Harrison County Court Records

Harrison County runs along Mississippi's Gulf Coast, with its county government split between two judicial districts — the 1st District in Gulfport and the 2nd District in Biloxi. The county's court system includes Circuit Courts, Chancery Courts, County Courts, Justice Courts, a Youth Court, and several Municipal Courts. Two elected clerks keep the official case files: the Circuit Clerk handles records for the Circuit Court and County Court, while the Chancery Clerk maintains all Chancery Court records, land documents, and equity filings. Figuring out which clerk holds what you need is the essential first step before you start searching.

Mississippi's judiciary maintains resources through MississippiCourts.us that can help you locate publicly available court case information across the state. Within Harrison County, you can search court records through the state's Mississippi Electronic Courts (MEC) system, through online docket and judgment roll tools hosted by the county, or by contacting the relevant clerk's office directly. Public-access terminals at both the Gulfport and Biloxi courthouses are also available for in-person searches during business hours.

How to Look Up a Court Case in Harrison County?

Harrison County offers several ways to find court case information, depending on the court division and the type of case involved.

Online Search — Circuit Court and County Court

The Public Access to Mississippi Electronic Courts (PAMEC) system gives you electronic access to Circuit Court and County Court records in Harrison County. You can search by case number, party name, or filing date. To use PAMEC, you'll need to register for an account online. The annual registration fee for public users is $10.

Online Search — Chancery Court

The Harrison County Chancery Clerk maintains an online Chancery Court Docket where you can search by party name or hearing date. When searching by name, enter at least the first three characters. Date searches are limited to the current day and future dates — historical date searching is not available.

Judgment Roll Search

The Circuit Clerk also provides a Judgment Roll Search tool that lets you search by plaintiff or defendant name to find judgments recorded in Harrison County.

In-Person Requests

Both clerk offices are open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Key locations are listed below:

Court/Office	Address	Phone
Circuit Clerk — 1st District	1801 23rd Avenue, Gulfport, MS 39501	(228) 865-1635
Circuit Clerk — 2nd District	730 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd, Biloxi, MS 39530	(228) 435-8233
Chancery Clerk — 1st District	1801 23rd Avenue, Gulfport, MS 39501	(228) 865-4092
Chancery Clerk — 2nd District	730 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd, Biloxi, MS 39530	(228) 435-8280

Mail Requests

Send written requests to the appropriate clerk with the case number (if you have it), full names of the parties, and payment for any copy fees. Mailing addresses are:

Circuit Clerk — 1st District: P.O. Box 998, Gulfport, MS 39502
Circuit Clerk — 2nd District: P.O. Box 235, Biloxi, MS 39533
Chancery Clerk — 1st District: P.O. Drawer CC, Gulfport, MS 39502
Chancery Clerk — 2nd District: P.O. Box 544, Biloxi, MS 39533

Copy fees at the Circuit Clerk's office are $1.00 per page for standard copies and $2.00 for certified copies.

Are Court Records Public in Harrison County?

Court records in Harrison County are generally open to the public under the Mississippi Public Records Act of 1983 (Mississippi Code 25-61-1 et seq.), which establishes that public records must be available for inspection unless a specific statutory exemption applies. Under Mississippi Code 9-1, court records include case filings, judgments, motions, orders, hearing transcripts, and evidentiary documents.

Several categories of records are either exempt from public access or require redaction before release:

Sealed records: Any case file or document sealed by court order is not available without judicial authorization.
Ongoing investigations: Records tied to active criminal investigations may be withheld until the investigation closes.
Juvenile records: Youth Court proceedings are confidential under Mississippi law.
Personal identifying information: Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, and similar protected data are typically redacted from public documents.
Adoption records: Adoption files maintained by the Chancery Court are sealed and accessible only to authorized parties.
Victim information: Records containing sensitive details about crime victims may be restricted.

The Chancery Clerk's office also maintains a formal Public Records Request Form and Policy that outlines the procedures for submitting formal requests for county records.

Harrison County Criminal Court Records

Criminal prosecutions in Harrison County are divided across multiple courts based on the severity of the offense. The Circuit Court handles felonies and serious offenses; the County Court covers misdemeanors, preliminary hearings, bond settings, and certain non-capital felony transfers from the Circuit Court. Justice Courts address minor criminal matters, while Municipal Courts in Gulfport, Biloxi, D'Iberville, Long Beach, and Pass Christian handle city ordinance violations and some misdemeanors.

Searching Criminal Cases

Criminal case information from the Circuit Court and County Court is available through the PAMEC system. The Mississippi Judiciary website at courts.ms.gov also offers a general docket search tool accessible from the left sidebar — enter a defendant's name or case number to pull up case status and hearing information.

