JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – A federal court hearing was held on Tuesday over House Bill 1020, which was signed into law in April 2023.

The law allows for the creation of a separate Capitol Complex Improvement District (CCID) court in Jackson with the appointment of judges and prosecutors to serve under it.

Lawyers with the NAACP claimed that the law will disproportionately impact Black residents in Jackson, while the state argues the bill is an answer to Jackson’s crime problems. The CCID court is set to go into effect on January 1, 2024.

In federal court, HB 1020 was under a temporary restraining order until September 2023 when Judge Henry Wingate ordered Chief Justice Michael Randolph to go along with the appointment of judges for the court.

The Supreme Court of Mississippi ruled on HB 1020 in September 2023. They said the creation of the court was constitutional, but the appointment of judges was not.

Randolph was in the courtroom on Tuesday and spoke afterwards about the need for the additional judges and how to make that happen logistically.

“The system is flooded with crime and hopefully we can give more breathing space to the judges. But more importantly, that the people will have justice done in an efficient manner that’s fair and equal to every citizen of this state, including every citizen in Jackson,” said Randolph.

The chief justice has been released from the lawsuit. Wingate cited judicial immunity for that decision.

Wingate said he plans to make a decision before January 1, 2024.