Forrest County Chancery Court Records stay kept at the Paul B. Johnson Chancery Building in downtown Hattiesburg. This building sits at 641 North Main Street. The office holds papers about land, family law, and wills. People use these files to see who owns a house or to check on a court case. The court stays open from 8:30 in the morning until 5:00 in the evening on weekdays. Staff takes a break for lunch from noon until 12:30. These files help the public see how the local government works. Most of these papers stay open for anyone to see. You can look at them in person or use a computer to see some parts from home. The clerk keeps every paper safe so the history of the county stays clear for years.
Types of Forrest County Chancery Court Records
The office keeps many kinds of papers. Land deeds show who bought or sold a piece of dirt. These papers prove who owns a home or a farm. Mortgages stay here too. These show if someone owes money to a bank for their land. Another big part of the files deals with family law. This includes divorce cases and child custody. These papers say who kids live with after a split. The court also handles wills and estates. When someone dies, the court looks at their will. This makes sure their money and house go to the right people. You can also see liens. A lien is a paper that says someone owes money for work done on a house. If a builder fixes a roof and does not get paid, they put a lien in these files.
Mental health cases and child protection cases stay in the office too. These files stay private. Not everyone can see them. The law keeps these secret to protect people. But most other things like tax sales and city maps stay open. You can see how the city grew over time by looking at old maps. These maps show where streets and parks sit. Every paper gets a case number. This number helps you track the file. The clerk writes down the date and time every paper arrives. This keeps everything in the right order. You can ask for a copy of any public paper for a small fee.
How to Get Forrest County Chancery Court Records
You can get these files by going to the office in Hattiesburg. The staff helps you look at the big books or use the computer in the lobby. You can also send a letter to PO Box 951, Hattiesburg, MS 39403. When you write, tell them the names of the people in the case. Give them the case number if you know it. This makes the search go faster. If you want a copy, you must pay. The price is usually $1 per page. If you need a special seal on the paper, it costs more. This seal proves the copy is real. Many people use these for bank loans or for school records.
The office has a phone number at (601) 545-6040. You can call to ask if a file stays there. The staff cannot give legal advice. They only tell you what the papers say and how to get them. You can also send a fax to (601) 545-6017. This works well if you need to send a paper to the clerk quickly. Most people prefer to visit because they can look through many files at once. The lobby has space for researchers to sit and take notes. If a file is very old, it might stay in the Public Records Archive. This archive stays in the same building. Staff there helps with files from a long time ago. Some of these old papers have thin pages that break easily. You must handle them with care.
Online Search for Court Files
Delta Computer Systems has a tool to see Forrest County Chancery Court Records on the web. You can type in a name and see a list of cases. It shows the case number and when it started. This tool updates every night. It does not show every word of the case, but it tells you the basics. If you need to see the whole paper, you might have to pay a fee. The county has a web portal for land records too. This portal shows deeds and mortgages. You can see a picture of the paper on your screen. This helps people who live far away. They do not have to drive to Hattiesburg to see a deed.
To use the web portal, you need the person’s name or the parcel number. A parcel number is like a name for a piece of land. The system lets you search by date too. If you know a house sold last month, you can look at all sales from that time. The images stay in PDF form. You can print them from your own computer. The county charges a fee to print these. Usually, it costs about $10 per document. This money helps keep the website running. The computer system stays safe so no one can change the records. It only lets you look at them. This keeps the history of land ownership correct for everyone.
The Paul B. Johnson Chancery Building
This building is the home for all Forrest County Chancery Court Records. It opened in 1918. It is a big building in the middle of town. It has four courtrooms inside. Judges sit in these rooms to hear cases. The building has ramps for people in wheelchairs. It follows the rules of the Americans with Disabilities Act. This means everyone can get inside to see their records. The courtrooms have tools to help people hear better too. The building is not just for records. It is where big decisions about families and land happen every day. The walls hold many years of county history.
