| Circuit Clerk | DeSoto County Circuit Clerk |
|---|---|
| Chancery Clerk | DeSoto County Chancery Clerk |
| Clerk address | DeSoto County Circuit Clerk: 2535 Highway 51 S, 2nd Floor, Hernando, MS 38632. DeSoto County Chancery Clerk: 2535 Highway 51 S, Hernando, MS 38632 (mail: P.O. Box 949, Hernando, MS 38632). |
| Phone | Circuit Clerk (662) 469-8007; Chancery Clerk (662) 469-8005 |
| Hours | Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.; closed on state and county holidays (all DeSoto County offices, per the county's Office Hours page) |
| Earliest records noted | Varies by court — older files may be on paper or microfilm |
| Plain copy fee | Circuit clerk: $1.00 per page if the clerk's office makes the copy, $0.25 per page if you make it yourself (Miss. Code Ann. § 25-7-13). Chancery clerk: $0.50 per page by the clerk's staff, $0.25 per page self-service (§ 25-7-9) |
| Certified copy fee | Circuit clerk: $2.00 per page for copies the clerk makes and certifies (§ 25-7-13). Chancery clerk: $1.00 per complete document for certification, added to the per-page copy charge (§ 25-7-9) |
DeSoto County, just south of Memphis, is a single judicial district with one courthouse in Hernando. The DeSoto County Circuit Clerk keeps felony criminal and civil records for Circuit Court and County Court, and manages voter registration, marriage licenses, and jury administration. For online case viewing, the county points searchers to Mississippi Electronic Courts, meaning a paid PAMEC account is generally needed to view case documents, not a free county-run docket search.
The DeSoto County Chancery Clerk is a separate office responsible for Land Records, Court Records (Chancery Court's divorce, probate, and guardianship matters), and county tax records including delinquent-tax and homestead-exemption files. The chancery clerk's office runs its own free online land records search, separate from the court-case index.
Because DeSoto County relies on the statewide MEC system for circuit-court case documents rather than a free local portal, expect to register for a paid PAMEC account for anything beyond a basic index; contact the clerk's office directly if you would rather request a copy in person or by mail.
Search DeSoto County court records online
Circuit Clerk
DeSoto County Circuit Clerk
- Cost
- Free basic information at the courthouse; PAMEC account (fee) needed to view documents online
- Coverage
- Circuit Court and County Court felony criminal and civil case records
- Records
- Civil, Criminal
The office's FAQ (re-checked 2026-09-13) points to Mississippi Electronic Courts for viewing civil court case information online, which requires PAMEC registration; it does not list a separate free county docket search. Fax 662-469-8370.
Chancery Clerk
DeSoto County Chancery Clerk
- Cost
- Free land-records search; fees apply for copies and certain document requests
- Coverage
- Chancery Court cases (divorce, custody, guardianship, probate) and county land records, plus delinquent-tax and homestead-exemption records
- Records
- Family, Probate
Land records are searchable online at landrecords.desotocountyms.gov; Chancery Court case-file requests are handled through the office's online FormCenter request system rather than a public case-search tool.
Other courts
DeSoto County Land Records Online
- Cost
- Free
- Coverage
- Recorded land documents maintained by the Chancery Clerk
- Records
- Probate
Land records only; not a Chancery Court case docket search.
What is available online
DeSoto County does not appear to run its own free public case-docket search separate from Mississippi Electronic Courts; the circuit clerk's office directs online case viewers to MEC/PAMEC, which charges an annual account fee plus a per-page charge. The chancery clerk's free online tool covers recorded land documents and delinquent-tax records, not Chancery Court case files, which are requested through the office's online form system instead. Office hours were not listed on the pages checked; the chancery clerk's site references a separate "Office Hours" page.
Which clerk has your record
In Mississippi, the clerk who keeps a file depends on which court heard the case. Check the court name on the case notice, citation, or order, then use the office and coverage details above to identify the record holder. Court names and responsibilities differ by state; a county clerk may not keep court case files. For federal cases, see the PACER guide. The full court structure is on the Mississippi page.
| Court | Typical cases | Records kept by |
|---|---|---|
| Chancery Court | Divorce, child custody, and support; Adoption and guardianship; Probate of wills and estate administration | Chancery Clerk of the county |
| Circuit Court | Felony criminal cases; Civil suits above the county court's jurisdictional limit; Appeals from county, justice, and municipal court | Circuit Clerk of the county |
| County Court | Civil cases within a set dollar limit; Misdemeanors referred from circuit or justice court; Eminent domain and some youth court matters | Circuit Clerk of the county (County Court is a division the circuit clerk also serves) |
| Justice Court | Misdemeanors; Small claims and civil cases up to the justice-court limit; Traffic citations issued by the sheriff's office | Clerk of the Justice Court |
| Municipal Court | Misdemeanors within city limits; City ordinance violations; Traffic tickets issued by city police | Municipal court clerk for that city |
Request records in person or by mail
DeSoto County clerk offices
DeSoto County Circuit Clerk: 2535 Highway 51 S, 2nd Floor, Hernando, MS 38632. DeSoto County Chancery Clerk: 2535 Highway 51 S, Hernando, MS 38632 (mail: P.O. Box 949, Hernando, MS 38632).
