Friars Point, Mississippi Public Records

For more serious criminal matters, the Coahoma County Circuit Court, located at the Coahoma County Courthouse, 115 First Street, Clarksdale, MS 38614 (phone: 662-624-3070), has jurisdiction over felony cases, civil lawsuits exceeding $75,000, divorces, and appeals from lower courts. The Coahoma County Chancery Court, also at the courthouse (phone: 662-624-3000), handles probate matters, guardianships, adoptions, property disputes, and juvenile cases. The Coahoma County Justice Court (phone: 662-624-3017) processes misdemeanors, preliminary hearings for felonies, civil cases up to $3,500, and evictions. Mississippi courts participate in the Mississippi Electronic Courts (MEC) system, which provides limited online access to case information. The public can search court records through the Mississippi Administrative Office of Courts website at courts.ms.gov, though not all records are digitized. For certified copies of court documents, the Circuit Clerk charges $1.50 per page for copies and $5.00 for certification. Divorce decrees, judgments, and other certified records can be requested from the Coahoma County Circuit Clerk's Office in person or by mail.

The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation offers additional resources for Coahoma residents seeking detailed criminal records, including fingerprint-based checks for employment or licensing purposes. The county's criminal records are essential for legal proceedings, employment screenings, and public safety initiatives.

The Coahoma County Chancery Clerk, located at the Coahoma County Courthouse, 115 First Street, Clarksdale, MS 38614 (phone: 662-624-3000, website: coahomacountyclerk.com), serves as the county's land records office and recorder of deeds. This office maintains and records real property documents including warranty deeds, quitclaim deeds, mortgages, deeds of trust, mechanic's liens, easements, plats, and UCC filings. Land records dating back to the county's founding are available, with indexes searchable by grantor, grantee, and legal description. Some counties in Mississippi provide online access to recorded documents through third-party vendors; residents should check the Chancery Clerk's website or contact the office to determine if digital images are available online or if records must be reviewed in person. Copies of recorded documents typically cost $1.00 per page. The county may also maintain a GIS mapping system for parcel visualization, accessible through the Tax Assessor's or county government website.

Major employers in the broader Coahoma County area include Coahoma Community College, the Coahoma County School District, North Sunflower Medical Center, and various agricultural processing and distribution companies. The median household income in Friars Point is significantly below the national average, reflecting the economic challenges faced by many small Delta communities. Population decline and limited job opportunities have impacted the town, though efforts to preserve Delta blues heritage and river tourism offer potential for modest economic development. Friars Point is part of the greater Mississippi Delta region, known for cultural tourism related to blues music, with nearby Clarksdale hosting the Delta Blues Museum and numerous music festivals. The local economy is also influenced by federal programs supporting rural development and agriculture. Small businesses, churches, and community organizations play central roles in the town's social and economic fabric, and municipal services are limited compared to larger cities in the state.

The Friars Point Police Department provides local law enforcement services within the town limits. The department is located at 113 Main Street, Friars Point, MS 38631, and can be reached at (662) 383-2233. For police reports, incident records, and accident reports, residents may submit public records requests in person or by contacting the department during business hours. Mississippi's public records law is codified under the Mississippi Public Records Act of 1983, Miss. Code Ann. § 25-61-1 et seq., which grants the public the right to inspect and copy public records maintained by government agencies, subject to certain exemptions. The Coahoma County Sheriff's Office, located at 115 First Street, Clarksdale, MS 38614 (phone: 662-624-3085, website: coahomacountysheriff.com), has jurisdiction over unincorporated areas of the county and provides support to municipal departments. The Sheriff's Office maintains arrest records, incident reports, and warrants. For arrests and jail bookings, the Coahoma County Detention Center maintains an online inmate roster accessible through the Coahoma County Sheriff's Office website, showing current inmates, booking dates, charges, bond amounts, and mugshots. To request copies of arrest reports or crime records under the Mississippi Public Records Act, individuals should submit a written request to the Sheriff's Office or the Friars Point Police Department, specifying the records sought. Processing times and fees may apply depending on the nature and volume of the request.

