Stonewall, Mississippi Public Records

The Clarke County Chancery Court, also located at 101 North Archusa Avenue, Quitman, MS 39355 (phone: 601-776-2126), has jurisdiction over land disputes, estate administration and probate matters, guardianships and conservatorships, adoptions, and eminent domain cases. The Chancery Clerk serves as the record keeper for these matters. The Clarke County Justice Court handles misdemeanor offenses, preliminary hearings for felonies, small claims cases up to $3,500, and landlord-tenant disputes. Justice Court locations and contact information can be obtained through the county courthouse. Mississippi offers limited online court record access through the Mississippi Electronic Courts (MEC) system, but not all counties participate fully. Clarke County court records are primarily accessed in person at the respective clerk's offices in Quitman. The Circuit Clerk's office charges fees for certified copies of court documents, typically $1.50 per page for copies and an additional certification fee. The Chancery Clerk similarly charges for land records and vital records copies. Case information requests should include case numbers when known, or the full names of parties and approximate filing dates. Public access to court records is governed by Mississippi Rule of Judicial Administration 9, which allows inspection of most court records during regular business hours unless sealed by court order or involving protected categories such as adoption records, juvenile proceedings, or certain domestic violence matters. Researchers should contact the appropriate clerk's office in advance for significant research projects.

While Clarke County does not currently offer a comprehensive online property search portal, residents can visit the Assessor's office in person or call to obtain property information by parcel number, owner name, or physical address. Property tax bills and payment history can be obtained through the Clarke County Tax Collector's office at the same courthouse location. Land records including warranty deeds, quitclaim deeds, deeds of trust, mortgages, releases, easements, liens, and plats are recorded and maintained by the Clarke County Chancery Clerk at 101 North Archusa Avenue, Quitman, MS 39355 (phone: 601-776-2126). The Chancery Clerk serves as both the land records recorder and the custodian of these documents, which create the chain of title for all real property in Clarke County, including Stonewall. Mississippi law requires that instruments affecting real property be recorded in the county where the land is located to provide constructive notice to subsequent purchasers. The Chancery Clerk's land records index can be searched by grantor (seller) name, grantee (buyer) name, or legal description, though many older records require manual index searching. Recording fees vary based on document type and number of pages. Clarke County does not currently participate in a free online land records database, so title searches and document retrieval typically require an in-person visit to the Chancery Clerk's office or engaging a professional abstractor. Some commercial services may offer Clarke County property data for a fee.

Many Stonewall residents commute to employment centers in Quitman, the Clarke County seat, or to larger regional employers in Meridian (approximately 30 miles north) and communities along the I-59 corridor. The Clarke County School District is a significant employer for the area, operating schools that serve Stonewall-area families. Healthcare employment is concentrated in Quitman and Meridian, with Anderson Regional Medical Center in Meridian serving as a major regional employer. The median household income for Clarke County overall is significantly below the Mississippi state median, reflecting the rural, agricultural economic base and limited industrial development. Recent economic development efforts in Clarke County have focused on attracting light manufacturing and distribution operations to industrial parks near highway access points. The proximity to the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway, which passes through neighboring counties, provides some economic opportunity for shipping and logistics. Stonewall's economy remains closely tied to natural resource extraction and processing, with economic fortunes rising and falling with timber prices and agricultural commodity markets. The community lacks significant commercial development, with most retail and service businesses located in Quitman or along Highway 45. Population decline and aging demographics present economic challenges common to rural Mississippi communities, though the area's low cost of living and natural amenities continue to attract residents seeking rural lifestyles.

