In Memoriam James E. Burnett Jr. James E. Burnett Jr. of Clinton, Arkansas, died May 15, 2010, at the age of 62. Mr. Burnett, a lawyer for over 35 years, was a graduate of the University of Arkansas School of Law, and was admitted to the Bar in 1973. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Arkansas in 1970. He is an alumnus of the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. His law practice in Clinton was interrupted by periods of public service, most notably, service as a member and chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board from 1981-1991, according to an obituary in The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. He was awarded the National Commission Against Drunk Driving Award in 1986 and in 1994, the IREI Air Safety Foundation of Japan dedicated a monument in Mr. Burnett’s honor to recognize his worldwide leadership in aviation safety and accident prevention. In 1996, NASA and the U.S. Space Foundation chose Mr. Burnett for induction into the Space Technology Hall of Fame for his promotion of the fire resistant aircraft seat. Mr. Burnett was elected municipal judge for the city of Clinton and Van Buren County in 1974. He was, at the time, the youngest judge in the state of Arkansas. He also served as juvenile judge for Van Buren County and city judge for Damascus. He was appointed on several occasions to serve as special circuit judge and Special Justice of the Arkansas Supreme Court. He served as city prosecutor for Clinton and as a commissioner and foreman of the grand jury for the Eastern District of Arkansas. After leaving federal government service in 1991, he returned to practice law in his hometown and continued his practice until his recent retirement. Mr. Burnett was a Sustaining Member of the Arkansas Bar Association and served on the Board of Governors. He also served on the Uniform Laws and Attorney/Client Privilege Committees. He was a member of the American Bar Association and an Associate member of the Lawyer Pilot’s Bar Association. He is survived by his mother, Hazel Baker Burnett, and his sister, Jo-Beth Shaw. n
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