In Legal Terms

We’re discussing liquor laws today. Our guests are from the Department of Revenue: Riley Nelson – Chief of Enforcement for the ABC and attorney Matthew Henry.https://www.dor.ms.gov/abcWe hope we can answer your questions with our show today, but if we miss something, maybe it’s answered on the Department of Revenue’s Frequently Asked Questions page. The legal drinking age for beer and/or alcohol is 21 years of age. However, a person who is 18-21 years of age, in the presence of his parent or legal guardian, may consume beer with the consent of the parent or legal guardian. Please note that this exception is for beer only and specifically does not include hard liquor or wine products that contain more than 5% alcohol by weight. Further, a person who is at least 18 years of age and who is serving in the U.S. military may possess and consume beer on military property where or when the consumption of beer is allowed.​But also - Persons under the age of 21 may be inside licensed premises; however, they cannot be allowed to drink or be sold alcoholic beverages. Please note that the owner of the premises may prohibit minors from their premises at the owner’s discretion.​Since 1966, ABC agents have successfully prosecuted in excess of 40,000 liquor law violations and destroyed approximately 3,000 illicit whiskey stills. https://www.dor.ms.gov/abc/abc-enforcement

How would you feel if you needed to go to court or conduct legal business but weren’t fluent in the language? Our guests will help us understand court interpreter service in Mississippi: Deenie Miller, Director of Language Access Mississippi Supreme Court and Dr. Javier Gerardo Gómez, Credentialed Court Interpreter. H.B. 1217 became law July 1, 2023. The new laws prohibit Limited English Proficient individuals from being responsible for the costs of court interpretation in all bilingual proceedings for civil and criminal matters. The law also now clarifies that a Limited English proficient individual is entitled to the services of an interpreter in any instance arising out of or pertaining to the individual’s involvement in litigation.The Administrative Office of Courts has developed the Mississippi Court Interpreter Credentialing Program. For more detailed information please contact: Administrative Office of CourtsAttention: Deenie Miller, Director of Language AccessPost Office Box 117 Jackson, MS 39205T: 601-359-4469deenie.miller@courts.ms.govFor assistance with interpreters for the hearing impaired, please visit the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf at the following link: https://www.rid.org or https://www.odhh.orgDr. J.G. Gómez, U.S. Army Veteran - Credentialed Interpreter and Translator Language Educator and Technologist - Gómez Language and Culture Services, LLC

Everyone loves a puppy! We’ll learn about your rights with a service animal with guest Robert Schwinn the National Legal Administrator at Canine Companions and disability attorney Rick Courtney whose daughter has a service animal. Canine companions website: https://canine.org/From their website anyone can pre-order their 2024 puppy calendar, sponsor a puppy, or learn how to donate or volunteer.National Headquarters:1-866-CCI-DOGS (224-3647)P.O. Box 446Santa Rosa, CA 95402-0446If you’d like to read up on Mississippi law, check out2013 Mississippi CodeTitle 43 - PUBLIC WELFAREChapter 6 - RIGHTS AND LIABILITIES OF INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIESArticle 5 - MISSISSIPPI SUPPORT ANIMAL ACT§ 43-6-155 - Support animals' access to public places; limitationshttps://law.justia.com/codes/mississippi/2013/title-43/chapter-6/article-5/section-43-6-155It’s always best to go to the official source for information. https://www.ada.gov/resources/service-animals-2010-requirements/US Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division: ADA requirements: service animals page where you can learn how “service animals are defined, where they are allowed, and how they must behave. According to their website:Staff may ask two questions: (1) is the dog a service animal required because of a disability, and (2) what work or task has the dog been trained to perform.

Happy New Year! What I mean is, Happy “ Fiscal “ New Year. Our state starts a new year with new laws. We’ll learn about those new laws from MPB’s legislative reporter – Will Stribling. We’ll learn what laws didn’t pass also.The Mississippi Public Service Commission, on June 13, 2024, approved a new area code to be assigned to the same area occupied by the 662 code. The new area code is 471. Existing 662 customers will keep their current telephone numbers, but new customers, or requests for additional lines, may be assigned the new 471 area code once it’s activated. Further updates will be announced as the implementation process begins in late 2025 or early 2026.We had Public Service Commissioner, for the Northern District, Chris Brown on In Legal Terms April 9th. You can listen to that podcast to learn more about the Public Service Commission. You can find out vehicle information by listening to MPB’s Auto Correct. On recent broadcast/podcasts Germaine Flood and Master Mechanic Coach Charlie Melton talked about 2 bills that recently passed the Mississippi legislature: House Bill 0349 Squatted vehicles; prohibit modifications to motor vehicle which raise front fender a certain height above the rear fender. bans vehicles with front fenders that are four or more inches higher than rear fenders.Senate Bill 2695 Driver's education; revise certain provisions related thereto.If you’re interested in finding out what our Mississippi House and Senate members are up to you can read or watch them online. https://www.legislature.ms.gov/ is the website to read about measures.Now, if you want power yourself – you can register to vote. The Mississippi Secretary of State’s website has a wealth of information about registering to vote. October 7th is the deadline for registering to vote in the November general election.AUGUST 7th             Qualifying Period Begins. First day candidates may file petitions and/or qualifyingstatements for the offices of County School Board, Municipal Separate School DistrictTrustee, Special Municipal Separate School District Trustee or Consolidated/ConsolidatedLine School District Trustee. Think about it. Could you see yourself on your county’s school board?ILT Podcast about voting rightsILT Mobile sports betting podcast

