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Professor Emeritus
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Professor Joseph E. Claxton is a native of the state of Georgia. He graduated from Oxford College of Emory University, Emory University, and the Duke University School of Law. He served in the United States Army Reserve. Professor Claxton is a member of the State Bar of Georgia. After a brief stint in an Atlanta firm then known as Kilpatrick, Cody, Rogers, McClatchey, & Regenstein, he joined the faculty of the Mercer University School of Law. He assumed the status of professor emeritus on July 1, 2011 after 39 years of service to the Law School.
While at Mercer, Professor Claxton has taught 20 different courses and has held four administrative posts. He has written 30 widely unread academic publications in areas including agency, business associations, criminal law, commercial law, and legal history. Professor Claxton directed the Law School’s admissions program for eight years, drafted the plan for the institution’s transition from the quarter system to the semester system, and chaired a complete general curriculum review several years ago. He served as the editor of two Law School self studies (i.e., accreditation reports). He also wrote portions of two other self studies. He was the editor of the first Law School Five-Year Plan (prepared for the purpose of budgetary prioritization).
Professor Claxton has served a term on the Formal Advisory Opinion Board (Ethics) of the State Bar of Georgia and a term on the Macon Police and Firefighter Disciplinary Review Board. For the past 19 years he has been a trustee of the Georgia Legal History Foundation and for six years he served as treasurer of that organization. He served for 13 years as the associate editor of The Journal of Southern Legal History. He served for two terms as an officer of the Middle Georgia Phi Beta Kappa Alumni Chapter and is a past member of the William Augustus Bootle Inn of Court. Professor Claxton currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Wesley Glen Foundation, which is devoted to the needs of mentally handicapped adults. He was a member of the Board of Trustees of Mount de Sales Academy for five years and served as Vice-Chairman in 2011-2012 and Chairman in 2012-2013. In 2011, Professor Claxton received the Law School Alumni Association Meritorious Service Award.
