Opinion ID: 1831287
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: whether the circuit court had jurisdiction over this matter.

Text: ¶ 8. The plaintiffs argue that jurisdiction in the Circuit Court of Sunflower County is proper since they are presently domiciled in Sunflower County at the Mississippi Department of Corrections in Parchman, Mississippi. They argue that the Parole Board is a state agency, therefore constitutional and abuse of discretion claims are proper in the circuit court of the plaintiffs' county of residence. ¶ 9. The State argues that there are certain instances where a circuit court does have jurisdiction over matters such as these, but under the present circumstances the Circuit Court of Sunflower County lacked jurisdiction. The State argues, and the circuit court found, that the plaintiffs failed to state sufficient facts in their complaint to vest the circuit court with jurisdiction. ¶ 10. There are two justifications for the circuit court's dismissal of this action based on lack of jurisdiction. First, statutorily the circuit court had no authority to adjudicate the matters presented. It is well settled that [a] right of appeal is statutory. Bickham v. Dep't of Mental Health, 592 So.2d 96, 97-98 (Miss.1991) (citations omitted). A circuit court has no authority to judicially create a right of appeal from an administrative agency in the absence of clear statutory authority therefore. Id. at 98. Since Title 47, Chapter 7 does not contain a statutory mandate granting circuit courts jurisdiction over appeals concerning the denial of parole, the circuit court was correct in dismissing the petition due, in part, to lack of jurisdiction. ¶ 11. Second, although a constitutional challenge can justify the assertion of jurisdiction, under the present circumstances the plaintiffs failed to state a claim sufficient for the circuit court to assert jurisdiction. Although it is recognized that Mississippi courts have a duty to hear and adjudge cases concerning constitutional issues despite a statutory mandate, that duty only arises when certain criteria are met. Barrett v. Miller, 599 So.2d 559, 564 (Miss.1992) (citing Starnes v. City of Vardaman, 580 So.2d 733, 737 (Miss.1991); City of Mound Bayou v. Johnson, 562 So.2d 1212 (Miss.1990); Marx v. Truck Renting & Leasing Ass'n, Inc., 520 So.2d 1333, 1346 (Miss.1987)). The plaintiffs' complaint failed to adequately state a claim upon which the circuit court could assert jurisdiction. The complaint alleged the Parole Board had abused its discretion in violation of the Constitution. The complaint called for the circuit court to review the board's determinations. By statute, the Parole Board is given absolute discretion to determine who is entitled to parole within the boundaries of factors set forth in Miss.Code Ann. § 47-7-3. See Miss. Code Ann. § 47-7-5; Scales v. Miss. State Parole Bd., 831 F.2d 565, 566 (5th Cir. 1987); Shanks v. State, 672 So.2d 1207, 1208 (Miss.1996). Additionally, the Parole Board is the only determiner of parole. Id. Miss.Code Ann. § 47-7-5(3) states that [t]he [parole] board shall have exclusive responsibility for the granting of parole as provided by Section 47-7-3 and 47-7-17. This control is independent of the circuit court's sentencing authority. Mitchell v. State, 561 So.2d 1037, 1039 (Miss.1990); Haynes v. State, 811 So.2d 283, 285 (Miss. Ct.App.2001). For these reasons, the plaintiffs' complaint, which in essence requested the circuit court to determine parole eligibility, was properly dismissed as a claim for which the circuit court had no jurisdiction.