06/05/2026
🚨 PARENTS, TAKE NOTICE: NEW MISSISSIPPI LAW 🚨
Beginning July 1, 2026, Mississippi's new Senate Bill 2710 goes into effect. This new law significantly strengthens penalties for firearm-related crimes and completely shifts how juvenile offenders are handled.
As your Chancery Clerk, one of the heaviest responsibilities I oversee is Youth Court. We see so many kids getting in and out of trouble who need help, and we always try to correct and rehabilitate them. But parents, you need to hear this: the rules are about to change.
The days of treating armed violence as youthful misconduct are over. If your child makes the wrong choice, the safety net of Youth Court will be gone.
The Real Consequences of SB 2710:
No More Youth Court for Violent Gun Crimes: Juveniles under 18 who commit a violent crime with a firearm will automatically be charged in Circuit Court and prosecuted strictly as adults,
unless a judge specifically orders otherwise.
Stolen Guns = Massive Prison Time: Transferring or selling a stolen firearm now carries enhanced penalties. If that firearm is later used in a violent crime, the person who sold or transferred it faces 10 to 40 years in prison.
Shooting into Crowds is a Major Felony: Willfully firing a gun into a crowd or gathering of two or more people is now a felony carrying 5 to 15 years in prison and fines up to $10,000.
A Message to Every Scott County Family
A teenager who chooses to pick up a gun and commit a violent crime will now face adult consequences that will follow them for the rest of their life. One split-second decision can lead to decades behind bars.
Please, have this conversation with your kids today. Teach accountability. Teach responsibility. It is far better for us to educate our children about the criminal justice system before they become a part of it. Parents are the first and most important teachers of right and wrong, and those lessons matter. Children should enjoy their youth without destroying their future!
The most important conversation you have with your child today may determine whether they walk across a graduation stage or stand before an adult judge in a courtroom tomorrow.
Let's work together to keep our youth safe, informed, and on the right path.
Sincerely,
Tom Miles
Scott County
Chancery Clerk