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HB837 • 2026

Circuit court; prohibit from allowing candidates to speak to the public during court terms.

AN ACT TO PROHIBIT ANY CIRCUIT COURT JUDGE FROM PROVIDING AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ANY POLITICAL CANDIDATE TO ADDRESS THE PUBLIC DURING COURT TERMS; TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-973, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROHIBIT ANY CIRCUIT COURT JUDGE FROM PROVIDING AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ANY CANDIDATE FOR SUPREME COURT, COURT OF APPEALS, CHANCELLOR OR CIRCUIT JUDGE TO ADDRESS THE PUBLIC DURING COURT TERMS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

Did Not Pass

The latest official action shows that this bill did not move forward in that session.

Sponsor
Calvert
Last action
2026-02-03
Official status
Dead
Effective date
July 1, 20

Plain English Breakdown

The bill text includes additional provisions not mentioned in the candidate explanation, such as restrictions on candidates aligning with other candidates or political parties during election campaigns. These were removed because they were unsupported by the provided plain-English summary.

Stop Judges From Allowing Candidates to Speak During Court Time

This bill stops circuit court judges from letting political candidates speak to the public during times when courts are in session.

What This Bill Does

  • It says that no circuit court judge can give a chance for any candidate running for office to talk to people while the court is open.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Circuit court judges
  • Candidates running for Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, Chancery Court, and Circuit Judge positions

Terms To Know

court terms
The time when a court is officially open and hearing cases.
political candidate
A person who wants to be elected to an office in the government.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This bill did not pass, so it does not have any effect.
  • The rules only apply during times when courts are open and hearing cases.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-03 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    02/03 (H) Died In Committee

  2. 2026-01-16 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    01/16 (H) Referred To Apportionment and Elections

Official Summary Text

Circuit court; prohibit from allowing candidates to speak to the public during court terms.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
H. B. No. 837 *HR43/R532* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
26/HR43/R532
PAGE 1 (GT\KP)

To: Apportionment and
Elections
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representative Calvert

HOUSE BILL NO. 837

AN ACT TO PROHIBIT ANY CIRCUIT COURT JUDGE FROM PROVIDING AN 1
OPPORTUNITY FOR ANY POLITICAL CANDIDATE TO ADDRESS THE PUBLIC 2
DURING COURT TERMS; TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-973, MISSISSIPPI CODE 3
OF 1972, TO PROHIBIT ANY CIRCUIT COURT JUDGE FROM PROVIDING AN 4
OPPORTUNITY FOR ANY CANDIDATE FOR SUPREME COURT, COURT OF APPEALS, 5
CHANCELLOR OR CIRCUIT JUDGE TO ADDRESS THE PUBLIC DURING COURT 6
TERMS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 7
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 8
SECTION 1. No judge of any circuit court shall provide an 9
opportunity for any political candidate to address the public 10
during court terms. 11
SECTION 2. Section 23-15-973, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 12
amended as follows: 13
23-15-973. * * * Circuit court judges shall not authorize or 14
otherwise provide an opportunity for any candidate for the office 15
of Supreme Court justice, Court of Appeals judge, circuit judge, 16
or chancery court judge to address the public during court terms. 17
It shall be unlawful for any candidate for any of the offices 18
mentioned in this section to align himself or herself with any 19
candidate or candidates for any other office or with any political 20
H. B. No. 837 *HR43/R532* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR43/R532
PAGE 2 (GT\KP)
ST: Circuit court; prohibit from allowing
candidates to speak to the public during court
terms.
faction or any political party at any time during any primary or 21
general election campaign. Likewise it shall be unlawful for any 22
candidate for any other office nominated or to be nominated at any 23
primary election, wherein any candidate for any of the judicial 24
offices in this section mentioned, is or are to be nominated, to 25
align himself or herself with any one or more of the candidates 26
for the offices or to take any part whatever in any nomination for 27
any one or more of the judicial offices, except to cast his or her 28
individual vote. Any candidate for any office, whether nominated 29
with or without opposition, at any primary wherein a candidate for 30
any one (1) of the judicial offices herein mentioned is to be 31
nominated who shall deliberately, knowingly and willfully violate 32
the provisions of this section shall forfeit his or her 33
nomination, or if elected at the following general election by 34
virtue of the nomination, his or her election shall be void. 35
SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from 36
and after July 1, 2026. 37