Sharon, Mississippi Public Records

The Madison County Justice Court, located at 125 West North Street, Canton, MS 39046 (phone: 601-859-2121), handles misdemeanor criminal cases, preliminary hearings for felonies, civil matters up to $3,500, evictions, and small claims. Mississippi does not have a comprehensive statewide online court records search portal freely available to the public. Court records must generally be searched in person at the Circuit Clerk's office (146 West Center Street, Canton, MS 39046, phone: 601-859-1177) or the Justice Court Clerk's office. Some case information may be available by calling the respective clerk's offices. Certified copies of court documents typically cost $1.50 per page plus a certification fee. The Circuit Clerk charges a $2.00 certification fee, while document retrieval fees and copy costs vary by document type. Case filing fees range from approximately $150-$200 for civil cases in Circuit Court to lower amounts in Justice Court.

Residents can search by owner name, property address, or parcel number to view assessed values, property characteristics, ownership history, tax information, and legal descriptions. The Madison County Chancery Clerk, located at 146 West Center Street, Canton, MS 39046 (phone: 601-859-1177, website: https://www.madison-co.com/departments/chancery_clerk), serves as the county's land records office, maintaining and recording deeds, mortgages, deeds of trust, liens, easements, plats, and other instruments affecting real property. These land records are indexed by grantor/grantee names and by legal description. The Chancery Clerk's office provides public access to land records, though some older records may require in-person research. Online access to recorded land documents may be available through a subscription service or limited free access on the county website. Recording fees vary by document type, typically ranging from $12-$18 per document plus additional per-page fees. Madison County also maintains a Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping portal accessible through the county website, allowing users to view parcel boundaries, zoning, flood zones, and property information on interactive maps. This GIS system is a valuable tool for researching property in Sharon and throughout Madison County.

Dominic Hospital, various retail and commercial enterprises along the Interstate 55 corridor in Madison and Ridgeland, and numerous professional services firms. The county has a diversified economy with strengths in manufacturing, healthcare, education, retail, and professional services. Madison County consistently ranks among Mississippi's highest-income counties, with median household incomes well above the state average, estimated at over $70,000 county-wide with some municipalities exceeding $90,000. The Sharon area itself maintains a more rural, residential character with some agricultural activities. Recent development trends in Madison County have focused on residential growth, particularly in the Madison and Ridgeland areas, with Sharon experiencing some spillover growth as families seek more rural settings while maintaining access to urban employment. The proximity to Ross Barnett Reservoir provides some tourism and recreation-related economic activity. The overall economic environment benefits from Madison County's strong school systems, relatively low crime rates, and strategic location within the Jackson metropolitan statistical area.

Sharon, being an unincorporated community, does not maintain its own police department. Law enforcement services for Sharon are provided exclusively by the Madison County Sheriff's Department, headquartered at 145 West Center Street, Canton, MS 39046. The Sheriff's Office can be reached at (601) 859-2345, and their website is https://www.madison-co.com/departments/sheriff. The Sheriff's Department handles all law enforcement matters in unincorporated areas of Madison County, including patrol, criminal investigations, and incident response. Residents seeking police reports or incident records should contact the Sheriff's Office directly during business hours or submit a written request. For arrests and jail bookings, the Madison County Detention Center maintains an online inmate roster that can be accessed through the Sheriff's Department website. This roster typically displays current inmates' names, booking dates, charges, bond amounts, and sometimes mugshot photographs. The detention center is located at 141 Link Road, Canton, MS 39046, and can be contacted at (601) 859-2249 for inmate information. Under Mississippi's Public Records Act, codified at Mississippi Code § 25-61-1 through § 25-61-17, citizens have the right to inspect and copy public records, including law enforcement records that are not part of ongoing investigations or otherwise exempt. Requests should be submitted in writing to the custodian of records, and agencies may charge reasonable fees for copying. The law requires agencies to respond promptly, though specific timelines are not mandated. Certain records such as active investigation files, confidential informant information, and records that would compromise security may be exempt from disclosure.

Birth certificates cost $15 for the first copy and $6 for each additional copy ordered simultaneously; death certificates cost $15 for the first copy and $7 for additional copies. Processing typically takes 4-6 weeks for mail requests, though expedited service is available for additional fees. Online orders through VitalChek include convenience fees. Mississippi vital records are available from 1912 to present, with some earlier records existing in county courthouses. Only eligible individuals can obtain certified copies: the person named on the certificate (if of legal age), parents, legal guardians, adult children, siblings, grandparents, legal representatives, or anyone with a court order. Valid government-issued photo identification is required. Marriage licenses in Mississippi are issued by the Circuit Clerk in the county where the ceremony will take place. For Sharon residents, the Madison County Circuit Clerk at 146 West Center Street, Canton, MS 39046 (phone: 601-859-1177) issues marriage licenses. The fee is approximately $21, and there is no waiting period or blood test required. Both applicants must appear in person with valid photo identification and Social Security numbers. Divorce records are maintained by the Chancery Clerk's office where the divorce was granted, which for Madison County is at 146 West Center Street, Canton, MS 39046 (phone: 601-859-1177). Certified copies of divorce decrees are available for a fee to parties of the divorce or their legal representatives.

