Shubuta, Mississippi Public Records

The Clarke County Circuit Court, also located at the Clarke County Courthouse, 114 East Main Street, Quitman, MS 39355 (phone: 601-776-2126), has jurisdiction over felony criminal cases, civil matters exceeding $200, divorces, child custody and support matters, estate probate, guardianships, adoptions, and appeals from Justice Court. The Circuit Clerk's office maintains court records and can be reached at the same address and phone number. The Town of Shubuta does not operate its own municipal court. Mississippi's court records are partially available through the Mississippi Electronic Courts (MEC) system, though not all Clarke County records may be fully digitized or accessible online. To search court records, individuals can visit the Mississippi Supreme Court website at courts.ms.gov for general information, but most Clarke County case searches require contacting the Circuit Clerk's office directly or visiting in person. Certified copies of court documents typically cost $1.50 per page with an additional $1.00 certification fee per document, though fees may vary by document type. The Circuit Clerk accepts payment by cash, check, or money order. For documents requiring extensive research or older archived records, additional research fees may apply as permitted under Mississippi Code § 25-7-9.

The Assessor can provide information on current ownership, assessed land and improvement values, homestead exemptions, and tax obligations. Official land records including deeds, mortgages, liens, easements, plat maps, and other recorded instruments are maintained by the Clarke County Chancery Clerk, who serves as the Register of Deeds, at the same courthouse address: 114 East Main Street, Quitman, MS 39355 (phone: 601-776-2126). The Chancery Clerk's office maintains an index of recorded documents dating back to the county's formation, though older records may be archived. To conduct a property title search, individuals can visit the Chancery Clerk's office and request to search the grantor-grantee index by owner name or by legal description. Copies of recorded documents cost $1.00 per page, with certified copies requiring an additional certification fee. Clarke County does not currently offer free online access to recorded land documents, though some Mississippi counties are working toward digitization. For GIS mapping and parcel viewers, Clarke County does not maintain a publicly accessible online GIS portal as of 2025, so property boundary and parcel information must be obtained through in-person research at the Assessor's or Chancery Clerk's office.

The timber industry remains economically important to the region, with forestry and related activities providing employment both directly and through supporting services. Clarke County's economy overall is anchored by agriculture (particularly poultry, cattle, and timber), public sector employment including county government and schools, and manufacturing facilities located in the Quitman area. The estimated median household income for Shubuta is below both state and national averages, reflecting the economic challenges faced by many small rural Mississippi towns. Shubuta lacks major industrial employers or significant commercial development, and many residents commute to larger employment centers such as Meridian or other regional cities for work. The town's economy is intertwined with Clarke County's overall economic fortunes, and both have faced challenges related to rural population decline, limited infrastructure investment, and competition from larger regional commercial centers. Recent years have not seen major economic development announcements specific to Shubuta, though Clarke County periodically pursues economic development initiatives to attract industry and create jobs. The community's economic character is that of a small, rural agricultural town with limited commercial activity and dependence on county and regional economic drivers.

The Town of Shubuta does not maintain its own police department; law enforcement services are provided by the Clarke County Sheriff's Office, which has jurisdiction throughout the unincorporated areas and provides patrol and investigative services to Shubuta. The Clarke County Sheriff's Office is located at 114 East Main Street, Quitman, MS 39355, and can be reached at (601) 776-2101. The Sheriff's Office website, accessible through the Clarke County government portal, provides information on services and contact details. To request police reports or incident records for events occurring in Shubuta, residents should contact the Sheriff's Office directly during business hours or submit a written request citing the Mississippi Public Records Act (Miss. Code §§ 25-61-1 et seq.). The Sheriff's Office handles patrol, criminal investigations, and responds to emergency calls in Shubuta and throughout Clarke County. Arrests and jail bookings are processed at the Clarke County Detention Center, located adjacent to the Sheriff's Office in Quitman. Information on current inmates can be obtained by calling the detention center at (601) 776-2101 or visiting in person during visiting hours. While Clarke County does not maintain a comprehensive online inmate roster, booking information including names, charges, bond amounts, and booking dates is available through direct inquiry to the detention facility. Under Mississippi's Public Records Act, arrest records, incident reports, and booking logs are generally considered public records, though certain investigative records may be exempt from disclosure while cases are under active investigation. Citizens requesting records should provide specific details such as case numbers, dates, and names to facilitate searches, and the Sheriff's Office may charge reasonable fees for copying and research time as permitted under state law.

Certified copies can be requested by mail, in person at the Jackson office, or online through VitalChek at msdh.ms.gov/vitalrecords, though online orders incur additional processing fees (typically $10-$15). Processing time is generally 2-4 weeks for mail requests and 3-5 business days for online orders. Mississippi law restricts access to birth and death certificates: only the individual named (if of legal age), parents, legal guardians, legal representatives, or persons with a direct and tangible interest may request certified copies, and valid photo identification must be provided. Birth records are available from 1912 forward, and death records from 1912 forward, with limited earlier records available. Marriage licenses are issued by the Clarke County Circuit Clerk's office at 114 East Main Street, Quitman, MS 39355 (phone: 601-776-2126). 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 identification and social security numbers. Marriage records are public and can be searched at the Circuit Clerk's office. Divorce records are maintained by the Circuit Clerk as court records; certified copies of divorce decrees cost $1.50 per page plus certification fees. Mississippi has a centralized index of marriages and divorces maintained by the State Department of Health, searchable back to 1926 for marriages and 1926 for divorces, though certified copies must be obtained from the county of issuance.

