Quitman, Mississippi Public Records

The Circuit Clerk's office maintains these records and can be reached at the same courthouse address. The Clarke County Chancery Court, also at 100 Main Street (phone: 601-776-2126), handles probate matters, guardianships, adoptions, land disputes, and equity cases. The Chancery Clerk serves as the record keeper for these proceedings. Clarke County Justice Court handles misdemeanor criminal cases, small claims up to $3,500, evictions, and preliminary hearings. Mississippi's court records are partially accessible online through the Mississippi Electronic Courts (MEC) system, though availability varies by county and case type. For certified copies of court documents, the Circuit Clerk charges $1.50 per page with a $2.00 certification fee. The Chancery Clerk charges similar fees for certified land records and probate documents. Many older records require in-person searches at the courthouse. Case information can be requested by providing the case number, party names, or filing date.

The assessor's office provides information on current assessments, exemptions, and property characteristics used for tax purposes. The Clarke County Chancery Clerk, at 100 Main Street, Quitman, MS 39355 (phone: 601-776-2126), serves as the land records office (similar to Recorder or Register of Deeds in other states), maintaining recorded documents including warranty deeds, quitclaim deeds, deeds of trust, mortgages, liens, easements, plats, and other instruments affecting real property. Mississippi uses a Chancery Clerk system rather than a separate recorder's office. Land records can be searched by grantor/grantee index, legal description, or book and page number. Many Mississippi counties have not digitized their land records for free public online access, requiring researchers to visit the courthouse or hire a title company. The Chancery Clerk charges recording fees based on the number of pages and type of document. Some limited property information may be available through third-party subscription services, but official records require courthouse access for most comprehensive searches in Clarke County.

The timber and forest products industry remains important to the regional economy, with logging operations and wood processing facilities in the area. Agriculture, particularly cattle ranching and row crops, continues as a traditional economic activity. Retail and service businesses along Main Street and Highway 45 serve local residents and county visitors. Manufacturing facilities in the broader region provide some employment, though Quitman lacks the large industrial base found in Mississippi's more urbanized areas. The median household income in Clarke County is approximately $38,000-42,000, below the state and national averages, reflecting the rural character and limited high-wage employment opportunities. Recent economic development efforts have focused on maintaining the downtown commercial district, supporting small businesses, and leveraging Quitman's position along U.S. Highway 45. The city's economy is closely tied to Clarke County's overall fortunes, with population stability and retention of young residents remaining ongoing challenges in this predominantly rural area of east-central Mississippi.

The Quitman Police Department, located at 135 Archusa Avenue, Quitman, MS 39355 (phone: 601-776-2101), provides law enforcement services within the city limits. Citizens can request police reports and incident records by visiting the department in person during business hours or by submitting a written request. The department maintains records of arrests, accident reports, incident reports, and calls for service within the city. For areas outside Quitman city limits, the Clarke County Sheriff's Office serves the unincorporated portions of Clarke County. The Sheriff's Office is located at 100 Main Street, Quitman, MS 39355 (phone: 601-776-5181) and maintains county-wide arrest records, patrol reports, and operates the Clarke County Detention Center. To search for arrests and jail bookings, the Mississippi Department of Corrections maintains an offender search system, though county-level inmate information may require direct contact with the Clarke County Detention Center at 601-776-5181. Booking information typically includes inmate name, booking date, charges, bond amount, and mugshots when available. Under Mississippi's Public Records Act (Miss. Code Ann. § 25-61-1 et seq.), law enforcement agencies must provide access to non-exempt records within a reasonable time. Requesters should submit written requests specifying the records sought, and agencies may charge reasonable fees for copying and staff time. Some records, including those involving ongoing investigations, juvenile offenders, or confidential informants, may be withheld under statutory exceptions. Most police reports and arrest records older than the investigative stage are considered public and available upon request.

