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Lauderdale County, MS Probate Information
Quick facts
| Topic | Lauderdale County detail |
|---|---|
| Court | Lauderdale County Chancery Court. Mississippi chancery courts handle matters testamentary and of administration (Miss. Const. art. 6, § 159). |
| Probate filings go to | Lauderdale County Chancery Clerk, 601-482-9701. The county also lists 601-482-9720 for the chancery clerk. Say that your call is about an estate, because the same office also keeps land records. |
| Chancery court district | Mississippi's 12th Chancery Court District, made up of Clarke and Lauderdale counties. The district assigns chancellors; a Lauderdale County case is filed in Meridian. |
| Courthouse address | Lauderdale County Government Complex, 2600 Courthouse Blvd., Meridian, MS 39301. |
| Mailing address | Lauderdale County Chancery Clerk, 2600 Courthouse Blvd., Room 1079, Meridian, MS 39301. |
| Phone | 601-482-9701. The county also lists 601-482-9720 for the chancery clerk. |
| Fax | 601-474-3798. Do not send a filing by fax unless the clerk tells you to do so. |
| [email protected]. | |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5 pm. Call 601-482-9701 before traveling near a deadline. |
| Filing fee | Lauderdale County does not publish a chancery estate total. In the text effective until December 31, 2027, Miss. Code Ann. § 25-7-9 accounts for a $140.00 floor to open an estate: $85.00 for an estate of deceased, plus $10.00 to the Comprehensive Electronic Court Systems Fund, $40.00 to the Judicial System Operation Fund and $5.00 to the Civil Legal Assistance Fund. Confirm the current total with the chancery clerk before writing the check. |
| Attorney required | Yes for a full estate. Uniform Chancery Court Rule 6.02 requires an executor or administrator, unless licensed to practice law in Mississippi, to retain an attorney for the entire appointment. The $75,000 small estate affidavit, effective July 1, 2020, under Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-322 needs no court filing and no attorney. |
| Local forms | Lauderdale County publishes no probate form of its own. The Mississippi Judiciary publishes a statewide chancery clerk cover sheet from its chancery court page, and the petition is prepared by the attorney Rule 6.02 requires. |
| E-filing | Attorneys file through Mississippi Electronic Courts at https://courts.ms.gov/mec. A self-represented party may have read-only public access but may not file electronically, and every estate case is opened with a paper filing at the chancery clerk's counter. |
| Case search | Use Mississippi Electronic Courts and PAMEC through https://courts.ms.gov/mec. Remote access requires a registered account and fees apply. Filed civil documents may be viewed free at the chancery clerk's office during business hours. The clerk's online records portal is a land records index, not an estate case lookup. |
| Remote appearance | Ask the chancery clerk at 601-482-9701. The county also publishes a chancery court administrator line, 601-482-9729. Remote attendance is set by the chancellor and the practice of the 12th Chancery Court District, whose annual term order is posted in each county's chancery clerk office. |
| Website | https://www.lauderdalecounty.org/court-systems/chancery-court/ |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you choose a Lauderdale County path, identify the assets, debts, heirs, beneficiaries, account titles and deed language. The chancery clerk in Meridian takes the filing but cannot advise you, and Lauderdale County does not publish its own probate form or chancery estate fee total, so settle the paperwork and payment amount before traveling to 2600 Courthouse Boulevard.
Sunset supports estate settlement by helping families search across more than 2,300 financial institutions, organize assets and liabilities, and prepare the information a Mississippi attorney will need for a full estate filing.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Lauderdale County probate filings are made with the Lauderdale County Chancery Clerk at the Lauderdale County Government Complex, 2600 Courthouse Boulevard in Meridian. The courthouse serves Meridian and communities including Marion and Collinsville. Mississippi circuit courts do not hear probate; a will is proved and letters are granted in the chancery court.
For a will, venue is the chancery court of the county where the testator had a fixed place of residence, with the land fallback stated in the statute (Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-1). For an intestate estate, letters of administration are granted by the chancery court of the county where the intestate had a fixed place of residence, with different statutory fallbacks (Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-63). Chancery court is held in every county (Miss. Code Ann. § 9-5-3(1)). Lauderdale County shares Mississippi's 12th Chancery Court District with Clarke County, but that district is how chancellors are assigned; a Lauderdale County estate settlement is filed in Meridian.
The jurisdiction process
- Gather the death certificate, the original will if there is one, asset information, debt information, deed information and contact information for heirs and beneficiaries.
