State of Mississippi Judiciary

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Notice of Holiday Closures on Nov. 23 and 24, Dec. 25 and 26, 2023, and January 1, 2024
November 13, 2023

Mississippi Courts Newsletter - October 2023
October 31, 2023

Colleagues and friends called newly appointed Hinds County Court Judge Pieter Teeuwissen a visionary problem solver with a long record of public service.

The Mississippi Administrative Office of Courts is seeking bilingual speakers willing to train and qualify as credentialed court interpreters.

The Hinds County Youth Court provided Thanksgiving meals on Wednesday to about 75 people in a dozen families who were recently reunited through court proceedings.

Chancellor Cynthia Brewer of Madison was recently elected as chair of the Conference of Chancery Court Judges. Chancellor Troy Odom of Brandon was elected vice-chair, and Chancellor Larry Little of Oxford was re-elected secretary-treasurer.

Mississippi Court of Appeals Judge Deborah McDonald of Fayette was recently honored by the Mississippi Center for Justice with its Pathfinder Award.

The Mississippi Court of Appeals will convene at Mississippi State University to hear an appeal on Nov. 16.

Mississippi Court of Appeals Judge Latrice A. Westbrooks of Lexington was recently honored by Austin Peay State University as one of its Outstanding Alumna.

Retired Circuit Judge Andrew C. Baker died on Oct. 31 at his home in Charleston. He was 87.

Katharine McKee Surkin of Madison will become director of the state Administrative Office of Courts on Nov. 1.

The Mississippi Court of Appeals will convene on the campus of Rust College on Nov. 2.

The Mississippi Court of Appeals will convene at the University of Mississippi School of Law to hear two cases on Oct. 18.

The Mississippi Supreme Court and the Mississippi Bar on Oct. 10 honored the lives and service of 91 lawyers who died during the past year.

Harrison County Court and Youth Court Judge Michael Dickinson of Gulfport has been selected as an Angels in Adoption Honoree by the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute.

The Mississippi Supreme Court has appointed three new members to the Bar Complaint Tribunal, and reappointed three members. New appointees include Circuit Judge Carol White-Richard of Greenville, Workers Compensation Commission Administrative Law Judge Jennifer F. Nicaud of Pass Christian and attorney Leo J. Carmody of Oxford.

Circuit Judge Brad A. Touchstone of Purvis was elected on Aug. 31 as chairman of the Mississippi Commission on a Uniform Youth Court System and Procedures. Lee County Court Judge Staci Bevill of Tupelo was elected vice-chair and Madison County Court Judge Staci O’Neal of Madison was elected secretary during the Commission’s organizational meeting on Aug. 31 at the Capitol.

Hancock County Court Judge S. Trent Favre of Kiln was recently named as a Fellow of the Mississippi Bar Foundation.

Hinds Circuit Court Judge Eleanor Faye Peterson of Jackson was recently named as a Fellow of the Mississippi Bar Foundation.

The eleventh annual Indian Child Welfare Act Conference will be held Aug. 9 at the Silver Star Convention Center at Choctaw.

Mississippi Supreme Court Justice Jimmy Maxwell of Oxford was named a Fellow of the Mississippi Bar Foundation and was inducted July 18, 2023, at the Mississippi Bar Convention in Biloxi.

Senior Status Judge Betty W. Sanders of Greenwood is the recipient of the 2023 Chief Justice Award.

Chief Justice Mike Randolph of Hattiesburg was honored with the 2023 Judicial Excellence Award on July 20.

A free family law clinic is scheduled for Aug. 4, 9 a.m. to noon on the Third Floor of the Hinds County Chancery Court, 316 South President Street in Jackson.

Low income residents of Chickasaw, Clay, Lowndes, Noxubee, Oktibbeha and Webster counties may receive free civil legal assistance at two family law clinics scheduled for July 21 and Aug. 4

The Mississippi Supreme Court recently appointed four new members to the Access to Justice Commission and reappointed three members.

The 2023 Mississippi Legislature revised laws requiring language interpreters for people of limited English proficiency in court proceedings to provide broader access to assistance for people who don’t understand English.

The Mississippi Supreme Court has appointed a new member to the Board of Certified Court Reporters and reappointed three members.

Newly appointed Chancellor Amanda Trawick Rainey will be sworn in on Friday, June 16, at 11 a.m. at the Lauderdale County Courthouse in Meridian.

Retired Major General and Chancellor T. K. Moffett died June 5 at the Sanctuary Hospice House in Tupelo. He was 73.

The Mississippi Supreme Court appointed Circuit Judge Faye Peterson of Jackson to the Bar Complaint Tribunal on June 5.