Phone: Circuit Clerk (662) 469-8007; Chancery Clerk (662) 469-8005
Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.; closed on state and county holidays (all DeSoto County offices, per the county's Office Hours page)
Circuit-court records. Contact the DeSoto County Circuit Clerk at 2535 Highway 51 S, 2nd Floor, Hernando, MS 38632 (662-469-8007), or register for a PAMEC account through Mississippi Electronic Courts to search and view documents online. Have the case number or party names ready, and ask whether the specific case has been added to MEC.
Chancery-court and land records. Contact the DeSoto County Chancery Clerk at 2535 Highway 51 S, Hernando, MS 38632 (662-469-8005), or submit a request through the office's online FormCenter for Chancery Court records. Land records can be searched directly online at no charge.
Justice Court and Municipal Court records. DeSoto County's Justice Court keeps its own files for misdemeanors and small claims; tickets from Southaven, Olive Branch, Hernando, or other cities go through that city's Municipal Court.
Fees
| Item | Typical cost in Mississippi |
|---|---|
| Plain copy | Circuit clerk: $1.00 per page if the clerk's office makes the copy, $0.25 per page if you make it yourself (Miss. Code Ann. § 25-7-13). Chancery clerk: $0.50 per page by the clerk's staff, $0.25 per page self-service (§ 25-7-9) |
| Certified copy | Circuit clerk: $2.00 per page for copies the clerk makes and certifies (§ 25-7-13). Chancery clerk: $1.00 per complete document for certification, added to the per-page copy charge (§ 25-7-9) |
Copy fees are set by statute and differ by office: Miss. Code Ann. Section 25-7-13 governs circuit clerks and Section 25-7-9 governs chancery clerks. Some clerks post their own schedules (for example, Madison County's circuit clerk charges $10.00 per name for a staff-run records search and $1.00 per document for certification). Both statutes are amended periodically, so confirm the current amount with the clerk before sending payment.
Need a copy an agency will accept? See how to get certified copies of court records.
Sealed and restricted records
Mississippi court records are open to the public unless a statute or court order restricts them:
The Mississippi guide lists every category of sealed and restricted record, and our guide to expunging or sealing a criminal record explains how to remove one from public view.
Frequently asked questions
Can I search DeSoto County court records online for free?
Land records are free to search online through the chancery clerk. Circuit and County Court case documents are generally viewed through Mississippi Electronic Courts, which requires a paid PAMEC account rather than a free county search.
Which DeSoto County office has my divorce or probate case?
The DeSoto County Chancery Clerk. Divorce, custody, guardianship, and probate matters are Chancery Court cases, and requests for those files go through the chancery clerk's office.
How do I request a copy of a DeSoto County court record?
Contact the clerk that holds the file directly — the circuit clerk for felony and civil cases, or the chancery clerk for family, probate, and land records — by phone, in person, or, for chancery matters, through the office's online request form.
Are Southaven or Olive Branch tickets in the DeSoto County court search?
No. Tickets written by city police in Southaven, Olive Branch, Hernando, or another DeSoto County city go to that city's own Municipal Court, not the county circuit or chancery clerk.
Sources
- DeSoto County Circuit Clerk — https://www.desotocountyms.gov/116/Circuit-Clerk
- DeSoto County Chancery Clerk — https://www.desotocountyms.gov/111/Chancery-Clerk
- DeSoto County Office Hours — https://www.desotocountyms.gov/686/Office-Hours
- DeSoto County Courts — https://www.desotocountyms.gov/131/Courts
- DeSoto County Land Records Online — https://landrecords.desotocountyms.gov/acclaimweb
- State of Mississippi Judiciary — MEC General Information — https://courts.ms.gov/mec/GeneralInformation.php
- Mississippi Electronic Courts (MEC) — https://courts.ms.gov/mec/mec.php
- MEC — PAMEC (Non-Attorney) Terms and Conditions — https://courts.ms.gov/mec/Non-attorney%20Terms%20and%20Conditions.pdf
- Mississippi Supreme Court and Court of Appeals docket/opinion search — https://courts.ms.gov/appellatecourts/docket/login.php
- Mississippi Department of Public Safety — Criminal Information Center — https://www.dps.ms.gov/investigation/criminal-information-center
- Mississippi DPS Personal Background Check — https://www.ms.gov/dps/background_check
- Miss. Code Ann. Section 99-19-71 — Expunction (via Justia Mississippi Code) — https://law.justia.com/codes/mississippi/title-99/chapter-19/in-general/section-99-19-71/
- Miss. Code Ann. Section 25-7-13 — Circuit clerk fees (via Justia Mississippi Code) — https://law.justia.com/codes/mississippi/title-25/chapter-7/section-25-7-13/
- Miss. Code Ann. Section 25-7-9 — Chancery clerk fees (via Justia Mississippi Code) — https://law.justia.com/codes/mississippi/title-25/chapter-7/section-25-7-9/
- Miss. Code Ann. Section 25-7-13 — Circuit clerk fees (via FindLaw) — https://codes.findlaw.com/ms/title-25-public-officers-and-employees-public-records/ms-code-sect-25-7-13/
- Miss. Code Ann. Section 25-7-9 — Chancery clerk fees (via FindLaw) — https://codes.findlaw.com/ms/title-25-public-officers-and-employees-public-records/ms-code-sect-25-7-9/
- Mississippi Ethics Commission — The Public Records Act — https://www.ethics.ms.gov/thepublicrecordact
See also: all Mississippi counties.