For businesses operating in unincorporated Clarke County areas, Clarke County may have its own permitting and licensing requirements; contact the Clarke County Board of Supervisors at 114 East Main Street, Quitman, MS 39355 (phone: 601-776-2126) for information on county-level business regulations and building permits. Fictitious business name (DBA) registration in Mississippi is typically filed with the county Chancery Clerk. To register a DBA in Clarke County, file the required form and fee with the Clarke County Chancery Clerk at 114 East Main Street, Quitman, MS 39355. The filing fee is generally $25, and DBAs must be published in a local newspaper of general circulation as required by Mississippi Code § 75-23-1. Entity formation and registration—corporations, LLCs, limited partnerships, and other business entities—are handled at the state level by the Mississippi Secretary of State, Business Services Division. The Mississippi Secretary of State maintains a free online business entity search at www.sos.ms.gov where users can search for registered corporations, LLCs, and other entities by business name, registered agent, or officer name. The database shows entity status (active, dissolved, revoked), formation date, registered agent and office address, and filing history. Annual reports and amendments can also be filed online. UCC (Uniform Commercial Code) financing statements, which create public notice of secured interests and liens on personal property, are filed with and searchable through the Mississippi Secretary of State's UCC division at www.sos.ms.gov/ucc. Commercial property owners in Shubuta can look up property tax assessments through the Clarke County Tax Assessor's office at 601-776-3921; commercial properties are assessed based on fair market value and taxed at rates set by county and municipal authorities.

Shubuta voters participate in federal, state, county, and municipal elections, with election administration handled by the Clarke County Circuit Clerk, who serves as the county's Election Commissioner. The Clarke County Circuit Clerk's Office is located at 114 East Main Street, Quitman, MS 39355, and can be reached at (601) 776-2126 for all election-related inquiries including voter registration, polling place information, and absentee ballot requests. Mississippi voters can register online through the Mississippi Online Voter Registration system at www.ms.gov/sos/voter_registration, operated by the Mississippi Secretary of State. The deadline to register for an election is 30 days before Election Day. To register, Mississippi residents must be U.S. citizens, at least 18 years old by the next general election, residents of Mississippi and the county for 30 days before the election, and not disqualified by a felony conviction (unless voting rights have been restored) or court order. Valid Mississippi driver's license or state ID number is required for online registration. Shubuta, as an incorporated municipality, holds municipal elections for mayor and board of aldermen; Mississippi municipal elections are typically held in June of odd-numbered years, with party primaries in April and general elections in June. Shubuta's next municipal election is scheduled for 2025, following the statewide municipal election calendar. To find candidate lists and local ballot measures for Shubuta elections, voters should contact the Town of Shubuta or check with the Circuit Clerk's office. To locate their assigned polling place, Shubuta residents can contact the Clarke County Circuit Clerk at (601) 776-2126 or visit the Mississippi Secretary of State's polling place lookup tool at www.sos.ms.gov. Mississippi makes certain election records publicly accessible under state law: voter registration lists are available for purchase by qualified requesters for political purposes under Miss. Code § 23-15-47; campaign finance reports for candidates and political committees are filed with and available from the Mississippi Secretary of State's Office at www.sos.ms.gov/elections/campaign-finance; candidate qualifying documents are maintained by the Circuit Clerk for county and municipal offices; and precinct-level election results are public records available through the Circuit Clerk and published by the Secretary of State. In the November 2024 presidential election, Clarke County reported moderate voter turnout consistent with rural Mississippi counties, with specific turnout figures available from the Secretary of State's certified election results. Looking ahead to November 3, 2026, Clarke County and Shubuta voters will decide several important races. The 2026 midterm election will not include a U.S. Senate race for Mississippi (Senator Roger Wicker's seat is up in 2024 and Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith's in 2026, though the 2026 special/regular cycle should be confirmed), but will include elections for Mississippi's four U.S. House seats, all 122 Mississippi House of Representatives seats, and approximately half of the 52 Mississippi Senate seats depending on district. Clarke County voters will also elect county offices including sheriff, circuit clerk, chancery clerk, tax assessor, tax collector, supervisors, and other county positions on the 2027 county election cycle (Mississippi county elections are held in odd years preceding presidential elections). Mississippi offers absentee voting for qualified voters; applications for absentee ballots must be submitted to the Circuit Clerk's office and can be downloaded from www.sos.ms.gov. Absentee ballot applications must be received by the Circuit Clerk no later than 5:00 PM on the Saturday before Election Day for mail ballots, or voters may vote absentee in person at the Circuit Clerk's office beginning 45 days before the election through the Saturday before Election Day. Acceptable excuses for absentee voting in Mississippi include being away from the county on Election Day, having a temporary or permanent physical disability, being 65 years or older, being a parent or caretaker of a dependent person with a disability, being an election worker assigned outside your home precinct, or being required to be at work during all hours polls are open.