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

Heading: Whether the Circuit Court has Priority Jurisdiction.

Text: ¶ 15. Because the circuit court is a court of competent jurisdiction, we next determine whether the circuit court has priority jurisdiction. ¶ 16. The first to file or race to the courthouse rule is well-established in Mississippi case law: [w]here two suits between the same parties over the same controversy are brought in courts of concurrent jurisdiction, the court which first acquires jurisdiction retains jurisdiction over the whole controversy to the exclusion or abatement of the second suit. Scruggs, Millette, Bozeman & Dent, P.A. v. Merkel & Cocke, P.A., 804 So.2d 1000, 1006 (Miss.2001) (quoting In re Petition of Beggiani, 519 So.2d 1208, 1210 (Miss. 1988)). To determine which court first acquired jurisdiction, we look at the date the initial pleading is filed, provided process issues in due course. Scruggs, 804 So.2d at 1006 (quoting Huffman v. Griffin, 337 So.2d 715 (Miss.1976)). ¶ 17. The circuit court complaint was filed on December 27, 2005, and the chancery court complaint was filed on January 24, 2006. Because the chancery complaint was filed nearly a month after the first pleading in circuit court, the circuit court has priority jurisdiction. ¶ 18. The chancellor found that priority jurisdiction did not apply because: (1) the summonses were served on the same date; and (2) Sims was not a party to the circuit court action until after the chancery action had been filed. These facts are of no matter. First, priority jurisdiction attaches as long as process issues in due course. Id. The summons for the circuit court action was served January 26, 2006, and thus, service of process was accomplished within the 120-day time frame required under Mississippi Rule of Civil Procedure 4(h). Second, Sims was added as a party through an amended complaint which was filed before a responsive pleading was served. Under Mississippi Rule of Civil Procedure 15(c) this amendment relates back to the date of the original complaint.