Jay P. Carmean
A resident of Oxford, Mississippi for the past 30 years, Jay has vigorously fought for individuals facing both misdemeanor and felony charges in the State of Mississippi. Since graduating from The University of Mississippi School of Law in 1999, Jay has concentrated his practice on defending citizens charged with crimes ranging from drug possession and driving under the influence to felony assault and murder. In 2017, Jay was named Oxford’s Best Lawyer by The Oxford Eagle.
After graduating from the University of Mississippi School of Law in 1999, Jay served as a law clerk for Presiding Justice C.R. “Chuck” McRae of the Mississippi Supreme Court. Jay then worked for Tollison Law Firm, P.A. in Oxford for four years, returning to the firm he had clerked for while in law school. While there, Jay was made a partner in the firm.
In January of 2004, Jay joined Rhea Tannehill, Jr. to form Tannehill Carmean, PLLC. The firm has been voted “Oxford’s Best Law Firm” every year since 2010 and each year Jay was voted in a separate poll as one of the “Top 3 Favorite Attorneys in Oxford”.
In 2015, Jay was awarded an AV Peer Review Rating which is an outstanding achievement and demonstrates that a lawyer has earned the highest rating available for their legal ability and professional ethics.
Jay is the Past President of the Lafayette County Bar Association and served on the Mississippi Association for Justice’s Leader’s Forum. He served eight years on the MAJ Board of Governors, an elected position and in 2006 was elected in a state-wide election to serve on the Board of Directors of the Mississippi Bar Young Lawyers Division. He has served on the Mississippi Bar Young Lawyers Law School Relations Board and participates annually in the Lawyer in Every Classroom Program and the Mississippi High School Mock Trial Competition as a judge. Jay was the youngest member of the Mississippi Bar ever appointed to serve on the Mississippi Board of Bar Admissions. As a member for two terms, Jay drafted the criminal law, constitutional law and torts portions of the Mississippi Bar Exam. In 2010, Jay was appointed by the Mississippi Bar Association to serve a two year term on the North Mississippi Rural Legal Services Board of Directors, with involvement with the Union Bargaining Committee. The NMRLS provides pro bono legal assistance to those that cannot afford it.
Locally, Jay served for six years on Oxford Planning Commission with the last four as Chairman, has served on the United Way Distribution Committee, is Past President of the Lafayette County Oxford Ole Miss Alumni Association and is a graduate of the Leadership Lafayette program.
Jay, originally from Caruthersville, Missouri, is married to the former Wendy Chambers of Oxford, Mississippi. Wendy is also an Ole Miss Graduate and runs a small business in Oxford. They are proud parents of identical twin, teenage daughters.
Bar Admission
- Mississippi, 1999
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of Mississippi, 2000
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of Mississippi, 2000
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit, 2000
Education
- J.D., University of Mississippi, 1999
- B.A., University of Mississippi, Cum Laude, 1996
Professional
- Past President, Lafayette County Bar Association
- Mississippi Bar YLD Board of Directors – Northwest District
- Board of Governors, Mississippi Trial Lawyers Association
- Mississippi State Board of Bar Admissions
- Mississippi and American Bar Association
Civic Involvement
- Oxford Planning Commission
- United Way Distribution Committee
- Past President, Lafayette County Oxford Alumni Association
- Lawyer in Every Classroom Committee (Lawyer in Every Classroom, Young Lawyers Division)
- Leadership Lafayette Graduate
- Board Attorney, Lafayette County Law Enforcement Association
- Meals on Wheels
