Jones County Court Records Search

Jones County sits in southeastern Mississippi, with county seats in both Ellisville (First Judicial District) and Laurel (Second Judicial District). The county’s dual-courthouse structure means that nearly every court division operates from two locations, and record seekers must determine which district handled a particular matter before directing their inquiry. Jones County maintains Circuit Courts, Chancery Courts, County Courts, a Justice Court, a Youth Court, and four Municipal Courts, each generating its own set of case records across criminal, civil, family, and probate categories.

Court records in Mississippi can be located through several channels, including in-person visits to the appropriate clerk’s office, the statewide Mississippi Electronic Courts (MEC) system, and individual county portals. The Mississippi Judiciary website provides access to MEC and general information about all trial and appellate courts. MississippiCourts.us may also help users identify courts and publicly available case data. Registered subscribers to the Public Access to MEC (PAMEC) digital portal can view filed documents electronically, while non-subscribers must contact the relevant clerk or visit a courthouse during business hours.

How to Look Up a Court Case in Jones County?

The first step is identifying which court heard the matter. Jones County’s trial courts have distinct jurisdictions, and records are maintained by different clerks depending on the court type.

Jurisdiction overview:

Court	Jurisdiction	Records Custodian
Circuit Court	Felonies, civil lawsuits (general), appeals from County/Justice/Municipal courts	Circuit Clerk
County Court	Civil matters up to $200,000, concurrent with Justice Court, non-capital felonies (transferred), juvenile/youth matters	Circuit Clerk
Chancery Court	Divorce, child custody, adoptions, guardianships, estates, wills, land records, mental health commitments, equity	Chancery Clerk
Justice Court	Small claims ($3,500 or less), misdemeanors, traffic offenses outside municipalities	Justice Court Clerk
Municipal Courts	Municipal ordinance violations, city misdemeanors, city traffic	Individual municipal clerk

Court locations and contacts:

Jones County Circuit Court — First District
Address: 101 N. Court Street, Suite B, Ellisville, MS 39437
Phone: (601) 477-8538
Fax: (601) 477-8539

Jones County Circuit Court — Second District
Address: 415 N. 5th Avenue, P.O. Box 1336, Laurel, MS 39441
Phone: (601) 425-2556
Fax: (601) 399-4774

Jones County Chancery Court — First District
Address: 101 N. Court Street, Suite D, P.O. Box 248, Ellisville, MS 39437
Phone: (601) 477-3307
Fax: (601) 477-1240

Jones County Chancery Court — Second District
Address: 415 N. 5th Avenue, P.O. Box 1468, Laurel, MS 39441
Phone: (601) 428-0527
Fax: (601) 428-3610

Jones County Justice Court
Address: 5180 Highway 11 N, Ellisville, MS 39437
Phone: (601) 428-3137
Fax: (601) 428-0526

All Circuit and Chancery Clerk offices operate Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., excluding state holidays.

Step-by-step search process:

Determine the case type and identify the correct court from the table above.
Gather available identifying details — at minimum one party’s full name, plus any known case number, filing date, or case category.
For Circuit and County Court records, contact the Circuit Clerk’s office at the appropriate district courthouse. The Circuit Clerk serves as clerk for the Circuit Court, County Court, and Youth Court, and maintains related filings, the judgment roll, and state tax liens.
For Chancery Court records (divorce, probate, land, guardianship), contact the Chancery Clerk’s office.
Registered PAMEC subscribers can search and view digital court documents through the Mississippi Electronic Courts portal. Jones County Circuit Courts went live on MEC on December 18, 2017, and the Chancery Courts on April 17, 2017. For PAMEC registration or help, call (601) 576-4650 or email helpdesk@mec.ms.gov.
The Chancery Clerk also maintains an Official Records Inquiry portal for searching land records and other instruments indexed by the Chancery Clerk’s office.
For records not available online, visit the appropriate clerk’s office in person during business hours. Prepare to provide party names, dates, and any case identifiers. Fees for copies vary by office.

Are Court Records Public in Jones County?

The Mississippi Public Records Act (MPRA), codified in Title 25, Chapter 61 of the Mississippi Code, establishes a general right of public access to records maintained by state and local government entities, including courts. Any person may inspect and copy public records upon a reasonable request. Court documents such as pleadings, motions, orders, judgments, dockets, and transcripts are generally accessible under the MPRA.

