Opinion ID: 1138513
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: does the hinds county board of supervisors have standing to challenge an alleged separation of powers violation by the hinds county youth court judges?

Text: The Board alleges that the Youth Court judges are precluded from raising this issue now because of a procedural bar for failure to present it to Chancellor Moss for his ruling. The Board is correct in pointing out that the issue of standing was not precisely raised by the Youth Court judges nor ruled upon by Chancellor Moss. The Youth Court judges contend in their reply brief that their answer to the complaint, wherein they responded that the Board had failed to state a ground upon which relief could be granted, encompassed their standing argument. However, we find this argument attenuated. The Youth Court judges' trial brief does not contain any language pertaining to the defense of lack of standing. The arguments presented in the trial brief concerned the (1) nature of the Youth Court's duties, (2) that the separation of powers doctrine applies only to state government, not county government, and (3) that statutes should be found constitutional when there is a question about a statute's constitutionality which is not readily discernible beyond a reasonable doubt. The Board points out that the Youth Court judges are procedurally barred on the standing issue. We agree and do not rule upon the standing issue as it is procedurally barred and unnecessary to the disposition of the case. See, Bender v. North Meridian Mobile Home Park, 636 So.2d 385, 389 (Miss. 1994); Parker v. Game and Fish Com'n, 555 So.2d 725, 730 (Miss. 1989) (A trial judge will not be put in error on a matter which was not presented to him for his decision.) Accordingly, this case is decided upon the core function distinction addressed under Issue II infra.