NATCHEZ — With a massive caseload and small courtroom the Adams County Justice Court is rapidly running out of space.

Adams County Justice Court Judge Charlie Vess said the increased amount of cases heard in justice court has left the small courtroom completely cramped.

And not only is the courtroom cramped but the crowds are spilling out into the hall, foyer and even stairwell, Vess said.

“It’s totally inadequate for the volume of work we’re doing,” he said.

Vess said the court is so crowded that it could be a threat to public safety.

On Monday, Vess appeared before the Adams County Board of Supervisors to ask them to consider a budget increase that could ultimately fund a move for the court.

Vess said he has visited the county’s old unemployment office on Briarwood Road and thinks it would suit the court’s needs — at a cost of around $300,000.

“It’s an old government building and it’s well equipped for what we need,” he said.

But weather that need will be met remains to be seen.

Board President Henry Watts said he would prefer the justice court simply relocate into seldom-used courtrooms Adams County Court House.

The justice court is currently in session four days a week, while some of the courtrooms in the county courthouse are only used a few times a month Vess said.

And while Vess said the county courthouse could remedy the problem of space in the courtroom, he’s not sure the plan is logistically feasible.

Vess said the justice court’s records, which currently fill several rooms, would have no place to be stored if the justice court took up residence in the county courthouse.

“And we have to have access to those files,” he said.

Vess said if someone has to run back and forth between the two courts to get files mid-trial that could be problematic.

In addition, Vess said if the court were to move to the county courthouse the computer system there would have to be updated.

Plans to expand the currently used room would involve removing a load-bearing wall and cutting into valuable storage space.

While there’s no quick fix in sight, Vess said he hopes to have the problem corrected soon.

“It’s getting to be a matter of safety,” he said.

Vess said the courtroom used now has seating for 17, plus room for attorneys, their clients and a bailiff.

However the room is so small all of those people have to sit in extremely close proximity to each other.

“There are prisoners intermingling with the public,” he said.

And Vess said the stressful atmosphere of a trial does not help the situation.

Demonstrating, Vess’ arm easily reaches from a chair in the general seating area to the chair were someone on trial would be sitting.

“There’s no separation here,” he said.

Vess said if there were to be a fight or a fire in the normally full courtroom the result could be disastrous.

Any type of problem in the system would only slow the court’s already crawling progress.

Vess said there is currently a backlog of 300 to 500 cases in justice court.

Looking back, Vess said the court’s problems took root five years ago.

That’s when a census revealed the county’s population decreased and number of justice court judges went from three to two.

Since then, Vess said the caseload has gone up with fewer judges to handle them.

Lately the court’s problems have been compounding quickly.

Vess said starting around the first of the year the area got more Mississippi Highway Patrol units and the amount of traffic tickets has increased — possibly by as much as 200 percent.

“That’s more contested tickets,” he said.

So many tickets that Vess said earlier in the week he was hearing cases about tickets written in May.

Vess said a steady stream of misdemeanor drug activity and civil suits, up by approximately 50 percent, also keeps the court packed.

But that packed courtroom is helping to build the county’s bankroll, Vess said.

Vess said fees and fines contribute between $90,000 and $100,000 a month to the county.

“Financially we’re pulling our weight,” he said.