Circuit Court Judges
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Lisa P. Dodson
Senior Circuit Court Judge, Place One Staff Attorney: Constance Jordan Lawrence P. Bourgeois, Jr.
Circuit Judge, Place Three Staff Attorney: Pepper Pearson |
Christopher L. Schmidt
Circuit Judge, Place Two Staff Attorney: Shannon Favre Randi P. Mueller
Circuit Judge, Place Four Administrator/Legal Assistant: Mary Ladner |
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Criminal Court Administrator:
(to Judge Dodson and Judge Bourgeois) Lisa M. Brawner PO Box 1461, Gulfport, MS 39502 [email protected] (228) 865-4220 |
Criminal Court Administrator:
(to Judge Schmidt and Judge Mueller) Leigh Ann Atherton PO Box 1461, Gulfport, MS 39502 [email protected] (228) 865-4104 |
Civil Court Administrator:
Christie Kessler,
PO Box 1461, Gulfport, MS 39502
[email protected]
(228) 865-4006
**ALL CIVIL MATTERS and CIVIL COURT DATES may be obtained by contacting the Civil Court Administrator.**
Christie Kessler,
PO Box 1461, Gulfport, MS 39502
[email protected]
(228) 865-4006
**ALL CIVIL MATTERS and CIVIL COURT DATES may be obtained by contacting the Civil Court Administrator.**
Now accepting online payments for criminal court costs, fines & assessments!
www.mycircuitcourtpayment.com
www.mycircuitcourtpayment.com
**Electronic Filing**
Stone County Circuit Court now participates in the Mississippi Electronic Courts. All criminal and civil cases from 2008-current are available online. Dockets may be accessed by visiting MEC.ms.gov and choosing Stone Circuit from the drop-down list. Should you need a document that is not currently available online, please contact the clerk's office for assistance.
Stone County Circuit Court now participates in the Mississippi Electronic Courts. All criminal and civil cases from 2008-current are available online. Dockets may be accessed by visiting MEC.ms.gov and choosing Stone Circuit from the drop-down list. Should you need a document that is not currently available online, please contact the clerk's office for assistance.
CIRCUIT COURT
The Circuit Court tries felony criminal cases (as well as misdemeanors on appeal) and certain civil actions. The Circuit Court is the appellate court from Justice Courts. Appeals from the Circuit Court are to the Mississippi Supreme Court.
Circuit Court Terms are held in Stone County in January, May, July, and September. Each Judge presides over either two or three weeks during each court term.
Juries are widely used in the Circuit Court, with a unanimous vote of 12 required for a criminal conviction, but only 9 of 12 required for a decision in a civil proceeding. The Circuit Court with all its attendant costs is generally the most expensive court in a county, but its work is too important to be compromised or sacrificed, and its work must be supported at an efficient and operable level. While it is valuable to continually study the courts and seek improvement therein, it is noted that the alternative to no courts is not acceptable in a civilized society.
What kinds of cases are handled in Circuit Court?
I've been served a summons for a debt collection suit. What do I do now?
How can I find my criminal court date?
How can I pay fines owed to the Circuit Court?
How do I know what judge is assigned to my case?
How can I have a charge removed from my record?
**Disclaimer**
The information contained in this site is not intended as legal advice. Persons with further questions on these subjects are strongly encouraged to seek legal advice from an attorney knowledgeable about these matters.
Circuit Court Terms are held in Stone County in January, May, July, and September. Each Judge presides over either two or three weeks during each court term.
Juries are widely used in the Circuit Court, with a unanimous vote of 12 required for a criminal conviction, but only 9 of 12 required for a decision in a civil proceeding. The Circuit Court with all its attendant costs is generally the most expensive court in a county, but its work is too important to be compromised or sacrificed, and its work must be supported at an efficient and operable level. While it is valuable to continually study the courts and seek improvement therein, it is noted that the alternative to no courts is not acceptable in a civilized society.
What kinds of cases are handled in Circuit Court?
- Circuit Court handles civil matters involving debt collections, products liability, torts, contracts, and any matters not specifically handled by any other court. All felony criminal matters as well as appeals from justice court are handled in Circuit Court.
I've been served a summons for a debt collection suit. What do I do now?