The clerk’s office stays on the first floor. This is where you go first. You will see many desks and computers. The staff stays busy typing in new cases. Every time a lawyer files a paper, it goes into the computer. Then the paper goes into a folder. These folders stay in big moving shelves. The building stays cool to keep the paper from getting old and yellow. If you visit, you must go through a security check. This keeps everyone safe. You cannot bring cameras or guns inside. This makes the building a quiet and safe place to do research or talk to the court.
The Role of the Chancery Clerk
The clerk is the person in charge of all Forrest County Chancery Court Records. People in the county vote for this person. The clerk makes sure every paper stays in the right spot. They also collect money for the court. This money pays for the staff and the building. The clerk acts as the secretary for the Board of Supervisors too. They write down everything the board says during meetings. This creates a record of how the county spends tax money. The clerk also handles land taxes. If someone does not pay their taxes, the clerk keeps a record of the debt.
The clerk works with judges to set the court calendar. This calendar says when every case will go before a judge. This keeps the court moving fast. The clerk also helps people get marriage licenses. If you want to get married in Forrest County, you visit this office. They write down your names and give you the paper. Then they keep a copy in the files forever. This is why these records stay so important. They track the most important days in a person’s life. From buying a home to getting married, the clerk sees it all and writes it down.
Mississippi’s Tenth Judicial District
Forrest County stays in the Tenth Judicial District. This group includes Perry, Lamar, Pearl River, and Marion counties. These counties work together. Sometimes a judge from one county hears a case in another. This happens if a local judge knows the people in the case too well. It keeps things fair. The district has a website that shows rules for all five counties. These rules tell lawyers how to file papers. The website also has a calendar for the whole district. You can see when judges will be in Hattiesburg or in other towns.
The district headquarters stays in Hattiesburg. This makes Forrest County a main spot for law in this part of the state. The judges meet here to talk about new laws. They also train new staff here. Working as a group helps the counties save money. They can share computer systems and training tools. If you have a case that involves land in two counties, the district helps handle it. The records from each county stay separate, but the rules for seeing them stay the same. This makes it easy for people who do business in more than one county.
Land Records and Property Research
Many people look at Forrest County Chancery Court Records to study land. When you buy a house, you want to know its history. You look for the chain of title. This is a list of every person who owned the land before you. If one person in the list did not sign the paper right, it can cause trouble. Title companies spend all day in the clerk’s office. They look for old debts or legal fights over the dirt. They want to make sure the buyer gets a clean deed. A clean deed means no one else can claim the land.
You can also find maps called plats. These show how a big farm got turned into small house lots. Plats show where the pipes and wires go under the ground. They show how wide the streets are. If you want to build a fence, you look at these records. They show exactly where your land ends and your neighbor’s land starts. This stops fights between neighbors. The office keeps these maps in big flat drawers. Some are very old and drawn by hand. Newer ones stay on the computer. Both are important for knowing what you own in Forrest County.
Wills and Estates in Chancery Court
When a person passes away, their life story often ends up in Forrest County Chancery Court Records. If they had a will, the court reads it. This is called probate. The court makes sure the will is real. Then it gives a person the job of giving out the money and land. This person is the executor. The court files show a list of everything the dead person owned. It shows their house, their car, and even their bank accounts. This list stays open for the public to see unless a judge hides it. This helps creditors see if the dead person owed them money.
If a person dies without a will, the court uses state law to decide who gets the stuff. This can take a long time. The records track every step. You can see who the heirs are. Heirs are the family members who get the money. These files are great for people who study family trees. You can find out the names of great-grandparents this way. You can see where they lived and what they owned. These papers often name children and where they moved. It is like a map of a family’s history in the county.
Marriage and Family Records
Forrest County Chancery Court Records include many family papers. Marriage licenses stay here. These papers show the names of the two people, their ages, and their parents’ names. They show the date of the wedding and who performed the ceremony. If a couple gets a divorce, those papers stay here too. Divorce files tell why the marriage ended. they also say how the couple split their things. If they have kids, the papers say who the kids stay with. They also say how much money one parent must pay the other to help with the kids.
Adoption records also go through this court. These files stay very secret. The law hides them to protect the child and the parents. You cannot see these unless a judge gives you a special order. The court also handles name changes. If someone wants a new name, they ask the judge. The judge signs a paper, and the clerk keeps it. This paper proves the person has a new name for their bank and for the government. All these family files help the court protect people’s rights and keep their lives in order.
