Despite attempts to stay ahead of the deadline, this year’s judicial redistricting proposal (SB 2771) did not make it past the conference deadline during the 2024 legislative session.
Circuit and Chancery court redistricting is required to be completed by the fifth year after a Census is taken. The cutoff for lawmakers to comply following the 2020 Census is 2025. If legislators do not act, the responsibility will shift to the Mississippi Supreme Court.
The redistricting proposal that was presented in the Senate adjusted both court systems to function with 55 judges each. In the conference report, the Circuit Court count increased to 56. Also included were new and revised subdistricts across the state.
State Senator Brice Wiggins (R), chairman of Senate Judiciary A Committee, led the process in the chamber. In order to spread the work, districts were slightly redrawn and judgeships were altered more evenly in the plan. Wiggins indicated lawmakers also attempted to line up the Circuit and Chancery counties.
He told members on the Senate floor that the House chose not to do anything this year regarding judicial redistricting. However, the Coast senator said both chambers plan to head off the issue at the start of the 2025 session. Wiggins insinuated there could be additional hearings on the topic this summer.
Currently in Mississippi there are 23 Circuit Courts and 57 judges in those courts, and 20 Chancery Courts and 52 judges. Webster County is in the 5th Circuit District and the 14th Chancery District. The Senate ’s judicial redistricting proposal would have split the 14th Chancery District into subdistricts.
