Forrest County
Named for Nathan Bedford Forrest, who was the first grand wizard of the Ku Klux Klan. Forrest County was created in 1908. It spans 470 square miles and is home to more than 78,000 people. Forrest County's largest city is Hattiesburg, which also is its county seat.
A Circuit, Chancery, County, Youth, Justice, and Municipal Courts make up the court in the judicial system of Forrest County. The Circuit Court handles a variety of cases, including felony criminal cases, and hears appeals from lower courts (Justice and Municipal Courts). It also operates specialized drug courts like the adult drug court, DUI court, and veterans courts. They are aimed at reducing recidivism among offenders. The Chancery Court is part of the 10th Chancery District. It resolves cases that involve fair resolution as against monetary compensation. It resolves divorce, oversees the administration of estates, and processes mental health-related cases, land titles, and real estate issues.
The Youth Court provides child protection services and resolves child neglect, and juvenile delinquency cases. It ensures that young adults are placed in detention or correctional institutions to make way for a better society. The Justice Courts recover debts or damages in which the amount of money involved does not exceed $3,500. It presides over traffic violations and misdemeanors that attract payment of fines. The Municipal Courts are involved in settling county ordinance violations, environmental/building code violations, and curbing truancies in the community.
Court records are maintained by both the Circuit Court Clerk and Chancery Court Clerk. Court records include records decided in court premises, which include testimonies, orders, summonses, and pleadings. Court documents are either scanned or maintained in physical forms.
Non-confidential court records, which are available to the public and provided by the Clerk of the Circuit and Chancery Court, include:
- Divorce Court Records
- Probate Court Records
- Civil Court Records
- Land Court Records
- Traffic Court Records
You can view Forrest County court records on the county's official records website. You can visit the Forrest County official website to obtain more information. You may visit the Mississippi Electronic Courts Portal to access records.