The Mississippi Supreme Court appointed attorney Nicholas K. Thompson of Hattiesburg to the Advisory Committee on Rules on June 1.

Retired Mississippi Supreme Court Presiding Justice Kay B. Cobb died on May 26 at her home in Lenoir City, Tenn. She was 81. A memorial service will be held later. A date has not been announced.

Gov. Tate Reeves will be the keynote speaker at a graduation ceremony for the Fifteenth Circuit Intervention Court on June 9 at 10 a.m. The ceremony will be held at Main Street Baptist Church in Hattiesburg.

Rankin County Court and Youth Court Judge Thomas H. Broome of Brandon died Sunday, May 21. He was 57.

Hinds County Court Judge LaRita Cooper-Stokes died on May 8. She was 64.

Retired DeSoto County Court Judge Mills Barbee died on April 11. He passed away surrounded by loved ones in the same house in Hernando where he was raised, and where he raised his daughters. He was 77.

An investiture ceremony for recently elected 10th District Chancellor Chase Ford Morgan will be held on Thursday, April 13 at 2 p.m. in the Circuit Courtroom at the Forrest County Courthouse, 630 Main Street in Hattiesburg.

Drug intervention courts in Mississippi marked a milestone of 10,000 graduates in March 2023 after years of offering life-changing programs for people struggling with drug addiction.

The Mississippi Court of Appeals will convene on the campus of Mississippi Valley State University in Itta Bena on March 23.

Chancellor Lawrence Primeaux of Meridian has announced that he will retire on March 31.

An investiture ceremony for new 15th District Circuit Judge Brad Touchstone will be held on Jan. 27 at 11 a.m. at the Lamar County Courthouse, 203 Main Street in Purvis.

A free civil legal clinic will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, Jan. 20, in Canton for residents of Madison, Holmes, Leake and Yazoo counties. The clinic will be at the Madison County Chancery Court at 146 West Center Street in Canton.

Five Mental Health Treatment Court pilot programs have recently been created, Chief Justice Mike Randolph told a joint meeting of the House and Senate Judiciary A Committees at the Capitol on Tuesday, Jan. 17.

The Mississippi Administrative Office of Courts is seeking bilingual speakers willing to train and qualify as credentialed court interpreters.

Retired Lamar County Court Judge William E. “Billy” Andrews III will return to the County Court bench as a special judge.

Hinds County judges will take their oaths of office at a swearing-in ceremony scheduled for 9 a.m. Dec. 29 in Courtroom No. 1 on the second floor of the Hinds County Courthouse in Jackson.

An investiture ceremony for new Leflore County Court Judge James Littleton will be held Dec. 29 at 11 a.m. at the Leflore County Courthouse in Greenwood.

Four members of the Mississippi Court of Appeals took the oath of office before a gathering of their colleagues, family and staff on Dec. 15 in Jackson.

An investiture ceremony for new Bolivar County Court Judge Aelicia L. Thomas will be held Dec. 30 at 10 a.m. at the Bolivar County Courthouse in Cleveland.

An investiture ceremony for new Circuit Judge Alan D. “Devo” Lancaster will be held Jan. 3 at 2 p.m. at the Montgomery County Courthouse in Winona.

An investiture ceremony for new Sixth District Circuit Judge Carmen Brooks Drake will be held Dec. 29 at 11 a.m. on the second floor of the Adams County Courthouse in Natchez.

Four families and seven children began celebrating an extra special holiday season Monday in Hinds County Chancery Court as they finalized adoptions.

Chief Judge Donna M. Barnes of Tupelo has been reappointed to lead the Mississippi Court of Appeals.

The Mississippi Supreme Court recently revised the Rules Governing Admission to the Mississippi Bar to allow applicants to take the Bar Exam four times.

Newly elected Pike County Court Judge David Lee Brewer will be sworn in on Dec. 15 during a retire-ment party for his predecessor, Judge John Price. Judge Price will administer the oath.

An investiture ceremony for new Lee County Court Judge Stephen Spencer will be held Dec. 22 at 3 p.m. on the second floor of the Lee County Justice Center in Tupelo.

Chancellor Gerald Martin of Raleigh was recently elected as chair of the Conference of Chancery Court Judges. Chancellor Cynthia Brewer of Madison was elected vice-chair, and Chancellor Larry Little of Oxford was re-elected secretary-treasurer. Chancellor Crystal Wise Martin of Jackson was nominated to serve on the Supreme Court Advisory Committee on Rules.

The Mississippi Court of Appeals will convene on the campus of Mississippi State University on Nov. 9 and at Rust College on Nov. 15.

Eleven people who put their lives back together in the 18th District Drug Intervention Court told their stories of loss, despair, struggle and redemption on Oct. 18.

