Tate County Court Records

Tate County court records originate from legal proceedings held in the county’s circuit, chancery, justice, and municipal courts. These proceedings may involve criminal, civil, family, probate, or traffic matters, and the resulting records may include motions, complaints, verdicts, orders, subpoenas, dockets, calendars, etc.

Court records created in Tate County are part of the broader Mississippi court records. They are generally used to track cases, enforce judgments, research precedents, and conduct background checks, among other purposes.

Are Court Records Public in Tate County?

Yes. Anyone can access court records in Tate County courts per the Mississippi Supreme Court’s Public Records Policy. However, certain records, such as trade secrets, investigative records, Tate County criminal records related to juveniles, and sealed court records, are not open to members of the public. Persons who may have access to restricted records include the subject of the record, someone with a court order, and law enforcement agencies.

Tate County Court Records Search

Typically, finding Tate County court records involves the following processes:

• Visiting the offices of court clerks to view or order records. The chancery and circuit clerks have public terminals that can be utilized on-site to view court records for free.
• Mailing request letters to the clerks of court
• Accessing the Mississippi Electronic Court System to view case proceedings online. The online portal contains records from various courts, including the chancery, circuit, and county courts.

Tate County Courts

Tate County’s court system is part of Mississippi’s 17th Circuit District and 3rd Chancery District. The county is also served by a justice court and a few municipal courts. Individuals can use the following details to locate and contact these courts:

Tate County Circuit Court
Tate County Circuit Court
201 South Ward Street
Senatobia, MS 38868
Phone: (662) 562-5211
Fax: (662) 562-7486

Tate County Chancery Court
201 South Ward Street
P.O. Box 309
Senatobia, MS 38668
Phone: (662) 562-5661 ext. 3
Fax: (662) 560-6205

Tate County Justice Court
103 Preston McKay Drive
Senatobia, MS 38668
Phone: (662) 562-7626

Coldwater Municipal Court
444 Court Street
Coldwater, MS 38618
Phone: (662) 622-7241
Fax: (662) 622-7242

Senatobia Municipal Court
131 North Front Street
Senatobia, MS 38668
Phone: (662) 562-5057

Tate County Criminal and Civil Records

Tate County court records are placed into two major categories: criminal and civil. Tate criminal records encompass cases initiated to determine a person’s guilt or innocence after they are accused of breaking the law. Civil cases, on the other hand, are legal proceedings between two parties that do not involve criminal punishments. Parties who want to obtain these records must identify the court with jurisdiction over the specific case whose information they wish to access.

Tate County Criminal Records

Tate County’s local circuit court presides over felony cases and other serious criminal matters not handled by lower courts. Individuals can contact the circuit court clerk for information about these records. The county also has a justice court that oversees traffic violations outside municipalities and preliminary hearings for felonies. Municipal courts in Tate, on the other hand, are responsible for traffic and ordinance violations that happen within specific cities. Individuals can contact the respective clerks for each court to learn how to access criminal case records.

Additionally, one can contact criminal justice agencies, like the Senatobia Police Department and the local Sheriff’s Office for Tate County arrest records and other related criminal information.

Tate County Civil Records

The circuit court in Tate has jurisdiction over civil cases valued at above $200,000 and handles appeals from lower courts. The chancery court adjudicates probate, divorce, mental health, guardianship, and equity cases. Individuals can contact the circuit and chancery clerks to find relevant civil case records.

Tate County Marriage Records

Tate County marriage records are created to maintain official accounts of marriages and legalize marital unions. Individuals can obtain official copies of these records from county and state offices.

The Tate County Circuit Clerk is responsible for issuing marriage licenses to applicants who are at least 17 years old. Individuals can contact the clerk’s office to obtain certified copies of marriage licenses. Eligible applicants include people named on the document (couples), parents of either couple, and legal representatives. Spouses, children, grandparents, siblings, and people with court orders are also eligible.

Additionally, a qualified applicant can order a certified copy of a Tate County marriage certificate (January 1942 to date) from the Mississippi Department of Health’s Bureau of Vital Records. The bureau accepts mail-in, phone, online, and in-person marriage certificate orders. Applicants are required to provide proof of identity to confirm their eligibility. Usually, the first copy costs $17, and each additional copy requested simultaneously costs $6.

Tate County Divorce Records

Divorce records prove the dissolution of marital unions. In Tate, they are created in the chancery court, and copies can be obtained from the Chancery Clerk's office. One may need a divorce record to prove a marriage has been nullified, for example, when applying for new marriage licenses.

Tate County Birth Records

Tate County birth records document people’s births within the county. These records are usually required for passport applications, inheritance claims, insurance payouts, and proof of parentage.

To order a Tate County birth certificate, the requester must prove (using an accepted photo ID) that they are eligible. The Bureau of Vital Records’ birth certificate application form contains the eligibility requirements and other details/documents that must be provided by the requester. However, the agency only dispenses birth certificates created since November 1, 1912. Members of the public can order a birth certificate in person, by mail, online, or by phone.

Tate County Death Records

Death certificates (part of the Tate County vital records, like birth and marriage certificates) can be requested from the Mississippi Bureau of Vital Records for a fee. Eligible individuals can follow the process outlined on the Bureau’s Death Certificate Request page to order these documents. A death certificate may be required to prove a person's demise during probate proceedings and for collecting retirement benefits or filing insurance claims.

Tate County Probate Court Records

Probate court records are official documents created during the administration of a deceased person's estate. The local chancery court handles these proceedings, and the court's clerk manages the associated records. The clerk also maintains records related to other chancery matters related to estates, such as guardianships, trusts, conservatorships, and wills.

Tate County Property Records

People seeking property records/information in Tate County, such as deeds, liens, ownership information, assessment data, and transaction histories, can contact the chancery clerk's office. This office maintains recorded land documents for the county.

Additionally, the Tate County Assessor's office can be contacted for comprehensive property information, including assessment records, and the county's Tax Collector can be reached for property tax records.

Tate County Court Records Online

Members of the public who wish to find Tate County court records online can access third-party websites, like Mississippicourtrecords.us. These sites also host other Tate County public records, such as the Tate arrest records, property data, and other publicly available information.

A search on a third-party site can typically be conducted for free using a person's first and last name, and limited information may be available for free. However, intending users should note that these websites cannot guarantee the accuracy of search results, as they are not the primary public record custodians.