Magnolia Hospital Files Many Debt Collection Lawsuits
By Josh Mitchell
Corinth Today News Editor
There are two rooms devoted to the hundreds of civil cases filed in Alcorn County Circuit Court.
“I would say we average five to six new lawsuits a day,” said Kalee Smith, deputy Alcorn County circuit clerk.
The vast majority of the cases are debt collections, and most of them end in a default judgment against the defendant, she said.
A default judgment occurs when the defendant fails to answer the complaint within 30 days of being issued a summons, Smith noted.
One of the rooms for the civil cases is devoted to files that still have not been issued a judgment.
The other room has cases in which a judgment has been issued, but money is still being sought or the case is in limbo and still needs to be officially closed. With so many cases coming into the court, it is important to have an organized, efficient system, Smith said.
So far this year there have been 743 civil cases filed in Alcorn County Circuit Court, said Smith, adding that is about the average number the court sees annually. That is far more than the number of criminal cases filed this year in the court, which has seen 223 indictments, Smith added.
Civil cases involving debt are often cleared from active status quickly since many defendants do not contest the fact that they owe money, Smith said. However, some cases, such as medical malpractice and insurance matters, can go to a trial. There have been about two civil trials this year in Alcorn County.
Currently, there are 993 active criminal cases in the circuit court compared to 781 active civil cases in which judgments have not been handed down. Those civil cases go back about 10 years, Smith said.
Many of the debt collection cases are from Magnolia Regional Health Center.
There are four judges who hear civil cases in Alcorn County Circuit Court.
This really should come as no surprise. This area has an overabundance of white trash would will steal you blind if you are not careful. Why do you think the local Walmart is so strict on checking carts leaving the store? Most of the others in the area are not but the Corinth Walmart loses over $14,000 a week from shoplifting.
Too many in this area have no health insurance due to their own life planning and lead a lifestyle that promotes ill health then when they come ill they expect someone else to pay for their care.