Lawsuit: Mississippi violates rights by appointing judges
1 year, 7 months ago

Lawsuit: Mississippi violates rights by appointing judges

Associated Press  

— Mississippi is violating its own constitution with a new law that requires some judges to be appointed rather than elected in the state’s capital city and its surrounding county, civil rights groups said in a lawsuit filed Monday. Tate Reeves signed bills Friday to expand state policing in Jackson, to establish a lower court with an appointed judge and to authorize four appointed judges to work alongside the four elected circuit court judges in Hinds County, which is home to Jackson. How does weakening the right to self-governance make us safer?” Stuart Naifeh, the Legal Defense Fund’s redistricting project manager, said the requirement for appointed judges is “is a blatant power grab by the legislature to further silence voters and assert control over a majority-Black county.” “Boxing voters out from electing officials who will preside over criminal cases is shameful and undermines the checks and balances that hold Mississippi’s democracy together,” Naifeh said. In 2020 and 2022, Chief Justice Mike Randolph appointed retired judges from other parts of the state to help with a backlog of cases in Hinds County Circuit Court.

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History of this topic

Trial starts in case that seeks more Black justices on Mississippi’s highest court
4 months, 2 weeks ago

Trial starts in case that seeks more Black justices on Mississippi’s highest court

Associated Press  

— Mississippi has the largest percentage of Black residents in the U.S., but only one Black justice serves on the state’s highest court. A federal judge started hearing arguments Monday in a lawsuit that seeks to compel Mississippi to redraw its three Supreme Court districts to increase the chances of Black candidates being elected. “The reason for this persistent underrepresentation …

Mississippi election officials argue against quick work on drawing new majority-Black districts
5 months, 1 week ago

Mississippi election officials argue against quick work on drawing new majority-Black districts

Associated Press  

— Redrawing some Mississippi legislative districts in time for this November’s election is impossible because of tight deadlines to prepare ballots, state officials say in new court papers. Attorneys for the all-Republican state Board of Election Commissioners filed arguments Wednesday in response to a July 2 ruling by three federal judges who ordered the Mississippi House and Senate to reconfigure …

Federal appeals court denies effort to block state-run court in Mississippi’s majority-Black capital
11 months, 2 weeks ago

Federal appeals court denies effort to block state-run court in Mississippi’s majority-Black capital

Associated Press  

— A federal appeals court has denied a legal effort to stop Mississippi officials from creating a state-run court in part of the majority-Black capital city of Jackson, over objections from the NAACP. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans denied the NAACP’s motions for an injunction pending an appeal and vacated an administrative stay that had temporarily blocked state …

Judge allows new court in Mississippi’s majority-Black capital, rejecting NAACP request to stop it
11 months, 3 weeks ago

Judge allows new court in Mississippi’s majority-Black capital, rejecting NAACP request to stop it

Associated Press  

— A federal judge has ruled that he will allow Mississippi officials to move forward with creating a state-run court in part of the majority-Black capital city of Jackson, over objections from the NAACP. Attorneys for the civil rights organization had sued on behalf of several Jackson residents, saying the new court undermines democracy because local voters or local elected …

In federal challenge to Mississippi law, arguments focus on racial discrimination and public safety
1 year ago

In federal challenge to Mississippi law, arguments focus on racial discrimination and public safety

Associated Press  

— A federal judge will consider arguments over racial discrimination, public safety and local democracy as he decides whether to block appointments to a state-run court set to be created on Jan. 1 in part of Mississippi’s majority-Black capital city. The court would consider misdemeanor cases, with a judge appointed by the state Supreme Court’s chief justice and prosecutors appointed …

Battle over creating new court centers on equality in Mississippi’s majority-Black capital city
1 year ago

Battle over creating new court centers on equality in Mississippi’s majority-Black capital city

Associated Press  

— The constitutional right of equal treatment under the law is at the center of a monthslong legal fight over a state-run court in part of Mississippi’s majority-Black capital city of Jackson. “Just like many past efforts to undermine Black political power, singles out the majority-Black City of Jackson for loss of local control of its judicial system and ability …

Mississippi high court blocks appointment of some judges in majority-Black capital city and county
1 year, 3 months ago

Mississippi high court blocks appointment of some judges in majority-Black capital city and county

Associated Press  

— The Mississippi Supreme Court on Thursday struck down part of a state law that would have authorized some circuit court judges to be appointed rather than elected in the capital city of Jackson and the surrounding county, which are both majority-Black. Justices said the Mississippi Constitution allows legislators to create “inferior” courts, and the new Capitol Complex Improvement District …

Mississippi discriminates against Black residents with appointed judges, Justice Department says
1 year, 5 months ago

