Mississippi Court Records
This entry was originally written by Kathleen Stanton Hutchison for Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources.
It is important to make the distinction that probate records are maintained by the chancery court, but that the chancery court has additional responsibilities for other records. These tasks include keeping official records of land titles, mortgages, and other documents customarily recorded at the courthouse.
The term 'circuit' developed in 1817 when the state set up judges to rotate in a particular geographic area to make determinations in civil matters. These courts have not deviated greatly from their earliest mission. Marriage licenses, voter registrations, declarations and naturalizations, criminal court minutes, and in some cases the coroner's book are maintained by the circuit court. These records are available to the public at the county courthouse and may also be found on microfilm at the Mississippi Department of Archives and History and through the FHL.