| Circuit Clerk | Forrest County Circuit Clerk |
|---|---|
| Chancery Clerk | Forrest County Chancery Clerk |
| Clerk address | Forrest County Circuit Clerk: 630 Main Street, Hattiesburg, MS 39401. County Court and Youth Court: Forrest County Courthouse, 110 Alcorn Avenue, Hattiesburg, MS 39401. Forrest County Chancery Clerk: Paul B. Johnson Chancery Building, 641 Main Street, Hattiesburg, MS 39401. Justice Court: 700 Main Street, Hattiesburg, MS 39401. |
| Phone | Circuit Clerk (601) 582-3213; County Court administrator (601) 545-6100; Chancery Clerk (601) 545-6041; Justice Court (601) 544-3136; county switchboard (601) 545-6000 |
| Hours | Confirm current hours with the clerk before visiting |
| 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) |
Forrest County is home to Hattiesburg and the University of Southern Mississippi, and its courts are spread across several downtown buildings within a few blocks of one another. The Forrest County Circuit Clerk at 630 Main Street keeps the docket of the Circuit Court — felony indictments, pleas, civil suits, and appeals from the lower courts — and also serves as clerk of the County Court and Youth Court, which sit in the Forrest County Courthouse at 110 Alcorn Avenue. Forrest County makes up the 12th Circuit Court District together with neighboring Perry County.
The Forrest County Chancery Clerk is a separate elected office in the Paul B. Johnson Chancery Building at 641 Main Street. It clerks the Chancery Court — divorce, custody, adoption, guardianship, conservatorship, estates, civil commitments, and land-title disputes — and is also the county's recorder of land records, treasurer, and auditor. Forrest County is one of five counties in the Tenth Chancery Court District.
The county's website is a directory rather than a records portal: it lists each clerk's name, address, and phone but offers no case-docket search for any court. Documents filed in the circuit, county, and chancery courts are on Mississippi Electronic Courts (MEC), viewable with a paid public-access account, and anything older or not imaged must be requested from the clerk. Justice Court at 700 Main Street and Hattiesburg Municipal Court keep separate misdemeanor and traffic dockets.
Search Forrest County court records online
Circuit Clerk
Forrest County Circuit Clerk
- Cost
- Copy and search fees set by statute (Miss. Code Ann. § 25-7-13); MEC/PAMEC account (fee) to view documents online
- Coverage
- Circuit Court felony criminal cases, civil suits, appeals from Justice and Municipal Court, County Court civil and misdemeanor matters, Youth Court (confidential), and the judgment roll; the clerk also administers county elections
- Records
- Civil, Criminal
The county's Courts page lists the clerk (Gwen Wilks), the 630 Main Street address, and phone (601) 582-3213, but no online case search or office hours. County Court and Youth Court sit at 110 Alcorn Avenue; the County Court administrator can be reached at (601) 545-6100.
Chancery Clerk
Forrest County Chancery Clerk
- Cost
- Copy and certification fees set by statute (Miss. Code Ann. § 25-7-9); MEC/PAMEC account (fee) to view chancery documents online
- Coverage
- Chancery Court cases (divorce, custody, adoption, guardianship, conservatorship, estates, civil commitments, land title) and the county's recorded land records and delinquent-tax records
- Records
- Family, Probate
Office of Lance Reid, Chancery Clerk, Paul B. Johnson Chancery Building, 641 Main Street, Hattiesburg; phone (601) 545-6041. The page describes the office's duties but lists no online case or land-records search and no office hours.
Other courts
Forrest County Justice Court
- Cost
- Filing and copy fees set by statute; call the clerk
- Coverage
- Misdemeanors punishable by fine or county-jail time, traffic citations written by the sheriff's office and state agencies, and civil actions up to $3,500
- Records
- Criminal, Civil, Traffic
Justice Court Clerk Chris Selman, 700 Main Street, Hattiesburg, MS 39401; phone (601) 544-3136. No online docket search.
Other courts
12th Circuit Court District (Forrest and Perry counties)
- Cost
- Free
- Coverage
- Judges' contact information, court calendars, jury-duty information, and local rules for the circuit court that sits in Forrest County; not a records search
- Records
- Civil, Criminal
Useful for term dates and courtroom logistics. Records requests still go to the circuit clerk at 630 Main Street.
