Court System

Chancery Court hears civil cases involving real property, wills, estates, divorce, child custody and support, adoption, lunacy, and drug and alcohol commitments. Keeps record of all wills and documents filed in cases presented to the court. After a time, records are retired to the vaults of the County Archives, in the Courthouse Annex.

Carolyn Mooney, Chancery Clerk
612 22nd Avenue S
Meridian, MS 39301
601-482-9720
[email protected]

Amanda Rainey, Chancery Court Judge
612 22nd Avenue S
Meridian, MS 39301

Judge Charles E. "Charlie" Smith, Chancery Court Judge
612 22nd Avenue S
Meridian, MS 39301

Circuit Court

Circuit Court of the 10th Judicial District – Lauderdale, Clarke, Wayne and Kemper counties – handles all felony criminal cases and civil cases with unlimited monetary jurisdiction (product liability, auto accidents, medical negligence, etc.), issues summons and subpoenas, process and warrants. Most cases in Circuit Court involve jury trials, which is where the duties of the Circuit Clerk come into play.

Lauderdale County Youth Justice Center

Youth Court has exclusive jurisdiction of all cases wherein a juvenile (a child younger than age 18) is alleged to be a child in need of supervision, an abused child, a neglected child or a delinquent child (one who commits a crime).

Justice Court, which convenes on the sixth floor of the Courthouse Annex, deals with civil suits up to $2,500, landlord/tenant hearings, misdemeanor cases involving Mississippi Highway Patrol, Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Department, and Constable arrests, traffic citations and DUI’s. The Court conducts preliminary hearings, initial appearances and bond hearings, and issues arrest warrants.

Nikita Wilkins
Court Administrator
612 22nd Avenue S
Meridian, MS 39301
601.482.9879

Nicholas "Nick" Lisi
Justice Court Judge, District 1

Ondray Harris, Sr
Justice Court Judge, District 2

Paul Earley
Justice Court Judge, District 3

Buck Roberts
Justice Court Judge, District 4 & 5

County Court

County Court shares jurisdiction with Justice Court in all matters, civil and criminal. The County Court also shares jurisdiction with the Circuit and Chancery Courts in all matters of law and equity up to $200,000. The County Court Judges also hear non-capital felony criminal cases transferred by the Circuit Court, criminal and civil appeals from Justice and Municipal Court, as well as domestic abuse protection order cases.