Certain records and categories of information are exempt from public disclosure under the MPRA and other Mississippi statutes. In the Jones County court context, the following are typically restricted:

Juvenile and Youth Court records
Adoption records
Mental health commitment proceedings
Medical and health records filed with the court
Attorney-client privileged communications
Social Security numbers and other sensitive personal identifiers
Records sealed by court order
Grand jury proceedings
Active criminal investigation materials where disclosure would compromise an ongoing case

The MEC system flags sealed cases with a “SEALED” or “Sealed_Case” designation, and those records are not visible to PAMEC subscribers. Expunged cases are similarly flagged and removed from public access. Persons seeking access to a sealed or confidential record must obtain a court order from the judge with jurisdiction over the matter.

When requesting copies, the clerk may charge reasonable fees for search time, copying, and certification. Specific fee schedules vary between the Circuit Clerk and Chancery Clerk offices; contact the relevant office to confirm current rates before submitting a request.

Jones County Criminal Court Records

Felony criminal prosecutions in Jones County are heard by the Circuit Court, while misdemeanors fall within the jurisdiction of the County Court, Justice Court, or — for offenses within city limits — the Municipal Courts. The Circuit Clerk maintains records for all Circuit and County Court criminal proceedings, including case filings, plea records, sentencing orders, and judgments.

Municipal Courts handling criminal matters:

Court	Address	Phone
Ellisville Municipal Court	102 W. Holly Street, Ellisville, MS 39437	(601) 477-9252
Laurel Municipal Court	317 S. Magnolia Street, Laurel, MS 39440	(601) 428-6517
Sandersville Municipal Court	P.O. Box 692, Sandersville, MS 39477	(601) 649-3068
Soso Municipal Court	P.O. Box 99, Soso, MS 39480	(601) 729-2958

Searching criminal case records: Circuit and County Court criminal dockets are accessible to PAMEC subscribers via the MEC system. For in-person access, visit either Circuit Clerk office during business hours with the defendant’s name or case number.

Jones County Sheriff’s Department:

The Sheriff’s Department maintains arrest logs, booking information, and law-enforcement records. The department publishes a current inmate roster, a sex offender registry, and a most wanted list on its website. For records inquiries:

Jones County Sheriff’s Department
Address: 419 Yates Avenue, Laurel, MS 39441
Phone: (601) 425-3147 (24-hour line)

Statewide criminal background checks:

The Mississippi Department of Public Safety (DPS) offers name-based criminal background checks through an online portal. Each request costs $32.00, payable by Visa, Mastercard, Discover, or American Express (credit or debit). Processing may take up to 30 calendar days. For questions about DPS background checks, call (601) 933-2600. The DPS check returns Mississippi criminal history only; fingerprint-based checks through the Mississippi Department of Health’s Criminal Background Check program (for employment-related purposes) are a separate process at $50.00 per applicant.

Jones County Civil Court Records

Civil lawsuits in Jones County are divided among several courts based on the amount in controversy and the nature of the claim. The Circuit Court has general jurisdiction over civil cases with no upper dollar limit. The County Court handles civil matters up to $200,000 and shares concurrent jurisdiction with the Justice Court. The Justice Court is limited to small claims of $3,500 or less, including landlord-tenant disputes and other minor civil matters.

Where to request civil records:

For Circuit and County Court civil cases, contact the Circuit Clerk at the First District office (Ellisville, (601) 477-8538) or the Second District office (Laurel, (601) 425-2556). The Mississippi Judiciary’s Circuit Clerk directory confirms contact information for both districts.
For Justice Court civil matters, contact the Justice Court at 5180 Highway 11 N, Ellisville, MS 39437; Phone: (601) 428-3137
PAMEC subscribers can search civil docket entries and view filings electronically through MEC.

Requests made in person at the clerk’s office should include the case number or enough identifying information (party names, approximate filing date) for the clerk to locate the file. Copy fees apply. Mail requests should be directed to the appropriate clerk’s office at the addresses listed earlier in this article, accompanied by a written description of the records sought and a self-addressed stamped envelope. Contact the clerk by phone first to confirm the applicable fee and accepted forms of payment.

Property and land records in Jones County are filed with the Chancery Clerk, who records and preserves deeds, mortgages, liens, powers of attorney, federal tax liens, and military discharges. The Chancery Clerk’s Official Records Inquiry portal allows online searching of recorded instruments by party name or instrument data. In-person access to land records is available at both Chancery Clerk offices during business hours.