Criminal Court Locations

Court	Address	Phone	Fax
Circuit Court — 1st District	1801 23rd Ave, Gulfport, MS 39501 (P.O. Box 998, Gulfport, MS 39502)	(228) 865-1635	(228) 865-4099
Circuit Court — 2nd District	730 Dr. MLK Jr. Blvd, Biloxi, MS 39530 (P.O. Box 235, Biloxi, MS 39533)	(228) 435-8233	(228) 435-8270
County Court — 1st District	1801 23rd Ave, Gulfport, MS 39501 (P.O. Box 1461, Gulfport, MS 39502)	(228) 865-4230	(228) 865-6523
County Court — 2nd District	730 Dr. MLK Jr. Blvd, Biloxi, MS 39530 (P.O. Box 235, Biloxi, MS 39533)	(228) 435-8232	(228) 435-8277

Criminal Assessments and Fees

The Harrison County Circuit Clerk publishes a detailed fee schedule for criminal matters. Key assessments include:

Felony assessment: $280.50
Misdemeanor assessment (Circuit or County Court): $121.75
Traffic assessment: $90.50
Drug and alcohol assessment: $50.00
Crime Victims Compensation Fund: $10.00 minimum (at the judge's discretion)
Sheriff fee: $45.00
Appearance bond fee: 2% of bond amount, minimum $20.00
Searching criminal records per name: $10.00

Harrison County Sheriff's Office

The Harrison County Sheriff's Office maintains arrest records and handles public records requests through its Public Records Department.

Sheriff's Office — Public Records
Address: 10451 Larkin Smith Drive, Gulfport, MS 39503
Phone: (228) 896-0626
Fax: (228) 896-0625
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

To request a copy of a police report, download the request form from the Sheriff's public resources page and submit it by mail or in person with a valid state-issued ID. For criminal history and background checks, download the Criminal History Request Form and submit it in person only.

Statewide Criminal Background Checks

The Mississippi Department of Public Safety maintains the Criminal Information Center, which processes fingerprint-based statewide criminal background checks. Here's how to request one:

Complete the Release Background Authorization Form.
Have the form signed in the presence of a notary public.
Enclose a $32 money order and a photocopy of a state ID or driver's license.
Mail to: Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, Attn: Criminal Information Center/Background Checks, 3891 Highway 468 West, Pearl, MS 39208.

A name-based background check is also available online for $32, payable by credit or debit card (Visa, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express).

Expungement Resources

The Sheriff's Office provides downloadable forms for record expungement, including an Expungement Handbook, Expungement Statutes, a Motion form, and an Order form.

Harrison County Civil Court Records

Civil litigation in Harrison County is spread across several courts depending on the dollar amount in dispute and the subject matter. The Circuit Court handles civil lawsuits with no monetary cap, including contract disputes, personal injury claims, and appeals from lower courts. The County Court has concurrent jurisdiction with the Circuit Court for civil cases up to $200,000. Justice Courts handle civil matters within their statutory limits, generally up to $3,500.

Civil Filing Fees — Circuit Clerk

The Circuit Clerk's fee schedule lists the following costs for a standard civil filing:

Component	Amount
Clerk Fee	$85.00
Comprehensive Electronic Court Systems Fund (CECSF)	$10.00
Law Library	$7.50
Steno Fee	$10.00
Civil Legal Assistance Fund (CLAF)	$5.00
Court Administrators Fund	$2.00
State Court Education Fund	$2.00
Records Retention	$1.00
State Constituents Fund	$0.50
Jury Tax	$3.00
Total Civil Filing (Complaint)	$166.00

Additional fees include garnishment ($36.00), judgment debtor action ($36.00), renewal of judgment ($36.00), foreign judgment filing ($166.00), transfer/change of venue ($86.00), and appeal to the Mississippi Supreme Court ($200.00, payable to the MS Supreme Court).

Process Service Fees

Service per defendant or witness at each address: $45.00 (payable to the Sheriff)
Each additional defendant or witness at the same address: $5.00
Service through the Insurance Commissioner: $25.00
Service through the Secretary of State (C/T Corporation via Hinds County Sheriff): $25.00

Miscellaneous Fees

Copies per page: $1.00
Certified copies: $2.00
Abstract of judgment: $1.50
Enrollment of judgment: $6.00
Cancellation of judgment: $1.00 (certified: $2.00)

Civil court records can be searched through the PAMEC system or by visiting the Circuit Clerk's office at either the Gulfport or Biloxi courthouse.

