/programs-affiliates/ms-bar-foundationiolta/fellows/
2.https://courts.ms.gov/news/2020/08.18.20Bar%20Complaint%20Tribunal.php
