Pearl River County
Pearl County was established in 1872 from land previously belonging to Hancock and Marion Counties. It was dissolved in 1878 but later reestablished as Pearl River County in 1890. The County encompasses 819 square miles in total, and about 56,000 individuals reside across its municipalities. The City of Poplarville serves as the county seat.
Pearl River County's court system includes the Circuit Court, Chancery Court, County Court, Youth Court, Justice Court, and Municipal Courts. The county falls under Mississippi's 15th Judicial Circuit Court which has jurisdiction over all civil and criminal matters outside the purview of other courts. Cases usually handled by the Circuit Court include felony criminal cases, civil lawsuits, and appeals from lower courts and state agencies. The Chancery Court handles cases involving family matters, adoptions, decedent estate settlement/administration, land disputes, civil commitments, and property disputes with claims over $50,000. Pearl River County's Justice Court handles misdemeanors, civil actions under $3,500, and felony preliminaries, while the County Court handles crimes and non-criminal matters under $200,000. Additionally, the Youth Court Division resolves cases involving minors, while the Municipal Courts in Pearl River County have jurisdiction over violations of traffic laws and municipal ordinances.
Pearl River County maintains comprehensive records of all court proceedings in compliance with Mississippi laws. These records, created during case filings and court hearings, are officially stored at the courthouses and may be accessible to anyone upon request. Likewise, designated custodians such as the Chancery Clerk and Circuit Clerk may index and maintain public court records electronically. The general public may access public court records in Pearl River County, excluding confidential documents and information.
The following are the types of public court records maintained in Pearl River County:
- Circuit Court Records
- Chancery Court Records
- Justice Court Records
- County Court Records
- Municipal Court Records
- Youth Court Records
Interested persons may visit the Pearl River County Courthouse to access court records and docket information in person or contact the Clerk who has custody of such records. Also, such case records are accessible on the Mississippi Electronic Courts (MEC) portal. Individuals can use this online resource to search for court records in Pearl River County using case numbers, party names, or filing dates. However, users must create an account and log in to the MEC portal to access public court records.