Birth certificates require proof of relationship or legal need, with requesters providing valid photo identification. Only immediate family members, legal representatives, or those with a direct legal interest can obtain certified copies. Marriage licenses in Mississippi are issued by the Circuit Clerk's office in the county where the ceremony will take place. For Quitman residents, the Clarke County Circuit Clerk, 100 Main Street, Quitman, MS 39355 (phone: 601-776-3211), issues marriage licenses with a current fee of $21. There is no waiting period, and the license is valid for 30 days. Mississippi eliminated its three-day waiting period in recent years. Marriage records are public and can be searched at the Circuit Clerk's office. Divorce records are court records maintained by the Chancery Clerk in the county where the divorce was granted; the Clarke County Chancery Clerk (phone: 601-776-2126) maintains these records at the same courthouse location. Divorce decrees can be obtained by requesting certified copies from the Chancery Clerk with a fee of approximately $1.50 per page plus certification fees.

For businesses operating in unincorporated Clarke County, county-level business requirements should be confirmed with the Board of Supervisors office. Fictitious business name registrations (DBA - Doing Business As) in Mississippi are filed with the Chancery Clerk's office; the Clarke County Chancery Clerk at 100 Main Street, Quitman, MS 39355 (phone: 601-776-2126) handles these filings with fees around $25-35. DBA records are public and can be searched at the courthouse. For formal business entity formation, the Mississippi Secretary of State's Office maintains the statewide business registry. Corporations, LLCs, limited partnerships, and other entities can be searched free of charge through the Mississippi Secretary of State's Business Services Division at www.sos.ms.gov/business-services. The online database provides entity name, status (active, dissolved, revoked), registered agent, formation date, and sometimes officer information. New business entity filings, annual reports, and amendments are submitted through this office. UCC (Uniform Commercial Code) financing statements, which create secured interests in personal property and business assets, are also filed with the Mississippi Secretary of State and searchable online. For commercial property tax information, the Clarke County Tax Assessor (601-776-2541) maintains assessment records for business real property and personal property (equipment, inventory, fixtures) used in commercial operations.

Quitman voters receive election services through the Clarke County Circuit Clerk's Office, which serves as the county's voter registration and elections office, located at 100 Main Street, Quitman, MS 39355 (phone: 601-776-3211). Mississippi voters can register online through the Mississippi Secretary of State's website at www.sos.ms.gov/elections-voting/voter-registration, with registration deadlines of 30 days before any election. Voters must provide their Mississippi driver's license or state ID number, social security number, and date of birth. Mississippi requires photo ID to vote, accepting driver's licenses, government employee IDs, passports, military IDs, student IDs from Mississippi universities, tribal photo IDs, or free Voter Identification cards issued by Circuit Clerks. Quitman holds municipal elections for mayor and Board of Aldermen (city council) in odd-numbered years; Mississippi municipal elections occur statewide in June of odd years with runoffs in late June if needed, placing the next Quitman municipal elections in June 2025. Qualifying for municipal candidates typically occurs in January-February of election years. Quitman voters also participate in county elections for positions including Board of Supervisors, Sheriff, Tax Assessor, Circuit Clerk, Chancery Clerk, and other constitutional offices, typically held in August primaries and November general elections of presidential election years. To find their assigned polling place, Quitman residents can contact the Circuit Clerk's office or check the Mississippi Secretary of State's polling place lookup tool at www.sos.ms.gov. Mississippi's public election records include voter registration rolls (available with restrictions to protect privacy), campaign finance reports filed by candidates and political committees (searchable through the Secretary of State's Campaign Finance system), candidate qualifying information, and precinct-level election results published after each election. In the November 2024 presidential election, Clarke County saw approximately 55-58% voter turnout with around 4,000-4,500 ballots cast from roughly 7,500 registered voters, reflecting typical rural Mississippi participation rates. For the November 3, 2026 general election, Quitman and Clarke County voters will decide several important races: no U.S. Senate seat from Mississippi is scheduled for 2026 (Mississippi's Senate seats are up in 2024 and 2028), but voters will elect Mississippi's four U.S. House Representatives, all 52 seats in the Mississippi State Senate, all 122 seats in the Mississippi House of Representatives, and various county offices depending on term schedules. Absentee voting in Mississippi requires voters to meet specific criteria (age 65+, disabled, will be away from county on election day, required to work on election day, parent with children under voting age, or caretaker of a dependent). Absentee ballot applications must be requested from the Circuit Clerk's office, with completed ballots returned by mail or in person by 7:00 PM on election day. Mississippi does not offer universal no-excuse absentee voting or early voting for most voters, maintaining more restrictive vote-by-mail rules than many states.