JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — 4 former circuit courtroom judges will help deal with a backlog of legal cases which have collected in Mississippi’s largest county throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mississippi Supreme Court docket Chief Justice Mike Randolph appointed Stephen B. Simpson of Gulfport, Andrew Okay. Howorth of Oxford, Betty W. Sanders of Greenwood and Frank G. Vollor of Vicksburg.
Administrative Workplace of Courts director Greg Snowden mentioned in a information launch Thursday that Hinds County has an pressing want to deal with cases that have been postponed when courtrooms have been closed to stop the unfold of the virus.
“Accused folks have a proper to their day in courtroom, whether or not they’re incarcerated pending trial or out on bond,” Snowden mentioned. “If defendants are discovered responsible, they want to be despatched to jail, but when they’re discovered not responsible, they want to be launched.”
Simpson is a former state lawmaker who served eight years as a decide within the 2nd Circuit in Hancock, Harrison and Stone counties. He resigned in Could 2008 to change into state public security commissioner, serving virtually three years.
Howorth retired in June 2020 after greater than 18 years as a circuit decide within the third Circuit in Benton, Calhoun, Chickasaw, Lafayette, Marshall, Tippah and Union counties.
Sanders retired in December 2014. She was a decide for 20 years within the 4th Circuit in Leflore, Sunflower and Washington counties. Earlier than that, she served 5 years as a particular Justice of the Peace listening to cases filed by prisoners on the Mississippi State Penitentiary at Parchman.
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Vollor is a former Warren County prosecutor who served 20 years within the ninth Circuit District in Issaquena, Sharkey and Warren counties. He returned to personal legislation follow in Could 2009.
