Moss Point, Mississippi Public Records

The Jackson County Chancery Court, also located at 3104 Canty Street, Pascagoula, MS 39567 (phone: 228-769-3031), has jurisdiction over property disputes, wills and estates, guardianships, adoptions, and land title matters. Jackson County Justice Court handles misdemeanor cases, small claims up to $3,500, evictions, and preliminary hearings. Mississippi offers online court record access through the Mississippi Electronic Courts (MEC) system at courts.ms.gov, where users can search case information by name, case number, or filing date for participating courts, though some records may require in-person visits. Certified copies of court documents typically cost $1.00 per page plus a certification fee of approximately $2.00, with fees varying by court and document type.

The Assessor's website offers an online property search tool where users can search by owner name, address, or parcel number to view current assessments, property characteristics, and tax information free of charge. The Jackson County Chancery Clerk, located at 3104 Canty Street, Pascagoula, MS 39567 (phone: 228-769-3063), serves as the official recorder of deeds and maintains land records including warranty deeds, quitclaim deeds, mortgages, deeds of trust, liens, easements, plats, and other instruments affecting real property. The Chancery Clerk's office provides public access to land records dating back to the county's formation, with indexes organized by grantor, grantee, and legal description. While some basic property information is available online through the Assessor's portal, detailed recorded documents typically require an in-person visit to the Chancery Clerk's office or a written request with applicable copying fees. Jackson County offers a GIS parcel viewer through the county website that allows users to view parcel boundaries, zoning information, and basic property data overlaid on aerial imagery.

Other significant employment sectors include healthcare through Singing River Health System, education through the Jackson County School District and Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College's Jackson County Campus in Moss Point, retail and services, and local government. The median household income in Moss Point is estimated at approximately $35,000-$40,000, below the state median, reflecting the city's working-class character and economic challenges. Recent economic development efforts have focused on infrastructure improvements, workforce development, and attracting new industries to diversify the local economy. Moss Point has faced economic headwinds from plant closures and restructuring in the industrial sector, but continues to benefit from its strategic location near Interstate 10, the Port of Pascagoula, and Gulf Coast shipping channels. The city's economy is closely integrated with the broader Jackson County and Pascagoula metropolitan area economy, sharing labor markets and economic trends with neighboring communities along the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

The Moss Point Police Department, located at 4420 Highway 63 North, Moss Point, MS 39563 (phone: 228-475-1711), serves as the primary law enforcement agency within Moss Point city limits. Citizens can request police reports and incident records by visiting the department in person or calling during business hours; the department handles records requests under Mississippi's Public Records Act. The Jackson County Sheriff's Office, headquartered at 3151 Shortcut Road, Gautier, MS 39553 (phone: 228-769-3063, website: www.jacksoncountysheriffms.com), provides law enforcement services to unincorporated areas of Jackson County and operates the Jackson County Adult Detention Center. The Sheriff's Office has jurisdiction over county-wide matters and assists Moss Point police when needed. To search for arrests and jail bookings in Jackson County, the public can access the Jackson County Adult Detention Center inmate roster online through the Sheriff's Office website, which typically displays mugshots, charges, bond amounts, booking dates, and expected release dates. Mississippi's Public Records Act (Miss. Code Ann. § 25-61-1 through § 25-61-17) establishes the legal framework for accessing law enforcement records, requiring agencies to provide access to public records within a reasonable time and allowing agencies to charge reasonable fees for copies. Certain records, such as active investigation files and confidential informant information, may be exempt from disclosure under state law.

Mississippi offers online ordering through VitalChek at www.vitalchek.com with additional processing fees. Birth records are restricted to the individual (if of legal age), parents listed on the certificate, legal guardians, or legal representatives; death certificates are similarly restricted to immediate family members and legal representatives, with a government-issued ID required. Marriage licenses are issued by the Jackson County Circuit Clerk at 3104 Canty Street, Pascagoula, MS 39567 (phone: 228-769-3097). The marriage license fee is $21.00, and there is no waiting period or blood test required in Mississippi. Both parties must appear in person with valid photo identification and Social Security numbers. Divorce records are maintained by the Chancery Clerk in the county where the divorce was granted; for Moss Point residents, this is typically the Jackson County Chancery Clerk at 3104 Canty Street, Pascagoula, MS 39567 (phone: 228-769-3063). Certified copies of divorce decrees cost approximately $2.00 per page plus certification fees.

Fictitious business name (DBA) registrations in Mississippi are filed with the Secretary of State rather than at the county level. The Mississippi Secretary of State Business Services Division, located at 125 South Congress Street, Jackson, MS 39201 (phone: 601-359-1633, website: www.sos.ms.gov), maintains the statewide database for business entity registrations including corporations, limited liability companies (LLCs), limited partnerships, and trade name registrations. The Secretary of State's website offers a free online business entity search where users can look up corporation and LLC records by business name, officer name, or registration number to view entity status, registered agent information, filing date, and annual report status. Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) filings for secured transactions and liens on personal property are also filed with the Mississippi Secretary of State and searchable through their online portal. Business property owners in Moss Point can look up commercial property assessments through the Jackson County Tax Assessor's website at www.jacksoncountyms.gov, where property tax information is available by parcel number or owner name, showing assessed values for land, buildings, and business personal property.

Moss Point voters are served by the Jackson County Circuit Clerk's Office, which administers elections for the county. The Jackson County Circuit Clerk is located at 3104 Canty Street, Pascagoula, MS 39567 (phone: 228-769-3097, website: www.jacksoncountyms.gov). Mississippi residents can register to vote online through the Mississippi Secretary of State's website at www.sos.ms.gov/elections or by submitting a paper application to the Circuit Clerk's office; the deadline to register is 30 days before any election. Voters must provide their Mississippi driver's license number or the last four digits of their Social Security number when registering. Moss Point holds municipal elections for mayor and city council positions; Mississippi municipal elections are typically held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in June of odd-numbered years, with the next Moss Point municipal elections scheduled for June 2025. Candidates for local office file with the Moss Point City Clerk, and information about candidates and local ballot measures is available at City Hall and through local media. Moss Point residents can find their assigned polling place by visiting the Mississippi Secretary of State's polling place lookup tool at www.sos.ms.gov/pollingplace or by contacting the Jackson County Circuit Clerk. In Mississippi, voter registration lists are public records available for inspection, though personal information such as Social Security numbers is redacted; campaign finance reports for state and local candidates are filed with the Mississippi Secretary of State and searchable online; and precinct-level election results are published by the Secretary of State after each election. In the November 2024 presidential election, Jackson County reported approximately 55-60% voter turnout among registered voters. The November 3, 2026 general election will feature races for U.S. House of Representatives (Mississippi's 4th Congressional District, which includes Moss Point), state legislative seats including Mississippi House District 111 and Senate District 48, and county offices including supervisors, sheriff, tax assessor, and other constitutional offices. Mississippi does not have gubernatorial elections in 2026 (next in 2027) and the U.S. Senate seat is not up in 2026. Mississippi voters can request absentee ballots through the Circuit Clerk's office; applications must be submitted in writing with a valid excuse such as being over 65, having a temporary or permanent disability, being a student or military member away from the county, working as an election official, or being required to be away on election day. Absentee ballot applications are available on the Secretary of State's website and must be received by the Circuit Clerk no later than 5 days before the election.