The Raymond Detention Center serves as the jail for Hinds County.
Plagued by problems since its construction, it has an unsafe reputation and is considered a dangerous place.
My review is below.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/6SXnxBCQkrZ3YdAN9?g_st=ic
You have seen the recent news about a local man being arrested and jailed for his refusal to pay Court Ordered Child Support. Now, this is only done after one is initially ordered to pay, doesn’t pay, then is formally requested to pay, given notice, given an opportunity to pay or prove their inability to pay with specificity, and then and only then, jailed as a last resort. In these circumstances, knowing the layers of review, the opportunities afforded by the Court and the fact that everyone had a lawyer (actually multiple lawyers), my sympathy is nil. This is Contempt of Court and ultimately the wrong-doer has the keys to the jail. All you have to do is pay what you owe and you are free to go.
However, if you still don’t pay, your troubles can multiply.
A former Chancery Court Judge in Mississippi is on his way to Prison.
Joe Dale Walker, former Chancellor over Covington, Jefferson Davis, Lawrence, Simpson and Smith counties, plead Guilty in October for his on-the-bench conduct.
Federal charges included that he instructed a federal grand jury witness to destroy documents and then lied to FBI agents about it.
According to the FBI, Walker directed an attorney (the witness) he had appointed for a Conservatorship to solicit bids for the construction of a home for the ward. Of the bids obtained, one was from the Judge’s nephew. The Judge reviewed the bids in his office and instructed his nephew to increase his bid. Walker then transferred the case to the other Judge in the district for the limited purpose of accepting and approving the bid because of his nephew’s involvement. After the contract was awarded to Walker’s nephew, the case was transferred back to Walker by the second Judge.
Walker, knowing that a Grand Jury subpoena was outstanding for information concerning the bidding process, spoke with the witness about instructing his nephew to increase his bid and the original bid and any existing copies.
When interviewed by the FBI, Walker denied talking with the witness about his nephew’s bids and denied telling the witness that the original low bid needed to be “somewhere else.”
“Don’t do the Crime, if you can’t do the Time” – Detective Anthony Vincenzo “Tony” Baretta
Follow the blog: BowTieLawyer Visit the website: Thompson Law FirmYou may also contact Matthew with your family law case, question or concern at (601) 850-8000 or Matthew@bowtielawyer.ms
Contempt is the willful refusal to follow or abide by a valid Court Order.
Contempt is what the Court finds when you 1) do NOT DO what you have been Ordered to do, or when you 2) do what you have been Ordered NOT to DO.
The most common finding of Contempt is failure to pay child support. A willful failure to pay child support usually leads to a finding of Contempt and if repeated can lead to very bad results. It is the most common contempt ground leading to incarceration. A finding of contempt can result in fines, the payment of the other side’s fees and possibly incarceration.
However, you can be in Contempt of any valid Court Order if you do not follow it. This can include violating a No Contact Order– meaning you are to not have contact or communications with a certain person and if you do you may be held in contempt.
So you can be held in contempt for NOT doing what you should, ie: pay support or for doing what you should NOT, ie: contacting a person you are barred from contacting.
So, what do you do when there is a valid Court Order? Follow it to the letter.
What happens if you don’t? Well, you better bring your toothbrush…
Matthew Thompson is a Child Custody Lawyer in Mississippi and reminds you to NOT do things that can lead to your incarceration.
In Family Law, dealing with divorce and child custody issues are enough to keep any attorney busy. With ever-changing emotions, gray areas of the law relating to dividing assets and assessing how a particular judge may determine the best interests of a child, attorneys and clients don’t need more on their plate to deal with. But, there is more…Jail!
I have previously blogged on going to Jail for having sex and not paying child support, but there is another reason folks go to jail in their family law case, letting their emotions get the best of them.
It is quite common for Family law matters to “spill over” into Justice Court or Municipal Courts. Most commonly are assault, trespass and domestic violence violations. I have included portions of the statute for you to review, below and italicized common issues.
