
The County Prosecuting Attorney represents the state in all felony matters before the county's justice or county court. The following Judges preside over the Stone County Justice Court: Judges from this office have court sessions at the jail three times each week to ensure each person's right to have an initial court appearance within three days of arrest. All felony cases are first heard in the Justice Court for initial appearance and the filing of affidavit. This Court hears all matters with regard to DUIs and violations of County ordinances. Traffic tickets issued by the State Highway Patrol and the Stone County Sheriff's Department are resolved in the Justice Court, as well as Public Service tickets, Gaming, Fishing and Marine Reserve tickets. The Justice Court resides over a myriad of matters, from civil suits to delinquent mobile home taxes. The following Judges preside over the Stone County Circuit Court: Most Circuit Court cases are heard by juries.

The Circuit Court has original jurisdiction over all civil and criminal matters not vested exclusively in another court.

The following Judges preside over the Stone County Chancery District Court: In fiscal year 2014, the attorney general's office spent approximately $32.6 million.Cases heard in the Chancery Court include domestic/family matters, divorce, child custody, property division, adoptions, alimony, estates of descendants, land issues (titles, contracts), emancipation (declaring a minor to be 21 for work purposes), property title confirmation, property disputes (over $50,000), insurance settlements to minors, and commitments of mentally disabled. As the state's chief legal officer, the Mississippi Attorney General "has the sole power under Mississippi law to bring or defend a lawsuit on behalf of the state." As of August 2015, Jim Hood served as Mississippi's attorney general. State statutes stipulate that "any candidate or any other person who shall willfully and deliberately and substantially violate the provisions and prohibitions" of the state's campaign finance laws "shall be guilty of a misdemeanor." Such criminal violations can be punished by a fine of no more than $3,000, a six-month prison term, or both. Mississippi Attorney General See also: Mississippi Attorney General Authority In fiscal year 2014, the secretary of state's office spent approximately $17.5 million. As of August 2015, Delbert Hosemann served as secretary of state. The Elections Division of the state department administers campaign finance reporting processes. The Mississippi Secretary of State serves as the state's chief elections official. Beginning on the 10th late day, the agency can fine the candidate or committee $50 per day for a maximum of 10 days. In addition, the agency is authorized to assess civil fines against individuals or groups that file late reports. The agency makes these reports available to the public. The Elections Division of the state department regulates campaign finance reporting processes for candidates and political committees. See also: Campaign finance requirements in Mississippi Mississippi Secretary of State See also: Mississippi Secretary of State Authority The latter is authorized to prosecute criminal violations of Mississippi's campaign finance laws. The former oversees reporting processes for candidates and political committees. In Mississippi, there are two primary agencies involved in campaign finance regulation: the offices of Mississippi Secretary of State and the Mississippi Attorney General.
