Lauderdale County Circuit Clerk Office

About the Lauderdale County Circuit Clerk

The Circuit Clerk is one of Lauderdale County's elected court officers. Renee Covert is listed by the county as the Circuit Clerk. The post is filled by county voters, and the clerk runs an office that touches courts, elections, and vital paperwork. Most days the staff handle filings, copies, and license work for the public.

The office runs from the county court complex on Courthouse Blvd. in Meridian. Mail, though, goes to a post office box rather than the street address. The clerk supports the Circuit Court for the Tenth Judicial District, which covers Lauderdale, Clarke, Wayne, and Kemper counties. Phone, fax, and email are all open channels for record questions during business hours.

What the Lauderdale County Circuit Clerk Handles

The Circuit Clerk is the records keeper for the county's law court and shares duty for County Court files. The same office issues marriage licenses, runs voter registration, and manages the jury list. It also enrolls judgments, which puts a court money award on record as a lien. Each task leaves a public record that the office can search or copy.

The clerk's reach is broad, but it does not cover everything. Court filings, election forms, and license records flow through this desk. Land deeds, wills, and divorce files do not. The main duties break down this way:

• Circuit Court and County Court case files, pleadings, motions, and orders
• Marriage license applications and marriage certificates
• Voter registration and election paperwork, including absentee requests
• Jury summons and jury-duty questions
• Judgment enrollment and related lien records
• Certified and plain copies of court documents held by the office

For felony cases, jury trials, and large civil suits, the Circuit Clerk holds the file because those matters belong to the Circuit Court. County Court records on shared and transferred matters also pass through this office.

Circuit Clerk and Chancery Clerk Split

Mississippi gives each county two separate clerks. The Circuit Clerk and the Chancery Clerk each hold a distinct half of the record world. Sending a request to the wrong office is the most common delay. Carolyn Mooney is the Chancery Clerk for Lauderdale County, and her office sits in the same Meridian complex.

The Chancery Clerk keeps the equity-court files. That means land records, deeds, mortgages, liens, and delinquent tax records. It also means divorce decrees, wills, estates, guardianships, conservatorships, and adoptions. For those documents, the Chancery Clerk and the Chancery Court are the right path, not the Circuit Clerk.

So the rule of thumb is simple. Felony, jury, and big civil cases, plus marriage and voter records, point to the Circuit Clerk. Property, probate, and divorce point to the Chancery Clerk. When in doubt, a quick call to either office confirms which desk holds the file.

How to Request a Certified Copy

A certified copy carries the clerk's seal and proves a document is a true court record. Courts, employers, and other agencies often require certification, since a plain printout is not enough for legal use. The Circuit Clerk can certify case files, orders, and judgments that the office holds. The steps below cover a mail request, which suits people who cannot visit Meridian in person.

1. Identify the record. Note the party names, the case or cause number if known, the court level, and a filing date range. Clear detail helps staff find the file fast.
2. Confirm the cost. Call 601.482.9731 or email circuitclerk@lauderdalecounty.org to ask the per-page copy fee plus the certification charge for your document.
3. Write the request. State what you need, how many copies, and that you want them certified. Add your name, return address, and a daytime phone number.
4. Include payment and a return envelope. Send a check or money order for the total, made out to the Lauderdale County Circuit Clerk, with a stamped self-addressed envelope.
5. Mail it. Send the packet to the Circuit Clerk, PO Box 1005, Meridian, MS 39302-1005, then allow processing and return-mail time.

Lauderdale County Records Request Fields

The Circuit Clerk's office does not require a single rigid form for every copy request, so a clear written note works. The more detail you give, the faster staff can match your request to a file. Under the Mississippi Public Records Act, a request must reasonably identify the record you want. The table lists the items a strong court-records request should carry.

The Mississippi Public Records Act also shields certain law-enforcement and personal details from release, which is why some fields may come back redacted.

That law sets the ground rules for access, timing, and fees across every Lauderdale County clerk office, so the same request items apply whether you write, call, or visit.

Note: Older Circuit Court files may take longer to locate, since retired records can move into county storage and may need a staff search before copying.

Lauderdale County Circuit Clerk Fees

The Circuit Clerk charges set fees for licenses, copies, and judgment work. Marriage costs come straight from the clerk's posted schedule. Copy and certification charges follow the county's public-records fee rules. Payment is by check or money order for mail orders, made out to the Lauderdale County Circuit Clerk.

The county notes that certification adds a charge on top of the per-page copy cost. Fees can change, so confirm the current total with the office before you mail a payment. The Mississippi Public Records Act lets agencies recover the real cost of search, copying, and mailing, which can raise the total on large or old files.

Forms on the Lauderdale Circuit Clerk Page

The county's Circuit Clerk page links several forms the public uses most. Many relate to elections and voter access, since the clerk runs registration for the county. Others cover marriage and candidate filing. Pull the current versions from the official Circuit Clerk page rather than third-party copies.

• Marriage License Application, for couples applying in the county
• Mississippi Mail-In and NVRA Agency Voter Registration Application
• Voter Registration form for new and updated registrations
• Absentee Ballot Request for voters who cannot vote in person
• Candidate Qualifying Forms for those seeking county office
• Precinct Locations and a general elections FAQ

Jury-duty questions also route through this office. The county FAQ tells jurors to call the Circuit Clerk at 601.482.9731 or email the office. For any form, the clerk's staff can point you to the right paperwork, though they cannot give legal advice.

Direct Lines to Lauderdale County Court Offices

Because the clerk roles are split, a few direct numbers save callers from transfers. The Circuit Clerk handles court case files, marriage, and elections. The Chancery Clerk and County Court Clerk hold the records that fall outside that lane. The county contact directory publishes the lines below.

For everyday court-record needs, the Circuit Clerk's main line is the place to start. Staff can confirm whether the office holds your file or whether it sits with the Chancery side. A short call before mailing keeps a request from landing on the wrong desk and slowing things down.