The Mississippi Supreme Court handed down two opinions today and both are reversals. One is an appeal of a property tax valuation and the other is an appeal of a chancellor’s decision disqualifying an attorney under Rule 4.2 of the Mississippi Rules of Professional Conduct due to the attorney’s prior representation of a partnership in a lawsuit involving one of the partners.
Mississippi Hub, LLC v. Baldwin, 2021-CA-00935-SCT (Civil – State Boards and Agencies)
Reversing summary judgment that found an appeal of a property tax valuation was untimely, holding that the appeal was timely and that there were genuine issues of material fact as to the value of the underground natural gas facility at issue.
(8-1-0: Chief Justice Randolph concurred in result only without separate written opinion)
Pettis v. Simrall, 2021-IA-01253-SCT (Civil – Contract)
Reversing the chancellor’s decision disqualifying counsel under Rule 4.2 of the Rules of Professional Conduct because of an alleged conflict of interest, holding that no attorney-client relationship between an attorney and a partner in a general partnership can be implied from an attorney’s representation of the general partnership and that a chancellor may not preemptively disqualify an attorney for practices and proceedings that were not before the court.
(9-0)
Other Orders
Chism v. State, 2018-M-01436 (denying application for leave to file motion for PCR, finding that the filing was frivolous, and warning against future frivolous filings)
Parker v. Ross, 2020-CT-01055-SCT (granting cert)
Roberson v. State, 2022-CT-01208-SCT (denying cert)
Skinner v. State, 2021-CT-00080-SCT (denying cert)
Sel Business Services, LLC v. Lord, 2021-CT-00368-SCT (granting cert)
Terpening v. F.L. Crane & Sons, Inc., 2021-CT-00544-SCT (denying cert)
Longo v. City of Waveland, 2021-CA-00735-SCT (denying rehearing)
Lewis v. State, 2021-CT-00736-SCT (denying cert)
Mississippi Appeals Blog 