What is available online
Forrest County's website has no online case search for any court, and neither clerk's page links a land-records portal. Circuit, county, and chancery court filings are carried on Mississippi Electronic Courts; viewing documents there requires a PAMEC account with the statewide annual fee and per-page charge, and coverage runs from the date each court joined MEC forward, so older files exist only on paper or microfilm at the clerk's office. The 12th Circuit Court District site publishes calendars and judge contacts but not dockets. Justice Court and Hattiesburg Municipal Court dockets are not online through the county. Office hours are not posted on the county site, so call before visiting.
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
Forrest County clerk offices
Forrest County Circuit Clerk: 630 Main Street, Hattiesburg, MS 39401. County Court and Youth Court: Forrest County Courthouse, 110 Alcorn Avenue, Hattiesburg, MS 39401. Forrest County Chancery Clerk: Paul B. Johnson Chancery Building, 641 Main Street, Hattiesburg, MS 39401. Justice Court: 700 Main Street, Hattiesburg, MS 39401.
Phone: Circuit Clerk (601) 582-3213; County Court administrator (601) 545-6100; Chancery Clerk (601) 545-6041; Justice Court (601) 544-3136; county switchboard (601) 545-6000
Contact details were taken from the office's website and are re-checked on a schedule; confirm hours before visiting.
Circuit and County Court records (felonies, civil suits, misdemeanor appeals, judgments). Contact the Circuit Clerk at 630 Main Street, Hattiesburg, MS 39401, phone (601) 582-3213. Provide the case number or the party names and approximate year, name the specific document, and say whether you need a plain or certified copy. Fees follow the circuit clerk fee statute (Miss. Code Ann. § 25-7-13); confirm the total by phone before mailing a check or money order. County Court files are also the circuit clerk's responsibility even though that court sits at 110 Alcorn Avenue. Youth Court records are confidential and released only to parties and authorized agencies.
Chancery Court records (divorce, custody, estates, guardianship, commitments, land). Contact the Chancery Clerk in the Paul B. Johnson Chancery Building, 641 Main Street, Hattiesburg, MS 39401, phone (601) 545-6041. Chancery copy and certification fees are set by Miss. Code Ann. § 25-7-9. Estate requesters usually want the order admitting the will or the letters testamentary; divorce requesters want the final judgment.
Online. Register for a PAMEC account through Mississippi Electronic Courts to search and download filed documents for the circuit, county, and chancery courts yourself. Adoption and Youth Court files are sealed and will not appear.
Justice and municipal court records. Justice Court files are with the Justice Court clerk at 700 Main Street, (601) 544-3136. Tickets written by Hattiesburg or Petal police are in those cities' municipal courts, which the county does not index.
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
Where do I go for Forrest County court records?
It depends on the court. Felony, civil, and County Court files are with the Circuit Clerk at 630 Main Street in Hattiesburg; divorce, estate, guardianship, and land matters are with the Chancery Clerk at 641 Main Street; misdemeanors and small claims are with Justice Court at 700 Main Street.
Does Forrest County have a free online court records search?
No. The county website lists clerk contacts only. Filed documents are available through Mississippi Electronic Courts with a paid PAMEC account, or by request from the clerk that holds the file.
Which courts make up the 12th Circuit Court District?
Forrest and Perry counties. The district's judges sit at 630 Main Street in Hattiesburg, but each county's circuit clerk keeps its own records, so a Perry County case must be requested from the Perry County Circuit Clerk.
How do I get a certified copy of a Forrest County divorce decree?
Ask the Forrest County Chancery Clerk at 641 Main Street for a certified copy of the final judgment of divorce, giving the cause number or the parties' names and the year. Certification and per-page fees apply; call (601) 545-6041 to confirm the amount.
Sources
- Forrest County Courts (Circuit, Chancery, County/Youth, and Justice Court) — https://forrestcountyms.us/forrest-county-courts/
- Forrest County Chancery Clerk — https://forrestcountyms.us/forrest-county-chancery-clerk/
- Forrest County Directory — https://forrestcountyms.us/directory-listing/
- 12th Circuit Court District of Mississippi — https://www.12thcircuitcourt.com/
- 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.