Search Adams County Court Records

How to Search Adams County Court Records

Most online searches for Adams County court records begin at the Delta Computer Systems portal. The Circuit Clerk, Eva Givens, hosts case data there for the Circuit Court. The landing page lets you pick Circuit Court Cases, Marriage License, or Judgment Roll. Case data reaches back to 1997. Scanned documents run from December 2002 to the present day. The site uploads new data often. It can still lag behind the courthouse counter. For a same-day filing, a fresh indictment, or a changed hearing, call the clerk instead of trusting the screen.

The Adams County Delta Computer Systems record search is the front door for that data. Confirm the page reads "ADAMS COUNTY, MS" and names Circuit Clerk Eva J. Givens before you trust a result.

The same landing page sorts records into three sets, so you choose the right one before typing a single name. Before you start, gather a few details. A full name, a case number, or a filing date will narrow the search fast. Full access to Circuit Court cases and the judgment roll is gated. The portal charges $30 a month or $330 a year, and you must set up an account. The search fields stay free to view. The records behind them sit behind that paywall.

1. Open the Adams County Delta page and confirm it reads "ADAMS COUNTY, MS."
2. Pick a record set: Circuit Court Cases, Marriage License, or Judgment Roll.
3. Start with one field, such as case number, party name, or filing date.
4. For a name search, choose whether to add refinements like a filing date range or a case type.
5. Sign in to a paid account to open full case detail, or note the case number and call the clerk.

Adams County Court Records Search Fields

The Circuit Court case search offers more than one way in. You can search by a unique case number or by the names tied to a file. Caption-based fields let you target the styled plaintiff or the styled defendant. Date fields cover the filing date and the final disposition date. A book and page field maps to the docket. A file number field points to one file. Refinements such as a date range or a case type apply only to name searches.

You can see these fields laid out on the official Circuit Court case search page, along with the subscription notice. The image below shows how the search form frames each option.

Knowing the fields in advance keeps a search short. A clean case number returns one file, while a common last name may return many.

Types of Adams County Court Records

Adams County court records span several courts, and each one keeps its own files. The Circuit Court holds felony cases and larger civil suits. The County Court shares civil and criminal work and hears some transferred felonies. Justice Court keeps small claims up to $3,500 and many traffic and misdemeanor matters. The Chancery Court is the equity court for divorce, custody, adoption, estates, guardianships, and land. The full felony case file, with charges and sentencing, sits in the Adams County criminal court records.

The Chancery Clerk, Brandi Lewis, keeps Chancery files plus deeds, mortgages, liens, and the public land record. Natchez Municipal Court handles city offenses and city traffic. The marriage index also lives on the Delta system, with recording data back to the 1940s.

You can preview the Adams County marriage license search to see how the index is set up. The screen below shows the fields that drive a marriage record lookup.

That index returns recording details, though the page noted that a copy of the actual certificate was not available through it. The list below sorts the main record types a searcher meets.

• Civil case files: complaints, answers, motions, orders, and judgments.
• Criminal case files: indictments, pleas, sentencing orders, and warrant returns.
• Family and divorce files in Chancery Court, including custody and alimony.
• Probate, guardianship, and conservatorship files for estates and minors.
• Traffic and misdemeanor records from Justice Court and Municipal Court.
• Land, lien, and judgment-roll records kept by the Chancery Clerk.

What Adams County Court Records Show

A court record is built from a set of standard fields. The case number ties every document to one file. Party fields name who sued and who was sued, or who was charged. Dates show when a case opened and when it closed. The docket lists each event in order. Bond, charge, and disposition fields appear in criminal files. The judgment roll adds enrollment dates and judgment amounts.

Money judgments live in their own index. The Adams County judgment roll search covers recordings from 1990 to the present. The view below shows the names, dates, and judgment fields it uses.

One change is worth a note. State tax liens filed after January 1, 2015 go to liens.ms.gov, so the Circuit Clerk no longer receives them.

More Ways to Access Adams County Court Records

The Delta portal is one door, not the only one. Mississippi Electronic Courts, known as MEC, now covers the Adams County Circuit Court and County Court. Both courts went live on the system on May 20, 2024. The public side, called PAMEC, charges a $10 yearly registration fee and 20 cents per page to view documents. Use it for newer electronic filings, but do not assume every old paper exhibit is scanned.

The MEC Sixth Circuit directory lists the Adams County courts, their address, phone, and go-live date. The image below shows that court directory entry.

When a record is not online, the clerk's counter, the phone, or a records request fills the gap. Call Circuit Clerk Eva Givens at 601-446-6326 for Circuit and County Court cases, marriage licenses, and judgments. Call Chancery Clerk Brandi Lewis at 601-446-6684, or email chanceryclerk@adamscountyms.gov, for divorce, estate, guardianship, land, and equity files. Call Justice Court at 601-442-0199 for traffic tickets and small claims. Call Natchez Municipal Court at 601-445-7524 for city cases.

The county also runs a records-request portal. Through Adams County NextRequest, a requester can search past requests or file a new one for records an office does not post online.

Public Access Rules for Adams County Court Records

Mississippi law leans toward open records. The Mississippi Public Records Act, Miss. Code Ann. §25-61-1, makes public records open to any person unless an exemption applies. Court files are largely public. The act does not turn every document into a public one, though, and sealed or restricted material stays closed.

The state explains how its electronic access works on a single hub. Its Mississippi Electronic Courts information page lays out the e-filing and public-access framework. The image below shows that overview.

Any member of the public may ask to inspect a record. A public body should not delay a response beyond seven working days without a lawful reason. Fees cover copies and certified pages, and they vary by office. Online viewing through PAMEC adds its own per-page charge.

Sealed and Confidential Records

Not every Adams County file is open to the public. Youth Court records stay confidential under Miss. Code Ann. §43-21-261, shared only with authorized people or by court order. Adoption files are sealed under Miss. Code Ann. §93-17-25. Mental-health commitment records carry health data, so a court must clear access. Personal identifiers such as Social Security numbers, financial accounts, and minor names are also held back from public view.

A sealed or expunged record may show nothing in a public search even when the case once existed. Expunction runs under Miss. Code Ann. §99-19-71 and requires a petition in the court of conviction. Eligibility limits, waiting periods, and offense exclusions apply. After a judge grants the order, certified copies must reach each agency that holds the file, such as the clerk, the sheriff, and the prosecutor. Until those offices process it, online systems may lag. To view a restricted file, you generally need a court order or proof of statutory access.

Requesting Adams County Records in Person

Some files are easiest to pull at the counter. The Adams County Courthouse sits in downtown Natchez at 115 South Wall Street. The Circuit Clerk's office is open Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Bring a name, a case number, or a date to speed the lookup. Staff can pull Circuit and County Court files, marriage licenses, and judgments. Certified copies carry a fee, so confirm the cost and payment method before you go.

A case file and its docket are not the same thing. The docket lists each hearing and event in order, and the Adams County court dockets page covers how to read and find one.