Monday, December 22, 2014

Larita needs help

That didn't take long.  Incoming County Court Judge Larita Cooper-Stokes hasn't even assumed office and she is already asking for help.  She asked the Hinds County Board of Supervisors last week to provide $15,000 to hire a "judicial assistant":




Meanwhile Retiring Judge Houston Patton order, ordered the supervisors to promote and raise the pay of county court employees. So much for separation of powers.



19 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think we would need to know the existing complement of a county court judge's staff before we could evaluate this request.

It is not exactly odd for judges to have assistants.

Anonymous said...

With Kenny looking to take a pay cut he obviously needs some supplemental income.

Anonymous said...

County court judges and their staffs are paid through the State of Mississippi, under a context overseen by the Administrative Office of Courts that is governed under the auspices of the Mississippi Supreme Court. The AOC administers judicial salaries through a budget provided to each court. The judges operate within the framework of that budget. In addition to state funding, county court systems are given the freedom to approach their county governments for additional funding for staffs. Most counties provide supplemental salary support by paying the difference after AOC funding is exhausted. I have to assume that Patton was putting the HCBOS on notice that AOC had approved the staff salary increases for FY15 for those staff identified in his letter and that, at some point, when his budget for FY15 is exhausted, the HCBOS will be paying the difference. I also assume that the HCBOS has been operating in this fashion vis-à-vis the Hinds County Court for some time.

Anonymous said...

I see that the next Sr. Judge (Skinner) did not sign on with Priester on this matter. Since these persons are employed at the "Will and Pleasure" of the Judges, will these persons find themselves unemployed when the term begins in January?

Anonymous said...

This is the definition of a non-story.

Anonymous said...

If ever there were a case of a county judge needing a legal assistant, I believe this is it!!!

Anonymous said...

Kenny can handle this job and the City Council seat too!

Anonymous said...

Oh P-L-E-A-S-E get that woman an assistant. P-L-E-A-S-E!

Anonymous said...

She needs help keeping up with those hats!

Anonymous said...

Is she going to try to wear those ridiculous hats in court?

Anonymous said...

Wheel has several of these. His predasesor had none.

KaptKangaroo said...

I am going to go out on a limb and guess she needs a stand in given her attendance at city council meetings.

Judgement by proxy.

We are in troubled times.

Anonymous said...

You could add 25k to Paula's salary and she'd still be underpaid. To find a polite, COMPETENT, Hinds county employee is rare.

Ex Jackson Resident said...

Another HUGE embarrassment for this part of Mississippi.

Anonymous said...

Being that Judge Skinner is presiding County Court Judge at the Youth Court and has his own Court Administrators why would he have to sign an order promoting and hiring court staff for other Judges? Did he have approval from the other judges to hire his staff? Judge Skinner will become Senior County Court Judge January 1, 2015. If he chooses to return to the County Court to preside over the civil or criminal docket he has the option to bring his own CA. And I am sure he will do that. If that happens then one of the other CA will go to youth court. And why does an article about Judge Stokes wanting to hire a judicial assistant have to become the talk of an order that Judge Patton and Judge Priester signed promoting and hiring staff? I can say that the ladies in county court really do a great job and assistant anybody that comes into that courthouse

Anonymous said...

What's disconcerting and bias about this article is that it fails to mention promotions and salary increases given to support staff by OTHER judges at VARIOUS times via COURT ORDER. I guess it's not important to the provide the reader with all the information to form an opinion - likely because the reader will not agree with blog.

As for Judge Stokes request, let the board decide what is or is not necessary. Why? Because obviously the facts received from "BLOWfish" are not reliable.

Anonymous said...

What's disconcerting is that she is a Judge.

We live in bizarro world.

Anonymous said...

She's an embarrassment. I'm not an attorney. However, I'm amazed that we allow non-attorneys to serve as judges in our state. What legal/justice system education does this woman have?!?!? I'm embarrassed for our state & for Hinds county. She's no more prepared to be any type of judge as I'm no more prepared to be a plumber. The difference is I'm smart enough to know I'm not a plumber. She, on the other hand, hasn't a clue. As was previously stated, we live in troubled times.

Anonymous said...

Cooper-Stokes has had a license since 1985. I've never heard of her having actually practiced law. Until you've practiced law a number of years, you really don't know anything about the practice of law.



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Trollfest '07 was such a success that Jackson Jambalaya will once again host Trollfest '09. Catch this great event which will leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Othor Cain and his band, The Black Power Structure headline the night while Sonjay Poontang returns for an encore performance. Former Frank Melton bodyguard Marcus Wright makes his premier appearance at Trollfest singing "I'm a Sweet Transvestite" from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." Kamikaze will sing his new hit, “How I sold out to da Man.” Robbie Bell again performs: “Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be Bells” and “Any friend of Ed Peters is a friend of mine”. After the show, Ms. Bell will autograph copies of her mug shot photos. In a salute to “Dancing with the Stars”, Ms. Bell and Hinds County District Attorney Robert Smith will dance the Wango Tango.

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In the spirit of helping those who are less fortunate, Trollfest '09 adopts a cause for which a portion of the proceeds and donations will be donated: Keeping Frank Melton in his home. The “Keep Frank Melton From Being Homeless” booth will sell chances for five dollars to pin the tail on the jackass. John Reeves has graciously volunteered to be the jackass for this honorable excursion into saving Frank's ass. What's an ass between two friends after all? If Mr. Reeves is unable to um, perform, Speaker Billy McCoy has also volunteered as when the word “jackass” was mentioned he immediately ran as fast as he could to sign up.


In order to help clean up the legal profession, Adam Kilgore of the Mississippi Bar will be giving away free, round-trip plane tickets to the North Pole where they keep their bar complaint forms (which are NOT available online). If you don't want to go to the North Pole, you can enjoy Brant Brantley's (of the Mississippi Commission on Judicial Performance) free guided tours of the quicksand field over by High Street where all complaints against judges disappear. If for some reason you are unable to control yourself, never fear; Judge Houston Patton will operate his jail where no lawyers are needed or allowed as you just sit there for minutes... hours.... months...years until he decides he is tired of you sitting in his jail. Do not think Judge Patton is a bad judge however as he plans to serve free Mad Dog 20/20 to all inmates.

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This is definitely a Beaver production.


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There will be a hugging booth where in exchange for your young son, Frank Melton will give you a loooong hug. Trollfest will have a dunking booth where Muhammed the terrorist will curse you to Allah as you try to hit a target that will drop him into a vat of pig grease. However, in the true spirit of Separate But Equal, Don Imus and someone from NE Jackson will also sit in the dunking booth for an equal amount of time. Tom Head will give a reading for two hours on why he can't figure out who the hell he is. Cliff Cargill will give lessons with his .80 caliber desert eagle, using Frank Melton photos as targets. Tackleberry will be on hand for an autograph session. KIM Waaaaaade will be passing out free titles and deeds to crackhouses formerly owned by The Wood Street Players.

If you get tired come relax at the Fox News Tent. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both will entitle you to free drinks.Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required, just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '07 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.

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