Puckett, Mississippi Public Records

For misdemeanor criminal cases and civil matters under $3,500, Rankin County operates Justice Courts in multiple districts; the Justice Court serving the Puckett area can be reached through the Rankin County Justice Court administration at (601) 825-1497. Mississippi does not maintain a comprehensive statewide online court records portal, so most court record searches must be conducted in person at the Rankin County Chancery Clerk's office, located at 211 East Government Street, Brandon, MS 39042, phone (601) 825-2217. The Chancery Clerk serves as the official records custodian for court filings and can provide certified copies of judgments, case files, and court orders. Fees for certified copies of court documents are typically $1.00 per page plus a $2.00 certification fee per document, though fees may vary by document type. Case information may sometimes be obtained by phone for basic status inquiries, but official records requests generally require in-person visits or written requests with payment.

The sex offender registry is accessible to the public, providing information on registered offenders residing in Rankin County. The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation assists in maintaining statewide criminal records, ensuring accurate and up-to-date information for residents.

The Assessor's office provides online property search capabilities through their website at www.rankincounty.org, where residents can search by owner name, parcel number, or property address to view current assessment data, property maps, and historical ownership. For recorded land documents including warranty deeds, deeds of trust, mortgages, liens, easements, plats, and other instruments affecting real property, the Rankin County Chancery Clerk serves as the official Recorder of Deeds. The Chancery Clerk's office is located at 211 East Government Street, Brandon, MS 39042, phone (601) 825-2217, website www.rankincountyms.gov. The Chancery Clerk maintains indexed land records dating back to Rankin County's formation in 1828, and many modern documents are available through online records search systems. Rankin County provides a Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping portal accessible through the county website, offering interactive parcel maps, aerial imagery, zoning information, and property boundary data. Copies of recorded documents can be obtained from the Chancery Clerk for statutory fees, typically $1.00 per page for copies. Property searches by address or owner name can be conducted online for assessment data, while deed research may require in-person assistance or online access to the land records database depending on the age and complexity of the title search.

Major employers for Puckett residents are found in nearby communities and include the Nissan assembly plant in Canton (approximately 30 miles north), the Amazon fulfillment center in Brandon, healthcare facilities such as Merit Health Rankin in Brandon and the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, and various retail and service employers along the I-20 corridor. The Rankin County School District is also a significant employer for area residents. According to U.S. Census estimates for the broader geographic area, median household income in rural Rankin County areas ranges from $45,000 to $60,000, though specific data for Puckett as an unincorporated community is limited. Rankin County overall has experienced steady growth as part of the expanding Jackson metropolitan area, with residential development gradually extending into previously rural areas. Puckett maintains its character as a quiet country community while benefiting economically from its location within reasonable commuting distance of major employment centers. The community's economy is closely tied to broader Rankin County trends, with increasing numbers of residents working in professional services, healthcare, education, and manufacturing sectors in the greater metro area.

Puckett is an unincorporated community without its own police department, so law enforcement services are provided exclusively by the Rankin County Sheriff's Office, located at 141 Riverwind Drive, Pearl, MS 39208, phone (601) 825-1480, website www.rankincountyso.org. The Sheriff's Office has jurisdiction over all unincorporated areas of Rankin County, including Puckett, and handles all crime reports, traffic enforcement, and emergency response. Residents seeking copies of accident reports, incident reports, or offense reports may request them in person at the Sheriff's Office or by submitting a written request. The Rankin County Sheriff's Office maintains patrol coverage throughout the county and operates a full-service law enforcement agency including criminal investigations, narcotics enforcement, and special operations units. For arrest records and current jail bookings, the Rankin County Detention Center provides an online inmate roster accessible through the Sheriff's Office website, showing arrestee names, booking dates, charges, bond amounts, and mugshot photographs when available. This roster is updated regularly and provides real-time information on individuals currently in custody. Mississippi public records law is governed primarily by the Mississippi Public Records Act of 1983, codified at Mississippi Code Annotated § 25-61-1 et seq., which establishes that all government records are presumed to be public unless specifically exempted by law. Requests for law enforcement records should reference this statute and should be directed to the custodian of records at the Rankin County Sheriff's Office. The agency may charge reasonable fees for copying and research time associated with fulfilling records requests.

