Perkinston, Mississippi Public Records

The Stone County Chancery Court, at the same courthouse address with the Chancery Clerk at (601) 928-5227, has jurisdiction over domestic relations matters (divorce, custody, adoption), estate and probate matters, real property title disputes, guardianships, and other equity matters. The Stone County Justice Court, phone (601) 928-4113, handles misdemeanor criminal cases, preliminary hearings for felonies, traffic violations, small claims cases under $3,500, and civil matters up to $3,500. Mississippi courts participate in a statewide electronic filing system through MEC (Mississippi Electronic Courts), and some case information can be searched through the Mississippi Electronic Courts website at https://courts.ms.gov, though access levels vary by court and case type. To obtain certified copies of court documents, requesters must contact the appropriate clerk's office; the Circuit Clerk charges approximately $1.00 per page for copies plus certification fees typically around $5.00, while the Chancery Clerk has similar fee structures. Marriage licenses are issued through the Chancery Clerk's office at a fee of approximately $21.00, with a three-day waiting period unless waived. Fees are subject to change and should be confirmed with the respective clerk's office.

The Stone County Chancery Clerk serves as the land records recorder for the county, located at the Stone County Courthouse, 323 East Cavers Avenue, Wiggins, MS 39577, phone (601) 928-5227. The Chancery Clerk's office records and indexes all real property documents including warranty deeds, quitclaim deeds, deeds of trust, mortgages, releases, liens (mechanics liens, judgment liens, tax liens), easements, plats, and other instruments affecting title to real property in Stone County. These land records are public and can be searched by grantor/grantee name, property description, or book and page reference. Some Mississippi counties have digitized land records available through third-party vendors or county websites, but availability varies; interested parties should contact the Chancery Clerk directly to determine current access options and fees. Copying fees typically run $1.00 per page with additional charges for certified copies. Stone County may offer a GIS (Geographic Information System) parcel viewer for mapping and basic property information, though this should be verified through county websites or by calling county offices.

Beyond the college, Perkinston's economy is primarily agricultural and forestry-based, reflecting Stone County's rural character. Timber production, pine tree farming, and poultry operations constitute significant economic activities in the area. Many Perkinston residents commute to nearby employment centers including Wiggins (the county seat), Hattiesburg to the north (home to the University of Southern Mississippi and major healthcare employers), and the Mississippi Gulf Coast cities of Gulfport and Biloxi to the south, where casino gaming, hospitality, tourism, shipbuilding, and military installations (Keesler Air Force Base) provide employment. Stone County's median household income is below the Mississippi state average, reflecting the rural and agricultural nature of the area. Recent economic development in Stone County has focused on small business growth, agricultural diversification, and improved transportation infrastructure along Highway 15 and Highway 26 corridors. Perkinston maintains its character as a small, education-centered rural community within the broader economic orbit of the Mississippi Gulf Coast metropolitan area.

Perkinston is an unincorporated community and does not have its own municipal police department. Law enforcement services for Perkinston and the surrounding area are provided exclusively by the Stone County Sheriff's Office, located at 323 East Cavers Avenue, Wiggins, MS 39577, phone (601) 928-5231. The Sheriff's Office has countywide jurisdiction covering all of Stone County's approximately 445 square miles, including Perkinston, and handles patrol, investigations, civil process, and detention operations. Residents seeking police reports, incident records, or accident reports must contact the Sheriff's Office directly during business hours. The Stone County Sheriff's Office maintains a detention facility at the same Wiggins address where arrestees from Perkinston are booked and held. To search for current arrests and jail bookings, the public can access inmate information through the Stone County Sheriff's Office or by contacting the detention center at (601) 928-5231. Inmate rosters typically include booking dates, charges filed, bond amounts, and mugshots when available, though online access may be limited and require in-person or phone inquiries. Mississippi's Public Records Act, found in Mississippi Code § 25-61-1 through § 25-61-17, grants the public right to inspect and copy public records held by governmental bodies, including law enforcement agencies. Requests must be reasonably specific, and agencies may charge reasonable fees for copying. Certain law enforcement records may be exempt from disclosure if they would interfere with ongoing investigations, endanger individuals, or fall under other statutory exceptions outlined in § 25-61-9. Processing times vary, but agencies are required to respond within a reasonable timeframe.