Fees for Accessing Records
Getting Forrest County Chancery Court Records usually costs a bit of money. This money helps the office pay for paper, ink, and computers. A simple copy of one page is $1. If you want a certified copy, it costs more. Certification means the clerk signs the paper and puts a gold seal on it. This proves to a bank or a school that the copy is a real match to the original. If you use the online portal, there is often a fee for a day or a month of use. Some people pay a $10 fee to see a single document image online. This saves them a trip to the office.
Large maps or plats cost more to copy because they need a big printer. You might pay $5 or $10 for a big map. If you ask the staff to do a search for you, they might charge a search fee. This happens if you do not have a case number and they have to look through many books. It is always cheaper to do the search yourself using the lobby computers. The office takes cash, checks, and sometimes credit cards. It is a good idea to call ahead to ask about the price. This way you bring enough money for the copies you need.
Historical Archives and Research
The Public Records Archive holds the oldest Forrest County Chancery Court Records. Some of these papers come from 1918 or earlier. Researchers and historians use these to learn about the past. You can see how the county changed from a place of forests and farms to a busy city. The archive has staff who know how to find very old names. They can help you find a record even if the spelling of the name has changed over time. These old files stay in a room that keeps them dry and cool. This stops the paper from turning into dust.
Many of these old records are now on microfilm. Microfilm is a tiny picture of the paper on a roll of film. You use a machine to make the picture look big on a screen. This lets you read the paper without touching it. This keeps the original paper safe from oil on people’s hands. Some of these films are now being turned into digital files. Soon, you might be able to see even the oldest papers from your home computer. This work takes a long time because there are millions of pages to scan. The archive is a treasure chest for anyone who loves history.
ADA Access and Courtroom Services
The Paul B. Johnson Chancery Building makes sure everyone can reach Forrest County Chancery Court Records. The building has wheelchair ramps at the main doors. Elevators take people to the second and third floors. Each of the four courtrooms has special tools for people who cannot hear well. These tools make the voices of the judge and lawyers louder. This ensures everyone knows what is happening in their case. If you need a translator, the court can help with that too. They want every person to have a fair chance to speak and be heard.
The building stays downtown so people can get there by bus or car. There is parking nearby for visitors. If you have a disability, you can call the clerk’s office before you visit. They will make sure someone is ready to help you. The office tries to make the search for records easy for everyone. They have wide aisles between the record books so wheelchairs can pass through. The computer desks stay at a height that works for everyone. These steps show that the court cares about serving every citizen in Forrest County.
Official Contact and Location Details
Forrest County Chancery Clerk Office
Paul B. Johnson Chancery Building
641 North Main Street
Hattiesburg, MS 39401
Mailing Address:
PO Box 951
Hattiesburg, MS 39403
Phone Number: (601) 545-6040
Fax Number: (601) 545-6017
Archive Phone: (601) 545-6028
Visiting Hours:
Monday through Friday: 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Closed for Lunch: 12:00 p.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Closed on state holidays.
The building sits in the heart of Hattiesburg. It is near the library and other county offices. You can walk to the courthouse from many downtown spots. Security stays at the front door. Plan to arrive early to go through the metal detector. This keeps the building safe for workers and visitors.
Frequently Asked Questions
The following questions come from people who need to look at court files. These answers help explain how the system works and what you can expect when you visit or search online. These questions cover land, family, and costs for the records office.
How do I get a copy of my divorce decree from Forrest County?
To get a divorce decree, you need to visit the Chancery Clerk’s office. You can also send a request by mail. You must give them the names of both people in the divorce. It helps if you know the year the divorce happened. The staff will look for the case number in the computer. Once they find the case, they get the file from the shelves. You can pay for a regular copy or a certified copy. A certified copy is usually needed for legal things like getting a new social security card or a passport. If the divorce happened a long time ago, the file might stay in the archives. This takes a little longer to find. Most people can get their copy in about 15 minutes if they go in person. If you mail a request, it might take a week to get it back. Remember to include a check or money order for the fee and a stamped envelope with your address on it.
