Jim Hood facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jim Hood
39th Attorney General of Mississippi
In office January 8, 2004 – January 14, 2020
Governor	Haley Barbour Phil Bryant
Preceded by	Mike Moore
Succeeded by	Lynn Fitch
Personal details
Born	James Matthew Hood (1962-05-15) May 15, 1962 (age 63) New Houlka, Mississippi, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Debra Hood
Children	3
Education	University of Mississippi (BA, JD)

James Matthew Hood (born May 15, 1962) is an American lawyer and politician. He served as the 39th Attorney General of Mississippi from 2004 to 2020.

Hood was first chosen as Attorney General in 2003. He won against Scott Newton, a Republican. Before this, Hood was a district attorney. He took over from another Democrat, Mike Moore.

In 2018, Hood announced he would run for Governor of Mississippi in 2019. He easily won the Democratic primary election. However, he lost the main election to Lieutenant Governor Tate Reeves. This was Hood's first loss in a statewide election.

Since leaving office, Hood has joined a national law firm. He also helps advise a group called the States United Democracy Center.

Early Life and Education

Jim Hood was born in New Houlka, a town in Chickasaw County. This is in the northeastern part of Mississippi.

He went to the University of Mississippi in Oxford. In 1988, he earned his law degree, which is called a J.D..

Serving as Attorney General

Jim Hood became the Attorney General of Mississippi on January 8, 2004. As Attorney General, he was the state's chief legal officer. He represented Mississippi in legal matters and worked to enforce its laws.

Important Cases and Work

In 2005, Hood led the prosecution of Edgar Ray Killen. Killen was a former member of the Ku Klux Klan. He was found guilty of planning the murders of three civil rights workers in 1964. These workers were Andrew Goodman, Michael Schwerner, and James Chaney. This case happened during a time known as Freedom Summer.

Jim Hood speaking at a Department of Justice event.

After Hurricane Katrina hit Mississippi, Hood was very involved in the state's recovery efforts. He worked with lawyers to help homeowners get money from insurance companies. This helped many people rebuild their homes.

Hood was re-elected as Attorney General three more times. He won elections in 2007, 2011, and 2015.

Protecting People in Mississippi

As Attorney General, Hood worked to protect different groups of people. He created special units to help:

• Vulnerable adults: These are people who might be easily hurt or taken advantage of.
• Victims of domestic violence: This is violence that happens within a family or close relationship.
• People affected by identity theft: This is when someone steals your personal information.

He also started programs to prevent violence in schools and workplaces. Hood also helped create many guides and publications. These guides taught people about topics like cyber crime, how to protect themselves as consumers, and election laws.

2019 Campaign for Governor

On October 3, 2018, Jim Hood announced he would run for Governor of Mississippi. He campaigned as a moderate Democrat. This means his political views were not extreme.

During his campaign, Hood talked about several important ideas. He wanted to expand Medicaid, which is a health care program. He also supported tuition-free community college and universal pre-school. He believed these changes would help people in Mississippi.

Hood easily won the Democratic primary election. However, he lost the general election to the Republican candidate, Tate Reeves. Even though he lost, Hood had the strongest performance by a Democrat in a Mississippi governor's race since 1999.

Images for kids

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  Jim Hood in 2007.