Read the full stored bill text
H. B. No. 876 *HR31/R1401* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G3/5
26/HR31/R1401
PAGE 1 (GT\JAB)
To: Judiciary A
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026
By: Representative Sanford
HOUSE BILL NO. 876
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 9-11-9, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO 1
INCREASE THE JURISDICTION OF JUSTICE COURT; TO AMEND SECTION 2
25-7-25, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REVISE CERTAIN FILING FEES 3
FOR JUSTICE COURT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 4
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 5
SECTION 1. Section 9-11-9, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 6
amended as follows: 7
9-11-9. Justice court judges shall have jurisdiction of all 8
actions for the recovery of debts or damages or personal property, 9
where the principal of the debt, the amount of the demand, or the 10
value of the property sought to be recovered shall not 11
exceed * * * Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00). 12
The justice court judges shall have no pecuniary interest in 13
the outcome of any action once suit has been filed. 14
SECTION 2. Section 25-7-25, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 15
amended as follows: 16
[Until June 30, 2027, this section shall read as follows:] 17
25-7-25. (1) Costs and fees in the justice court shall be 18
charged as follows and shall be paid in advance to the clerk of 19
H. B. No. 876 *HR31/R1401* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR31/R1401
PAGE 2 (GT\JAB)
the justice court in accordance with the provisions of Section 20
9-11-10: 21
(a) A uniform total fee in all civil cases, whether 22
contested or uncontested, which shall include all services in 23
connection therewith, except as hereinafter stated, each......... 24
.................................................... * * * $45.00 25
(b) For more than one (1) defendant, for service of 26
process on each defendant................................... 5.00 27
(c) After final judgment has been enrolled, further 28
proceedings involving levy of execution on judgments, and 29
attachment and garnishment proceedings...................... 15.00 30
(d) For all services in connection with the issuance of 31
a peace bond................................................ 25.00 32
(e) For celebrating a marriage, and certificate 33
thereof..................................................... 10.00 34
(f) Commission to take depositions............... 5.00 35
(g) Appeal with proceedings and bond............. 5.00 36
(h) A clerk's fee to be collected in all criminal cases 37
in which the defendant is convicted, as follows: 38
(i) For all violations in Title 63 other than 39
driving under the influence of intoxicating liquor or reckless 40
driving............................................... * * * 10.00 41
(ii) All other criminal cases............... 25.00 42
H. B. No. 876 *HR31/R1401* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR31/R1401
PAGE 3 (GT\JAB)
(2) The justice court shall have the power to impose a fee 43
not to exceed Fifty Dollars ($50.00) for an expungement or 44
dismissal of any criminal affidavit, complaint or charge. 45
(3) In addition to the salary provided for in subsection (1) 46
of Section 25-3-36, each justice court judge may receive a fee of 47
not more than * * * Fifty Dollars ($50.00) for each marriage 48
ceremony he performs in the courtroom or offices of the justice 49
court at any time the courtroom or offices are open to the public. 50
This fee shall be paid by the parties to the marriage. Each 51
justice court judge may receive money or gratuities for marriage 52
ceremonies performed outside of and away from the courtroom and 53
the offices of the justice court, that the parties to the marriage 54
request to have performed at any time the courtroom or offices of 55
the justice court are closed. These monies or gratuities, in an 56
amount agreed upon by the parties to the marriage, are not 57
considered fees for the justice court and are not subject to the 58
requirements set forth in the provisions of Section 9-11-10. 59
[From July 1, 2027, until June 30, 2028, this section shall 60
read as follows:] 61
25-7-25. (1) Costs and fees in the justice court shall be 62
charged as follows and shall be paid in advance to the clerk of 63
the justice court in accordance with the provisions of Section 64
9-11-10: 65
(a) A uniform total fee in all civil cases, whether 66
contested or uncontested, which shall include all services in 67
H. B. No. 876 *HR31/R1401* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR31/R1401
PAGE 4 (GT\JAB)
connection therewith, except as hereinafter stated, each......... 68
.................................................... * * * $55.00 69
(b) For more than one (1) defendant, for service of 70
process on each defendant.................................... 5.00 71
(c) After final judgment has been enrolled, further 72
proceedings involving levy of execution on judgments, and 73
