Youth Court referee Conrad Mord will preside over a new drug court in Walthall County.

A state drug court advisory board this past week approved funding for the court.

The 59-year-old Mord, a Tylertown attorney, is in his 13th year as youth court referee.

Mord says 85 percent to 90 percent of youths who come through youth court test positive for illegal drugs. He says he applied for funding after seeing the success rate of drug courts in other parts of Mississippi.

So far, there are 25 youths in the Adolescent Offender Program. Mord expects to enroll four of five of them in drug court, with a target number of 18.

Unlike counties with youth court judges, smaller counties like Walthall include youth court in chancery court, whose judges may appoint referees.