Opinion ID: 1883703
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Whether the Circuit Court is a Court of Competent Jurisdiction.

Text: ¶ 11. Generally speaking, circuit courts are courts of law and chancery courts are courts of equity. See Miss. Const. art. 6, § 159 (granting chancery courts jurisdiction over all matters in equity); Miss. Const. art. 6, § 156 (granting circuit courts original jurisdiction in all matters civil and criminal in this state not vested by this Constitution in some other court). However, chancery courts are courts of limited jurisdiction, while circuit courts are courts of general jurisdiction. IP Timberlands Operating Co. v. Denmiss Corp., 726 So.2d 96, 112 (Miss.1998) (citing Hall v. Corbin, 478 So.2d 253 (Miss.1985)). Therefore, if one issue is properly before the circuit court it has jurisdiction to decide all issues. Id. at 111. To determine whether a court has subject matter jurisdiction, we look to the face of the complaint, examining the nature of the controversy and the relief sought. Durant v. Humphreys County Mem'l Hosp./Extended Care Facility, 587 So.2d 244, 250 (Miss. 1991); Hood v. Dept. of Wildlife Conservation, 571 So.2d 263, 266 (Miss.1990). If the complaint seeks legal relief, even in combination with equitable relief, the circuit court can have proper subject matter jurisdiction. IP Timberlands Operating Co., 726 So.2d at 111. ¶ 12. RAS's and Sims's complaint seeks a declaratory judgment that the contracts are no longer binding as well as damages for breach of contract and malicious filing of a lis pendens notice. The request for declaratory judgment does not affect our analysis as declaratory judgments are jurisdictionally neutral. Burnette v. Hartford Underwriters Ins. Co., 770 So.2d 948, 952 (Miss.2000). Breach of contract actions, on the other hand, are better suited for circuit court. Southern Leisure Homes, Inc. v. Hardin, 742 So.2d 1088, 1089 (Miss.1999). ¶ 13. The complaint also requests damages for the alleged breach of contract and malicious filing. While chancery courts may certainly award legal and punitive damages as long as chancery jurisdiction has attached, damages are traditionally considered a legal remedy. Id. at 1090. Because the complaint seeks legal remedies, the circuit court is a court of competent jurisdiction. ¶ 14. Onnam counters that the paramount claim is the equitable remedy of specific performance, and therefore, the case properly belongs in chancery court. As discussed above, the complaint clearly seeks legal remedies. Additionally, Onnam stipulated to the circuit court's jurisdiction in its answer and cross-complaint, acknowledging that [t]his Court has jurisdiction of the parties and subject matter. Finally, Onnam's cross-complaint, which is nearly identical to its complaint filed with the chancery court, seeks a legal remedy in the form of damages for breach of contract. This argument is therefore without merit.