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Pike County, MS Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Court | Pike County Chancery Court, the Mississippi court for matters testamentary and of administration (Miss. Const. art. 6, § 159). |
| Probate filings go to | Pike County Chancery Clerk. Phone: (601) 783-3362. |
| Courthouse address | Address to confirm before travel: 200 East Bay Street, Magnolia, MS 39652. Call (601) 783-3362 before visiting because public listings also point to 175 S. Cherry Street. |
| Mailing address | Pike County Chancery Clerk, P.O. Box 309, Magnolia, MS 39652. |
| Phone | (601) 783-3362. |
| Fax | Call the chancery clerk for the current fax number before sending documents. |
| Hours | Call (601) 783-3362 before visiting to confirm opening hours, filing cutoffs and the correct courthouse entrance. |
| Filing fee | Use the statutory floor as the planning number and call the clerk for the current Pike County total. Under the text effective through December 31, 2027, Miss. Code Ann. § 25-7-9 lists $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, for a $140.00 floor. |
| Local forms | Mississippi uses a statewide chancery clerk cover sheet and the Uniform Chancery Court Rules. Ask the Pike County Chancery Clerk whether Pike requires any local cover sheet or estate form in addition to the statewide cover sheet. |
| E-filing | Attorneys file through Mississippi Electronic Courts after the case is opened, but every estate begins with a paper filing at the chancery clerk's counter. A non-attorney public access account is read-only through PAMEC. Start at https://courts.ms.gov/mec/mec.php. |
| Case search | MEC and PAMEC are the statewide access points. Remote viewing uses a registered PAMEC account, while free viewing of filed civil documents is available at the chancery clerk's office during regular business hours. Start at https://courts.ms.gov/mec/mec.php. |
| Remote appearance | Ask the Pike County Chancery Clerk whether the chancellor will allow phone or video attendance. The 4th Chancery Court District's annual term order is posted through the chancery clerk under Miss. Code Ann. § 9-5-3(2), and the court sits under Miss. Const. art. 6, § 159. |
| Attorney required | Yes for a full estate. Uniform Chancery Court Rule 6.02 requires the fiduciary, unless licensed to practice law in Mississippi, to retain an attorney for the appointment. A $75,000 small estate affidavit under Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-322 is presented to the holder of personal property and does not appoint a fiduciary. |
| Website | https://www.co.pike.ms.us/. |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you decide what to file in Pike County, make a list of the assets, debts, titled property, account holders and beneficiary designations. The right estate settlement path may change if the only remaining assets are personal property, if a home passes outside the estate, or if a will gives Mississippi real property to someone else.
Sunset's 2,300-institution asset discovery helps families find accounts before they pay a filing fee, contact the chancery clerk, or ask a Mississippi attorney to prepare the petition. That asset picture also helps decide whether Pike County needs a full administration, muniment of title, or no court case at all.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Probate for Pike County is filed with the Pike County Chancery Clerk in Magnolia. Pike County is a single-courthouse county, so the Pike County filing counter is in Magnolia; McComb and other Pike County communities are covered by the same county filing office.
Pike County is in Mississippi's 4th Chancery Court District with Amite, Franklin and Walthall counties. A chancery court district is how chancellors are assigned; it does not move a Pike County filing to another county. Chancery court is held in each county under Miss. Code Ann. § 9-5-3(1), and chancery courts handle matters testamentary and of administration under Miss. Const. art. 6, § 159.
The venue rules differ depending on whether there is a will. A will is proved and letters testamentary are granted in the chancery court of the county where the testator had a fixed place of residence, or where Mississippi land is located if there was no fixed place of residence and the will devises land (Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-1). For an intestate estate, letters of administration follow the venue ladder in Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-63.
The jurisdiction process
- Gather the death certificate, the original will if there is one, account information, deeds, vehicle titles, debts and family contact information. The original will must go to the chancery clerk because original wills stay in the clerk's custody unless the chancellor orders otherwise (UCCR 9.03; Miss. Const. art. 6, § 159).
- Choose the route before filing. If the entire probate estate is $75,000 or less, excluding liens and encumbrances, and 30 days have passed, the small estate affidavit is presented to the bank, employer or other holder of personal property rather than opened as a court case (Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-322). If there is a will that devises Mississippi real property, all known debts are paid, and the non-real, non-exempt probate estate stays within the § 91-7-322 sum, ask counsel about muniment of title (Miss. Code Ann. § 91-5-35). Otherwise, use full administration.
- Retain an attorney for a full estate unless the fiduciary is licensed to practice law in Mississippi. Uniform Chancery Court Rule 6.02 requires the fiduciary to retain an attorney for the entire 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 pleadings, accounts, inventories and reports filed by the fiduciary must be personally signed and sworn by the fiduciary (UCCR 6.14; UCCR 6.02).
- File on paper with the Pike County Chancery Clerk in Magnolia, or mail filings to Pike County Chancery Clerk, P.O. Box 309, Magnolia, MS 39652. Call (601) 783-3362 before traveling to confirm the exact street address, hours and current filing fee. The court cost deposit is due with the petition (UCCR 9.01; Miss. Code Ann. § 25-7-9).
- The chancery court admits the will and grants letters testamentary, or grants letters of administration for an intestate estate (Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-1; Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-63). In Mississippi, the chancery clerk may take proof of a will, admit a will to probate in common form and grant letters in term time or in vacation, meaning between terms, but the clerk's act is subject to court approval and is not final until approved by the court (Miss. Code Ann. § 9-5-141; Miss. Code Ann. § 9-5-147; Miss. Const. art. 6, § 159).
