MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

1999 Regular Session

To: Fees and Salaries of Public Officers; County Affairs

By: Representative Taylor

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 9-11-31, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO ALLOW, IN THOSE COUNTIES HAVING LESS THAN FOUR JUSTICE COURT JUDGES, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO PAY, IN ITS DISCRETION, A JUSTICE COURT JUDGE ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION FOR SERVING DURING THE SUSPENSION OR DISABILITY OF ANOTHER JUSTICE COURT JUDGE; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. Section 9-11-31, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

9-11-31. (1) (a) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (2) of this section, when any justice court judge is unable, by reason of being under any suspension by the Commission on Judicial Performance or the Mississippi Supreme Court, or by reason of sickness or other disability, to attend and hold court at the time and place required by law to do so for a period of time in excess of thirty (30) consecutive days, and due to such inability to attend and hold court there is no judge to hold court in such county, the board of supervisors of the county in which such judge serves shall appoint another justice court judge of the county or an adjoining county or a municipal court judge to attend and hold said court and perform all the duties of such judge during such suspension or disability.

(b) Any presently sitting justice court judge appointed pursuant to paragraph (a) of this subsection shall receive no additional compensation for his or her service. Any other person so appointed shall receive, for the period of his service, compensation from the county for each day's service a sum equal to one and two hundred sixtieths (1/260) of the current salary in effect for justice court judges.

(2) (a) In any county in which there are three (3) or less justice court judges, when any justice court judge is unable, by reason of being under any suspension by the Commission on Judicial Performance or the Mississippi Supreme Court, or by reason of sickness, disability or other reason, to attend and hold court at the time and place required by law to do so for a period of time in excess of thirty (30) consecutive days, the board of supervisors of the county may appoint another justice court judge of the county to attend and hold court and perform all the duties of the justice court judge during his suspension or disability.

(b) Any justice court judge appointed under paragraph (a) of this subsection shall receive, for the period of his service, compensation from the county for each day's service a sum equal to one and two hundred sixtieths (1/260) of the current salary in effect for justice court judges.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after October 1, 1999.