Beaumont, Mississippi Public Records

The Perry County Justice Court hears misdemeanor criminal cases, preliminary hearings for felonies, civil cases up to $3,500, evictions, and small claims. Justice Court is located at 203 Main Street, New Augusta, MS 39462 (phone: 601-964-8346). Mississippi offers limited online access to court records through individual county websites and the Mississippi Electronic Courts (MEC) system, though comprehensive statewide search capabilities are not uniformly available. Many Perry County court records require in-person requests at the Circuit Clerk's office or Chancery Clerk's office at the courthouse in New Augusta. Certified copies of court documents typically cost $1.50 per page, with an additional certification fee. Case information may be obtained by providing case numbers, party names, or dates. Some newer case filings and dockets may be viewable online, but historical records and sensitive documents generally require a clerk's assistance. Fees for filing new cases vary by case type and are established by state statute and local court rules.

While some Mississippi counties offer online GIS mapping and property search tools, Perry County's online accessibility is limited, and many records requests require direct contact with the Assessor's office or an in-person visit. The Perry County Chancery Clerk, located at 203 Main Street, New Augusta, MS 39462 (phone: 601-964-8427), serves as the land records office (Recorder of Deeds) for the county. This office records and indexes deeds, mortgages, liens, easements, right-of-way agreements, plats, and other instruments affecting real property. Mississippi law requires real property documents to be recorded in the county where the land is located. The Chancery Clerk maintains grantor/grantee indexes dating back to the county's formation. While some Mississippi counties have digitized land records and offer online document retrieval for a fee, Perry County primarily provides access through in-person visits or written requests. Copies of recorded documents typically cost $1.00 per page, with additional fees for certification. Title searches and historical ownership chains can be researched using the public indexes, though many users employ title companies or attorneys for complex searches.

Many Beaumont residents commute to nearby New Augusta, Hattiesburg (Forrest County), or Laurel (Jones County) for employment in larger retail, healthcare, manufacturing, and service sector jobs. The median household income in Perry County is estimated at approximately $38,000-$42,000, significantly below the Mississippi and national averages, reflecting the rural and economically modest character of the region. Agriculture, including cattle ranching, poultry farming, and row crop production, provides supplemental income for many families. Small businesses, including convenience stores, auto repair shops, and family-owned restaurants, serve local residents. The area has seen limited commercial or industrial development in recent years, with population growth remaining relatively flat or declining modestly due to outmigration of younger residents seeking economic opportunities elsewhere. The proximity to De Soto National Forest offers some tourism and outdoor recreation opportunities, though these have not significantly altered the local economic base. Economic development efforts in Perry County focus on attracting small manufacturers, supporting agricultural diversification, and improving infrastructure to retain residents and businesses.

Beaumont does not have its own municipal police department. Law enforcement services for Beaumont and the surrounding unincorporated areas of Perry County are provided by the Perry County Sheriff's Office, located at 203 Main Street, New Augusta, MS 39462. The Sheriff's Office can be reached at (601) 964-8346. The agency is responsible for patrol, criminal investigations, civil process service, and operation of the county detention facility. Residents seeking police reports, incident records, or accident reports should contact the Sheriff's Office directly during regular business hours. Mississippi's Public Records Act (Mississippi Code § 25-61-1 et seq.) establishes the legal framework for accessing law enforcement records, though certain investigative and personnel records may be exempt from disclosure. Requests should be submitted in writing to the Sheriff's Office, specifying the type of record and relevant dates or case numbers.

For arrests and jail bookings in Perry County, the Perry County Jail maintains custody records. While Perry County does not currently offer a comprehensive online inmate search portal, booking information including inmate names, charges, bond amounts, and booking dates can be obtained by calling the Sheriff's Office at (601) 964-8346. Some third-party websites aggregate Mississippi jail records, but official information should be verified directly with the Sheriff's Office. Mississippi law generally makes arrest records and booking information public, though ongoing investigations may limit immediate access to certain details. For historical arrest records or detailed incident reports, a formal public records request may be necessary, and the agency may charge reasonable fees for copying and research time as allowed under Mississippi Code § 25-61-7.

The fee for a certified birth certificate is $15 for the first copy and $7 for each additional copy ordered at the same time. Death certificates cost $15 for the first copy and $7 for additional copies. Processing time is typically 4-6 weeks for mail requests or faster for online/expedited orders. Applicants must provide valid identification and demonstrate a direct and tangible interest in the record; Mississippi restricts access to immediate family members, legal representatives, or individuals with a court order. Marriage licenses in Perry County are issued by the Perry County Circuit Clerk, located at 203 Main Street, New Augusta, MS 39462 (phone: 601-964-8398). The marriage license fee is $21.00, with a mandatory three-day waiting period unless waived by a judge. Marriage records are public and can be searched at the Circuit Clerk's office. Divorce records are maintained by the Chancery Clerk's office at the same address (phone: 601-964-8427), as divorce cases are filed in Chancery Court. Certified copies of divorce decrees cost approximately $1.50 per page plus certification fees. Mississippi vital records are not fully digitized, and records older than several decades typically require in-person research or written requests with specific details. Only eligible individuals can obtain certified copies, though basic marriage and divorce indexes are generally accessible to the public for genealogical research.

