Serving West Point and Clay County
Housley Law serves clients in West Point and throughout Clay County from its Tupelo office. Where a case is heard depends on the matter and where it arose: cases arising inside West Point city limits are typically heard in West Point Municipal Court, cases arising elsewhere in the county are typically heard in Clay County Justice Court, and felony charges go to Clay County Circuit Court. Family matters, including divorce, are heard in Clay County Chancery Court in West Point, the county seat.
DUI in West Point and Clay County
A DUI arrest starts two matters at once: the criminal case and a separate license matter. Under Mississippi’s implied consent law, refusing a breath or blood test brings its own suspension — 90 days for a first refusal, 1 year for a second, and 5 years for a third — and a hearing on the license suspension must be requested within 30 days of the arrest under Miss. Code § 63-11-23. Missing that deadline can cost driving privileges even before the criminal case is resolved.
Penalties depend on the offense: a first DUI carries up to 48 hours in jail, fines up to $1,000, and a 90-day license suspension; a second carries up to 1 year in jail, fines up to $3,000, and a 2-year suspension; a third is a felony carrying up to 5 years. Defenses commonly turn on the traffic stop, the legality of searches, the reliability of testing and evidence, and whether the accused’s rights were respected. Where violations are found, evidence can be suppressed and the case dismissed before trial.
Misdemeanors and Traffic Tickets
Misdemeanor charges and traffic tickets in West Point and Clay County are typically heard in municipal or justice court, depending on where the ticket was written or the offense occurred. Common matters include speeding, reckless and careless driving, simple assault, shoplifting, and first-time DUI. An arrest is not a conviction: the stop, the evidence, and the handling of statements can all be challenged, and negotiation can reduce a charge or resolve a matter on terms that protect employment, licensing, and driving privileges. For eligible misdemeanors, nonadjudication under Miss. Code § 99-15-26 can mean dismissal on completion — a one-shot opportunity worth raising early, before a plea is entered.
No-Fault Divorce in Clay County
A no-fault divorce in Mississippi starts with a joint complaint and a signed settlement agreement, filed in chancery court. After filing there is a 60-day waiting period before a decree can be entered, and an uncontested matter typically resolves in 60 to 90 days. The agreement should settle custody under the child’s best interests, support, and the equitable distribution of property. Getting the agreement right before filing matters: once the joint complaint has sat on file, enforcing or changing its terms gets harder, not easier.
Expungements
An old charge does not have to follow you. Whether a matter can be expunged depends on the charge and how it ended: a nonadjudication that ended in dismissal is potentially expungeable, and certain convictions are expungeable under Miss. Code § 99-19-71, while others — including some traffic convictions — are excluded. Bringing the disposition paperwork to the first consultation lets the firm tell you quickly whether your record qualifies and what the filing requires.
What to Bring, and Free Consultation
Bring your citations or tickets, bond paperwork, any court-date paperwork, and any prior disposition or record information you have. If you have been charged with a crime, received a traffic ticket, or are considering divorce or an expungement in West Point or anywhere in Clay County, contact William Wayne Housley for a free consultation at 662-222-0900. Early action matters — especially the 30-day license hearing deadline in DUI cases.