- You have thirty days from the date you receive your summons in a civil suit to file an answer with the court. If you fail to file a timely answer, you may have a Default Judgment entered against you for the amount requested in the suit, to include attorney fees and court costs. You are strongly encouraged to contact an attorney to represent you in any matter in Circuit Court, as you will be expected to adhere to court rules and decorum if you continue pro se (as your own attorney). Should you be unable to afford an attorney to represent you, you may visit the Pro Bono Resources page of the Mississippi Bar for information on free legal aid. You may also visit ms.freelegalanswers.org for free legal advice by email if you meet certain requirements.
How can I find my criminal court date?
- If you were arrested and charged with a felony crime, you will not have a file in the Circuit Court until you are indicted by the grand jury. If you are indicted, you must contact your bonding company/agent or the sheriff's office for more information. If you are currently under indictment, you may contact our office at (601) 928-5246 for more information. You may also locate your case and next court date on MEC.
How can I pay fines owed to the Circuit Court?
- Fines owed to the court may be paid in cash, or by credit/debit card or money order. If mailing, only money orders can be accepted and must include the offender's name and case number. Payments can be made in person at the clerk's office or mailed to Stone County Circuit Court, 323 E Cavers Ave, Wiggins, Mississippi 39577. Online payments may be made at www.mycircuitcourtpayment.com. You will need your case number or account number to complete the transaction, both of which may be found on your most recent payment receipt. A convenience fee will be assessed by the credit card processor.
How do I know what judge is assigned to my case?
- You may log in to MEC to search your case. Once you run a docket report for the case, the judge will be displayed. For more assistance, please contact the clerk's office.
How can I have a charge removed from my record?
- Persons who have completed a Non-Adjudicated Probation sentence may petition the Court to have their record expunged. Also, certain felony convictions may be expunged if the conviction involves one of a defined list of crimes and other requirements are met. Visit www.expungemississippi.com and answer a few short questions to see if you qualify. For more information, consult an attorney for assistance.
**Disclaimer**
The information contained in this site is not intended as legal advice. Persons with further questions on these subjects are strongly encouraged to seek legal advice from an attorney knowledgeable about these matters.
Office of District Attorney
(Stone, Harrison and Hancock County)
W. Crosby Parker, District Attorney
Matthew Burrell, ADA - Stone County
1801 23rd Ave, Gulfport, MS 39501
PO Box 1180, Gulfport, MS 39502
(228) 865-4003 (601) 928-9943
STONE COUNTY COURT APPOINTED ATTORNEY LIST
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John Weber
2304 19th Street, Suite 101, Gulfport, MS 39501 (228) 207-4880 |
Chris Fisher
1600 24th Ave, Gulfport, MS 39501 (228) 863-3095 |
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Damian Holcomb
2218 17th St, Gulfport, MS 39501 (228) 206-5843 |
Todd Thriffiley
305 Reese Street, Bay St. Louis, MS 39520 (228) 822-9191 |
COURT APPOINTED ATTORNEY
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF STONE COUNTY, MISSISSIPPI
HOW DO I GET A COURT APPOINTED ATTORNEY?
This information ONLY applies to those charged with a felony offense by a law enforcement agency in Stone County, Mississippi. If you are charged with a misdemeanor, you should contact the Stone County Justice Court if you were charged by the Stone County Sheriff’s Department or you should contact the Municipal Court of the City whose police department charged you. If you are charged with a felony in another County, you should contact the Circuit Clerk for that County.
Your case will first be handled in either Justice Court or Municipal Court depending on which law enforcement agency charged you. If your case is bound over to the Grand Jury, it will thereafter be handled in Stone County Circuit Court.
In Stone County, there are four (4) to five (5) private attorneys who have been approved by the Circuit Court as Court Appointed Attorneys.
Court Appointed Attorneys are provided only for those who cannot afford to hire an attorney and who meet the guidelines establishing indigency.
There is a Petition for Court Appointed Attorney. This form must be completed, under oath, before either the Court, the appropriate Court Clerk or a Notary Public. It must be fully completed, in particular with a current working telephone number at the top, a complete address at which you currently live or stay, and full information as to what you own, what you owe, and your income.
IF YOU ARE IN JAIL:
You will have an Initial Appearance usually within forty-eight (48) hours after arrest. At this Initial Appearance, the Justice Court Judge or Municipal Judge will ask you whether you can or intend to hire an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, you will be provided with the Petition for Court Appointed Attorney. The Justice Court Judge or Municipal Judge will determine whether you qualify for Court Appointed Attorney. If you do not qualify, you will be told that and can then hire an attorney. If you do qualify, the Justice Court Judge or Municipal Judge will appoint a Court Appointed Attorney.