Birth certificates cost $15.00 for the first copy and $6.00 for each additional copy ordered at the same time; death certificates cost $15.00 for the first copy and $6.00 for additional copies. Online ordering is available through the VitalChek service at https://www.msdh.ms.gov/vitalrecords, with additional processing fees applied. Processing times are typically 4-6 weeks by mail, or expedited service is available for higher fees. Mississippi law restricts access to birth records for 100 years from the date of birth; only the registrant (if of legal age), immediate family members, legal representatives, or those with a direct and tangible interest may obtain certified copies upon providing proper identification. Death certificates are similarly restricted for 50 years. Marriage licenses are issued by the Stone County Chancery Clerk's office at 323 East Cavers Avenue, Wiggins, MS 39577, phone (601) 928-5227, at a fee of approximately $21.00. A three-day waiting period applies unless waived by the Chancery Clerk. Marriage records are public and maintained permanently by the Chancery Clerk. Divorce records are court records maintained by the Chancery Court, as the Chancery Court has exclusive jurisdiction over divorce actions in Mississippi. Certified copies of divorce decrees can be obtained from the Stone County Chancery Clerk's office where the divorce was granted, with standard copying and certification fees applied.

The Chancery Clerk maintains an index of business names that can be searched in person. Mississippi corporations, limited liability companies (LLCs), limited partnerships, and other formal business entities must register with the Mississippi Secretary of State, Business Services Division, P.O. Box 136, Jackson, MS 39205, phone (601) 359-1333. The Secretary of State maintains a free online business entity search at https://www.sos.ms.gov/business-services where the public can search by business name, registered agent, or file number to view entity status, registration date, principal office address, registered agent information, and annual report filing status. Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) financing statements, which create security interests in personal property and are used for lien searches in business transactions, are filed with the Mississippi Secretary of State and can be searched through the same office. Business personal property is assessed for tax purposes by the Stone County Tax Assessor's Office at (601) 928-5556, and businesses can inquire about commercial property assessments, tax rates, and payment schedules through that office. Mississippi imposes a state sales tax of 7% plus any applicable local taxes on retail sales and certain services; businesses must register with the Mississippi Department of Revenue at https://www.dor.ms.gov.

Perkinston voters are served by the Stone County Circuit Clerk, who administers elections for the county. The Stone County Circuit Clerk's office is located at 323 East Cavers Avenue, Wiggins, MS 39577, phone (601) 928-5266. This office handles voter registration, absentee ballot requests, precinct assignments, and election administration for all Perkinston residents. Mississippi voters can register online through the Mississippi Secretary of State's website at https://www.sos.ms.gov/elections-voting/voter-registration-information or register in person at the Circuit Clerk's office. The voter registration deadline in Mississippi is 30 days before any election. Voters must provide identification when registering and when voting; acceptable forms include a Mississippi driver's license, a photo ID issued by any branch, department, or entity of the State of Mississippi, a U.S. passport, a government employee ID card, a firearms license, a student photo ID issued by an accredited Mississippi university, college or community college, a U.S. military ID, a tribal photo ID, or another photo ID issued by any branch, department, agency or entity of the United States government or State of Mississippi. Because Perkinston is unincorporated, there are no municipal elections for mayor or city council; residents vote in Stone County elections for county supervisors, sheriff, tax assessor, circuit clerk, chancery clerk, and other county offices, as well as state and federal races. Perkinston residents can find their assigned polling place by contacting the Stone County Circuit Clerk at (601) 928-5266 or checking the Mississippi Secretary of State's polling place lookup tool at https://www.sos.ms.gov/elections-voting/polling-place-locator. Public election records in Mississippi include voter registration lists (available with restrictions under Miss. Code § 23-15-47), campaign finance reports filed with the Secretary of State and available at https://sos.ms.gov/elections-voting/campaign-finance, candidate qualifying information, and precinct-level election results published by the Secretary of State. In the November 2024 presidential election, Stone County reported voter turnout of approximately 58-62% of registered voters, consistent with rural Mississippi turnout patterns, with Stone County favoring Republican candidates by substantial margins. The November 3, 2026 general election will feature races for one of Mississippi's two U.S. Senate seats (the term currently held by Roger Wicker expires January 2025, so this seat will be on the 2024 ballot; Cindy Hyde-Smith's term expires January 2027, placing it on the 2026 ballot if the schedule holds), Mississippi's four U.S. House seats (Perkinston is in the 4th Congressional District), and potentially state legislative seats depending on district boundaries. Stone County Board of Supervisors seats are elected on staggered terms; voters should check with the Circuit Clerk for which supervisor districts are on the 2026 ballot. Mississippi does not hold gubernatorial elections in 2026 (the next governor's race is 2027 for the term beginning 2028). Absentee voting in Mississippi requires an excuse; eligible excuses include being away from your county of residence on election day, temporary or permanent physical disability, age 65 or older, parent or primary caregiver to a dependent child or person with a disability requiring your care, employment as an elected official required to be away from home on election day, or service as a poll worker or election official. Absentee ballot applications are available from the Stone County Circuit Clerk's office and must be requested by mail postmarked at least five business days before the election or in person through the Saturday before the election. Voted absentee ballots must be received by the Circuit Clerk by 7:00 PM on election day to be counted.