The Mississippi Administrative Office of Courts is seeking bilingual speakers to interpret courtroom proceedings.

The Mississippi Supreme Court and the Mississippi Bar on Oct. 11 honored the lives and service of 68 lawyers who died during the past year. The annual Bar Memorial Service was held in the En Banc Courtroom at the Gartin Justice Building in Jackson, Chief Justice Mike Randolph presiding.

The Mississippi Supreme Court reappointed attorneys Marcie Fyke Baria of Bay St. Louis, Pieter Teeuwissen of Jackson and Gwendolyn Baptist-Rucker of Southaven to the Board of Bar Admissions on Sept. 21.

Mississippi Supreme Court Chief Justice Mike Randolph has appointed four special judges to assist the Hinds County Circuit Court in reducing the number of pending cases caused by the pandemic.

The Mississippi Court of Appeals will convene on four college campuses in September, October and November.

The Mississippi Administrative Office of Courts recently employed a full-time language access coordinator to assist the courts in meeting the needs of people of limited English proficiency.

The Mississippi Supreme Court has appointed four new members to the Bar Complaint Tribunal, and reappointed five members.

“Mommy!” a child exclaimed excitedly from the audience as intervention court graduates filed into Jackson County Circuit Court on the morning of Sept. 6 in Pascagoula.

Forty-four people from across south central Mississippi recently received help with legal guardianships so that children can attend school and receive health care benefits.

The Mississippi Supreme Court recently made two new appointments and reappointed one member to the Commission on Mandatory Continuing Legal Education.

Chancellor Jennifer Schloegel of Gulfport and Circuit Judge Toni Walker Terrett of Vicksburg were reappointed on July 20 to the Committee on Continuing Judicial Education.

The Mississippi Supreme Court recently appointed two new members to the Access to Justice Commission and reappointed six veteran members.

Five newly trained stenographic court reporters graduated from Pearl River Community College’s inaugural program on Friday, July 29.

Judge Deborah J. Gambrell Chambers of Hattiesburg received the 2022 Judicial Excellence Award on July 15.

Low income residents of Chickasaw, Clay, Lowndes, Noxubee, Oktibbeha and Webster counties may receive free civil legal assistance at family law clinics scheduled for July 29 and Aug. 5.

Pearl River Community College’s first class of stenographic court reporters will be honored at a ceremony to be held July 29 at 1 p.m. at the Forrest County Chancery Court at 641 Main Street in Hattiesburg.

The Mississippi Supreme Court has appointed two new members to the Board of Certified Court Reporters and reappointed two members

Senior Status Judge James D. Bell is the recipient of the 2022 Chief Justice Award.

A free family law clinic is scheduled for July 29, 9 a.m. to noon on the Third Floor of the Hinds County Chancery Court, 316 South President Street in Jackson.

Qualifying residents of Harrison, Hancock and Stone counties may seek legal help to obtain guardianships of children during a free Guardianship Clinic scheduled for 1 p.m. July 19 at the Harrison County Courthouse, 1801 23rd Avenue in Gulfport. The clinic will be held in Chancery Courtroom 2.

Circuit Judge Henry Ross of Eupora was sworn in on June 6 to serve as a state trial court judge of the Fifth Circuit Court.

Forty people are expected to graduate from the Fifteenth Circuit Intervention Court during a ceremony at 10 a.m. June 17. The ceremony will be held at Resurrection Life Church, 795 Memorial Boulevard in Picayune.

The Mississippi Supreme Court on Thursday, May 26, honored attorney Colette Oldmixon of Poplarville for 26 years of service on the Supreme Court’s Advisory Committee on Rules.

Former Circuit Judge and Supreme Court Magistrate Jack B. Weldy of Hattiesburg died May 10 at Mississippi Baptist Medical Center. He was 87.

During the past two weeks, judges and court staff across the state have received numerous spoofing e-mails which may contain viruses or other malware. These spoofed e-mails did not originate from a court e-mail system.
If you receive a suspicious e-mail, DO NOT open any attachment or link, as doing so may compromise your computer. Report the suspicious e-mail to your local IT staff.
Spoofing uses the names of individuals and previously received email content whom e-mail recipients are likely to recognize so that recipients are more likely to open the e-mail and attachments. However, the sender’s e-mail address is not that of the person listed - even though the rogue sender may attempt to display a legitimate court e-mail address. Some of the suspicious e-mails refer to an archive file or request a summary of payments. Some include language which asks the recipient to open an attachment, and provide what purports to be a password. Do not open attachments in any e-mail that looks suspicious.