Harrison County Family Court Records

Harrison County does not operate a separate family court. Family law matters — including divorce, child custody, child support, adoption, guardianship, paternity, name changes, and other domestic relations — fall under the jurisdiction of the Harrison County Chancery Court. The 8th Chancery Court District serves Harrison County with four Chancellors: Jim Persons (Place 1), Jennifer Schloegel (Place 2), Margaret Alfonso (Place 3), and Carter Bise (Place 4).

Accessing Family Court Records

Family case records are maintained by the Chancery Clerk, Angela Thrash. You can request them in several ways:

Online docket search: Use the Chancery Court Docket to look up scheduled hearings by party name (minimum three characters) or date.
In-person: Visit the Chancery Court Clerk's counter at either the Gulfport courthouse (1801 23rd Avenue, Phone: (228) 865-4092) or the Biloxi courthouse (730 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd, Phone: (228) 435-8280).
By mail: Send a written request with the case number and party names to the appropriate mailing address listed above.

Filing fees for Chancery Court are set by Mississippi Code Ann. 25-7-9 and must be paid at the time of filing. The Chancery Clerk's website provides an interactive fee calculator and the option to print a full fee list. Common family law filings include contested and uncontested divorce, child custody and visitation, child support, contested and uncontested adoption, paternity, and termination of parental rights.

Marriage Licenses

Marriage licenses are issued by the Harrison County Circuit Clerk's office. Both parties must apply together in person at either the Gulfport or Biloxi location.

Requirements:

Valid photo ID for both applicants (driver's license, birth certificate, military ID, passport, or other official document)
Fee: $38.00 (cash or credit card; an additional $1.50 service fee applies for card payments)
If either party was divorced within the last six months, a copy of the divorce decree is required
Parental consent is required if either applicant is under 21
The license is valid only in Mississippi
Licenses are not issued after 4:45 p.m.

A certified copy of a marriage license costs $17.00, with additional certified copies at $6.00 each. A certified copy of a marriage record is $1.00. Online marriage license record searches are available by judicial district.

Divorce Records

Divorce records are kept by the Chancery Clerk's office in the district where the case was filed. If you need a copy, contact the Chancery Court Clerk at the appropriate district. The Mississippi State Department of Health does not maintain divorce records but can be contacted for marriage verifications.

Birth and Death Records

Birth and death certificates are issued by the Mississippi State Department of Health Vital Records office. Birth certificates cost $17 for the first copy and $6 for each additional copy. Applicants must complete the official birth certificate application and provide valid photo ID. Death certificate applications use the death certificate form. Certified birth certificates are available only to individuals with a legitimate and tangible interest as defined by state vital records rules — including the registrant (age 18+), parents, spouse, siblings, grandparents, and legal guardians.

Harrison County Probate Court Records

Mississippi does not have a separate probate court. All probate matters in Harrison County — including estate administration, wills, guardianships, conservatorships, and heirship determinations — are handled by the Chancery Court under the supervision of the Chancery Clerk.

Types of Probate Filings

The Chancery Court processes the following probate-related matters, among others:

Testate estates (with a will) and intestate estates (without a will)
Muniment of title
Guardianships and conservatorships (including joint guardianship and conservatorship filings)
Accountings
Will contests
Heirship determinations
Minor settlements

Searching Probate Records

Probate case information can be found through the online Chancery Court Docket search, which displays hearing schedules, party names, courtroom assignments, and presiding judges. For copies of specific filings — such as wills, inventories, or final accountings — contact the Chancery Court Clerk's Department at either the Gulfport office (Phone: (228) 865-4092, Fax: (228) 865-4054) or the Biloxi office (Phone: (228) 435-8280, Fax: (228) 435-8281).

The Chancery Clerk's office also maintains historical and current land records online, which can be relevant to probate matters involving real property. The Land Records Index Search system lets you search by grantor, grantee, legal description, or recording information. Gulfport records are available from May 13, 1985, and Biloxi records from December 18, 1985. Document images can be purchased at $0.50 per page by credit card, and the entire document must be purchased at once.

A Historical Records Portal gives access to older land records and related filings.

Public Guardian

Harrison County maintains a Public Guardian through the Chancery Court system. The current Public Guardian is Cassidy Anderson, reachable at (228) 214-2222 (Fax: (228) 214-2221) in the Gulfport office.

Guardianship and Conservatorship

Filing fees for guardianship and conservatorship proceedings are set by statute and can be calculated using the Chancery Clerk's online fee calculator. All fees must be paid at the time of filing. If you need help with a guardianship matter, you can contact the Public Guardian's office or reach out to the Chancery Court Clerk's Department directly.