Mississippi Code 1972 (2023) › Title 9 - COURTS (§§ 9-1-1 — 9-27-21) › Chapter 11 - JUSTICE COURTS (§§ 9-11-1 — 9-11-35) › Section 9-11-2 - Determination of number of justice court judges in each county

(1)
From and after January 1, 1984, there shall be a competent number of justice court judges in each county of the state. The number of justice court judges for each county shall be determined as follows:
(a)
In counties with a population, according to the latest federal decennial census, of thirty-five thousand (35,000) and less, there shall be two (2) justice court judges .
(b)
In counties with a population, according to the latest federal decennial census, of more than thirty-five thousand (35,000) and less than seventy thousand (70,000), there shall be three (3) justice court judges, unless the board of supervisors, by resolution duly spread upon its minutes, finds that two (2) is a competent number of justice court judges to adequately handle the needs of the citizens of the county.
(c)
In counties with a population, according to the latest federal decennial census, of seventy thousand (70,000) and less than one hundred fifty thousand (150,000), there shall be four (4) justice court judges, unless the board of supervisors, by resolution duly spread upon its minutes, finds that three (3) is a competent number of justice court judges to adequately handle the needs of the citizens of the county.
(d)
In counties with a population, according to the latest federal decennial census, of one hundred fifty thousand (150,000) and more, there shall be five (5) justice court judges, unless the board of supervisors, by resolution duly spread upon its minutes, finds that four (4) is a competent number of justice court judges to adequately handle the needs of the citizens of the county.
(2)
The board of supervisors shall establish single member election districts in the county for the nonpartisan election of each of the justice court judges authorized and required to be elected for the county under the provisions of subsection (1) of this section, and one (1) justice court judge shall be elected for each district by the electors of each district. In any county authorized and required under the provisions of subsection (1)(a) of this section to provide for the election of two (2) justice court judges for the county in which there are two (2) judicial districts, the smaller of such judicial districts, according to population based upon the latest federal decennial census, shall comprise or shall be wholly encompassed within one (1) of the election districts.
(3)
(a)
Nothing in this section shall be construed to authorize or require more than five (5) justice court judges in any one (1) county from and after January 1, 1984, nor to authorize or require an increase in the number of justice court judges for any county during the term of office of any justice court judge.
(b)
Nothing in this section shall be construed to authorize or require a county to decrease the number of justice court judge positions in the county as of June 30, 2014.
Laws, 1974, ch. 497, § 2; Laws, 1975, ch. 423; Laws, 1981, ch. 471, § 8; Laws, 1983 2nd Ex Sess, ch. 7, § 1, eff. 12/23/1983 (the date the United States Attorney General interposed no objection to the amendment of this section).
Amended by Laws, 2024, ch. 451, HB 1035,§ 4, eff. 7/1/2024.
Amended by Laws, 2014, ch. 515, HB 1226, 1, eff. 7/1/2014.