Lincoln County
Lincoln County is located in the southwestern region of Mississippi State. It was created in 1870 from lands taken from Lawrence, Pike, Franklin, Copiah, and Amite counties. Lincoln County covers a landed area of 586 square miles and has a population of approximately 35,000 residents. The City of Brookhaven serves as its county seat.
Lincoln County's court system comprises the Chancery, Circuit, Justice, Municipal, and Youth Courts. The Chancery Court has jurisdiction over family and property-related matters, including divorce, child custody, adoptions, property division, alimony, and estates. It also handles land disputes, emancipation cases, and insurance settlements for minors. Additionally, the court hears civil commitments for individuals with mental disabilities. The Circuit Court has jurisdiction over all civil and criminal cases not assigned to other courts. Most Circuit Court cases, including felonies and significant civil disputes, are decided by juries. The Justice Court handled several types of cases, including civil matters, traffic violations issued by state or local law enforcement agencies, and violations related to gaming, fishing, and marine reserves. The court also hears DUI cases, county ordinance violations, and preliminary hearings for felonies. The Youth Court in Lincoln County handles cases involving minors with delinquency allegations, child abuse/neglect, and children in need of supervision. Lastly, the Brookhaven Municipal Court adjudicates traffic and city ordinance violations.
Lincoln County maintains documents and other filings from court hearings as official court records. These records are stored in the county courthouses with custodians, such as the Chancery Clerk and Circuit Clerk. Public court records in Lincoln County include transcripts, court orders, motions, and petitions.
Records custodians in Lincoln County may provide access to the following types of public court records:
- Civil Court Records
- Criminal Court Records
- Probate Court Records
- Domestic Relations Court Records
- Juvenile Court Records
- Traffic Court Records
In Lincoln County, public court records and dockets may be accessed by contacting the custodian of the desired records or by visiting the courthouse where the case was heard. These records may also be available online through the Mississippi Electronic Courts (MEC) portal.