Jones County Family Court Records

Family-law matters in Jones County — including divorce, child custody, child support, adoptions, guardianship of minors, and mental health commitments — are within the exclusive jurisdiction of the Chancery Court. The Chancery Clerk files and maintains all related documents. Youth Court matters (juvenile delinquency, abuse, neglect) are handled by the County Court judge sitting as Youth Court judge, with records maintained by the Circuit Clerk.

Divorce records: Either Chancery Court district may handle a divorce proceeding. To obtain copies of a divorce decree or related filings, contact the Chancery Clerk at the courthouse that handled the case. Requesters should provide the names of the parties and the approximate date of the divorce.

The Mississippi Department of Health (MSDH) Vital Records Division maintains a statewide divorce index covering January 1, 1926 through June 30, 1938, and January 1, 1942 to the present. A five-year search of the index costs $17.00 per request. This service confirms whether a divorce was recorded and in which county the license was issued. Contact the MSDH Vital Records office at (601) 206-8200 for additional information.

Marriage records: The Circuit Clerk issues and maintains marriage licenses in Jones County. The license fee is $37.00 (cash only). Both parties must appear in person with proof of age (driver’s license, birth certificate, or passport). If either applicant is under 21, a parent or legal guardian must be present. Once issued, a Jones County marriage license does not expire.

The MSDH also maintains marriage records statewide for the same date ranges as divorce records. A certified copy from the MSDH costs $17.00, with additional copies at $6.00 each when ordered simultaneously. Requests can be submitted using the marriage record application form and mailed to:

Mississippi Vital Records
P.O. Box 1700
Jackson, MS 39215-1700

Alternatively, records can be ordered online or by phone through VitalChek by contacting the MSDH office at (601) 206-8200.

Birth and death records: Certified copies of Mississippi birth and death certificates (November 1912 to present) are available exclusively through the MSDH Vital Records Division. These records are confidential; only eligible persons with a legitimate and tangible interest may obtain certified copies. The fee is $17.00 for the first certified copy and $6.00 for each additional copy ordered at the same time. Applicants must present valid photo identification.

Request forms include the birth certificate application and the death certificate application. Completed forms with payment and a copy of the requester’s photo ID can be mailed to the address above or submitted in person at:

MSDH Vital Records Office
222 Marketridge Drive
Ridgeland, MS
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Eligible requesters for birth records include the registrant (if 18 or older), parents listed on the record, the registrant’s spouse, sibling, or grandparent, legal guardians, authorized legal representatives, and licensed adoption agencies under §93-17-205. Eligible requesters for death records include the parent, spouse, siblings, grandparents, or children of the decedent, the informant listed on the record, legal guardians, authorized representatives, and the funeral home that took possession of the body.

Adoption and juvenile records are confidential under Mississippi law and are not available for public inspection. Access requires a court order from the judge with jurisdiction over the matter.

Jones County Probate Court Records

Probate jurisdiction in Mississippi rests with the Chancery Court. In Jones County, the Chancery Courts of the First and Second Judicial Districts handle estate administration, will validation, guardianships, conservatorships, and trust matters. The Chancery Clerk maintains all probate case records.

To obtain probate records:

Identify whether the estate or guardianship was filed in the First District (Ellisville) or Second District (Laurel) Chancery Court.
Contact the appropriate Chancery Clerk’s office — First District at (601) 477-3307 or Second District at (601) 428-0527 — and provide the decedent’s or ward’s name and the approximate date of filing.
Registered PAMEC subscribers can search the Nineteenth Chancery District’s MEC portal for docket entries in Jones County probate cases. Both Chancery Court locations went live on MEC on April 17, 2017.
For in-person access, visit either Chancery Clerk office during business hours (Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.). Request specific documents by case number or party name. Copy and certification fees will apply.
Mail requests should be sent to the appropriate Chancery Clerk address, accompanied by a written description of the records sought, a self-addressed stamped envelope, and payment. Call the office beforehand to confirm the current fee amount and acceptable payment methods.

Most probate records, including filed wills, estate inventories, accountings, and orders appointing executors or administrators, are public and available for inspection. Guardianship proceedings involving minors, mental health commitment records, and conservatorship files containing sensitive medical or financial information may be restricted or sealed. Access to such records requires authorization from the court. The Chancery Clerk can advise whether a particular file or document has been designated as confidential and what steps are needed to request access.