by Sophia Paffenroth March 25, 2026
See Sophia Paffenroth’s article in Mississippi Today about a proposed Joint Custody Bill.
Paffenroth conferred with multiple attorneys, professors and persons/clients who all wrestled with custody issues…
Paffenroth’s article, in full, is linked above and the proposed Bill, in full is linked below.
Matthew Thompson is a child custody attorney in Mississippi and does think Joint Custody could be in the best interest of the child in certain circumstances…
Joint Custody is en vogue. A law requiring equally shared parenting time is back before the Mississippi legislature…
House Bill 1662 includes the following; There shall be a rebuttable presumption that joint custody and equally shared parenting time is in the best interest of the child.
If the court grants joint custody and equally shared parenting time, the court shall construct a parenting time schedule which maximizes the time each parent has with the child and ensures the best interest of the child is met.
(ii) The presumption created in subparagraph (i) of this paragraph shall be rebuttable by a preponderance of the evidence.
A court that does not award joint custody with equally shared parenting time shall document the reasons for deviating from the presumption.
The Joint Custody bill also includes a Child Support formula:
(b) To calculate child support for joint custody with equally shared parenting time, unless the court determines a deviation from this paragraph is in the best interest of the child, the court shall:
(i) Calculate a child-support award under the guidelines of Section 43-19-101 for each parent as if each parent was the obligor;
(ii) Calculate the difference in the two (2) awards by subtracting the lesser award from the larger award; and
(iii) Order the difference in the two (2) awards to be paid by the parent who has the higher adjusted gross income to the parent with the lower adjusted gross income.
(c) Upon petition of both parents, the court may grant legal and/or physical custody to one (1) parent without documenting a reason for deviation.
Senate Bill 2027 tracks the House Bill.
This iteration was kicked around last year and was scuttled at the last minute.
Matthew Thompson is a child custody attorney in Mississippi and does think Joint Custody could be in the best interest of the child in certain circumstances…
5 bills proposed changes this year in family law, 2-each sought similar relied by banning Sharia law and allowing for a “no fault” divorce, of sorts. All died in Committee.
HB 11
Sharia law; prohibit the application of in divorce and child custody cases.
02/03 (H) Died In Committee Arnold
HB 974
Divorce beneficiary revocation; clarify the effective date.
02/03 (H) Died In Committee Mangold
HB1271
Divorce; create 13th ground for irretrievable breakdown.
02/03 (H) Died In Committee Yates
HB1417
Sharia law; prohibit the application of in divorce and child custody cases.
02/03 (H) Died In Committee Mansell
SB2029
Divorce; authorize a court to grant when it is determined that a marriage is irretrievably broken.
02/03 (S) Died In Committee Wiggins
Matthew Thompson is Family Law attorney and is paying attention to the 2026 session.
Hinds County Attorney, Bridgett Clayton, has qualified to run for Hinds County Chancery Judge!
“After much prayer and consideration, I am honored and excited to announce that I qualified for Hinds County Chancery Court Judge, District 5-3, on today.”
“I am ready to serve the citizens of Hinds County with God serving as a Lamp unto my feet and the Light unto my path as I seek election for this judicial seat to do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly before my God. Micah 6:8”
I am requesting your prayers and support during the campaign as well as on Election Day which is November 3.
Please be on the lookout for future campaign information. Thank You!
Matthew Thompson is a Chancery practitioner and knows-well the power, authority and responsibility that Chancellor’s have and the knowledge and wisdom they should possess. Attorney Bridgett Clayton has all of those qualities and then-some!
Please support Bridgett Clayton for Hinds County Chancellor!
Judges take an oath to uphold the Law. Most do, but some do not. The Code of Judicial Conduct are the standards for the ethical and professional conduct of judges.
So what do you do when the Judge rules against you? Sometimes it’s a judgment call and not a violation of the law. In these circumstances you can file a Motion for New Trial and/or an Appeal with the Mississippi Supreme Court.
But what about when the judge clearly violates the law? Can you sue the Judge? Usually, no. Judges have what is known as Judicial Immunity that protects them from civil liability for violating the law. If the actions are criminal there could be penalties, but typically not for civil violations.
