The Local Government group provides comprehensive law research on matters affecting local governments. They develop and maintain a code of ordinances conforming with Mississippi and federal laws that is widely utilized by cities throughout the State. The group provides research and counsel to the Legislature on local government matters. Over forty law research requests are completed annually for local government entities, mostly municipalities and school boards.
Jerry Patton is a graduate of The University of Mississippi and of Duke University School of Law. In addition, he studied at the University of Nottingham (England) as a Rotary Scholar and at Stanford University as a Woodrow Wilson Fellow. He joined MLRI in 1994 from private practice in Jackson, Mississippi.