Wayne County Chancery Court (19th District — Wayne and Jones counties)
The Honorable Judge Billie Graham
Court Administrator — Noelle McKinnon
Address: P.O. Box 1961, Laurel, MS 39441
Office: 601-428-7625
Fax: 601-428-3119
Wayne County Chancery Clerk William Jeremy Carr
Address: Wayne County Courthouse, 609 Azalea Drive, Waynesboro, MS 39367
Office: 601-735-2873
Fax: 601-735-6224
Chancery Court responsibilities
Chancery Court has jurisdiction over disputes in matters involving equity; domestic matters including adoptions, custody disputes and divorces; guardianships; sanity hearings; wills and estates; conservatorships and challenges to constitutionality of state laws. Wayne County’s land records are also filed through the Chancery Court.
Trials are typically heard by a chancellor without a jury, although state law allows parties to request a jury in Chancery Court.
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Wayne County Circuit Court (10th Circuit — Wayne, Clarke, Lauderdale and Kemper counties)
The Honorable Judge Robert T. “Bo” Bailey
The Honorable Judge Charles W. Wright Jr.
Court Administrator — Gayle Wink
Judge Bailey’s address: P.O. Box 1262, Meridian, MS 39302
Judge Wright’s address: P.O. Box 1677, Meridian, MS 39302
Office: 601-482-9741
Fax: 601-486-4933
District Attorney Kassie Coleman
Address: P.O. Box 5163, Meridian, MS 39302
Office 601-428-9757
Fax 601-483-0085
Wayne County Circuit Court Clerk Kathryn “K.K.” Revette
Address: Wayne County Courthouse (first floor), 609 Azalea Drive, Waynesboro, MS 39367
Office: 601-735-1171
Fax: 601-735-6261
Circuit Court responsibilities
The Wayne County Circuit Court is a trial court that hears felony criminal prosecutions and civil lawsuits that have damages of more than $200 (product liability, auto accidents, medical negligence, etc.); issues summons and subpoenas; as well as process and warrants.
The jurisdiction of circuit court also includes appeals from justice court and from county boards of supervisors, municipal authorities and other tribunals. Parties have the right to a jury trial and to appeal decisions.
Juries are widely used in circuit court with all 12 jurors required to unanimously agree to convict a criminal defendant, but only nine of 12 jurors have to agree for a decision in a civil proceeding.
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Wayne County Justice Court
Post 1 — The Honorable Judge Charles Chapman
Post 2 — The Honorable Judge Ralph Smith
Justice Court Clerk — Michelle McCann
Office: 601-735-3118
Fax: 601-735-6266
Justice Court building, 814 Chickasawhay Street (Courthouse Square), Waynesboro, MS 39367
Justice Court responsibilities
Wayne County’s Justice Court judges, elected to four-year terms, have jurisdiction over all civil actions for the recovery of debts or damages involving personal property where the principal debt, amount of demand, or the value of the property to be recovered in court does not exceed $3,500.
Wayne County, with a population of less than 35,000 residents, has two justice court judges chosen from single-member election districts.
Justice court judges are required to hold regular terms of court at times subject to their discretion. Judges are required to hold at least one session of court per month, but not more than two, at a reasonable time in a courtroom established by the board of supervisors.
The justice court clerk and deputy justice court clerks are empowered to file and record actions and pleadings, issue warrants and acknowledge affidavits for the justice court. They also have the authority to collect filing fees and fines on behalf of the justice court.
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Wayne County Youth Court
Referee — Kathryn Clay
Administrator — Shawna Clark
Prosecutor — Curtis Bates
Office: 601-735-2190
Wayne County Courthouse (first floor), 609 Azalea Drive, Waynesboro, MS 39367
Youth Court responsibilities
Cases heard in Wayne County Youth Court include matters involving delinquent children, children in need of supervision and neglected and/or abused children. A juvenile who has not reached his or her 18th birthday may be subject to the Youth Court system.