The severity of these charges depends in large part on the severity of the circumstances, the severity of injuries, if any, and whether there is a history of violations or abuse. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for one spouse to attempt to use these criminal allegations to “one-up” the other and attempt to use the criminal charges as leverage in divorce negotiations.
Lawyers would be wise to warn their clients about the possibility of a client losing their cool, even once, leading to criminal charges and that, perhaps, their former significant other may “create” circumstances in the hopes of using those against them in a later or pending divorce action.
§ 97-3-7. Simple assault
(1) (a) A person is guilty of simple assault if he (i) attempts to cause or purposely…causes bodily injury to another; (ii) negligently causes bodily injury with a deadly weapon… or (iii) attempts by physical menace to put another in fear of imminent serious bodily harm; shall be punished by a fine of not more than Five Hundred Dollars ($ 500.00) or by imprisonment for not more than six (6) months, or both.
§ 97-17-85. Trespass; going upon inclosed land of another
If any person shall go upon the enclosed land of another without his consent, after having been notified by such person …not to do so …or shall remain on such land after a request by such person; shall, upon conviction, be fined not more than Fifty Dollars ($ 50.00).
§ 97-3-7. Simple domestic violence; Aggravated domestic violence
(3) A person is guilty of simple domestic violence who commits simple assault as described in subsection (1) of this section (see simple assault) against a current or former spouse … upon conviction, the defendant shall be punished as provided under subsection (1) …a third conviction of simple domestic violence…within five (5) years, the defendant shall be guilty of a felony and sentenced to a term of imprisonment not less than five (5) nor more than ten (10) years.
§ 97-3-7. Aggravated domestic violence
(4) A person is guilty of aggravated domestic violence who commits aggravated assault as described in subsection (2) of this section against, or who strangles, or attempts to strangle, a current or former spouse … Upon conviction, the defendant shall be punished by imprisonment in the custody of the Department of Corrections for not less than two (2) years nor more than twenty (20) years… a third conviction of aggravated domestic violence…within five (5) years, the defendant shall be guilty of a felony and sentenced to a term of imprisonment of not less than ten (10) nor more than twenty (20) years.
(2) (a) A person is guilty of aggravated assault if he (i) attempts to cause serious bodily injury to another, or causes such injury purposely, knowingly or recklessly under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to the value of human life; (ii) attempts to cause or purposely or knowingly causes bodily injury to another with a deadly weapon or other means likely to produce death or serious bodily harm; or (iii) causes any injury to a child who is in the process of boarding or exiting a school bus in the course of a violation of Section 63-3-615; and, upon conviction, he shall be punished by imprisonment in the county jail for not more than one (1) year or in the Penitentiary for not more than twenty (20) years.
Matthew Thompson is a family law attorney that has only been to jail to help his clients get out. He intends to keep it that way and hopes (advises) that you do too!
Follow the blog: BowTieLawyer Visit the website: Thompson Law Firm
You may also contact Matthew with your family law case, question or concern at (601) 850-8000 or Matthew@wmtlawfirm.com.
Everyone knows that Adultery is a fault ground for divorce in Mississippi. Adultery is defined as sexual intercourse with a person of the opposite sex, not your spouse. It also must be uncondoned, which means legally forgiven by the other spouse, and it cannot have been committed in collusion with the other spouse just to gain a divorce. MCA § 93-5-1.
However, Adultery may also be considered crime!
If any man and woman shall unlawfully cohabit, whether in adultery or fornication, they shall be fined in any sum not more than five hundred dollars each, and imprisoned in the county jail not more than six months; and it shall not be necessary, to constitute the offense, that the parties shall dwell together publicly as husband and wife, but it may be proved by circumstances which show habitual sexual intercourse.
So in addition to having a divorce granted against the offending party they could also be arrested and prosecuted and face a $500.00 fine and/or up to 6 months in the county jail. And that may not even be the worst of it with the potential for an Alienation of Affection lawsuit out there. (It’s actionable to sue someone for the breakdown of your marriage, a blog for another day).
In the words of Nancy Reagan, “Just Say No!”
(601) 850-8000 - - BowTieLawyer.MS 