Online ordering is available through the VitalChek service at www.msdh.ms.gov, with additional processing fees applied for online orders. Processing time is typically 4-6 weeks for mail requests and faster for online orders with expedited shipping. Birth records are available from 1912 forward, and death records from 1912 forward, with earlier records available through the Mississippi Department of Archives and History. Only eligible individuals may request vital records: the registrant (if of legal age), immediate family members, legal representatives, or individuals with a court order or documented legal interest. Valid government-issued photo identification is required. Marriage licenses are obtained from the Rankin County Chancery Clerk's office at 211 East Government Street, Brandon, MS 39042, phone (601) 825-2217. The marriage license fee is $21.00, with no waiting period or blood test required. Both parties must appear in person with valid photo identification and Social Security numbers. Marriage records are maintained permanently by the Chancery Clerk and are public record. Divorce records are court records maintained by the Chancery Court where the divorce was granted, accessible through the Rankin County Chancery Clerk's office for divorces granted in Rankin County.

Businesses operating under assumed names must file a Trade Name Registration (doing business as or DBA) with the Rankin County Chancery Clerk at 211 East Government Street, Brandon, MS 39042, phone (601) 825-2217. The DBA filing fee is typically $25.00 and must be renewed every five years. For formal business entity formation, Mississippi businesses register through 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. The Secretary of State maintains a free online Business Entity Search at www.sos.ms.gov/business-services where anyone can search corporations, limited liability companies, partnerships, and other registered entities by business name, registered agent, or filing number. The database shows entity status, formation date, registered office address, registered agent information, and filing history. Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) financing statements and lien searches are also filed with and searchable through the Mississippi Secretary of State's office. Business owners in Puckett pay property taxes on real and personal business property, assessed by the Rankin County Tax Assessor at (601) 825-1420 and payable to the Rankin County Tax Collector. Commercial property assessments are searchable online through the county assessor's website.

Voters in Puckett participate in elections administered by the Rankin County Circuit Clerk and Election Commissioner, located at 211 East Government Street, Suite 110, Brandon, MS 39042, phone (601) 825-1460, website www.rankincountyms.gov. Rankin County residents can register to vote online through the Mississippi Secretary of State's website at www.sos.ms.gov/elections-voting/pages/voter-registration.aspx, by mail using a voter registration application, or in person at the Circuit Clerk's office. The voter registration deadline in Mississippi is 30 days before any election. Applicants must be U.S. citizens, residents of Mississippi and Rankin County, at least 18 years old by the election date, and not disqualified by felony conviction (unless rights have been restored) or judicial declaration of mental incapacity. Valid Mississippi driver's license or state ID numbers are required for online registration. Because Puckett is unincorporated without municipal government, residents do not vote in city elections but participate in county, state, and federal elections. Polling place assignments for Puckett voters can be found using the Mississippi Secretary of State's polling place lookup tool at www.sos.ms.gov or by contacting the Rankin County Circuit Clerk. In the November 2024 general election, Rankin County reported strong voter turnout with approximately 57,000 ballots cast, representing roughly 66% of registered voters, reflecting the county's consistently high participation rates. Looking ahead to the November 3, 2026 general election, Mississippi voters will not have a U.S. Senate race (Mississippi's Senate seats are up in 2024 and 2026 off-cycle) but will elect all four U.S. House of Representative seats including Mississippi's 3rd Congressional District which serves Rankin County, and all 174 seats in the Mississippi Legislature (52 Senate seats and 122 House seats). Rankin County voters will also elect county officials including supervisors, sheriff, chancery clerk, circuit clerk, tax assessor, tax collector, and other constitutional officers, as county elections in Mississippi are held in off-year cycles. Mississippi offers absentee voting for voters who will be away from their polling place on election day, are 65 or older, have a temporary or permanent disability, are required to work during all polling hours, are a parent or caregiver of a dependent person with a disability, or are a member of the military or spouse/dependent. Absentee ballot applications must be submitted to the Rankin County Circuit Clerk, with the deadline being the Saturday before the election for by-mail ballots. Mississippi election records that are public include voter registration lists (available for purchase for political purposes), campaign finance reports filed with the Secretary of State's office, candidate qualifying information, and precinct-level election results, all accessible through the Mississippi Secretary of State's website.