Supreme Court asked to rule in dispute between circuit judges

JACKSON — The state Supreme Court has been asked to settle a dispute between two Hinds County circuit judges. The issue is the assignment of cases in the county’s judicial system.

The Clarion-Ledger reports Senior Circuit Judge Tomie Green has ordered that beginning Aug. 1 two of the four circuit judges will handle only criminal cases and the other two will handle only civil cases.

Under the current system, both civil and criminal cases are randomly assigned to the judges.

Green and Circuit Judge Bill Gowan will handle criminal cases, while Circuit Judges Jeff Weill Sr. and Winston Kidd will handle civil cases.

But Weill said the plan is flawed and will be costly. He filed an emergency petition with the state Supreme Court over Green’s April 17 order.