In Mississippi, a 13-year-old can now be prosecuted in adult court over a gun that was never fired and never used. Under Senate Bill 2710, which took effect July 1, 2026, the firearm only has to be present.
The change matters because of where it sends a child. Instead of youth court, with its focus on rehabilitation and diversion, a qualifying case now starts in circuit court, where the defendant faces an adult record, adult jail or state prison, and the loss of youth-court support resources. For families and defense counsel, understanding the exact trigger for that shift is now essential.
What SB 2710 actually changes
The bill amends Mississippi's youth-court jurisdiction statute, Miss. Code Section 43-21-151, to give circuit (adult) courts original jurisdiction over a child age 13 or older who commits or attempts a "crime of violence" while in possession of a firearm. Sen. Joey Fillingane (R-Sumrall) authored the measure, Attorney General Lynn Fitch recommended it to lawmakers, and Gov. Tate Reeves signed it into law.
The most important word in the statute is "jurisdiction." Before this law, a case against a juvenile started in youth court, and only a youth court judge could decide to move it up to circuit court. That transfer step gave a judge discretion to weigh the child's age, history, and circumstances. SB 2710 removes that gatekeeping. As Mississippi Today reported, prosecutors can now charge qualifying juveniles directly in adult court, bypassing the youth-court referral entirely.
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