You will be given the appointed attorney’s name, address and telephone. The attorney’s information is also available at the jail. This attorney will remain as your attorney until your charge is finally disposed of at the trial level (that is, not on any appeal) unless the attorney is allowed by the Court to withdraw. If the court allows your attorney to withdraw, another attorney will be appointed to you at that time.
The Court Appointed Attorneys rotate responsibility for appearing in Justice Court and Municipal Court. The Court Appointed Attorney responsible for a particular day will be appointed to all cases qualifying for a court appointed attorney on that day unless that attorney has a conflict. As a result, it is sometimes necessary to reassign matters to another Court Appointed Attorney to evenly distribute the cases between the Court Appointed Attorneys. If that occurs in your se, it will occur at a hearing before the Circuit Court at which you will be present and therefore you will know immediately who your new attorney is.
You may contact your attorney at any time. Your attorney will come to the jail periodically to see you.
If you told the Justice Court Judge or the Municipal Judge that you were going to hire an attorney, and you later discover that you cannot do so, you should obtain the Petition for Court Appointed Attorney from the jail, complete it, and either ask the jail to send it to the proper Court or mail it yourself. The Petition should be mailed to the Justice Court or Municipal Court Clerk unless you have already had your Preliminary Hearing or waived your Preliminary Hearing. If you have already had your preliminary Hearing or waived your Preliminary Hearing, your Petition should be mailed to the Circuit Court Clerk.
IF YOU BONDED OUT:
If you bonded out on the felony charge before you had an Initial Appearance or before an attorney was appointed to you, you may go to the Circuit Clerk’s Office or contact that Office to obtain a Petition for Court Appointed Attorney. The Circuit Clerk’s Office will provide that form to you in person or by mail. Once you have completed the Petition under oath before either a Deputy Circuit Clerk or a Notary Public, you must give that form to the Circuit Clerk’s Office either in person or by mail.
That completed Petition will then be provided to a Circuit Court Judge who will determine whether you qualify for a court appointed attorney. If you do not, the Circuit Clerk’s Office will advise you of that by mail. If you do qualify, the Circuit Court Judge will appoint a Court Appointed Attorney.
The Circuit Clerk’s Office will mail you the Court Appointed Attorney’s name, address and telephone number. This attorney will remain as your attorney until your charge is finally disposed of at the trial level (that is, not on appeal) unless the attorney is allowed by the Court to withdraw. If the Court allows your attorney to withdraw, another attorney will be appointed to you at that time. You may contact your attorney at any time.
NOTE: All notifications and mailings from the Circuit Clerk’s Office will be sent to the address that you put in your Petition for Court Appointed Attorney. If you change your address, it is your responsibility to notify the Circuit Clerk’s Office of this change. Any failure by you to notify the Circuit Clerk of your change of address will result in your not receiving information from the Circuit Clerk’s Office. The Circuit Clerk’s Office is not responsible for trying to find you and will not search for any location or address for you.
WHETHER YOU ARE IN JAIL OR ON BOND, if you are indicted, your case will be placed on the Circuit Court’s docket for hearing. At this hearing, the Circuit Court Judge will review the status concerning your attorney. If for any reason you have not completed a Petition for Court appointed Attorney before this hearing, you will be given the opportunity to complete one at the hearing. You may also be asked to complete a Petition for Court Appointed Attorney even if you have done so previously. If you qualify for a Court Appointed Attorney and do no already have one, the Circuit Court Judge will appoint a Court Appointed Attorney. You will be given the Attorney’s name, address and telephone number while you are in the courtroom. Generally, all of the Court Appointed Attorneys are present for this hearing and you will have the opportunity to briefly meet your attorney. However, your Attorney will not be able to discuss your case at that time as the Attorney will not have had an opportunity to review the discovery from the District Attorney’s Office. At this hearing, you will also either be arraigned or execute a Waiver of Arraignment and Entry of Plea. Your Trial date will also be set at this hearing.
If you hire an attorney at any time after you are given a Court Appointed Attorney, you must IMMEDIATELY notify your Court Appointed Attorney and your new Attorney must IMMEDIATELY provide the Circuit Court Judge with an Order allowing your Court Appointed Attorney to withdraw and substituting your new Attorney.
IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO STAY IN TOUCH WITH YOUR ATTORNEY WHETHER THE ATTORNEY IS COURT APPOINTED OR HIRED AND TO SEE AND TALK TO YOUR ATTORNEY AS MANY TIMES AS THE ATTORNEY DEEMS NECESSARY. IF YOU DO NOT DO SO, YOU WILL NOT BE PROPERLY PREPARED, YOU WILL NOT GET EH BEST OUTCOME FOR YOURSELF AND YOUR BOND CAN BE REVOKED!!!