- Choose the route. If 30 days have passed and the entire probate estate is $75,000 or less, excluding liens and encumbrances, and consists of personal property, the small estate affidavit is presented to the bank, employer or other holder and is not filed with the court (Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-322, effective July 1, 2020). If there is a will devising Mississippi real property, known debts are paid, and the non-real, non-exempt probate estate is within the § 91-7-322 sum, the attorney may consider muniment of title (Miss. Code Ann. § 91-5-35). Otherwise, use full administration.
- For full administration, retain an attorney. Uniform Chancery Court Rule 6.02 requires every fiduciary, unless licensed to practice law in Mississippi, to retain an attorney for the entire term of the appointment.
- The attorney prepares the petition. A petition to probate a will must attach a copy of the will as an exhibit (UCCR 6.15), and fiduciary pleadings, accounts, inventories and reports must be personally signed and sworn by the fiduciary (UCCR 6.14).
- File on paper with the Lauderdale County Chancery Clerk at the Lauderdale County Government Complex, 2600 Courthouse Blvd., Meridian, MS 39301. Include the chancery clerk cover sheet the office requests and pay the court cost deposit at filing (UCCR 9.01; Miss. Code Ann. § 25-7-9, text effective until December 31, 2027). The original will stays with the clerk under UCCR 9.03.
- The chancery court, or the chancery clerk between terms of court subject to court approval, may take proof of the will, admit the will in common form and grant letters testamentary or letters of administration (Miss. Code Ann. §§ 91-7-1, 91-7-63, 9-5-141). Nothing the clerk does is final until approved by the court (Miss. Code Ann. § 9-5-147).
- Address bond if the court or clerk requires it under Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-41. Do not assume a bond result until counsel has reviewed the will, the estate and the court's order.
- After letters are granted, the executor or administrator makes reasonably diligent efforts to identify creditors, mails notice to known creditors, files the required affidavit, and then publishes notice to creditors for three consecutive weeks (Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-145).
- Creditors must probate and register claims with the clerk within 90 days after the first publication of the notice, or the claims are barred (Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-151).
- Administer the estate, collect assets, address debts and taxes, account as required, and seek the final decree of distribution and discharge through the chancery court. Ask the Lauderdale County Chancery Clerk about local scheduling and any phone or video request before traveling.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Lauderdale County
The Mississippi Judiciary publishes a chancery clerk cover sheet from its chancery court page, and the Uniform Chancery Court Rules state the content requirements for fiduciary filings. Mississippi does not provide a statewide packet that substitutes for the attorney-drafted petition required in a full estate.
Lauderdale County publishes no probate form, no small estate affidavit form under Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-322, and no probate instruction sheet of its own. Ask the Lauderdale County Chancery Clerk which cover sheet version the office wants before filing in Meridian.
Local nuance
Lauderdale County-specific considerations
| Local point | What to do |
|---|---|
| Use the current courthouse address | Go to the Lauderdale County Government Complex, 2600 Courthouse Boulevard, Meridian, MS 39301. The old courthouse address on Constitution Avenue is not the filing location for a current estate. |
| Use the roomed mailing address | The chancery clerk publishes 2600 Courthouse Blvd., Room 1079, Meridian, MS 39301 as the mailing address. Call before mailing a filing because the office has not published a mail-filing policy for estates. |
| Ask for the estate counter | The chancery clerk also handles land records. When you call 601-482-9701, say that the question is about an estate filing. |
| Use the scheduling contact carefully | The county publishes 601-482-9729 for the chancery court administrator. Use the chancery clerk for filing questions and ask about the district's practice before assuming how a matter will be set. |
| Do not use fax as a filing method | The chancery clerk fax is 601-474-3798, but nothing published by the county says an estate petition may be faxed. |
| Use the right search system | The Lauderdale online records portal is for land records. For an estate case, use Mississippi Electronic Courts and PAMEC through https://courts.ms.gov/mec, or view filed civil documents at the chancery clerk's office during business hours. |
| Confirm the estate fee before paying | Lauderdale County publishes fees for other courts but not a chancery estate total. Miss. Code Ann. § 25-7-9, text effective until December 31, 2027, accounts for a $140.00 floor, and the clerk can confirm the current total. |
| Ask about the cover sheet | Lauderdale County publishes no probate form of its own. Bring or request the chancery clerk cover sheet the office wants. |
| Older estate files may be elsewhere | The county says older chancery records are retired to the county archives at 500 Constitution Avenue. That office is for older records, not for filing a current estate. |
Recent updates
| Date | Change |
|---|---|
| June 19, 2023 | Every Mississippi chancery court, including Lauderdale County Chancery Court, came onto Mississippi Electronic Courts. The statewide trial-court rollout finished June 30, 2025. Attorneys use MEC through https://courts.ms.gov/mec. |
| July 1, 2020 | The small estate affidavit ceiling rose to $75,000 under Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-322, and the muniment of title procedure was revised under Miss. Code Ann. § 91-5-35. |
| April 18, 2024 | The Uniform Chancery Court Rules were revised and amended, including rules that govern fiduciary filings and attorney retention under UCCR 6.02. |
| January 1, 2026 | Mississippi's two civil legal aid providers began using separate intake numbers. Lauderdale County is served by Mississippi Center for Legal Services, intake 1-800-519-2915, with public information through mslegalservices.org. |