We’re learning about adoption law today with our guest attorney, Chad King from the firm of Thompson Addison. https://thompsonaddison.com/team-member/chadking/The Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services can give you more information about adoption and foster care. In Legal terms had their commissioner Andrea Sanders on a recent broadcast. http://inlegalterms.mpbonline.org/episodes/in-legal-terms-foster-careWe also talked with folks from the Office of the State Defender about Youth and Family Defensehttp://inlegalterms.mpbonline.org/episodes/in-legal-terms-youth-family-defense-programSenate Bill 2244      Foster care children; allow free access to museums and state parks, allow free transcripts from colleges and junior colleges. Was a bill recently passed by our Mississippi legislature. We’ll learn about that and other new laws next week on In Legal Terms.https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/2024/pdf/history/SB/SB2244.xml If you like watching videos or documentaries about adoption – The MPB Public Media App and PBS.org is for you! Many of the videos are free to watch. But if you are a sixty dollar annual contributor (that could be five dollars a month), you have the member benefit of Passport. You’re able watch any of the videos online and on our app. 

Department of Public Safety? What all is that and how does it affect you? Eric Brown, General Counsel for MSPS will tell us. https://www.dps.ms.gov/administration/legal-division Guest co-host Adam Kilgore General Counsel, The Mississippi Bar. https://www.msbar.org/media/3109/what-to-do-when-you-get-a-bar-complaint-adam-kilgore.pdfAttorney volunteers are needed to serve as judges during the 2024 Mississippi High School Mock Trial Competition, sponsored annually by the YLD of the Mississippi Bar. There will be three Regional Competitions: Southern on January 27 in Gulfport, Central on February 3 in Jackson, and Northern on February 10 in Oxford. The Statewide Competition will be March 1-2 in Jackson. More Info: https://msbar.org/pro.../high-school-mock-trial-competition/Have you thought about a career in law enforcement? In Legal Terms did a show with the director of training from the North Mississippi Law Enforcement Training Center . You can find that podcast from December 21st 2021 here: http://inlegalterms.mpbonline.org/episodes/in-legal-terms-law-enforcement-trainingFebruary 12th is the Primary Election Voter Registration Deadline: Applicants who register in-person in the Circuit Clerk’s office on that day and those who mail registration applications postmarked no later than February 12th are eligible to vote in the March 12, 2024 Primary Elections. If you want to have a say in who is nominated by ONE party or THE OTHER for president, or the 4 House of Representatives seats or Senator Rodger Wicker’s Senate seat you have less than 2 weeks to get registered. https://sos.ms.gov/IRSs News for 2024State Sex Offender Registry

Some good news has come out of our latest legislative session; ways to protect youth and families. We’ll let our guests from the Office of the State Public Defender explain: André de Gruy, State Defender, Jennifer Morgan - Family Defense Program Manager, and Tonya Rogillio - IDT Coordinator. We’re talking about the Youth and Family Defense Program.One place to find a directory of public defender is the Office of State Public Defenders: ospd.ms.gov and click on Find a Public Defender. There you’ll see Felony level, certified parent, certified youth, and certified death penalty defenders.There’s a Juneteenth Free Expungement Clinic Saturday, June 15th 2024 from 9am to noon in Canton. Get the address and list of things you MUST bring by checking the Office of State Public Defender’s facebook page postIf you’re interested in hearing more about the work from the office of State Public Defender, André de Gruy, check out our past podcasts:In Legal Terms: Juvenile Life Without Parole 05/16/2024 In Legal Terms: Public Defenders 11/15/2022In Legal Terms: Public Defender System ReformsIn Legal Terms: Bail 02/09/2021 In Legal Terms: Capital Defense 10/15/2019

We’ve all bought something before. Have you bought something that has harmed you? Whose fault is that? We’ll learn about product liability law with attorney Trey Bourn from Butler Snow.The website https://www.butlersnow.com/ has a long long list of News & Events you can select from to learn more about many subjects. More information about our guest can be found as well as the blog: Product Lines https://www.butlersnow.com/news-and-events/category/product-lines-blogIf you’re interested in the topic of product liability, In Legal Terms did another podcast on the topic a couple of years ago.http://inlegalterms.mpbonline.org/in-legal-terms-product-liabilityIf you need help selecting a lawyer there’s a “How to Select A Lawyer” article on the Mississippi Bar website. https://msbar.org/for-the-public/how-to-select-a-lawyer/Spoliation: The destruction or alteration of evidence resulting from a party's failure to preserve evidence relevant to a litigation or investigation.

Jury duty – there’s two ways to think of it: a chance to do your American civic duty or a big disruption to your life. How do you see it? We’ll learn more about Jury duty today with attorney Charles “Chuck” Mullins from Coxwell and Associates. If you like to read up on personal injury, nursing home abuse, dog bite law or so many other topics before you act when choosing an attorney Coxwell Law.com has a huge list of topics you can learn about. You can also learn about today’s guest – Charles Mullins, the attorney who’s helping us learn about jurys. https://www.coxwelllaw.com/There are different kinds of juryies. If you travel more than 50 miles and need to stay overnight, you might be reimbursed for a hotel, mileage, and get a daily attendance fee. Read your details! https://www.mssd.uscourts.gov/petit-jury-informationWe’ll have the Mississippi Bar’s video about being on a jury on our information page. https://msbar.org/for-the-public/juror-video/ and Juror's Guide (msbar.org)From the website https://www.desotocountyms.gov/388/Jury-Duty: If you receive a phone call stating that you have missed your jury duty service and you are in contempt of court, please immediately contact the DeSoto County Sheriff. No one from this office will ever direct you to pay a contempt of court fine over the phone.