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SB2373 • 2026

Justice court filing fees; authorize board of supervisors to increase by 10% annually.

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 25-7-25, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO AUTHORIZE THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF A COUNTY TO INCREASE THE FILING FEES IN THIS SECTION BY TEN PERCENT (10%) ANNUALLY; TO REQUIRE THE CLERK OF THE JUSTICE COURT TO PUBLICLY POST A HARDCOPY OF THE FEE SCHEDULE AND POST THE FEE SCHEDULE IN A PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE DIGITAL FORMAT AVAILABLE ON THE INTERNET IF THE FILING FEES ARE INCREASED; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

Did Not Pass

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

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

Plain English Breakdown

The candidate explanation included a claim that was not supported by the official source material, which stated that county boards of supervisors could increase filing fees but did not mention any specific exemptions or exclusions from this rule.

Justice Court Filing Fees Increase

This bill allows county boards of supervisors to increase justice court filing fees by up to 10% annually and requires the clerk to post updated fee schedules both online and in hard copy.

What This Bill Does

  • Allows county boards of supervisors to raise justice court filing fees by up to 10% each year.
  • Requires the clerk of the justice court to put a new fee schedule on paper where people can see it.
  • Also requires the clerk to post the updated fee schedule online so everyone can find it easily.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who file cases in justice courts
  • County boards of supervisors
  • Clerks of justice courts

Terms To Know

Justice court filing fees
Money that people have to pay when they start a case in a justice court.
Board of supervisors
A group of elected officials who manage county government and can make decisions about local laws.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill did not pass, so the changes it proposed will not happen.
  • It only affects justice courts in Mississippi.

Bill History

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

    02/03 (S) Died In Committee

  2. 2026-01-19 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    01/19 (S) Referred To Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency

Official Summary Text

Justice court filing fees; authorize board of supervisors to increase by 10% annually.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
S. B. No. 2373 *SS26/R174* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
26/SS26/R174
PAGE 1 (ens\kr)

To: Accountability,
Efficiency, Transparency
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Senator(s) Johnson

SENATE BILL NO. 2373

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 25-7-25, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO 1
AUTHORIZE THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF A COUNTY TO INCREASE THE 2
FILING FEES IN THIS SECTION BY TEN PERCENT (10%) ANNUALLY; TO 3
REQUIRE THE CLERK OF THE JUSTICE COURT TO PUBLICLY POST A HARDCOPY 4
OF THE FEE SCHEDULE AND POST THE FEE SCHEDULE IN A PUBLICLY 5
ACCESSIBLE DIGITAL FORMAT AVAILABLE ON THE INTERNET IF THE FILING 6
FEES ARE INCREASED; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 7
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 8
SECTION 1. Section 25-7-25, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 9
amended as follows: 10
25-7-25. (1) Costs and fees in the justice court shall be 11
charged as follows and shall be paid in advance to the clerk of 12
the justice court in accordance with the provisions of Section 13
9-11-10: 14
(a) A uniform total fee in all civil cases, whether 15
contested or uncontested, which shall include all services in 16
connection therewith, except as hereinafter stated, each.... $25.00 17
(b) For more than one (1) defendant, for service of 18
process on each defendant................................... 5.00 19
S. B. No. 2373 *SS26/R174* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS26/R174
PAGE 2 (ens\kr)

(c) After final judgment has been enrolled, further 20
proceedings involving levy of execution on judgments, and 21
attachment and garnishment proceedings...................... 15.00 22
(d) For all services in connection with the issuance of 23
a peace bond................................................ 25.00 24
(e) For celebrating a marriage, and certificate 25
thereof..................................................... 10.00 26
(f) Commission to take depositions............... 5.00 27
(g) Appeal with proceedings and bond............. 5.00 28
(h) A clerk's fee to be collected in all criminal cases 29
in which the defendant is convicted, as follows: 30
(i) For all violations in Title 63 other than 31
driving under the influence of intoxicating liquor or reckless 32
driving..................................................... 5.00 33
(ii) All other criminal cases............... 25.00 34
(2) The justice court shall have the power to impose a fee 35
not to exceed Fifty Dollars ($50.00) for an expungement or 36
dismissal of any criminal affidavit, complaint or charge. 37
(3) In addition to the salary provided for in subsection (1) 38
of Section 25-3-36, each justice court judge may receive a fee of 39
not more than Twenty-five Dollars ($25.00) for each marriage 40
ceremony he performs in the courtroom or offices of the justice 41
court at any time the courtroom or offices are open to the public. 42
This fee shall be paid by the parties to the marriage. Each 43
justice court judge may receive money or gratuities for marriage 44
S. B. No. 2373 *SS26/R174* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS26/R174
PAGE 3 (ens\kr)
ST: Justice court filing fees; authorize board
of supervisors to increase by 10% annually.
ceremonies performed outside of and away from the courtroom and 45
the offices of the justice court, that the parties to the marriage 46
request to have performed at any time the courtroom or offices of 47
the justice court are closed. These monies or gratuities, in an 48
amount agreed upon by the parties to the marriage, are not 49
considered fees for the justice court and are not subject to the 50
requirements set forth in the provisions of Section 9-11-10. 51
(4) The board of supervisors of a county may increase the 52
filing fees in this section by ten percent (10%) annually. If the 53
filing fees in this section are increased, the clerk of the 54
justice court shall publicly post a hardcopy of the fee schedule 55
and post the fee schedule in a publicly accessible digital format 56
available on the internet. 57
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 58
and after July 1, 2026. 59