Lowndes County
Lowndes County was formed from parts of Monroe County in 1830 and named in honor of US Congressman William Lowndes. As of 2022, the county's population was 58,547 while covering about 506 square miles of land on the eastern border of Mississippi. Its county seat and most populous city is Columbus.
Lowndes County has six trial courts, including the Circuit, Chancery, County, Youth, Justice, and Municipal Courts. The Circuit Court exercises exclusive authority over civil equity lawsuits, felony-related trials, and civil claims for more than $200,000. Civil appeals from the County Court in Lowndes are heard at the Circuit Court. Meanwhile, the Chancery Court presides over all probate and domestic relation cases. These include divorces, adoptions, disputes over decedents' estates, parentage lawsuits, and child custody cases. The Lowndes County Youth Court oversees legal proceedings involving minors such as juvenile delinquencies and child dependency cases. Civil lawsuits like contract breaches, torts, and monetary claims between $3,500 and $200,000 are resolved at the County Court in Lowndes County. The Justice Court presides over misdemeanors, felony preliminary hearings, and small claims cases involving up to $3,500 in financial settlement. The Municipal Courts in Columbus and Caledonia have jurisdiction over traffic crimes, certain misdemeanors that occur within their cities, and ordinance violations.
Lowndes County public court records are maintained by the Circuit Clerk, Chancery Clerk, and other designated court clerks. These records contain court dockets, transcripts, names of involved parties, court rulings, case filings, and other legal documents related to court proceedings. According to the Mississippi Public Records Act, requesters can access paper or digital copies of the following court records in Lowndes County:
- Civil records
- Criminal court records
- Family records
- Probate records
- Land records
- Traffic records
These records are available to the public to keep the legal process open and transparent. Individuals can request copies of public court records by contacting designated court clerks at:
Lowndes County Courthouse
505 2nd Avenue
Columbus, MS 39701
Phone: (662) 329-5900 (Circuit Clerk)
Phone: (662) 329-5800 (Chancery Clerk)
The Circuit Clerk also provides access to court records through its Online Record Search, which is accessible to only subscribers. Note that confidential documents containing juvenile, mental health, and adoption cases are not open to the public. Individuals interested in confidential court records must obtain special permissions from Lowndes County trial courts and visit relevant court clerks.