Mississippi discriminates against Black residents with appointed judges, Justice Department says

Associated Press  

— A new Mississippi law discriminates against residents of the majority-Black capital city of Jackson by requiring the appointment of some judges in a state where most judges are elected, the U.S. Justice Department said in court papers filed Wednesday. Kristen Clarke, the department’s assistant attorney general for civil rights, said in a statement that Mississippi lawmakers created “a crude …

Mississippi justices hear arguments over appointed vs. elected judges in majority-Black capital
1 year, 5 months ago

Mississippi justices hear arguments over appointed vs. elected judges in majority-Black capital

Associated Press  

— The Mississippi Supreme Court heard arguments Thursday about a state law that has sparked a monthslong dispute over whether white state officials are stomping on local self-governance in the state’s majority-Black capital city, Jackson. Solicitor General Scott G. Stewart of the Mississippi attorney general’s office said legislators acted properly when they created a new court with one appointed judge …

US judge condemns Mississippi city’s ‘crime cancer’ as he removes state justice from lawsuit
1 year, 6 months ago

US judge condemns Mississippi city’s ‘crime cancer’ as he removes state justice from lawsuit

Associated Press  

— The Mississippi Supreme Court chief justice cannot be sued over a state law that requires him to appoint some judges in the capital city of Jackson, a federal judge wrote Thursday in a ruling that also condemned violence in the city. But, Wingate wrote: “Jackson has a crime cancer.” Wingate cited the principle of judicial immunity, which prevents judges …

Federal judge extends temporary halt on appointed judges in Mississippi capital
1 year, 7 months ago

Federal judge extends temporary halt on appointed judges in Mississippi capital

Associated Press  

— A federal judge on Monday extended his order that temporarily stops the Mississippi Supreme Court chief justice from appointing judges in the capital city of Jackson and the county where it’s located, both of which are majority-Black. The law would expand state policing inside the city of Jackson and create a new court inside part of Jackson with a …

‘Affront to democracy': Concern about appointing Mississippi judges where most are elected
1 year, 7 months ago

‘Affront to democracy': Concern about appointing Mississippi judges where most are elected

Associated Press  

— Three residents of Mississippi’s capital city testified Wednesday that their rights as citizens are undermined by a new state law that would create a court inside Jackson with judges who are appointed because the state constitution requires most judges to be elected. The laws will expand state policing in the capital city of Jackson, establish a court with an …

NAACP sues Mississippi over ‘separate and unequal policing’
1 year, 8 months ago

NAACP sues Mississippi over ‘separate and unequal policing’

Associated Press  

— The NAACP warns that “separate and unequal policing” will return to Mississippi’s majority-Black capital under a state-run police department, and the civil rights organization is suing the governor and other officials over it. At a community meeting earlier this month, he said the policing law would treat Black people as “second-class citizens.” The legislation was passed by a majority-white …

‘Only in Mississippi’: White representatives vote to create white-appointed court system for Blackest city in America
1 year, 10 months ago

‘Only in Mississippi’: White representatives vote to create white-appointed court system for Blackest city in America

Raw Story  

A white supermajority of the Mississippi House voted after an intense, four-plus hour debate to create a separate court system and an expanded police force within the city of Jackson — the Blackest city in America — that would be appointed completely by white state officials. If House Bill 1020 becomes law later this session, the white chief justice of …

Mississippi House OKs court with unelected judges in Jackson
1 year, 10 months ago

Mississippi House OKs court with unelected judges in Jackson

Associated Press  

— The Republican-controlled Mississippi House on Tuesday passed a bill to create a new court district in part of the capital city of Jackson with judges who would be appointed rather than elected. Democratic Rep. Zakiya Summers of Jackson said the proposed district would include predominantly white areas of the city. Summers, who represents a majority-Black House district that would …

NAACP sues Mississippi over legislative redistricting plan
2 years ago

NAACP sues Mississippi over legislative redistricting plan

Associated Press  

— Mississippi is perpetuating a legacy of racial discrimination because lawmakers failed to draw enough majority-Black districts for the state House and Senate, civil rights advocates say in a lawsuit filed Tuesday. The suit says redistricting plans for the 122-member House and the 52-member Senate will dilute the voting power of Black people in a state with the largest percentage …

Suit: Mississippi high court districts dilute Black voting
2 years, 7 months ago

Suit: Mississippi high court districts dilute Black voting

Associated Press  

— Mississippi needs to update its state Supreme Court districts to ensure Black voters have a chance to elect a candidate of their choice in a state with a history of racially polarized voting, Black plaintiffs said in a lawsuit filed Monday. Mississippi’s three Supreme Court districts are all majority-white, and they were last updated in 1987 over the objection …

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