Judge Gay Polk Payton

Judge Gay Polk-Payton

CLEO 1993

“I thank CLEO for the faith they placed in me 21 years ago!!!”


Judge Gay Polk-Payton is currently employed with Forrest County Justice Court where she serves as an elected Judge, she is owner of Polk-Payton Law Office, and she serves as Adjunct Faculty Member with USM’s Human Performance and Recreation Department. She is licensed to practice law in all courts in the State of Mississippi, the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals and in the United States Supreme Court.

Judge Polk-Payton was admitted to the practice of law in the state of Mississippi in September 1996 after completing a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration at the University of Southern Mississippi, a Master’s in Business Administration at the University of New Orleans with a Master’s in Business and a Juris Doctor at the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) School of Law. She is a member of the Mississippi, Magnolia and American Bar Associations, the Trial Lawyers Association, the Mississippi Justice Court Judge Association, the Hattiesburg Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta and immediate past president of the South Central Bar Association.

Judge Polk-Payton was born in Hattiesburg, Mississippi to the late Ollie and Fannie Polk. She is the mother of one son, Gaybriel “Kobe” Payton, and is a Certified Fitness Instructor.