The backlog of cases that once burdened Hinds County has for the most part been done away with.
“It’s pretty much gone,” said Retired Supreme Court Justice Jess H. Dickinson of Madison. “We’ve eliminated pretty much the entire backlog of cases in the Hinds County Circuit. Over the last year and a half, we’ve been able to eliminate those cases.”
Dickinson was among special judges appointed by Mississippi Supreme Court Chief Justice Mike Randolph who have worked in Hinds County since late summer 2020 to assist with a backlog of cases caused by disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dickinson cleared civil cases in Hinds County that were obstructing the court docket.
The work he was appointed to do has an indirect effect on crime, Dickinson said during an interview in April 2021.
“The less crowded the court dockets are, the quicker judges can get to trials and move cases along,” he said. “We’re trying to free up time for circuit judges and county court judges to get to trial on cases where crimes have been committed recently.”
All parts of the judicial system must work together to move cases through the system, Dickinson said. “You can’t clog up any part of it or it makes it difficult for everybody,” he said
Dickinson, appointed on July 30, 2020 to assist Hinds County Court Judge Johnnie McDaniels at the request of McDaniels, heard appeals from Jackson Municipal Court and Hinds County Justice Courts.
Dickinson reviewed dockets and files, developed a list of cases that were open and then worked to resolve them. He used Zoom to facilitate some hearings but conducted all trials in person.
Gerald Munford, Hinds County prosecutor; Keith Gates, chief prosecutor for the city of Jackson; and Paula Cable, court administrator for Hinds County, were helpful, he said.
Because he was a special judge and did not have a courtroom designated for his use, Dickinson used the Joint Legislative Budget Committee Room, Room 139, on the first floor of the Woolfolk Building for docket calls and meetings with lawyers to discuss scheduling. Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann arranged to make the space available.
Dickinson did not use the committee room for trials because the elected Hinds County Court judges loaned him their courtrooms and court reporters.
After completing his work with the Jackson Municipal Court and Hinds County Justice Courts, Dickinson worked for Hinds County Circuit Court.
Former Hinds County Court Judge James D. Bell of Jackson was appointed on July 24, 2020, to assist Hinds County Court Judge LaRita Cooper-Stokes at the request of Stokes.
Randolph appointed in addition to Dickinson and Bell six retired veteran judges at the request of the Hinds Chancery Court and Hinds County Court judges to assist in the backlog
Appointed on Aug. 4, 2020 were retired Hinds County Chancery Judges Patricia D. Wise of Jackson and William H. Singletary of Clinton, who were named to assist the four chancellors of the Hinds Chancery Court at the request of Senior Chancellor Denise Owens. The appointments of Wise and Singletary went through June 30, 2021.
Resident Jurist John N. Hudson of Natchez was appointed on July 24, 2020 to assist Hinds County Court Judge Carlyn M. Hicks in Youth Court, at her request. Hudson’s appointment was through March 31, 2021.
Retired Circuit Judge Isadore W. Patrick Jr. of Vicksburg, retired Circuit Judge Betty W. Sanders of Greenwood and retired Supreme Court Justice David A. Chandler of Louisville received special judge appointment orders on Aug. 4, 2020 that ran through March 31, 2021. Hinds Senior Circuit Judge Tommie Green after consultation with the district’s other three circuit judges handled case assignments.
The Mississippi Legislature appropriated $2.5 million of Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act money to assist the courts. Special judges appointed across the state were paid with CARES Act funds.
