NATCHEZ — One of three candidates qualified to run for the Natchez municipal judge seat in May’s primary election does not legally fit the requirements to hold the office.

Adams County Justice Court Judge Charlie Vess qualified to run for Natchez Municipal Judge on Thursday, the last day of qualification.

Despite his experience hearing cases in Adams County Justice Court for 25 years, Vess never graduated from law school and does not hold a license to practice law.

The Natchez city charter states the municipal judge must possess a valid license to practice law in Mississippi and be in good standing with the Mississippi State Bar Association.

While Vess does not argue those facts, he said he is still the best choice for municipal judge.

“It goes down to, ‘Is Charlie Vess qualified to be a judge?’” Vess said. “And I think the electorate would overwhelmingly say yes if I were allowed to run for this office.”

Vess said he has spent 25 years hearing cases under the same laws that the city’s municipal judge hears, and he considers that an advantage over his opponents, local attorneys Lisa Jordan Dale and Carmen Brooks.

He also argues the city’s charter is unfair and unusual among Mississippi cities.

“I just think it’s time that Natchez get up with the state of Mississippi,” Vess said.

“If we want to keep it (elected), that’s fine, but open the door for justice court judges just like everyone else and don’t discriminate because you don’t have a law degree.”

MS code 21-23-05 says that cities with a population of less than 20,000 people can have either an attorney or a sitting justice court judge serve as municipal judge.

The last U.S. census population estimate indicated Natchez had approximately 15,000 residents.

The city charter, which requires the municipal judge be a licensed attorney, can only be changed by an act of the Mississippi Legislature.

Adams County Election Commissioner Larry Gardner said because Vess ran as a Republican, the Republican Party Municipal Committee is responsible for looking at his qualifications.

However, no Republican municipal committee has been formed yet, Gardner said, or a Democratic one for that matter.

Gardner said the election commissioners could only look into candidates’ qualifications once they have a contract with the party or after the primary is over.

The other two candidates, Carmen Brooks and Lisa Jordan Dale, ran as Democrats.

Brooks, who is also running for municipal judge, said she does not intend to challenge Vess’ candidacy directly.

“I’m not concerning myself with any other candidate,” Brooks said. “I am concentrating on my own race.”

Dale said she would also leave the issue of whether Vess would be disqualified to the election commissioners.

“I’ve worked three days a week for 20 years and three months in municipal court under two different judges in the position of public defender and prosecutor,” Dale said. “I feel that I am more than qualified to sit as a municipal judge for the City of Natchez. (Vess) is not, without a law degree and being in good standing with the Mississippi Bar Association as required by city charter.”

For Vess, the statutory requirements come secondary to what he considers to be his superior qualifications.

“It’s like the Bible,” Vess said. “The Bible says you shall not kill, except in war. Says you shall not steal, but beggars steal or people steal to feed their families. There’s a lot of incongruous things.

“Lawyers can lawyer it up all they want, and if I’m not qualified based on some aspect of the law, I’ll bow out. But I think we need to be on the same page with the rest of Mississippi.”