Mississippi Court Records

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This entry was originally written by Kathleen Stanton Hutchison for Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources.

This article is part of
Mississippi sil.png
the Mississippi Family History Research series.
History of Mississippi
Mississippi Vital Records
Census Records for Mississippi
Background Sources for Mississippi
Mississippi Maps
Mississippi Land Records
Mississippi Probate Records
Mississippi Court Records
Mississippi Tax Records
Mississippi Cemetery Records
Mississippi Church Records
Mississippi Military Records
Mississippi Periodicals, Newspapers, and Manuscript Collections
Mississippi Archives, Libraries, and Societies
Mississippi Immigration
Mississippi Naturalization
Ethnic Groups of Mississippi
Mississippi Provincial Records
Mississippi County Resources
Map of Mississippi


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.