Greene County, Mississippi

Greene County Courts

There are three courts in Greene County. The first is the Chancery Court, located at 400 Main Street in Leakesville, MS. Cases heard in the Greene County Chancery Court include property disputes over $50,000, land issues, such as titles and contracts, emancipation issues, domestic and family matters (divorce, child custody, property division, adoptions, alimony) estate issues, insurance settlements to minors and the commitments of the mentally disabled. Judges who preside over the Greene County 16^th Chancery District Court include the Honorable Judge Mark Maples, the Honorable Judge Tanya Hasbrouck, and the Honorable Judge D. Neil Harris. 

The 19^th Circuit Court in Greene County is also located at the Greene County Courthouse at 400 Main Street, in Leakesville, MS. The Circuit Court cases are mostly heard by juries and involve jurisdiction over civil and criminal matters which are not exclusively vested in another Greene County Court. The following Judges preside over the Greene County Circuit Court: Honorable Judge Robert P. Krebs, The Honorable Judge Dale Harkey, and the Honorable Judge Kathy King Jackson.

The Greene County Justice Court is located at 407 Greene Street, in Leakesville, MS. The Justice Court presides over civil suits, traffic tickets issued by the Greene County Sheriff’s Department and the Mississippi State Highway Patrol, and delinquent mobile home taxes. Public Service tickets and Gaming, Fishing and Marine Reserve tickets are also resolved in the Greene County Justice Court. The Justice Court hears DUI matters and violations of County ordinances as well as the initial appearances for felony cases. 

Judges from the Greene County Justice Court have court sessions at the jail three times a week to ensure the individual’s right to have an initial appearance within three days of arrest. The Honorable Judge Jeff Byrd and the Honorable Judge L. Joe Beard preside over the Greene County Justice Court. The Greene County Youth Court is located at 416 Main Street in Leakesville, MS. Cases heard in the Youth Court include children in need of supervision, abused and neglected children and delinquent children. The Honorable Judge Cheryl Kittrell Pierce presides over the Greene County Youth Court.

Felonies and Misdemeanors in the State of Mississippi

In the state of Mississippi—as in all states—a misdemeanor offense is much less serious than a felony offense. Not only do felony offenses potentially have very serious penalties in the event of a conviction, but there are also many additional consequences of a felony conviction. These consequences can include the loss of certain rights, such as owning a gun, voting, obtaining a professional license, renting an apartment, or obtaining a government student loan. Most felony offenses revolve around harm done to another person, or a violent crime, although not always. Such offenses as embezzlement and computer crimes are also sometimes charged and punished as felony offenses. While a first-time DUI is a misdemeanor—barring any extenuating circumstances—a third DUI is considered a felony offense, with felony-level punishments.

Felony convictions can result in from one year in prison up to life in prison, except for capital offenses. Capital offenses include airplane hijacking, treason, and capital murder, and can result in life in prison, or even the death penalty. Misdemeanor convictions can result from one day to one year in a county or city jail, as well as fines up to $1,000.

If you have been charged with a criminal offense—misdemeanor or felony—it is extremely important that you contact an experienced Mississippi criminal defense attorney who can work hard on your behalf to ensure your rights and your future are properly protected. It is never a good idea to face criminal charges on your own, as there are simply too many issues which can arise that you would not know how to deal with.