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Lauderdale County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | Start with the deed. If the home passes outside the estate and the remaining probate estate is personal property of $75,000 or less, excluding liens and encumbrances, and 30 days have passed, the spouse may use the small estate affidavit under Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-322, effective July 1, 2020, by presenting it to the holder rather than filing in Meridian. If a will devises the home and all known debts are paid, muniment of title under Miss. Code Ann. § 91-5-35 may be the court path, and the house itself is excluded from the ceiling. | Sunset helps identify accounts, flag deed and beneficiary questions, and organize the facts for estate settlement before the attorney prepares any court filing. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | If 30 days have passed and the whole probate estate is $75,000 or less, excluding liens and encumbrances, and consists of personal property, the child may present the Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-322 affidavit to the bank, employer or other holder. If letters are needed, a Mississippi attorney is required under UCCR 6.02 and the paper petition is filed with the Lauderdale County Chancery Clerk in Meridian. | Sunset helps determine whether letters are actually needed, gathers account information, and connects the family with a Mississippi probate attorney when a full estate settlement is required. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | The Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-322 affidavit cannot transfer the house. Depending on whether there is a will and whether all known debts are paid, the path is muniment of title under Miss. Code Ann. § 91-5-35 or full administration in the Lauderdale County Chancery Court. Counsel is required for a fiduciary under UCCR 6.02. The chancellor fixes fiduciary compensation and attorney fees under Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-299, and fees may not be based on the value of real property under UCCR 6.12(B). | Sunset helps assemble the asset list, prepare information for the attorney, and keep the sale-related estate settlement tasks organized. |
Self-help resources
Lauderdale County does not publish a probate clinic or court self-help center. Use the clerk for filing logistics, the statewide court materials for rules and access, and mslegalservices.org to check civil legal aid eligibility if paying for counsel is a barrier.
| Resource | How it helps |
|---|---|
| Lauderdale County Chancery Clerk | 2600 Courthouse Blvd., Room 1079, Meridian, MS 39301. Phone 601-482-9701, also listed as 601-482-9720. Fax 601-474-3798. Email [email protected]. Open Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5 pm. The clerk accepts chancery filings and keeps court and land records but cannot advise you. |
| Lauderdale County court systems directory | The county's directory identifies the chancery court, chancery clerk and chancery court administrator line, 601-482-9729, at 2600 Courthouse Blvd. It is useful for locating the right office inside the county complex. |
| Mississippi Judiciary chancery court page | https://courts.ms.gov/trialcourts/chancerycourt/chancerycourt.php lists the chancery court districts, including District 12 for Clarke and Lauderdale, and links the statewide chancery clerk cover sheet. |
| Uniform Chancery Court Rules | These rules govern Mississippi chancery filings, including attorney retention under UCCR 6.02, sworn fiduciary filings under UCCR 6.14, the will exhibit under UCCR 6.15, court cost deposits under UCCR 9.01 and original wills kept by the clerk under UCCR 9.03. |
| Mississippi Electronic Courts and PAMEC | Use https://courts.ms.gov/mec for MEC and PAMEC access. Attorneys file through MEC. Public remote viewing requires a registered account and fees apply. Filed civil documents may be viewed free at the chancery clerk's office during business hours. Helpdesk: [email protected] or 601-576-4650. |
| mslegalservices.org | The statewide public legal information site maintained by Mississippi's two civil legal aid providers. It has a topic library, online legal forms section and service-area directory at https://www.mslegalservices.org/find-legal-help/directory/area. |
| Mississippi Center for Legal Services, Meridian office | This is the civil legal aid provider for Lauderdale County. Intake is 1-800-519-2915. The Meridian office is at 302 17th Street, Suite B, P.O. Box 1931, Meridian, MS 39302, phone 601-693-5470, toll free 800-498-1804, fax 601-693-5473. It is a place to check eligibility, and it may not take an estate administration matter. |
| Lauderdale County Department of Archives and History | 500 Constitution Ave., Meridian, MS 39301. Phone 601-482-9752. Email [email protected]. Older chancery court files may be retired there. It is a records office for older materials, not a place to file a current estate. |
When to hire an attorney
In Mississippi, this is a rule rather than a preference: Uniform Chancery Court Rule 6.02(A) requires every fiduciary, unless licensed to practice law in Mississippi, to retain an attorney or firm of attorneys for representation, advice and assistance during the entire appointment, and the chancellor fixes the attorney's fee. The limited relief in Rule 6.02(E) concerns guardianship of the person and a ward's estate, not a decedent's estate. The counterweight is the $75,000 small estate affidavit under Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-322, effective July 1, 2020, which is not a court filing, creates no fiduciary and needs no attorney. A family that cannot afford counsel should check eligibility through mslegalservices.org and Mississippi Center for Legal Services at 1-800-519-2915. Sunset connects the family to a vetted local probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 financial institutions, helps identify accounts and insurance, and organizes the asset information needed for Lauderdale County estate settlement.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the family's information into an organized probate packet for the attorney, including asset lists, family information and filing details for the Lauderdale County Chancery Clerk in Meridian.