Can I see land deeds for Forrest County online for free?
You can search for the names on land deeds for free on the county website. This lets you see the date of the sale and the names of the buyer and seller. However, if you want to see the actual picture of the deed, you usually have to pay. The county uses a system called DuProcess. It asks you to pay a fee to download or print the PDF of the deed. This fee is often $10 per document. This is common in many Mississippi counties. The money helps pay for the servers and the people who scan the papers. If you do not want to pay the online fee, you can go to the office in Hattiesburg. There, you can look at the computer screen for free. You only pay if you want to print the paper out. Many people go to the office to do their research and only print the papers they really need. This saves them money on their property search.
What should I do if I find a mistake in a court record?
If you see a mistake in Forrest County Chancery Court Records, you must talk to the clerk’s office. Small mistakes like a misspelled name might be easy to fix if the original paper was correct. But if the mistake is on a signed deed or a court order, you might need a judge to change it. This often means you have to file a new paper called a petition. This paper tells the judge what is wrong and why it needs to be fixed. The judge will look at the proof and then sign a new order. The clerk then puts this new order in the file. It is very important that these records stay correct because they affect who owns land and how much tax they pay. Lawyers and title companies can help you if the mistake is big. You should never try to change a record yourself. Only the clerk or a judge has the power to change these official files.
Are probate records open for anyone to read?
Yes, most probate records stay open to the public. When someone dies and their will goes to court, it becomes a public file. Anyone can go to the Paul B. Johnson building and ask to see the probate file. These files are very detailed. They show what the person owned, who they owed money to, and who got their stuff. You can see the names of their children and other family members. Some people find this information useful for history or for debt collection. Sometimes a judge will hide certain parts of a file if they contain very private info, but this is not common. Most of the time, the whole file is open. This is because the law wants the process of giving out money and land to be clear and fair. If you are looking for a will from a long time ago, the archive staff can help you find it. These files are some of the most used papers in the whole building.
How far back do the Forrest County land records go?
Land records in Forrest County go back to the early 1900s. Forrest County was formed in 1908 from part of Perry County. This means some of the very oldest records might still stay in Perry County. But most records since 1908 stay in Hattiesburg. The office has big books that hold the oldest deeds. These books have leather covers and the writing inside is often done with a pen and ink. They are very beautiful but also very fragile. The staff has scanned most of these old books so you can see them on a computer. This protects the old paper from being touched too much. You can track a piece of land from the time it was just trees and grass until it became a house or a shop. This long history is why the clerk’s office is so important. It holds the story of how the land was used for over 100 years. If you need to go back even further, you might have to visit the archives in the neighboring counties.
Is there a way to see child custody records online?
No, you cannot see child custody or other private family records online. Forrest County Chancery Court Records about kids and mental health stay locked away from the public computer. Only the people in the case and their lawyers can see these files. To see them, you must show your ID at the clerk’s office. This rule protects children and families from having their private lives seen by strangers. If you are a parent in a case, you can get copies of your own papers at the office. You cannot see them on the Delta Computer system or the web portal. The court takes privacy very seriously when it comes to kids. Even when you are at the courthouse, you cannot just grab a custody file and read it. The staff will check to see if you have the right to look at it first. This keeps the most sensitive information safe from people who should not see it.
What is the difference between the Chancery Court and the Circuit Court?
The Chancery Court handles things like land, wills, and families. The Circuit Court handles big criminal cases and lawsuits where people want money. Forrest County Chancery Court Records deal with what people own and their family life. Circuit Court records deal with things like robberies or car accidents. The Chancery Court does not usually have a jury. Instead, a judge listens to the facts and makes the decision based on what is fair. This is why it is called a court of equity. The Circuit Court often has a jury of 12 people. If you are looking for a deed, you go to the Paul B. Johnson building. If you are looking for a criminal record, you go to the Circuit Court at 630 Main Street. Both offices are in downtown Hattiesburg, but they stay in different buildings and keep different kinds of papers. Knowing which court you need will save you a lot of time when you are looking for files.