Circuit Judge Tony Mozingo of Oak Grove was recently elected chair of the Conference of Circuit Court Judges. Circuit Judge Dal Williamson of Laurel was elected Conference vice-chair, and Circuit Judge Tomika Irving of Fayette was elected secretary-treasurer.

Circuit Judge George M. Mitchell Jr. of Eupora died on Tuesday, April 19, at a hospital in Northport, Ala., after surgery on April 18. He was 77.

Mississippi Court of Appeals Presiding Judge Virginia Carlton congratulated three teens who graduated from the Pike County Juvenile Intervention Court.

Supreme Court Chief Justice Mike Randolph will speak to the Columbus Rotary Club on April 5 at noon. The Rotary Club will meet at the Lion Hills Center at 2331 Military Road in Columbus.

The Hinds Circuit Drug Intervention Court will hold its 47th graduation ceremony at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, March 1. The ceremony will be held on the second floor of the Hinds County Courthouse at 407 East Pascagoula Street in Jackson.

Supreme Court Chief Justice Mike Randolph will speak to the Starkville Rotary Club on Feb. 7 at noon. The Rotary Club will meet at noon at the Hilton Garden Inn in Starkville.

From the onset ofthe national and state emergencies created by Coronavirus (COVID-19) in March 2020, the Court has issued a series of Emergency Administrative Orders to address the changing circumstances and the evolving guidance provided by health authorities.

Mississippi Supreme Court Chief Justice Mike Randolph issued an emergency order on Jan. 27 extending the time for COVID-19 safeguards in all courts for another month and giving individual judges discretion to postpone jury trials scheduled through Feb 25.

Retired Circuit Judge Robert Kenneth Coleman of New Albany died on Tuesday, Jan. 25, at Magnolia at the Commons in Oxford, Mississippi. He was 85.

From the onset ofthe national and state emergencies created by Coronavirus (COVID-19) in March 2020, the Court has issued a series of Emergency Administrative Orders to address the changing circumstances and the evolving guidance provided by health authorities.

Mississippi Supreme Court Chief Justice Mike Randolph issued an emergency order on Jan. 11 extending the time for COVID-19 safeguards in all courts and giving individual judges discretion to postpone jury trials scheduled through Jan. 28.

Chief Justice Mike Randolph swore in Associate Justice Kenny Griffis on Monday, Jan. 3, at the Mississippi Supreme Court in Jackson.

From the onset ofthe national and state emergencies created by Coronavirus (COVID-19) in March 2020, the Court has issued a series of Emergency Administrative Orders to address the changing circumstances and the evolving guidance provided by health authorities.

Before the Court is the Petition of the Mississippi Commission on Continuing Legal Education ("the Commission") to temporarily "waive the in-person requirement for attorneys' continuing legal education obligation for the 2021-2022 reporting year so that attorneys will be allowed to earn CLE credits in the method of their choosing, either online, webinars or live, in-person programs."

From the onset of the national and state emergencies created by Coronavirus (COVID-19) in March 2020, the Court has issued a series of Emergency Administrative Orders to address the changing circumstances and the evolving guidance provided by health authorities. In these Orders, the Court has sought to properly balance individual rights, public health and safety, and the constitutional requirement that Mississippi state courts remain open and accessible. See Miss. Const. art. 3, §§ 24-25.

From the onset of the national and state emergencies created by Coronavirus (COVID-19) in March 2020, the Court has issued a series of Emergency Administrative Orders to address the changing circumstances and the evolving guidance provided by health authorities. In these Orders, the Court has sought to properly balance individual rights, public health and safety, and the constitutional requirement that Mississippi state courts remain open and accessible. See Miss. Const. art. 3, §§ 24-25.

From the onset of the national and state emergencies created by Coronavirus (COVID-19) in March 2020, the Court has issued a series of Emergency Administrative Orders to address the changing circumstances and the evolving guidance provided by health authorities. In these Orders, the Court has sought to properly balance individual rights, public health and safety, and the constitutional requirement that Mississippi state courts remain open and accessible. See Miss. Const. art. 3, §§ 24-25.

Since the entry of the Court's first Emergency Administrative Order related to the national and state emergencies created by Coronavirus (COVID-19) on March 13, 2020, the Court has strived to balance individual rights, public health and safety, and the constitutional requirement that Mississippi state courts remain open and accessible. See Miss. Const. art 3, §§ 24-25. In doing so, the Court has monitored data provided by the Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) with respect to the impact of the pandemic on citizens of our state, along with the evolving guidelines issued by both the MSDH and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and has entered additional Orders as dictated by the changing circumstances.

The Court continues to monitor the COVID-19 pandemic and enters Orders as empirical data and changing circumstances dictate. The Court has reviewed regulations regarding travel restrictions in the United States of America.