Stonewall, as an unincorporated community, does not operate its own municipal police department. Law enforcement services for Stonewall residents are provided exclusively by the Clarke County Sheriff's Office, located at 101 North Archusa Avenue, Quitman, MS 39355. The Sheriff's Office can be reached at (601) 776-2101 and maintains jurisdiction over all unincorporated areas of Clarke County, including Stonewall, for patrol, criminal investigations, and emergency response. Residents seeking police reports, incident reports, or accident reports from the Stonewall area must contact the Clarke County Sheriff's Office directly. Requests for police records are governed by the Mississippi Public Records Act, codified at Mississippi Code § 25-61-1 through § 25-61-17, which provides public access to law enforcement records with certain exemptions for ongoing investigations and confidential informant information. Written requests should be submitted to the Sheriff's Office during regular business hours, and fees may apply for copying and certification.

Arrest records and jail bookings for individuals detained in the Stonewall area are processed through the Clarke County Detention Center, also operated by the Sheriff's Office at the Quitman location. The Sheriff's Office maintains booking logs that include arrestee names, charges, booking dates, bond amounts, and mugshots where available. While Clarke County does not currently provide a publicly accessible online inmate roster, residents can call the Sheriff's Office at (601) 776-2101 to inquire about current inmates or recent bookings. The Mississippi Department of Corrections also maintains an online offender search at https://www.ms.gov/mdoc for individuals incarcerated in state facilities. Under Mississippi Code § 25-61-5, arrest records are generally considered public information unless sealed by court order or involving juvenile offenders. Requesters should provide as much identifying information as possible, including full name and date of birth, when seeking arrest or booking records for specific individuals.

Online ordering is available through VitalChek at https://www.msdh.ms.gov/vitalrecords, though VitalChek charges additional processing fees. Mississippi birth records from 1912 to present and death records from 1912 to present are available through the state office. Processing time is typically 4-6 weeks for mail requests and faster for in-person requests at the Jackson office. Only eligible individuals can request vital records under Mississippi Code § 41-57-1, including the registrant (if of legal age), immediate family members, legal representatives, or individuals with a court order or documented legal interest. Marriage licenses for couples residing in or planning to marry in Clarke County are issued by the Clarke County Chancery Clerk, 101 North Archusa Avenue, Quitman, MS 39355 (phone: 601-776-2126). The marriage license fee in Mississippi is $21.00, and there is no waiting period or blood test required. Both parties must appear in person with valid government-issued photo identification and Social Security numbers. Marriage records (applications and licenses) dating back to the establishment of Clarke County are maintained by the Chancery Clerk. Certified copies of marriage certificates cost approximately $10. Divorce records are court records maintained by the Chancery Clerk in the county where the divorce was granted. Since divorces in Mississippi are handled through Chancery Court, the Clarke County Chancery Clerk maintains all divorce decrees for proceedings filed in Clarke County. Access to divorce records requires identifying information including the names of both parties and approximate date of divorce. Mississippi vital records more than 50 years old may be available through the Mississippi Department of Archives and History for genealogical research.

Home-based businesses and agricultural operations in unincorporated areas typically have fewer regulatory requirements than those in incorporated municipalities. Fictitious business name registrations (DBAs) in Mississippi are filed with the Chancery Clerk in the county where the business is located. The Clarke County Chancery Clerk at 101 North Archusa Avenue, Quitman, MS 39355 (phone: 601-776-2126) accepts DBA filings for businesses operating under a name other than the owner's legal name. Mississippi law requires publication of the fictitious name in a local newspaper and filing of the affidavit with the Chancery Clerk. Formal business entity formation including corporations, limited liability companies (LLCs), limited partnerships, and other legal entities are registered with the Mississippi Secretary of State, Business Services Division. The Secretary of State maintains a free online business entity search at https://corp.sos.ms.gov/corp/portal/c/page/corpBusinessIdSearch/portal.aspx where the public can search for registered businesses by entity name, registered agent, or file number. The database shows entity status (active, dissolved, withdrawn), formation date, registered agent and office address, and principal office location. Annual report filings and officer information may also be available. UCC (Uniform Commercial Code) financing statements, which create security interests in personal property and are used for lien searches in commercial transactions, are also filed with the Mississippi Secretary of State and searchable online. Business owners in Stonewall should also be aware that commercial property is assessed for taxation by the Clarke County Tax Assessor, and business personal property such as equipment, inventory, and fixtures may be subject to county personal property taxes.

