‘Affront to democracy,’ Mississippi resident says of appointing judges where most are elected

By EMILY WAGSTER PETTUS
Associated Press

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Three residents of Mississippi’s capital city say their rights are undermined by a new state law that would create a court inside Jackson with judges who are appointed. The state constitution requires most judges to be elected. Jackson resident Ann Saunders testified Wednesday that the new court is “an affront to democracy.” A chancery judge is considering whether to temporarily block the creation of the new court. A special assistant state attorney general argued that the state constitution allows legislators to create “inferior” courts with appointed judges. One of the attorneys suing the state argued the new court would not be “inferior” because it would have similar powers to circuit courts.