LeFlore County Court Records

The Leflore court records are files and legal documents containing court cases and hearings that govern the county's legal, civil, and criminal matters. These records could be written documents, audio tapes, photographs, and documentary materials made available to members of the public electronically or upon a visit to the county courthouse.

The Leflore courthouse is responsible for maintaining and preserving court records for review, investigation, and educational purposes to enhance citizens' understanding and create transparency of the county's justice system. The LeFlore County courts also keep all legal proceedings, including cases of appeal, for future reference.

Are Court Records Public in LeFlore County?

Yes. Unless stated otherwise by the act [Laws, 1996, ch. 453], all court records in LeFlore County are treated as public documents and are made available to members of the public for review and inspection. All policies that govern the access to public records are outlined in the Mississippi Public Records Act of 1983 Laws, 1996, ch. 453,

Although court records are treated as public property, some provisions restrict public access to certain records. According to The Public Record Act, Section 25-61-12. Some instances for such restrictions are:

• Records that expose a victim's identity
• Records that could risk the well-being and safety of a court witness, law enforcement official, or informant.
• Records that would disclose the techniques of investigation or investigative results of the law enforcement body.
• Records that declare the private information (name/contact address) of anyone in possession of a weapon permit.
• Private records pertaining to the business operations and or the details of the purchases or sales of medical items of a public hospital board, including its recruitment of health care professionals and medical practitioners.
• The commercial, financial records, and trade secrets of privately owned firms, colleges, Universities, or public hospitals that undertake a contract with a firm, business, partnership, association, corporation, individual, or other entity are not disclosed for review or inspection.
• Victims impact statements as well as the personal information of victims whose records are filed with the Mississippi Department of Corrections and State Parole Board are exempted from public access.

LeFlore County Court Records Search

Regardless of the nature document being sort for, interested persons can access these records via the following means:

• A visit to the county courthouse where the case was filed
• From the office of the court clerk
• Conduct an online search using the county's official websites
• The use of a third party online search

Individuals seeking a court record can explore the above resources to obtain results. Record searches are usually conducted at a fee by the courthouse. Inquirers may also want to visit the courthouse where the case was initially filed or the clerk's office. Remote access is also permissible for record seekers who are within or outside the county through the use of an online platform, the designated official websites for such record, or a third-party search platform

Individuals can also visit the county clerk or recorder offices for public records relevant to a specific county. This can be done in person, via telephone, or by mail.

LeFlore County Courts

The Four (4) courthouses in LeFlore County, Mississippi, are all located in Greenwood. The division of these courthouses is according to the specific cases assigned to it to preside over, with the Mississippi Supreme Court as the highest court of appeal within the state. Seen below are the locations and contact addresses of the LeFlore County courthouses:

The Chancery court
310 W. Market Street,
Greenwood, MS 38930
Phone: (662) 453-6203

County/Youth court
Greenwood MS 38935-0452
Phone: (662) 455-7945
Fax: (662) 453-0869

4th Circuit court district
310 W. Market
Greenwood, MS 38930
Phone: 601-453+-1435
Fax: (601) 455-1278

Justice court
LeFlore County Courthouse
306 W.Market
P.O. Box 8056
Greenwood, MS 38935

The Chancery Court handles trials relating to domestic matters, such as divorce, adoption, wills, and land ownership records, which are also filed in Chancery Court. The Youth Court handles matters of juvenile delinquencies, while the 4th Circuit court district and the Justice Court are responsible for handling all exclusive civil and criminal cases not presided over by other courts and misdemeanor criminal charges not exceeding $2,500.00, respectively.

LeFlore County Criminal and Civil Court Records

In Leflore County, criminal and civil cases are treated differently. For instance, an offense committed against the laws of the county or state is considered a criminal case, while cases of dispute between two or more persons are classified as civil matters.

The court clerk files criminal and civil cases and makes them available for public access. The LeFlore County courthouse allows visitors to examine and inspect its records during business hours.

LeFlore County Marriage and Divorce Records

Both the state and county officials maintain the LeFlore County marriage and divorce records. The state and county have kept these records since January 1, 1926, but between July 1, 1938, and December 1941, records were solely kept by the circuit court clerk, who issued the marriage licence.

The Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) is the body charged with maintaining and safeguarding public health. MDSH is also responsible for maintaining statistical data and issuing vital records to members of the public. Anyone who wants a certified copy of a marriage or divorce certificate can visit the county courthouse to obtain a copy from the originating court where the license was issued, or visit the MSDH official website to fill out the Marriage record application form. Marriage and divorce certificates and records can also be accessed by placing orders by phone call or sending mail to the authorized email address.

Individuals can apply for this record either for themselves or on behalf of relatives and would be required to pay a service fee of $17 to obtain a certified copy once the search is completed. To order an additional copy of this record would attract a fee of $6. The fee paid to search is nonrefundable even when the records are not found after the search is completed. Only the fee charged for additional copies to be made is usually refunded. When applying for a marriage record, any of the following can be a valid means of identification:

• US passport
• Employment identification card
• Valid driver's licence issued by the state
• University or college ID card
• US military ID
• Permanent resident card
• Photo state-issued ID

A marriage certificate is only issued to a person with a legitimate and tangible interest captured by the Rules Governing the Registration and Certification of Vital Events

LeFlore County Birth and Death Records

Birth and death records are some of the vital records preserved and kept by the MDSH from November 1912 till date. Individuals seeking these records can obtain them through the Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) or via the LeFlore local county offices. Interested persons can access these records through the following means:

• Contact or call the MSDH Vital Records Office: (601) 206-8200.
• Third-party online search
• Sending a mail request
• Walk-in visits to the MSDH Vital Records at 222 Marketridge Drive, Ridgeland, MS with working days from Monday-Friday, from the hour of 8:00a.m to 4:00p p.m.

Note: Search on birth and death records attracts a service fee of $17 with an extra cost of $6 for any additional copies to be made. The use of a third-party online search likely attracts an additional charge to the nominal fee.

LeFlore County Property Records

Various bodies are responsible for managing property records within the county, and they are categorised based on the information being sought. Some of these public records include:

• The Tax assessment record and the real estate appraisal cover information on property tax within the county, i.e, tax on properties, payment of property tax, and the due date of the county's property tax. The LeFlore County Assessor is responsible for leveling tax on properties and conducting appraisals on real estate properties. This search exercise can be achieved through the LeFlore County Tax office, Tri-state consulting services, and data systems management.
• Mortgage, deeds, and land records: details pertaining to these records are kept and managed for public assessment by the LeFlore County Chancery clerk's office. That is, records on ownership of public lands, warranty deeds, and deeds of trust can be accessed in person by a visit to the Chancery Clerk's Office at 306 West Market St., Greenwood, MS 38935, or via electronic mail
• Third-party property record searches are also used to search for information relating to the purchase history of properties, building permits, and deeds.

LeFlore County Court Records Online

Individuals can have access to public records online by conducting a search on the official websites of public bodies responsible for the collection and preservation of such records. Interested persons can also access these public records using a third-party online search. Third-party searches are sites not managed by the county directly but are privately owned. Using third-party websites like Mississippicourtrecords.us generally helps users retrieve records remotely, with limited restrictions. One of the implications of using a third-party online search is that records seekers may need to provide more precise details of the research subject while searching across different jurisdictions to achieve a satisfactory result.

Online record seekers may need to look at these records carefully and watch out for disclaimers where necessary, as most records may not have been recently updated. It's, therefore, important for inquirers to verify and compare records obtained from a third-party platform with the information available on the county's official records.