Jones County Circuit Clerk Office

About the Jones County Circuit Clerk

The Jones County Circuit Clerk is Greg "Red" Dickerson, an elected county official. The office serves as Clerk of the County Court, Youth Court, Circuit Court Civil Division, and Circuit Court Criminal Division. That spread means one office touches felony prosecutions, large civil suits, juvenile cases, and appeals that move up from the lower courts.

The clerk files and stores court papers, enters them on the docket, issues court process, and collects filing fees and fines. Beyond the courtroom, the office runs marriage licensing, passport intake, voter registration, and jury selection. Voters elect the Circuit Clerk to a four-year term under Mississippi law.

What the Circuit Clerk Does in Jones County

The role reaches well past stamping court papers. The same office that opens a felony file also signs a couple's marriage license and checks a voter's registration. Mississippi gives the Circuit Clerk a broad civic job, and Jones County is no exception.

• Files and maintains Circuit Court civil and criminal case records
• Serves as Clerk of the County Court and the Youth Court
• Issues marriage licenses and accepts passport applications
• Manages voter registration and county election records
• Draws and summons jurors for trial terms
• Collects filing fees, court costs, and fines

Land deeds, divorce files, and estate matters do not sit with this office. Those records belong to the Jones County Chancery Clerk, which clerks the equity side of the court system.

Jones County Circuit Clerk District Offices

Jones County is one of a handful of Mississippi counties with two county seats and two judicial districts. The First District counter sits in Ellisville, and the Second District counter sits in Laurel. Each office serves its own district, so the location of your case matters when you call or visit.

Both Circuit Court and County Court operate at each address. The state's Mississippi Electronic Courts system shows both districts going live on December 18, 2017, which is the milestone that ties modern dockets to the online filing system.

Note: Call the specific district office before a hearing or records visit to confirm the entrance, parking, and any device or payment rules, since the county has not published those details online.

Youth Court Records and the Circuit Clerk

The Circuit Clerk also clerks the Youth Court, where juvenile matters are handled. These files are different from adult cases. Mississippi law treats youth-court records as confidential, so they are not open public records the way most adult court files are. Access is limited to the parties, their lawyers, certain agencies, and people named in a court order.

Local news in Jones County shows how often the youth side of the system makes headlines. A WDAM report on a brief manhunt after three Jones County juveniles left a detention setting is one example of the kind of juvenile case that can touch the Youth Court docket.

Even when a juvenile event draws coverage, the underlying youth-court file stays restricted. Anyone seeking a juvenile record should expect to show legal standing or a court order before the Circuit Clerk can release anything.

Marriage Licenses at the Circuit Clerk

The Circuit Clerk issues Jones County marriage licenses. The fee is $37.00, and the office takes cash only. Both people must come to the counter together, and each must show proof of age such as a driver's license, a birth certificate, or another official document.

Plan the visit during regular counter hours and bring exact cash. A certified copy of a marriage record also starts with this office, though the certified-copy fee is not published in official Jones County sources. Divorce decrees are a separate matter and live with the Chancery Clerk, since Chancery Court grants divorces in Mississippi.

1. Both applicants appear together at the Circuit Clerk's office during business hours.
2. Each person presents proof of age, such as a driver's license or birth certificate.
3. Pay the $37.00 license fee in cash.
4. Provide details on any prior marriage if the clerk asks.
5. Receive the license and arrange the ceremony with an authorized officiant.

How to Request a Certified Copy

A certified copy is a court-stamped version of a record that proves it is a true copy of the file. Courts, employers, and agencies often demand a certified copy rather than a plain printout. The Circuit Clerk certifies copies of the case records it holds.

1. Find the case number if you can, or gather the party names, the rough filing date, and the court type.
2. Contact the correct district office: First District in Ellisville or Second District in Laurel.
3. Ask for the document by name and request certification, then confirm the current copy and certification fee.
4. Submit the request with payment in person or by mail, and confirm the mailing format with the clerk first.
5. Pick up the certified copy at the counter or wait for it to arrive by mail.

Note: Sealed, expunged, and youth-court files will not be released through a routine copy request, and the clerk may confirm only limited procedural details on those matters.

Jones County Records Request Fields

A clean request moves faster. Whether you write a letter or fill out a counter form, the clerk needs enough detail to pull the right file out of two districts and several court types. The table below lists what a Jones County records request should include.

Jones County Circuit Clerk Fees

Only one Circuit Clerk fee is published in official Jones County sources, the marriage license. Court copy and certification fees set by the office were not found in accessible county sources, so the table marks them as not published rather than guessing at an amount.

Call the district office for the current copy charges before you send payment. The clerk can also explain accepted payment methods, which may differ from the cash-only rule that applies to marriage licenses.

Searching Jones County Court Records Online

Circuit and County Court cases in Jones County are part of Mississippi Electronic Courts, the statewide e-filing and access system. Members of the public reach those electronic files through Public Access to MEC, known as PAMEC. The service is not free. Users register for an account and pay charges to view documents remotely.

The 18th Circuit MEC court-information page confirms the Jones County court locations, phone numbers, hours, and the flag codes that explain docket entries. To set up access, start at the Mississippi Electronic Courts landing page and then register through the PAMEC account site. Sealed and restricted cases stay off remote search even for registered users.

For account or technical problems, contact the PAMEC helpdesk rather than the district counter. The helpdesk is Public Access to MEC, P.O. Box 117, Jackson, MS 39205, phone 601-576-4650, email helpdesk@mec.ms.gov. The counter staff handle case copies and payments, while the helpdesk handles logins and billing for the online system.

Passports, Voter Registration, and Juries

The Circuit Clerk's public counter does more than court files. The office accepts passport applications, keeps voter registration current, and summons residents for jury duty. These services run alongside the court work because Mississippi assigns them to the same elected clerk.

Passport applicants should call ahead to confirm hours, required documents, and acceptable payment before visiting either district office. Voters can update a name or address through the clerk, and people who receive a jury summons should contact the office named on the notice. Mississippi's public-records policy, under Title 25, Chapter 61, favors access to public records unless a law, a sealing order, or a confidentiality rule applies.