The NCAA is making moves to dismiss a show cause order issued by a Mississippi judge, as their legal team argues they were within their rights to leave the courtroom and that Mississippi law doesn’t support sanctions against them in this scenario.
Trinidad Chambliss, the Ole Miss quarterback, is in a legal battle with the NCAA over an extra year of eligibility. Chambliss is seeking this due to medical issues that impacted his 2022 season. The NCAA's attorneys, who are opposing Chambliss, are trying to avoid returning to Judge Robert Whitwell's courtroom in Pittsboro.
On March 16, the NCAA filed a motion in Lafayette Chancery Court to dismiss Judge Whitwell's show cause order. This motion, submitted by J Douglas Minor, is tied to Chambliss' successful preliminary injunction hearing on February 12, which the NCAA is now appealing.
The issue arose when Minor, along with Taylor Askew and David Zeitlin, left the courtroom while Judge Whitwell was in chambers preparing his ruling. They missed the reading of Whitwell's decision. In their motion, Minor argues that Mississippi law only allows for punitive sanctions against attorneys upon a finding of criminal contempt, which hasn’t been proven in this case.
Before heading to chambers, Judge Whitwell mentioned that attendees were "free to leave," a statement that the NCAA lawyers believed included them. They were unaware this didn’t apply to them until after the ruling was announced.
As for Chambliss, his fight continues as he aims to return for the 2026 Ole Miss football season. The NCAA has petitioned the Mississippi State Supreme Court for an interlocutory review of the Lafayette County Chancery Court's order.
They need two victories: first, for the appeal to be accepted, and second, to win the appeal itself. Given the upcoming football season starting September 6 against Louisville, the NCAA is pushing for an expedited process.
Chambliss' lawsuit, filed on January 16, outlines his pursuit of a medical redshirt. His 2022 season at Ferris State was affected by health issues, including recurrent throat infections and fatigue, stemming from mononucleosis in 2020.
He only found relief after a tonsillectomy in 2024 and transferred to Ole Miss before the 2025 season. Chambliss argues for a retroactive medical redshirt waiver, as these health challenges hindered his ability to play and develop.