(1) The state shall be divided into an appropriate number of chancery court districts, severally numbered and composed of the counties as set forth in the sections which follow. A court to be styled “The Chancery Court of the County of ____ ” shall be held in each county, and within each judicial district of a county having two (2) judicial districts, at least twice a year. Court shall be held in chancery court districts consisting of a single county on the same dates state agencies and political subdivisions are open for business excluding legal holidays. The dates upon which terms shall commence and the number of days for which terms shall continue in chancery court districts consisting of more than one (1) county shall be set by order of the chancellor in accordance with the provisions of subsection (2) of this section. A matter in court may extend past a term if the interest of justice so requires.

(2) An order establishing the commencement and continuation of terms of court for each of the counties within a chancery court district consisting of more than one (1) county shall be entered annually and not later than October 1 of the year immediately preceding the calendar year for which the terms of court are to become effective. Notice of the dates upon which terms of court shall commence and the number of days for which the terms shall continue in each of the counties within a chancery court district shall be posted in the office of the chancery clerk of each county within the district and mailed to the office of the Secretary of State for publication and distribution to all Mississippi Bar members. If an order is not timely entered, the terms of court for each of the counties within the chancery court district shall remain unchanged for the next calendar year.

(3) The number of chancellorships for each chancery court district shall be determined by the Legislature based upon the following criteria:

(a) The population of the district;

(b) The number of cases filed in the district;

(c) The caseload of each chancellor in the district;

(d) The geographic area of the district;

(e) An analysis of the needs of the district by the court personnel of the district; and

(f) Any other appropriate criteria.

(4) The Judicial College of the University of Mississippi Law Center and the Administrative Office of Courts shall determine the appropriate:

(a) Specific data to be collected as a basis for applying the above criteria;

(b) Method of collecting and maintaining the specified data; and

(c) Method of assimilating the specified data.

(5) In a district having more than one (1) office of chancellor, there shall be no distinction whatsoever in the powers, duties and emoluments of those offices except that the chancellor who has been for the longest time continuously a chancellor of that court or, should no chancellor have served longer in office than the others, the chancellor who has been for the longest time a member of The Mississippi Bar shall be the senior chancellor. The senior chancellor shall have the right to assign causes and dockets and to set terms in districts consisting of more than one (1) county.