Miss. R. Civ. P. 81

As amended through March 21, 2024

Rule 81 - Applicability of Rules

(a) Applicability in General. These rules apply to all civil proceedings but are subject to limited applicability in the following actions which are generally governed by statutory procedures.

(1) proceedings pertaining to the writ of habeas corpus;

(2) proceedings pertaining to the disciplining of an attorney;

(3) proceedings pursuant to the Youth Court Law and the Family Court Law;

(4) proceedings pertaining to election contests;

(5) proceedings pertaining to bond validations;

(6) proceedings pertaining to the adjudication, commitment, and release of narcotics and alcohol addicts and persons in need of mental treatment;

(7) eminent domain proceedings;

(8) Title 91 of the Mississippi Code of 1972;

(9) Title 93 of the Mississippi Code of 1972;

(10) creation and maintenance of drainage and water management districts;

(11) creation of and change in boundaries of municipalities;

(12) proceedings brought under sections 9-5-103, 11-1-23, 11-1-29, 11-1-31, 11-1-33, 11-1-35, 11-1-43, 11-1-45, 11-1-47, 11-1-49, 11-5-151 through 11-5-167, and 11-17-33, Mississippi Code of 1972.

Statutory procedures specifically provided for each of the above proceedings shall remain in effect and shall control to the extent they may be in conflict with these rules; otherwise these rules apply.

(b) Summary Proceedings. In ex parte matters where no notice is required proceedings shall be as summary as the pertinent statutes contemplate.

(c) Publication of Summons or Notice. Whenever a statute requires summons or notice by publication, service in accordance with the methods provided in Rule 4 shall be taken to satisfy the requirements of such statute.

(d) Procedure in Certain Actions and Matters. The special rules of procedure set forth in this paragraph shall apply to the actions and matters enumerated in subparagraphs (1) and (2) hereof and shall control to the extent they may be in conflict with any other provision of these rules.

(1) The following actions and matters shall be triable 30 days after completion of service of process in any manner other than by publication or 30 days after the first publication where process is by publication, to-wit: adoption; correction of birth certificate; alteration of name; termination of parental rights; paternity; legitimation; uniform reciprocal enforcement of support; determination of heirship; partition; probate of will in solemn form; caveat against probate of will; will contest; will construction; child custody actions; child support actions; and establishment of grandparents' visitation.

(2) The following actions and matters shall be triable 7 days after completion of service of process in any manner other than by publication or 30 days after the first publication where process is by publication, to wit: removal of disabilities of minority; temporary relief in divorce, separate maintenance, child custody, or child support matters; modification or enforcement of custody, support, and alimony judgments; contempt; and estate matters and wards' business in which notice is required but the time for notice is not prescribed by statute or by subparagraph (1) above.

(3) Complaints and petitions filed in the actions and matters enumerated in subparagraphs (1) and (2) above shall not be taken as confessed.

(4) No answer shall be required in any action or matter enumerated in subparagraphs (1) and (2) above but any defendant or respondent may file an answer or other pleading or the court may require an answer if it deems it necessary to properly develop the issues. A party who fails to file an answer after being required so to do shall not be permitted to present evidence on his behalf.

(5) Upon the filing of any action or matter listed in subparagraphs (1) and (2) above, summons shall issue commanding the defendant or respondent to appear and defend at a time and place, either in term time or vacation, at which the same shall be heard. Said time and place shall be set by special order, general order or rule of the court. If such action or matter is not heard on the day set for hearing, it may by order signed on that day be continued to a later day for hearing without additional summons on the defendant or respondent. The court may by order or rule authorize its clerk to set such actions or matters for original hearing and to continue the same for hearing on a later date.

(6) Rule 5(b) notice shall be sufficient as to any temporary hearing in a pending divorce, separate maintenance, custody or support action provided the defendant has been summoned to answer the original complaint.

(e) Proceedings Modified. The forms of relief formerly obtainable under writs of fieri facias, scire facias, mandamus, error coram nobis, error coram vobis, sequestration, prohibition, quo warranto, writs in the nature of quo warranto, and all other writs, shall be obtained by motions or actions seeking such relief.

(f) Terminology of Statutes. In applying these rules to any proceedings to which they are applicable, the terminology of any statute which also applies shall, if inconsistent with these rules, be taken to mean the analogous device or procedure proper under these rules; thus (and these examples are intended in no way to limit the applicability of this general statement):

Bill of complaint, bill in equity, bill, or declaration shall mean a complaint as specified in these rules;

Plea in abatement shall mean motion;

Demurrer shall be understood to mean motion to strike as set out in Rule 12(f);

Plea shall mean motion or answer, whichever is appropriate under these rules;

Plea of set-off or set-off shall be understood to mean a permissible counter-claim;

Plea of recoupment or recoupment shall refer to a compulsory counter-claim;

Cross-bill shall be understood to refer to a counter-claim, or a cross-claim, whichever is appropriate under these rules;

Revivor, revive, or revived, used with reference to actions, shall refer to the substitution procedure stated in Rule 25;

Decree pro confesso shall be understood to mean entry of default as provided in Rule 55;

Decree shall mean a judgment, as defined in Rule 54;

(g) Procedure Not Specifically Prescribed. When no procedure is specifically prescribed, the court shall proceed in any lawful manner not inconsistent with the Constitution of the State of Mississippi, these rules, or any applicable statute.