Find a local probate attorney. Because UCCR 6.02 requires an executor or administrator to retain an attorney unless personally licensed in Mississippi, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted Mississippi probate attorney for the court filing.
Sunset is free for families. Sunset's estate settlement tools are free for families, including asset discovery, probate organization and attorney matching support.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Lauderdale County?
File a full estate with the Lauderdale County Chancery Clerk at the Lauderdale County Government Complex, 2600 Courthouse Blvd., Meridian, MS 39301. Mississippi chancery courts handle matters testamentary and of administration (Miss. Const. art. 6, § 159).
Is the chancery clerk still at the old courthouse on Constitution Avenue?
No. Current chancery filings go to 2600 Courthouse Boulevard in Meridian. The Constitution Avenue building is associated with the county archives and older records, not a current estate filing counter.
Do I file with the chancery clerk or the circuit clerk in Lauderdale County?
Use the chancery clerk. Mississippi circuit courts do not hear probate; a will is proved and letters are granted in the chancery court. The chancery clerk's office line is 601-482-9701.
What does it cost to open an estate in Lauderdale County?
Lauderdale County does not publish a chancery estate total. In the text effective until December 31, 2027, Miss. Code Ann. § 25-7-9 accounts for a $140.00 floor: $85.00 for an estate of deceased, plus $10.00, $40.00 and $5.00 in statutory assessments. Call the chancery clerk at 601-482-9701 for the current amount and payment instructions.
When is the chancery clerk's office in Meridian open?
The office publishes hours of Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5 pm. If you are traveling near a deadline, call 601-482-9701 before you go.
Do I need a lawyer to settle an estate in Mississippi?
For a full estate, yes unless the executor or administrator is licensed to practice law in Mississippi. Uniform Chancery Court Rule 6.02 requires a fiduciary to retain an attorney for the entire appointment. The $75,000 small estate affidavit under Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-322, effective July 1, 2020, is different because it is presented to the property holder and is not filed with the court.
Can I file Lauderdale County estate paperwork online?
An estate case is opened with a paper filing at the chancery clerk's counter. Attorneys file later documents through Mississippi Electronic Courts at https://courts.ms.gov/mec. A self-represented party may have read-only PAMEC access but may not file electronically.
How do I look up a Lauderdale County estate case?
Use Mississippi Electronic Courts and PAMEC through https://courts.ms.gov/mec, or view filed civil documents at the Lauderdale County Chancery Clerk's office during business hours. Remote PAMEC access requires a registered account and fees apply. The Lauderdale online records portal is for land records, not estate case lookup.
Does Lauderdale County have its own probate forms?
Lauderdale County publishes no probate form of its own. The Mississippi Judiciary links a chancery clerk cover sheet from its chancery court page, and the petition for a full estate is prepared by the attorney required under UCCR 6.02.
Will I have to travel to Meridian?
For the $75,000 small estate affidavit under Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-322, effective July 1, 2020, the affidavit is presented to the holder of personal property and is not filed in Meridian. For a full estate or muniment of title under Miss. Code Ann. § 91-5-35, ask your attorney and the chancery clerk about filing logistics and any request to attend by phone or video, because the chancellor and district practice control that issue (Miss. Const. art. 6, § 159).
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Thank you to the thousands of families who have trusted Sunset to help settle their loved ones' estates. This page is shaped by the questions they actually asked and the obstacles they actually hit — and that hard-won experience is what keeps it accurate, current, and genuinely useful to the families who come next.