Mississippi Court Stands by Ruling on Pre-Need Funeral Policies

The Mississippi Supreme Court has declined to hear more appeals in a pre-need funeral services contracts dispute between two Oxford funeral homes.

The Supreme Court ruled last fall there was nothing improper about pre-need funeral services contracts written by Waller Funeral Home that forbid their transfer to another provider. The court last Thursday denied motions from both funeral homes to reconsider that decision.

Coleman Funeral Home had challenged the prohibition, losing in Lafayette County Circuit Court in 2011. The Supreme Court ruled against Coleman but returned the case to Lafayette County for another trial on damages.

Pre-need contracts allow the living to pay in advance for their own final arrangements. Mississippi started regulating pre-need contracts in 2002, becoming one of the last states to do so.