Business owners should contact Madison County Planning and Zoning at 125 West North Street, Canton, MS 39046 (phone: 601-859-2381) for information about land use permits and zoning compliance. Mississippi state business registrations are managed by the Mississippi Secretary of State's Office, located at 401 Mississippi Street, Jackson, MS 39201 (phone: 601-359-1350, website: https://www.sos.ms.gov). The Secretary of State maintains the Business Services Division, which handles corporate and LLC formations, foreign entity registrations, and annual report filings. The Secretary of State's website provides a free online business entity search at https://www.sos.ms.gov/business-services/pages/default.aspx, allowing users to search for corporations, LLCs, limited partnerships, and other business entities by name or filing number. Search results display entity status, registration date, registered agent information, and sometimes officer/manager names. Fictitious business name (assumed name) registrations in Mississippi are filed with the chancery clerk in the county where the business operates, which for Sharon would be the Madison County Chancery Clerk at 146 West Center Street, Canton, MS 39046. UCC (Uniform Commercial Code) financing statements and lien searches are filed with and searchable through the Mississippi Secretary of State's UCC Division online. Commercial property owners can look up property tax assessments through the Madison County Tax Assessor's office at 125 West North Street, Canton, MS 39046 (phone: 601-859-1177, website: https://www.madison-co.com/departments/tax_assessor), which maintains online searchable records of all commercial and residential property assessments.

Sharon voters are served by the Madison County Election Commission, located at 125 West North Street, Canton, MS 39046. The office can be reached at (601) 859-1177, and information is available through the county website at https://www.madison-co.com. Mississippi voters can register online through the Mississippi Online Voter Registration system at https://www.ms.gov/sos/voter_registration, operated by the Mississippi Secretary of State's Office. The voter registration deadline is 30 days before any election. Mississippi requires voters to present an acceptable form of photo identification at the polls, including a driver's license, U.S. passport, government employee ID card, firearms license, student ID from an accredited Mississippi college, tribal ID, or a free Mississippi Voter Identification Card available from Circuit Clerk offices. Since Sharon is unincorporated and has no municipal government, residents do not vote in city elections. Instead, Sharon voters participate in Madison County, state, and federal elections. County elections include Madison County Board of Supervisors (five districts), Sheriff, Tax Assessor, Tax Collector, Circuit Clerk, Chancery Clerk, Coroner, and other county offices. These positions are typically elected in general elections held in November of odd-numbered years following party primaries in August. Sharon residents can find their assigned polling location by visiting the Mississippi Secretary of State's polling place lookup tool at https://www.sos.ms.gov/pollingplace or by contacting the Madison County Election Commission. Mississippi election records that are public include voter registration lists (available for purchase by campaigns and organizations), campaign finance reports (searchable through the Secretary of State's website), candidate qualifying information, and precinct-level election results. In the November 2024 presidential election, Madison County reported strong turnout consistent with its historically engaged electorate, with approximately 45,000-50,000 votes cast county-wide, representing roughly 65-70% of registered voters. Looking ahead to November 3, 2026, Sharon and Madison County voters will decide several important races. Mississippi does not have a U.S. Senate seat up in 2026 (Senator Roger Wicker's term expires in 2024, Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith's in 2026), though one Senate seat will be on the ballot. The Governor's race is not until 2027 (Mississippi holds gubernatorial elections in odd years). However, 2026 will feature all U.S. House of Representatives seats (Sharon is in Mississippi's 2nd Congressional District), state legislative races for Mississippi House and Senate (elections held every four years), and potentially county offices depending on the election cycle. Mississippi offers absentee voting for voters who will be away from their county on election day, are 65 or older, have a temporary or permanent disability, are the parent or caregiver of a dependent with a special need, or work as a first responder. Absentee ballot applications must be submitted to the Circuit Clerk's office (Madison County Circuit Clerk, 146 West Center Street, Canton, MS 39046) by mail or in person, with the deadline being the Saturday before the election for mail ballots. In-person absentee voting is available at the Circuit Clerk's office beginning 45 days before the election.