A Guide to Jackson’s Court System
The Jackson, MS court system is made up of various courts that are within the judicial system. The following is a look at the courts you may encounter during a legal issue in Jackson County.
The Circuit Court is the state general trial court of Mississippi for Jackson County. It is located in Ocean Springs and is responsible for all civil cases that exceed $200,000. If it is less, the case is assigned to the county court. The Circuit Court also has jurisdiction over all felonies, divorces and adoptions.
The Chancery Court has jurisdiction to hear all actions and matters involving minors, the competency of persons, will contests, annulments, divorces, rescission of deeds, specific performance and partition of real property. It also hears all proceedings incidental to probate the estates of decedents, incompetents and minors including the administration of the estates, the constriction of wills, adoptions, guardianships, marriages, birth and bankruptcy.
The Municipal Court hears criminal misdemeanors from the state and city ordinances and other violations of law. These violations include misdemeanors and city ordinances only. All felonies are heard in the circuit court.
The County Court has concurrent jurisdiction over all civil actions not exceeding $200,000, all matters not within exclusive jurisdiction of circuit court, appeals from administrative agencies, appeals from municipal court, all criminal matters required to originate in the circuit court. In addition, the County Court hears certain juvenile matters.
The Harrison County Drug Court is a drug treatment court. Drug Courts combine the full authority of a judge, the treatment resources of a community’s police department, social services, and treatment providers, all directed towards reducing crime, drug abuse and addiction, and re-establishing the offender and society.
The Youth Court handles cases involving children; for example , if a parent passes away and no other family member is able to take care of them, then the youth court will become involved. The youth court also oversees youth on parole, probation and delinquency. The youth court has jurisdiction over the following:
All delinquencies
All unruly offenses
All children concerning whose care, custody and support there are emergencies
All proceedings to validate school attendance, age, health related issues, and driving privileges
All proceedings concerning the termination of parental rights
All proceedings concerning abuse, neglect, and dependency proceedings
All proceedings to authorize non-therapeutic sterilizations
All proceedings concerning children in need of supervision
All child support proceedings
All paternity proceedings
All proceedings concerning issuance of child protection orders
All proceedings concerning appointment of emergency guardians
All proceedings concerning petitions to compel school attendance
All proceedings concerning certificates of competency to furnish food and agricultural products to Mississippi public schools
The Municipal Court is a lower court that hears small claims cases and minor criminal offenses. The Municipal Court hears the following matters:
Assessor of property and tax—Assessment of personal property
Civil (municipal) – Civil suits for $3,500 or less; Assessor of property and tax – Assessment of personal property
Civil (state) – Civil suits for $3,500 or less; Assessor of property and tax – Collection of taxes due or overdue to state
Criminal (felony) – Criminal misdemeanors for circuit court; City ordinances for city
Criminal (misdemeanor) – Criminal misdemeanors (not felonies) for circuit court; City ordinances for city
Juvenile – All matters concerning juvenile court
The District Court is the court located within the District Courts of Jackson County. These judges are elected on a nonpartisan basis. Each term lasts four years.
Court Services in Jackson
Accessing Court Services in Jackson, MS
Whether you are a lawyer, a litigant, or a witness there comes a time in each case where you must step foot in the Jackson, Mississippi city court system. For litigants, this often means filing papers and attending hearings. Witnesses and lawyers for attorneys still need to know where to go to provide testimony. The Jackson city court system is composed of a central court house and several smaller, court specific buildings. Each branch is in beautiful old historic buildings which are located on or around East Capitol Street, but the services they provide are very different. The city courthouse located at 327 East Pascagoula Street is the largest court building. It contains the first and third circuit courts, the chancery, and the criminal courts. The first circuit court deals with civil suits over $75,000. The criminal court has a huge docket of all types of criminal cases, including felony charges. The third circuit court hears civil suits up to $75,000. The chancery court deals with family and probate cases. The city litigation courts have their own building on North West Street. This building contains offices for the personal injury lawyers in Jackson. If you are a defendant, you will be held in the jail here until you receive a plea bargain or are granted bail until your court date.