Specific licensing requirements vary by business type, and prospective business owners should contact the County Administrator or Board of Supervisors to determine local requirements. Fictitious business name (DBA) filings in Mississippi are recorded with the Chancery Clerk in the county where the business operates. The Perry County Chancery Clerk, 203 Main Street, New Augusta, MS 39462 (phone: 601-964-8427), maintains these records. The fee to file a business name certificate is typically around $25, and the filing must be renewed periodically. The Chancery Clerk's office can be contacted to search existing DBA filings by business name or owner. State-level business entity records, including corporations, limited liability companies (LLCs), limited partnerships, and nonprofit organizations, are maintained by the Mississippi Secretary of State, Business Services Division. The Secretary of State's online Business Entity Search is available at https://www.sos.ms.gov/business-services and allows free searches by business name, registered agent, or file number. Users can view entity status (active, dissolved, revoked), formation date, registered agent and office address, and annual report filing status. UCC (Uniform Commercial Code) financing statements, which record secured interests in personal property and business assets, are also filed with the Mississippi Secretary of State and searchable online. Business personal property and real property owned by commercial entities in Perry County are assessed by the Perry County Tax Assessor's Office at 203 Main Street, New Augusta, MS 39462 (phone: 601-964-8356). Business owners must file annual personal property renditions listing equipment, inventory, and fixtures. Commercial real estate assessments can be searched by parcel number or address, and assessed values are used to calculate property tax liabilities.

Beaumont voters are served by the Perry County Circuit Clerk's Office, which administers elections for the county. The Circuit Clerk's office is located at 203 Main Street, New Augusta, MS 39462, and can be reached at (601) 964-8398. This office handles voter registration, absentee ballot requests, early voting, and election administration for all county, state, and federal elections affecting Beaumont residents. Mississippi voters can register to vote online through the Mississippi Secretary of State's website at https://www.sos.ms.gov/elections-voting/voter-registration-information. The voter registration deadline is 30 days before an election. Applicants must provide a Mississippi driver's license or state ID number, Social Security number, and proof of residency. Mississippi does not offer Election Day registration.

Because Beaumont is an unincorporated community, it does not hold municipal elections for mayor or city council. Beaumont residents vote in Perry County elections for county supervisors, sheriff, tax assessor, circuit clerk, chancery clerk, and other county offices. County elections in Mississippi are held in conjunction with state and federal elections. Perry County is divided into five supervisor districts, and Beaumont voters participate in elections for their district supervisor.

To find their assigned polling place, Beaumont residents can use the Mississippi Polling Place Locator available on the Secretary of State's website at https://www.sos.ms.gov/elections-voting/voter-information-center or contact the Circuit Clerk's office. Polling places are assigned based on precinct, which corresponds to voter residence address. Mississippi law requires voters to present an acceptable form of photo identification at the polls, including a Mississippi driver's license, U.S. passport, government employee ID, tribal ID, or a free Mississippi Voter Identification Card available from Circuit Clerk offices.

In the November 2024 presidential election, Perry County recorded a voter turnout of approximately 60-65% of registered voters, consistent with rural Mississippi turnout patterns. The county strongly favored Republican candidates, reflecting its conservative political lean. On November 3, 2026, Beaumont and Perry County voters will participate in Mississippi's statewide and federal midterm elections. This will include elections for one of Mississippi's two U.S. Senate seats (if the Class II seat is up in 2026), all four of Mississippi's U.S. House of Representatives seats, and various state legislative seats depending on redistricting. Perry County is part of Mississippi's 4th Congressional District. Additionally, county offices such as sheriff, supervisors, and clerk positions may be on the ballot depending on the election cycle and term expirations.

Absentee voting in Mississippi is available to voters who meet specific criteria, including being away from their county of residence on Election Day, having a temporary or permanent physical disability, being 65 years or older, being a parent or caregiver of a dependent with a disability, or being required to work during polling hours. Absentee ballot applications must be submitted to the Circuit Clerk's office in writing, and the deadline is typically seven days before Election Day for mail ballots or the Saturday before Election Day for in-person absentee voting. Absentee ballots must be returned by 7:00 PM on Election Day to be counted.

Election records that are public in Mississippi include voter registration lists (available to qualified requesters), campaign finance reports filed by candidates and political committees (searchable through the Mississippi Secretary of State at https://www.sos.ms.gov/elections-voting/campaign-finance), candidate qualifying statements, and precinct-level election results. The Mississippi Secretary of State publishes official election results online following certification. Perry County precinct results are also available through the Circuit Clerk's office after each election.