HOW DO I GET A COURT APPOINTED ATTORNEY?
This information ONLY applies to those charged with a felony offense by a law enforcement agency in Stone County, Mississippi. If you are charged with a misdemeanor, you should contact the Stone County Justice Court if you were charged by the Stone County Sheriff’s Department or you should contact the Municipal Court of the City whose police department charged you. If you are charged with a felony in another County, you should contact the Circuit Clerk for that County.
Your case will first be handled in either Justice Court or Municipal Court depending on which law enforcement agency charged you. If your case is bound over to the Grand Jury, it will thereafter be handled in Stone County Circuit Court.
In Stone County, there are four (4) to five (5) private attorneys who have been approved by the Circuit Court as Court Appointed Attorneys.
Court Appointed Attorneys are provided only for those who cannot afford to hire an attorney and who meet the guidelines establishing indigency.
There is a Petition for Court Appointed Attorney. This form must be completed, under oath, before either the Court, the appropriate Court Clerk or a Notary Public. It must be fully completed, in particular with a current working telephone number at the top, a complete address at which you currently live or stay, and full information as to what you own, what you owe, and your income.
IF YOU ARE IN JAIL:
You will have an Initial Appearance usually within forty-eight (48) hours after arrest. At this Initial Appearance, the Justice Court Judge or Municipal Judge will ask you whether you can or intend to hire an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, you will be provided with the Petition for Court Appointed Attorney. The Justice Court Judge or Municipal Judge will determine whether you qualify for Court Appointed Attorney. If you do not qualify, you will be told that and can then hire an attorney. If you do qualify, the Justice Court Judge or Municipal Judge will appoint a Court Appointed Attorney.
You will be given the appointed attorney’s name, address and telephone. The attorney’s information is also available at the jail. This attorney will remain as your attorney until your charge is finally disposed of at the trial level (that is, not on any appeal) unless the attorney is allowed by the Court to withdraw. If the court allows your attorney to withdraw, another attorney will be appointed to you at that time.
The Court Appointed Attorneys rotate responsibility for appearing in Justice Court and Municipal Court. The Court Appointed Attorney responsible for a particular day will be appointed to all cases qualifying for a court appointed attorney on that day unless that attorney has a conflict. As a result, it is sometimes necessary to reassign matters to another Court Appointed Attorney to evenly distribute the cases between the Court Appointed Attorneys. If that occurs in your se, it will occur at a hearing before the Circuit Court at which you will be present and therefore you will know immediately who your new attorney is.
You may contact your attorney at any time. Your attorney will come to the jail periodically to see you.
If you told the Justice Court Judge or the Municipal Judge that you were going to hire an attorney, and you later discover that you cannot do so, you should obtain the Petition for Court Appointed Attorney from the jail, complete it, and either ask the jail to send it to the proper Court or mail it yourself. The Petition should be mailed to the Justice Court or Municipal Court Clerk unless you have already had your Preliminary Hearing or waived your Preliminary Hearing. If you have already had your preliminary Hearing or waived your Preliminary Hearing, your Petition should be mailed to the Circuit Court Clerk.
IF YOU BONDED OUT:
If you bonded out on the felony charge before you had an Initial Appearance or before an attorney was appointed to you, you may go to the Circuit Clerk’s Office or contact that Office to obtain a Petition for Court Appointed Attorney. The Circuit Clerk’s Office will provide that form to you in person or by mail. Once you have completed the Petition under oath before either a Deputy Circuit Clerk or a Notary Public, you must give that form to the Circuit Clerk’s Office either in person or by mail.
That completed Petition will then be provided to a Circuit Court Judge who will determine whether you qualify for a court appointed attorney. If you do not, the Circuit Clerk’s Office will advise you of that by mail. If you do qualify, the Circuit Court Judge will appoint a Court Appointed Attorney.
The Circuit Clerk’s Office will mail you the Court Appointed Attorney’s name, address and telephone number. This attorney will remain as your attorney until your charge is finally disposed of at the trial level (that is, not on appeal) unless the attorney is allowed by the Court to withdraw. If the Court allows your attorney to withdraw, another attorney will be appointed to you at that time. You may contact your attorney at any time.
