AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 9-11-9, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO INCREASE THE JURISDICTION OF JUSTICE COURT FROM $3,500.00 TO $5,000.00; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
Senate Bill 2696 amends Mississippi law governing the jurisdiction of justice courts by raising the monetary cap for certain civil cases from $3,500 to $5,000. Under current law, justice court judges may hear actions to recover debts, damages, or personal property only when the principal amount, demand, or property value does not exceed the existing limit. The bill expands that authority so more lower-value civil disputes can be filed and resolved in justice court rather than in a higher court.
The measure also preserves the existing rule that justice court judges may not have a pecuniary interest in the outcome of a case once suit has been filed. If enacted, the change would take effect on July 1, 2026, and would amend Section 9-11-9 of the Mississippi Code of 1972.
The bill would broaden the subject-matter jurisdiction of Mississippi justice courts for civil debt, damages, and replevin-type actions involving amounts up to $5,000. This would likely shift a larger volume of small civil claims into justice court, affecting litigants, attorneys, clerks, and local court administration by changing where modest-value disputes are filed and adjudicated. It directly amends Section 9-11-9 of the Mississippi Code of 1972 and does not otherwise alter the no-pecuniary-interest restriction on justice court judges.
The available voting history shows strong support in the Senate, where the bill passed 52-0 on February 11, 2026. No committee transcript is available, and there is no recorded opposition in the provided materials. Overall, the bill appears to have been viewed as a routine jurisdictional adjustment rather than a controversial policy change.
No specific points of contention are reflected in the provided record. The only substantive policy choice is the increase in the justice court jurisdictional threshold from $3,500 to $5,000, which could raise questions about caseload distribution, access to local courts, and whether higher-value small claims should remain in justice court. However, no member objections, amendments, or competing viewpoints are included in the materials.