| Circuit Clerk | Lauderdale County Circuit Clerk |
|---|---|
| Chancery Clerk | Lauderdale County Chancery Clerk |
| Clerk address | Lauderdale County Circuit Clerk: 2600 Courthouse Blvd., Meridian, MS 39301 (mail: P.O. Box 1005, Meridian, MS 39302-1005). Lauderdale County Chancery Clerk: 2600 Courthouse Blvd., Meridian, MS 39301. Justice Court: 2600 Courthouse Blvd., Meridian, MS 39301. |
| Phone | Circuit Clerk (601) 482-9731; Chancery Clerk (601) 482-9701; Justice Court (601) 482-9879 |
| 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) |
Lauderdale County, on the Alabama line, is anchored by Meridian, and its county courts now share a single address: the county courthouse complex at 2600 Courthouse Boulevard. The Lauderdale County Circuit Clerk keeps the records of the Circuit Court — felony criminal cases, civil suits, and appeals from Justice and Municipal Court — along with the County Court's civil and misdemeanor files, the judgment roll, and marriage licenses, and also runs the county's elections.
The Lauderdale County Chancery Clerk is a separate elected office in the same complex. It files and keeps Chancery Court cases — divorces, estates, adoptions, guardianships, and conservatorships — and issues the legal notices those cases require, while also serving as clerk to the Board of Supervisors, county treasurer and auditor, and custodian of the land records, including deeds, mortgages, and delinquent-tax records. The chancery clerk publishes a free online index of the county's land records; the county publishes no docket search for any court.
Filed court documents for the circuit, county, and chancery courts live on Mississippi Electronic Courts (MEC) and can be viewed with a paid public-access account. Lauderdale County Justice Court, also at 2600 Courthouse Boulevard, handles misdemeanors, traffic, landlord-tenant hearings, and civil suits up to $3,500 and keeps its own docket, as does Meridian Municipal Court for tickets written by city police.
Search Lauderdale County court records online
Circuit Clerk
Lauderdale 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 and civil cases, appeals from Justice and Municipal Court, County Court files, the judgment roll, and marriage licenses
- Records
- Civil, Criminal
Office of Renee Covert, Circuit Clerk, 2600 Courthouse Blvd., Meridian; mail to P.O. Box 1005, Meridian, MS 39302-1005; phone 601-482-9731, fax 601-482-9734, e-mail circuitclerk@lauderdalecounty.org. The page lists no online case search and no office hours.
Chancery Clerk
Lauderdale County Chancery Clerk
- Cost
- Free land-records index online; 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, estates, adoptions, guardianships, conservatorships) and the county's land records, deeds, mortgages, and delinquent-tax records
- Records
- Family, Probate
Office of Carolyn Mooney, Chancery Clerk, 2600 Courthouse Blvd., Meridian, MS 39301; phone 601-482-9701, e-mail chanceryclerk@lauderdalecounty.org. The page links an "Online Records" land-index portal but no chancery case docket search and no office hours.
Other courts
Lauderdale County Chancery Records Online (land-records index)
- Cost
- Free index search; 3.5% service fee ($2.00 minimum) on copies purchased online by card
- Coverage
- Index of Lauderdale County land records maintained by the Chancery Clerk
- Records
- Probate
Land records only, not a court docket. The clerk states the online index is unofficial and that the index in the courthouse controls.
Other courts
Lauderdale County Justice Court
- Cost
- Filing and copy fees set by statute; call the clerk
- Coverage
- Misdemeanors, traffic violations, landlord-tenant hearings, civil suits up to $3,500, preliminary hearings, initial appearances, bond hearings, and arrest warrants
- Records
- Criminal, Civil, Traffic
2600 Courthouse Blvd., Meridian, MS 39301; phone 601-482-9879. No online docket search.
What is available online
The only free Lauderdale County record search online is the chancery clerk's land-records index, which covers recorded deeds, mortgages, and liens, not court cases. Circuit, county, and chancery court filings are on Mississippi Electronic Courts and require a paid PAMEC account to view; coverage begins when each court joined MEC, so older case files are paper or microfilm at the clerk's office. Neither clerk's page describes coverage dates. Justice Court and Meridian Municipal Court dockets are not online through the county. The county site does not post office hours for either clerk, so call ahead.
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
Lauderdale County clerk offices
Lauderdale County Circuit Clerk: 2600 Courthouse Blvd., Meridian, MS 39301 (mail: P.O. Box 1005, Meridian, MS 39302-1005). Lauderdale County Chancery Clerk: 2600 Courthouse Blvd., Meridian, MS 39301. Justice Court: 2600 Courthouse Blvd., Meridian, MS 39301.
Phone: Circuit Clerk (601) 482-9731; Chancery Clerk (601) 482-9701; Justice Court (601) 482-9879
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, judgments, marriage licenses). Contact the Circuit Clerk at 2600 Courthouse Blvd., Meridian, or write to P.O. Box 1005, Meridian, MS 39302-1005. Include the case number or party names and approximate year, the specific document, and whether you need a plain or certified copy. Fees follow the circuit clerk fee statute (Miss. Code Ann. § 25-7-13); call (601) 482-9731 or e-mail circuitclerk@lauderdalecounty.org to confirm the amount and ask about return postage before sending a check or money order.
Chancery Court records (divorce, estates, adoptions, guardianships, conservatorships, land). Contact the Chancery Clerk at 2600 Courthouse Blvd., Meridian, MS 39301, phone (601) 482-9701 or chanceryclerk@lauderdalecounty.org. Copy and certification fees follow Miss. Code Ann. § 25-7-9. Adoption files are sealed and are not released on request.
Land records. Search the free online index first to find the book and page or instrument number, then order copies online (card service fee applies) or at the counter.
Online case documents. Register for a PAMEC account through Mississippi Electronic Courts to search and download filed documents for the circuit, county, and chancery courts.
Justice and municipal court records. Justice Court files are with its clerk at 2600 Courthouse Blvd., (601) 482-9879. Tickets written by Meridian police are in Meridian Municipal Court, a city office 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 are the Lauderdale County clerks' offices?
The Circuit Clerk, Chancery Clerk, and Justice Court are all at the county courthouse complex, 2600 Courthouse Blvd. in Meridian. Circuit clerk mail goes to P.O. Box 1005, Meridian, MS 39302-1005.
Can I search Lauderdale County court cases online for free?
No. The county's free online search covers land records kept by the chancery clerk. Court filings are on Mississippi Electronic Courts, which requires a paid PAMEC account, or can be requested from the clerk of the court that heard the case.
Which Lauderdale County office has my divorce or estate file?
The Lauderdale County Chancery Clerk. Divorces, estates, adoptions, guardianships, and conservatorships are Chancery Court matters and are not in the circuit clerk's index.
Who handles a traffic ticket or small claim in Lauderdale County?
Lauderdale County Justice Court handles misdemeanors, traffic tickets written by the sheriff's office and state agencies, landlord-tenant hearings, and civil suits up to $3,500. Tickets from Meridian police go to Meridian Municipal Court.
Sources
- Lauderdale County Circuit Clerk — https://www.lauderdalecounty.org/circuit-court/
- Lauderdale County Chancery Clerk — https://www.lauderdalecounty.org/court-systems/chancery-court/
- Lauderdale County Justice Court — https://www.lauderdalecounty.org/court-systems/justice-court/
- Lauderdale County Chancery Records Online — http://lauderdalechancery.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.