NOTE: All notifications and mailings from the Circuit Clerk’s Office will be sent to the address that you put in your Petition for Court Appointed Attorney. If you change your address, it is your responsibility to notify the Circuit Clerk’s Office of this change. Any failure by you to notify the Circuit Clerk of your change of address will result in your not receiving information from the Circuit Clerk’s Office. The Circuit Clerk’s Office is not responsible for trying to find you and will not search for any location or address for you.
WHETHER YOU ARE IN JAIL OR ON BOND, if you are indicted, your case will be placed on the Circuit Court’s docket for hearing. At this hearing, the Circuit Court Judge will review the status concerning your attorney. If for any reason you have not completed a Petition for Court appointed Attorney before this hearing, you will be given the opportunity to complete one at the hearing. You may also be asked to complete a Petition for Court Appointed Attorney even if you have done so previously. If you qualify for a Court Appointed Attorney and do no already have one, the Circuit Court Judge will appoint a Court Appointed Attorney. You will be given the Attorney’s name, address and telephone number while you are in the courtroom. Generally, all of the Court Appointed Attorneys are present for this hearing and you will have the opportunity to briefly meet your attorney. However, your Attorney will not be able to discuss your case at that time as the Attorney will not have had an opportunity to review the discovery from the District Attorney’s Office. At this hearing, you will also either be arraigned or execute a Waiver of Arraignment and Entry of Plea. Your Trial date will also be set at this hearing.
If you hire an attorney at any time after you are given a Court Appointed Attorney, you must IMMEDIATELY notify your Court Appointed Attorney and your new Attorney must IMMEDIATELY provide the Circuit Court Judge with an Order allowing your Court Appointed Attorney to withdraw and substituting your new Attorney.
IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO STAY IN TOUCH WITH YOUR ATTORNEY WHETHER THE ATTORNEY IS COURT APPOINTED OR HIRED AND TO SEE AND TALK TO YOUR ATTORNEY AS MANY TIMES AS THE ATTORNEY DEEMS NECESSARY. IF YOU DO NOT DO SO, YOU WILL NOT BE PROPERLY PREPARED, YOU WILL NOT GET EH BEST OUTCOME FOR YOURSELF AND YOUR BOND CAN BE REVOKED!!!
IN THE SECOND CIRCUIT COURT DISTRICT OF MISSISSIPPI
COURT APPOINTED ATTORNEYS FOR CAPITAL MURDER CHARGES
This information only applies to those charged with Capital Murder in either Harrison County, Hancock County or Stone County, Mississippi.
Upon notification from the District Attorney’s Office that a person has been charged with Capital Murder, the case will be assigned to a Circuit Court Judge. The assignment is made on a rotating basis. The Criminal Court Administrator for the Senior Circuit Court Judge is responsible for maintaining the list of Capital Murder cases and notifying the appropriate Circuit Court Judge immediately of the assignment.
The Initial Appearance will be conducted as in all cases. However, if the Justice Court Judge or Municipal Court Judge determines that a Defendant is indigent and entitled to Court Appointed Counsel, the Justice Court Judge or Municipal Court Judge may appoint counsel as in other cases, but must immediately notify the assigned Circuit Court Judge of same. The Circuit Court Judge shall then determine whether the appointed counsel is properly qualified to represent one charged with Capital Murder. The Circuit Court Judge may continue the representation by the attorney appointed by the Justice Court Judge or Municipal Judge or may substitute by Order another attorney to represent the Defendant. The Circuit Court Judge shall appoint two (2) attorneys for any Defendant who may be subject to the death penalty and one (1) attorney for any Defendant not subject the death penalty. Any court appointed attorney shall be properly qualified to represent a person charged with Capital Murder. In particular, if it appears that the death penalty might be sought, court appointed counsel must be properly qualified to handle death penalty cases.
The Circuit Court Judge shall first appoint attorney(s):
- in Harrison County, from the Public Defenders’ Office or the Conflicts Court Appointed Attorneys;
- in Stone County, from the approved Court Appointed Attorneys; and
- in Hancock County, from the contract Court Appointed Attorneys
The appointment of counsel by the Circuit Court Judge shall occur before any Preliminary Hearing.
The attorneys shall provide the Defendant with their names, addresses and telephone numbers. These same attorneys will remain as Defendant’s attorney until the Capital Murder charge is finally disposed of at the trial level (that is, not on any appeal) unless the attorney is allowed by the Court to withdraw. If the Court allows either attorney to withdraw, another attorney will be appointed at that time.
If either attorney deems additional counsel necessary, either attorney may at any time seek same by proper motion.
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