Mississippi
Divorce, lawyers, and free legal help in Mississippi — verified against official sources.
How divorce filing works in Mississippi
Mississippi has no statewide judiciary divorce page; the official court-system source is the Mississippi Access to Justice Commission, created by the Mississippi Supreme Court. Its family-law resources include a guide to irreconcilable-differences divorce with interactive forms.
Mississippi Access to Justice Commission — Family and Children Law
Created by the Mississippi Supreme Court; family-law resources including an irreconcilable-differences divorce guide with interactive forms.
msatjc.org — family law →Find a divorce lawyer
The Mississippi Bar — Public Legal Resources
The Bar's public resources page, including its "Find a Lawyer" link.
msbar.org — for the public →New to hiring a lawyer? Read Start Here first — it covers what to ask and what to bring.
Free or low-cost legal help
Mississippi Center for Legal Services
Free civil legal aid for 43 counties in central and southern Mississippi: 1-800-498-1804. (North Mississippi Rural Legal Services covers the northern counties.)
mscenterforlegalservices.org →Report Child Abuse or Neglect
Call 1-800-222-8000 — Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Reports may be anonymous; online reporting at reportabuse.mdcps.ms.gov.
mdcps.ms.gov — report abuse →Call 211
Free, confidential referrals to local help. Dial 211 from any phone.
211.org →Mississippi Coalition Against Domestic Violence
Toll-free 1-800-898-3234, local 601-981-9196; member-agency shelter map across the state.
mcadv.org →Unpaid wages in Mississippi
Your boss owes you pay and won't hand it over? Here's where to file and how long you have in Mississippi.
Where to go
no state agency — file with the federal Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division
Time limit to file
2 years under federal law (3 years if willful)
What the floor is
federal $7.25 applies
Changing your name in Mississippi
Whether it's marriage, divorce, or just time for a fresh start — here's the process in Mississippi.
How it works
petition the Chancery Court in your county
Typical court fee
varies by county (often under $100)
Newspaper notice required?
sometimes — varies by county/judge
Small claims court in Mississippi
Suing someone without a lawyer, for smaller amounts, in a simpler court. Here's how it works in Mississippi.
Maximum claim
$3,500
Filing fee
about $20–$30
Can you bring one?
yes
Clearing your criminal record in Mississippi
Expungement or sealing can hide eligible arrests and convictions from background checks. Here's where Mississippi stands.
Can records be cleared?
yes — expungement, limited
What qualifies
dismissed/acquitted cases; first-offense misdemeanors; up to 3 felonies after 15 years
Waiting period
varies — immediate for non-convictions; up to 15 years for felonies
Learn more about clearing your criminal record in Mississippi →
Child support in Mississippi
How child support gets calculated — and when it ends — in Mississippi.
How it's figured
percentage of obligor income guidelines in Mississippi Code Ann. section 43-19-101 (14%/20%/22%/24%/26% of adjusted gross income)
When it ends
age 21
Lemon law in Mississippi
Bought a new car that's constantly in the shop? Mississippi's lemon law may get you a refund or a replacement.
Which vehicles qualify
new motor vehicles under the manufacturer's express warranty
When it's legally a lemon
3+ repair attempts of the same nonconformity or 15+ working days out of service within the warranty term or one year
What you get
replacement with a comparable vehicle or full refund less a reasonable use allowance (20 cents per mile), at the consumer's option
Tenant rights in Mississippi
Renting comes with rights most people never hear about until something goes wrong. Here are the key ones in Mississippi.
Notice before eviction
30 days to end month-to-month; 3-day notice to pay or vacate for nonpayment
Deposit limits & return
no statutory maximum; returned within 45 days with an itemized list of deductions
When the landlord won't fix things
may repair and deduct after written notice and 30 days
DUI / DWI in Mississippi
Driving under the influence carries some of the stiffest penalties in everyday law. Here's how Mississippi handles it.
Blood alcohol (BAC) limit
0.08
Typical penalties
up to 48 hours in jail, $250-$1,000 fine, 120-day license suspension
How far back DUIs count
5-year lookback
Gun laws in Mississippi
Gun laws vary a lot from state to state — what's perfectly legal in one state can be a crime in another. Here's the big picture for this state. Laws change often, so double-check anything before you act.
Carrying a concealed handgun
Permitless carry (no permit required since 2016); optional shall-issue license available for reciprocity
Carrying openly
Generally allowed without a permit
Background checks & waiting periods
Private sales: not required No waiting period.
Extreme risk protection
No red flag law on the books here.
Reciprocity
Recognizes all out-of-state permits.
Filming the police: your rights in Mississippi
Federal appeals courts across the country have recognized a First Amendment right to photograph and record police officers performing their official duties in public. The U.S. Supreme Court has not ruled on it directly. The right does not protect interfering with officers, trespassing, or breaking other laws while you record.
One-party consent
If you are part of a conversation, you may record it — including with police. (Miss. Code Ann. § 41-29-531)
No buffer-zone law
Mississippi has no law setting a minimum distance for filming police. You still must not interfere with officers doing their jobs.
One-party consent state: a person who is a party to a communication (or has one party's consent) may lawfully record it. No Mississippi law restricts filming on-duty police in public; Turner v. Driver, 848 F.3d 678 (5th Cir. 2017), protects recording police as First Amendment activity.
Drug & alcohol addiction help in Mississippi
Addiction is a health issue, and help is out there — including court programs that can send people to treatment instead of jail. No insurance needed to call.
SAMHSA National Helpline
Free, confidential referrals to treatment — call 1-800-662-4357 (English & Spanish).
Human trafficking victims in Mississippi
If you or someone you know is being forced to work or forced into sex against their will, you are a victim of a crime and help is available — immigration status does not matter.
National Human Trafficking Hotline
Call 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733 — free, confidential, for victims and anyone who suspects trafficking.
Bullying in Mississippi
Every state has an anti-bullying law, and every school must have a plan. If your child is being bullied, document what happens and report it in writing to the school — and know what your state’s law requires.
Homelessness help in Mississippi
If you are homeless or at risk of losing your housing, help is close by. Shelters, food, health care, and long-term housing programs exist in every community.
211 homeless services
Dial 211 and press 6 for homeless services in your area.
VA homeless veterans
Homeless veterans: call the VA National Call Center at 1-877-424-3838 (877-4AID-VET), 24/7.
Deed fraud & squatters in Mississippi
Thieves can forge a deed to steal your home’s title — many counties offer free recording alerts that notify you if anything is filed against your property. And if someone is living in your property without permission, your state has specific rules for removing them: you generally cannot just change the locks.
FBI: protect your property from deed fraud
FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center alert on parcel-owner impersonation →