Online ordering is available through VitalChek at msdh.ms.gov/vitalrecords for expedited service with additional fees. Only eligible individuals—such as the person named on the record, immediate family members, legal representatives, or those with a legal interest—may request certified copies, and valid government-issued photo ID is required. Birth records are restricted for 100 years and death records for 50 years. For marriage licenses, couples must apply in person at the Coahoma County Chancery Clerk's Office, 115 First Street, Clarksdale, MS 38614 (phone: 662-624-3000). The marriage license fee is approximately $21, and there is no waiting period or blood test required in Mississippi. Certified copies of marriage certificates can be obtained from the Chancery Clerk for $10. Divorce records are also maintained by the Chancery Clerk, as divorces are granted through Chancery Court. Certified copies of divorce decrees cost $10. Historical vital records from before 1912 may be found in county records or church registries.

For businesses operating in unincorporated Coahoma County, county-level business permits may be required; contact the Coahoma County Board of Supervisors at 115 First Street, Clarksdale, MS 38614 (phone: 662-624-3038) for information. Fictitious business name (DBA) filings in Mississippi are registered with the Coahoma County Chancery Clerk's Office at the Coahoma County Courthouse, 115 First Street, Clarksdale, MS 38614 (phone: 662-624-3000). The filing fee is approximately $25, and renewals are required every five years. At the state level, the Mississippi Secretary of State Business Services Division maintains the official registry of corporations, limited liability companies (LLCs), limited partnerships, and other business entities. The Secretary of State's website at sos.ms.gov offers a free online business entity search tool where the public can look up company names, status, registered agents, officers, formation dates, and annual report filings. To form a new corporation or LLC, filings must be submitted to the Secretary of State with applicable fees ($50 for LLCs, $50 for corporations). UCC (Uniform Commercial Code) lien searches and filings, which record secured transactions and collateral interests, are also handled by the Secretary of State's office. Business owners in Friars Point must also register for state tax accounts with the Mississippi Department of Revenue. Commercial property assessments for tax purposes can be searched through the Coahoma County Tax Assessor's Office online parcel search.

Voters in Friars Point, Mississippi, are served by the Coahoma County Circuit Clerk's Office, which functions as the county's voter registration and elections office. The office is located at the Coahoma County Courthouse, 115 First Street, Clarksdale, MS 38614 (phone: 662-624-3070, website: coahomacountyclerk.com). Mississippi residents may register to vote online through the Mississippi Secretary of State's Y'all Vote portal at yallvote.sos.ms.gov, or by submitting a paper voter registration form to the Circuit Clerk's office. The voter registration deadline is 30 days before any election. Voters must provide a valid form of identification at the polls, including a Mississippi driver's license, government-issued photo ID, or acceptable alternatives as specified by Mississippi law. Friars Point holds municipal elections for mayor and board of aldermen; these elections are typically held in June of odd-numbered years, with the next municipal election likely in June 2025. Voters can find their assigned polling place by using the polling place locator on the Y'all Vote website or by contacting the Circuit Clerk's office. Mississippi law makes certain election records publicly accessible, including voter registration lists (available for purchase by qualified requesters), campaign finance disclosures filed with the Mississippi Secretary of State's Office, candidate qualification documents, and precinct-level election results published after each election. In the November 2024 general election, Coahoma County saw voter turnout consistent with past presidential cycles, with detailed results available from the Mississippi Secretary of State Elections Division at sos.ms.gov/elections. On November 3, 2026, Friars Point and Coahoma County voters will participate in the Mississippi midterm elections, which may include races for U.S. Senate if the Class II seat is up (not 2026), U.S. House of Representatives for Mississippi's 2nd Congressional District, and various state legislative seats. County-level offices such as Sheriff, Tax Assessor, and Chancery Clerk may also appear on the ballot depending on term schedules. Mississippi voters may request absentee ballots if they meet eligibility 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, with deadlines set by state law—typically by mail by the Saturday before the election or in person until the day before. Voted absentee ballots must be postmarked by election day and received within five business days to be counted.