However, if a Judge violates the Judicial Canons and violates your rights you do have options. What else can be done? You can Contact Mississippi Judicial Performance and file a COMPLAINT.
Judicial performance is an entity created by the Mississippi Constitution that seeks;
To enforce the standards of judicial conduct,
To inquire into judicial liability and conduct,
To protect the public from judicial misconduct and disabled judges, and
To protect the judiciary from unfounded allegations.
All proceedings before the Commission are of a civil nature, not criminal, as the purpose of the Commission is to be rehabilitative and educational as well as disciplinary.
Any citizen, litigant, attorney, law enforcement official, judge, public official, or other individual who has knowledge of possible judicial misconduct may file a complaint with the Commission. Complaints may also be filed anonymously. Additionally, the Commission may file a complaint on its own motion based upon matters it learns of in other ways, such as from mass media and information obtained during the course of an investigation.
All complaints must be submitted to the Commission in writing. The Commission does not accept oral complaints. You may use a complaint form or write a letter to the Commission. A complaint form filed with the Commission should be typewritten or printed so that it is easily readable.
Complaints should include all information available regarding your case, the case number, Court it is in, the parties names, and any witnesses to the violation(s).
The complaint should include the specific conduct complained of and the violation alleged.
Matthew Thompson is an attorney in Mississippi and knows most Judges try to do it right…but for those that willfully do not do it right, Judicial Performance can address your concerns.
Senate Bill 2029, ( Sen. Brice Wiggins) proposes some common-sense change to Mississippi Family Law…for the umpteenth time in the last 20 years.
This Legislation proposes to add a 13th ground.
“Thirteenth. Upon application of either party, the court may grant a divorce when the court finds there has been an irretrievable breakdown of the marriage and that further attempts at reconciliation are impractical or futile and not in the best interests of the parties or family.“
This change would bring Mississippi in-line with 48 other states and Puerto Rico, all having true No-Fault divorce laws.
The other piece of this legislation eliminates the willful and obstinate aspects for abandonment and only requires “Continued * * * desertion for the space of one (1) year.”
But I am entitled to a divorce if I want one, right? NO, Financial/divorce blackmail is legal in Mississippi under its current law.
Mississippi does NOT have a no-fault divorce option. Either you have fault grounds or an agreement to all issues and if you have neither of those, you cannot get a divorce in Mississippi.
These are common-sense changes in MS family law and would actually prevent protracted litigation and messy, expensive contests.
Matthew Thompson is a family law attorney and reminds you this Bill is contrary to the divorce attorney’s best interests and I am in support of these changes!
Jan. 2, 2026 – Feb. 2, 2026, are the start and end dates for certain Judicial positions to be eligible to be on the ballot come November.
These elections include Circuit Judges and Chancery Court Judges.
Circuit Judges hear criminal cases and car wrecks and personal injury type cases.
Chancery Judges hear divorces, custody, adoptions, wills and land disputes.
(there are other legal areas, respectively, but these are the broad strokes.)
The Mississippi Secretary of State has a current listing of candidates, qualification requirements and deadlines.
See the current listing here and it is updated daily. https://www.sos.ms.gov/node/1825
Some races will be interesting with multiple candidates in open seats and some with incumbents!
Matthew Thompson is a civil litigation attorney in Mississippi and reminds you good lawyers know the law, great lawyers know the Judge!
It is illegal to sell cat meat in Mississippi for human consumption.
MS Code § 97-27-19
If any person shall sell or offer for sale as human food, the flesh of any animal which shall have died a natural death, or been killed or injured by any accident; or shall sell, or offer for sale, or ship for sale, as human food, the flesh of any diseased animal, or of any dog, cat, or other like unclean animal, such person shall be fined, on conviction, not less than one hundred dollars and imprisoned not less than thirty days.
Maybe this one isn’t so crazy…
Happy Holidays!!
Matthew Thompson is a family law attorney in Mississippi and is grateful for the farmers/cattlemen and chicken farmers throughout the State!!
(601) 850-8000 - - BowTieLawyer.MS 