attachment and garnishment proceedings...................... 15.00 74
(d) For all services in connection with the issuance of 75
a peace bond................................................ 25.00 76
(e) For celebrating a marriage, and certificate 77
thereof..................................................... 10.00 78
(f) Commission to take depositions............... 5.00 79
(g) Appeal with proceedings and bond............. 5.00 80
(h) A clerk's fee to be collected in all criminal cases 81
in which the defendant is convicted, as follows: 82
(i) For all violations in Title 63 other than 83
driving under the influence of intoxicating liquor or reckless 84
driving............................................... * * * 12.50 85
(ii) All other criminal cases............... 25.00 86
(2) The justice court shall have the power to impose a fee 87
not to exceed Fifty Dollars ($50.00) for an expungement or 88
dismissal of any criminal affidavit, complaint or charge. 89
(3) In addition to the salary provided for in subsection (1) 90
of Section 25-3-36, each justice court judge may receive a fee of 91
not more than * * * Fifty Dollars ($50.00) for each marriage 92
H. B. No. 876 *HR31/R1401* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR31/R1401
PAGE 5 (GT\JAB)
ceremony he performs in the courtroom or offices of the justice 93
court at any time the courtroom or offices are open to the public. 94
This fee shall be paid by the parties to the marriage. Each 95
justice court judge may receive money or gratuities for marriage 96
ceremonies performed outside of and away from the courtroom and 97
the offices of the justice court, that the parties to the marriage 98
request to have performed at any time the courtroom or offices of 99
the justice court are closed. These monies or gratuities, in an 100
amount agreed upon by the parties to the marriage, are not 101
considered fees for the justice court and are not subject to the 102
requirements set forth in the provisions of Section 9-11-10. 103
[From and after July 1, 2028, this section shall read as 104
follows:] 105
25-7-25. (1) Costs and fees in the justice court shall be 106
charged as follows and shall be paid in advance to the clerk of 107
the justice court in accordance with the provisions of Section 108
9-11-10: 109
(a) A uniform total fee in all civil cases, whether 110
contested or uncontested, which shall include all services in 111
connection therewith, except as hereinafter stated, each......... 112
.................................................... * * * $65.00 113
(b) For more than one (1) defendant, for service of 114
process on each defendant.................................... 5.00 115
H. B. No. 876 *HR31/R1401* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR31/R1401
PAGE 6 (GT\JAB)
(c) After final judgment has been enrolled, further 116
proceedings involving levy of execution on judgments, and 117
attachment and garnishment proceedings...................... 15.00 118
(d) For all services in connection with the issuance of 119
a peace bond................................................ 25.00 120
(e) For celebrating a marriage, and certificate 121
thereof..................................................... 10.00 122
(f) Commission to take depositions............... 5.00 123
(g) Appeal with proceedings and bond............. 5.00 124
(h) A clerk's fee to be collected in all criminal cases 125
in which the defendant is convicted, as follows: 126
(i) For all violations in Title 63 other than 127
driving under the influence of intoxicating liquor or reckless 128
driving............................................... * * * 15.00 129
(ii) All other criminal cases............... 25.00 130
(2) The justice court shall have the power to impose a fee 131
not to exceed Fifty Dollars ($50.00) for an expungement or 132
dismissal of any criminal affidavit, complaint or charge. 133
(3) In addition to the salary provided for in subsection (1) 134
of Section 25-3-36, each justice court judge may receive a fee of 135
not more than * * * Seventy-five Dollars ($75.00) for each 136
marriage ceremony he performs in the courtroom or offices of the 137
justice court at any time the courtroom or offices are open to the 138
public. This fee shall be paid by the parties to the marriage. 139
Each justice court judge may receive money or gratuities for 140
H. B. No. 876 *HR31/R1401* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR31/R1401
PAGE 7 (GT\JAB)
ST: Justice court; revise jurisdiction and
filing fees.
marriage ceremonies performed outside of and away from the 141
courtroom and the offices of the justice court, that the parties 142
to the marriage request to have performed at any time the 143
courtroom or offices of the justice court are closed. These 144
monies or gratuities, in an amount agreed upon by the parties to 145
the marriage, are not considered fees for the justice court and 146
are not subject to the requirements set forth in the provisions of 147
Section 9-11-10. 148
SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from 149
and after July 1, 2026. 150