Miss. R. Civ. P. 81

Amended effective 6/24/1992;4/13/2000.

Advisory Committee Historical Note

Effective April 13, 2000, Rule 81(d)(5) was amended to make a continuance effectual on a signed rather than an entered order. 753-754 So. 2d XVII) (West Miss.Cas. 2000.)

Effective June 24, 1992, Rule 81(h) was deleted. 598-602 So. 2d XXIII-XXIV (West Miss. Cas. 1992).

Effective January 1, 1986, Rule 81(a) was amended by adding subsections (10) - (12); Rule 81(b) was amended by deleting examples and by deleting a provision that no answers are required in ex parte matters; Rule 81(d) was rewritten to provide for proceedings in a number of specified actions and to abrogate its treatment of domestic relations matters. 470-473 So. 2d XVI-XVIII (West Miss. Cas. 1986).

Comment

Rule 81 compliments Rule 1 by specifying which civil actions are governed only partially, or not at all, by the provisions of the M.R.C.P.

Rule 81(a) lists 12 categories of civil actions which are not governed entirely by the M.R.C.P. In each of those actions there are statutory provisions detailing certain procedures to be utilized. See generally Miss. Code Ann. §§ 11-43-1, et seq., (habeas corpus); 73-3-301, et seq., (disciplining of attorneys); 43-21-1, et seq., (youth court proceedings); 23-15-911 et seq. (election contests); 31-13-1, et seq., (bond validation); 41-21-61, et seq., (persons with mental illness or an intellectual disability); 41-30-1, et seq., (adjudication, commitment and release of alcohol and drug addicts); 11-27-1, et seq., (eminent domain); 91-1-1, et seq., (trusts and estates); 93-1-1, et seq., (domestic relations); 51-29-1, et seq., and 51-31-1, et seq., (creation and maintenance of drainage and water management districts); 21-1-1, et seq., (creation of and change in boundaries of municipalities); and those proceedings identified in category (12) by their Code Title as follows: 9-5-103 (bonds of receivers, assignees, executors may be reduced or cancelled, if excessive or for sufficient cause); 11-1-23 (court or judge may require new security); 11-1-29 (proceedings on death of surety on bonds, etc.); 11-1-31 (death of parties on bonds having force of judgment-citation in anticipation of judgment); 11-1-35 (death of parties on bonds having force of judgment when citation issued and returnable); 11-1-43 through 11-1-49 (seizure of perishable commodities by legal process); 11-5-151 through 11-5-167 (receivers in chancery); and 11-17-33 (receivers appointed for nonresident or unknown owners of mineral interests).

However, in any instance in the twelve listed categories in which the controlling statutes are silent as to a procedure, the M.R.C.P. govern.

As to ex parte matters, Rule 81(b) is intended to preserve, inter alia, the summary manner in which many matters testamentary, of administration, in minors/wards' business, and in cases of idiocy, lunacy, and persons of unsound mind are handled. See Miss. Code Ann. § 11-5-49(1972).

Rule 81(c) pertains to actions or matters where a statute requires that summons or notice be made by publication. In those instances, publication as provided by Rule 4 shall satisfy the requirements of such statute(s).

Rule 81(d) recognizes that there are certain actions and matters whose nature requires special rules of procedure. Basically these are matters of which the State has an interest in the outcome or which because of their mature should not subject a defendant/respondent to a default judgment for failure to answer. Furthermore, they are matters that should not be taken as confessed even in the absence of the appearance of the defendant/respondent. Most of the matters enumerated are peculiar to chancery court. Rule 81(d) divides the actions therein detailed into two categories. This division is based upon the recognition that some matters, because of either their simplicity or need for speedy resolution, should be triable after a short notice to the defendant/respondent; while others, because of their complexity, should afford the defendant/respondent more time for trial preparation.

Rule 81(d)(3) provides that the pleading initiating the action should be commenced by complaint or petition only and shall not be taken as confessed. Initiating Rule 81(d) actions by "motion" is not intended.

Rule 81(d)(5) recognizes that since no answer is required of a defendant/respondent, then the summons issued shall inform him of the time and place where he is to appear and defend. If the matter is not heard on the date originally set for the hearing, the court may sign an order on that day continuing the matter to a later date. The rule also provides that the Court may adopt a rule or issue an order authorizing its Clerk to set actions or matters for original hearings and to continue the same for hearing on a later date. (Local rules should be filed with the Supreme Court as required by Rule 83 ).

Rule 81(d)(6) provides that as to any temporary hearing in a pending action for divorce, separate maintenance, child custody or support, notice in the manner prescribed by Rule 5(b) shall be sufficient, provided the defendant/respondent has already been summoned to answer.

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