Scheduling Hearings and Court Dates
Scheduling and attending a court hearing in the City of Jackson, Mississippi can be an arduous task. The first thing you will want to do is find out what court your case has been assigned to. Most of the time, a notice will be sent to you about your hearing date. Below is the list of courts in the City of Jackson, Mississippi:
Jackson Municipal Court
Address: 327 East Pascagoula Street, Jackson, MS 39205
Phone Number: (601) 960-1799
The Jackson Municipal Court hears criminal misdemeanor and traffic cases. Court dockets are held on Monday through Thursday from 8:00 AM until 11:00 AM. The Municipal Court presiding judge is Judge Floyd M. Maughn, Jr.
Hinds County Circuit Court
Address: 316 S. President St. Jackson, MS 39201
Phone Number: (601) 968-6628
The Hinds County Circuit Court hears felony criminal cases and civil cases. If your court case involves a motion, a hearing that must be set with the Court Administration. To schedule a motion, you can call Court Administration at (601) 968-6628.
Hinds County Chancery Court
Address: 316 S. President St. Jackson, MS 39201
Phone Number: (601) 968-6628
The Hinds County Chancery Court hears both civil and domestic cases. Domestic cases are matters involving divorce, child support, and divorce. The Chancery Court presiding judge is Judge Denise Sweet Ongley. Any case management hearings must be set and scheduled with Judge Ongley’s chambers at (601) 968-4387.
Hinds County Youth Court
Address: 113 E. Franklin St, Jackson, MS 39201
Phone Number: (601) 968-6720
The Hinds County Youth Court handles juvenile delinquency and dependency cases.
The first thing you will want to do is look over the notice that was mailed or emailed to you about your hearing. This type of notice usually gives you the name of your court and a date on which to appear.
If you did not receive one of these notices, you can look up your next court date on the Court’s website by doing a case search of your name and/or the name of the person you are seeking a protection order against.
Arrive at least 15 minutes before your scheduled hearing to give yourself plenty of time to check in with your lawyer, family, and friends, and to locate the right court room, and to finish any paperwork if needed.
While it is not mandatory, it is highly encouraged, to have an attorney help you navigate the intricacies of the legal system.
Online Tools and Resources
As the digital age continues to expand, the City of Jackson has adapted its court services to offer a variety of online tools and support for its users. The Mississippi Judiciary has developed eCourt services for litigants and attorneys for a number of counties in the state, including Jackson. The current version of the eCourt system allows users to file cases through the Mississippi Electronic Courts (MEC) case filing system. This system gives attorneys and litigants the ability to electronically submit filings and information to the courts. Court users must register for a MEC account to access eFiling. Once registered, individuals can file documents in civil, criminal, and domestic cases, payment of fees, view and monitor cases, and access forms. The eFiling system also provides not only real-time updates to users on filing items, but also email alerts. Information on the eCourt services can be found on the Mississippi Judiciary Court Services page.
The Access to Justice Resource Center is a non-profit organization that works with the Mississippi Judiciary to provide online information as well as to answer court-related questions. The center offers a live chat option for those seeking answers to specific inquiries, an FAQ page where court users can look for answers to common questions, a tab for legal related resources, as well as other information on court services and how they can be accessed online. A link to the Access to Justice Resource Center can be found on the Court Services page of the Mississippi Judiciary website.
In addition to the services provided by third parties, the City of Jackson also offers online resources to the public through its Municipal Court website. Individuals who can’t make it to court in person may request to appear via video conference, which helps to streamline an otherwise time-consuming process. In addition, the Jackson Municipal Court offers an online payment option for court assessments.