Stonewall voters are served by the Clarke County Circuit Clerk, who serves as the Election Commissioner for Clarke County. The Circuit Clerk's office is located at 101 North Archusa Avenue, Quitman, MS 39355, and can be reached at (601) 776-2126. This office handles all aspects of voter registration, absentee voting, polling place assignments, and election administration for Stonewall residents. Mississippi voters can register online through the Mississippi Online Voter Registration system at https://www.ms.gov/sos/voter_registration/pages/default.aspx, maintained by the Mississippi Secretary of State. The voter registration deadline in Mississippi is 30 days before any election. Applicants must be U.S. citizens, Mississippi residents for 30 days, at least 18 years old by the election date, and not convicted of disqualifying felonies unless rights have been restored. Acceptable forms of identification for registration include a driver's license, state-issued ID card, or the last four digits of a Social Security number.

Because Stonewall is unincorporated and has no municipal government, residents do not vote in city elections for mayor or city council. Instead, Stonewall voters participate in Clarke County elections for Board of Supervisors (five district seats), Sheriff, Tax Assessor, Tax Collector, Circuit Clerk, Chancery Clerk, and other county offices. County elections in Mississippi are held in November of odd-numbered years, with the most recent county elections occurring in November 2023. The next Clarke County elections will be held in November 2027. Stonewall voters also participate in state legislative elections for their Mississippi House of Representatives and Mississippi State Senate districts, typically held in November of odd-numbered years following redistricting or at regular intervals.

Stonewall residents can find their assigned polling place by contacting the Clarke County Circuit Clerk at (601) 776-2126 or by using the polling place lookup tool on the Mississippi Secretary of State website at https://www.sos.ms.gov/elections-voting/pages/polling-place-locator.aspx. Voters need to provide their name and date of birth or residential address. Mississippi law requires voters to present an acceptable form of photo identification at the polls, including a driver's license, government employee ID card, U.S. passport, student ID from an accredited Mississippi institution, tribal photo ID, or a Mississippi Voter Identification Card (free from Circuit Clerk offices).

Election records that are public in Mississippi include voter registration lists (available for purchase for political purposes under Mississippi Code § 23-15-47), campaign finance reports filed with the Secretary of State or local election commissions, candidate qualifying paperwork, and precinct-level election results. The Mississippi Secretary of State publishes statewide election results at https://www.sos.ms.gov/elections-voting/pages/default.aspx, and Clarke County-specific results are available through the Circuit Clerk. In the November 2024 presidential election, Clarke County reported approximately 3,200 votes cast, with turnout of roughly 60% of registered voters, consistent with typical presidential election participation in rural Mississippi counties. Republican candidates traditionally perform strongly in Clarke County elections.

On November 3, 2026, Stonewall and Clarke County voters will participate in federal midterm elections including a U.S. Senate race (Senator Roger Wicker's seat is up for election in 2026), Mississippi's 3rd Congressional District U.S. House seat, and potentially state legislative seats depending on the district cycle. Mississippi does not hold gubernatorial elections in 2026 (the next Governor's race is in 2027). County offices are not on the ballot in 2026 as they were elected in 2023. Any local school board positions or special district elections would be determined closer to the election date. Mississippi voters can request absentee ballots if they meet eligibility criteria including being 65 or older, having a temporary or permanent disability, being a parent/caregiver of a dependent child with a disability, working as an election poll worker, being required to be away from their county on election day, or being a member of the military or temporarily residing outside the territorial limits of the United States. Absentee ballot applications must be submitted to the Clarke County Circuit Clerk, with mail-in ballot requests due by 5:00 p.m. on the Saturday before the election (November 1, 2026 for the November 3 election). In-person absentee voting is available at the Circuit Clerk's office beginning 45 days before the election.