The Lincoln County Grand Jury returned 78 new indictment duringits January term last week, according to court records.

Indictments were signed and a report filed Friday following thethree-day session that concluded late Thursday. The indictmentshave been sent to the sheriff’s office to be served, said LincolnCounty Circuit Clerk Terry Lynn Watkins.

“It looked pretty much like the norm,” Watkins said aboutcharges included in the indictments.

Watkins said 31 indictments involved drug cases and 19 were badcheck issues. The remainder included property crimes, aggravatedassaults and other offenses.

Court officials were unable to discuss specifics of any of thecases. Grand jury proceedings are secret and indictments are notpublic record until they are served.

Watkins said an arraignment date for the newly-indicteddefendants has not been set.

“These will be the new judge’s cases,” Watkins said.

Gov. Haley Barbour has not named a new judge after Judge KeithStarrett began his federal court duties earlier this month. Tenpeople have submitted their names for consideration to be the newdistrict judge for Lincoln, Pike and Walthall counties.

During last week’s session, grand jurors heard from 63witnesses. Eighteen cases were continued for further investigationand the grand jury voted not to return indictments against sevenpeople.

The next grand jury session is scheduled for March 1.