Legal Help and Representation
As with many urban communities, some residents of the City of Jackson, MS may find themselves in need of legal advice and representation. Again, there is potential overlap when it comes to the respective jurisdictions of city, county and state and federal courts. For example, bankruptcy proceedings are of course a federal matter, so residents in need of a bankruptcy lawyer in Jackson, MS will want to consult a state or local practitioner with this additional area of legal expertise in mind. Likewise, persons seeking family law representation have a multitude of options. While most family law practice involves matters that fall under the jurisdiction of the courts of Hinds County , a few types of family court issues are within the jurisdiction of the Mississippi Supreme Court. This can be important; for example, an appeal from the Hinds County Chancery Court will eventually wind up at the Mississippi Supreme Court. While public defenders are assigned to individuals facing misdemeanor and felony criminal charges, the City of Jackson also offers a host of other legal services and resources for residents in need of legal assistance.
For example, the Mississippi Volunteer Lawyers Project offers pro bono and low cost legal services for those in need. To apply or for more information, you may contact the MVLP directly or apply online. Pro bono services are available through local legal services organization Mississippi Center for Justice.
Paying Fines and Court Costs
There are a number of ways to pay past due fines with the city courts in Jackson, Mississippi. This includes credit card, cash, money order, or personal check. The Court staff cannot make change, so it is important to bring the correct amount. Additionally, there may be payment kiosks located throughout the courthouse.
Another option to deal with any unpaid fines through the court system is a payment plan. Depending on your circumstances, the judge will probably give you an opportunity to set up a payment plan. The payments can be as little as $10.00 per month, as long as you make consistent payments each month. There is typically a minimum amount that you must pay each month, and the money will be applied to all of your open cases.
Payments can be made at the courthouse, or by calling a payment hot line. Also, the court paperwork will always list other payment options that apply directly to your specific case.
Contact Information for Court Offices
Section 5: Contacting Court Offices for Legal Inquiries and Assistance in the City of Jackson, MS
For questions or assistance regarding court services in the city of Jackson, MS, individuals may contact the Clerk’s office directly at 601-355-4675 or by visiting them at their office at 316 S. President St., Jackson, MS. If you need to contact the court’s clerk by mail, you can also do so using the P.O. Box listed on their website for here: Contact Us – Circuit Clerk Website.
The Circuit Clerk’s office is available to address any questions regarding the services offered by the Courts, including how to obtain case information, courtroom procedures, court rules, fees, and jury service. For questions or requests regarding a specific case, you will need to contact the appropriate Circuit Clerk for the district where the case is filed.
If your case is in District 1 (Claiborne, Copiah, Hinds, Issaquena, Madison, Neshoba, Rankin, or Warren), you will need to contact the Circuit Clerk for Hinds County, that can be done by calling (601) 968-6555 .
If your case is filed in District 2 (Adams, Amite, Benton, Bolivar, Claiborne, Copiah, Franklin, Hinds, Humphreys, Issaquena, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, Lawrence, Lea, Madison, Neshoba, Newton, Noxubee, Rankin, Simpson, Warren, Wilkinson, and Yazoo), you can contact the Circuit Clerk for Adams County at (601) 885-4596.
If your case is filed in District 3 (Alcorn, Benton, Calhoun, Chickasaw, Desoto, Lafayette, Marshall, Quitman, Tallahatchie, Tate, Tippah, Tishomingo, Tunica, Union, Benton, Chickasaw, Coahoma, Desoto, Panola, Quitman, Tallahatchie, Tate, Tishomingo, Yalobusha, and Benton), you will need to contact the Circuit Court Clerk for Benton County at (662) 438-2211.
If your case is filed in District 4 (Atala, Neshoba, Noxupe, and Winsboro), you will need to contact the Circuit Clerk for Noxuple at 662-746-1473.
For any questioned not answered by the aforementioned court assistance, individuals can contact the Mississippi Supreme Court for general court information or questions about civil or criminal appellate procedures by calling 601-948-5813.