- Provide the oath and any bond the court or clerk requires. Mississippi law provides the executor's oath and requires bond in a penalty equal to the full value of the estate, with sureties approved by the court or clerk (Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-41).
- After letters are granted, the executor or administrator makes reasonably diligent efforts to identify creditors, mails notice to known creditors, files the diligent-search affidavit, and then publishes notice to creditors for three consecutive weeks (Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-145).
- Creditors probate and register claims with the clerk. Claims not registered within 90 days after the first publication are barred (Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-151).
- Administer the estate by collecting assets, paying allowed claims and taxes, handling sale or transfer issues, accounting to the court, and seeking the final decree of distribution and discharge through the chancery court. The chancellor fixes fiduciary compensation and attorney fees, and fees may not be based on the value of real property (Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-299; UCCR 6.12(B); Miss. Const. art. 6, § 159).
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Pike County
Mississippi does not use a statewide packet of estate forms. The Mississippi Judiciary provides a chancery clerk cover sheet, and the Uniform Chancery Court Rules set content requirements for petitions, sworn fiduciary filings, accounts and original wills. In a full Pike County estate, the petition is prepared by the attorney required by UCCR 6.02.
Ask the Pike County Chancery Clerk whether any Pike-specific cover sheet or local estate form must accompany the filing. The clerk can answer filing logistics, but the clerk does not prepare petitions or give legal advice.
Local nuance
Pike County-specific considerations
| Local point | What to do |
|---|---|
| Street address for travel | Use 200 East Bay Street, Magnolia, MS 39652 only as a travel-planning address until you call the Pike County Chancery Clerk. Public listings also point to 175 S. Cherry Street, so call (601) 783-3362 before you drive to Magnolia. |
| Mailing address | Mail to Pike County Chancery Clerk, P.O. Box 309, Magnolia, MS 39652. |
| Magnolia and McComb | The courthouse city is Magnolia. McComb is in Pike County and has the Mississippi Center for Legal Services office, but estate filings for Pike County go through the chancery clerk in Magnolia. |
| 4th Chancery Court District | Pike shares the 4th Chancery Court District with Amite, Franklin and Walthall counties. That district assignment does not send a Pike County estate to another county. Chancery court authority comes from Miss. Const. art. 6, § 159. |
Recent updates
| Date | Change |
|---|---|
| June 19, 2023 | All Mississippi chancery courts, including Pike County's, were implemented in MEC. The statewide trial court rollout finished June 30, 2025. Start at https://courts.ms.gov/mec/mec.php. |
| July 1, 2020 | The small estate affidavit amount became $75,000 under Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-322, and muniment of title was rewritten under Miss. Code Ann. § 91-5-35. |
| April 18, 2024 | The Uniform Chancery Court Rules were revised and amended, including fiduciary practice rules such as UCCR 6.02. |
| January 1, 2026 | Mississippi's two civil legal help providers began using separate intake hotlines. Pike County's provider is Mississippi Center for Legal Services, with intake at 1-800-519-2915. The statewide directory is at mslegalservices.org. |
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Pike 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 personal property is $75,000 or less after 30 days, the small estate affidavit may be presented to the holder under Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-322. If a will devises the home and all known debts are paid, muniment of title may be filed with the Pike County Chancery Clerk under Miss. Code Ann. § 91-5-35. | Sunset helps identify accounts, deeds and debts so the spouse can see whether court estate settlement is needed at all. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | If 30 days have passed and the whole probate estate is $75,000 or less in personal property, the affidavit under Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-322 is presented to the bank or employer and no trip to Magnolia is needed for that route. If letters are needed, the fiduciary must retain an attorney under UCCR 6.02 and the case is filed through the Pike County Chancery Clerk. | Sunset helps find accounts, organize the documents and connect the child with a Mississippi probate attorney when full estate settlement is required. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | The small estate affidavit under Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-322 does not transfer the house. If there is a will and the debts are paid, counsel can evaluate muniment of title under Miss. Code Ann. § 91-5-35. Otherwise, full administration is filed with the Pike County Chancery Clerk. The chancellor fixes compensation and fees, and fees may not be based on real property value (Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-299; UCCR 6.12(B); Miss. Const. art. 6, § 159). | Sunset helps build the asset picture, prepare the information an attorney needs, and keep the estate settlement tasks organized. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps |
|---|---|
| Pike County Chancery Clerk | Call (601) 783-3362 for filing logistics, the current filing fee, hours, fax number and the correct street address before visiting. Mail goes to P.O. Box 309, Magnolia, MS 39652. |
| Mississippi Judiciary chancery court page | Lists Mississippi chancery courts and links the statewide chancery clerk cover sheet. Chancery court authority for estates comes from Miss. Const. art. 6, § 159. |
| Uniform Chancery Court Rules | Sets statewide fiduciary practice requirements, including the attorney requirement in UCCR 6.02 and the handling of original wills under UCCR 9.03. |
| MEC and PAMEC | Use https://courts.ms.gov/mec/mec.php for Mississippi Electronic Courts and public access information. Attorneys file through MEC after paper case opening; PAMEC is read-only for non-attorney public users. |
| mslegalservices.org | Statewide public legal information site with a directory searchable by service area. Use it to check eligibility for legal aid and current intake information. |
| Mississippi Center for Legal Services, McComb office | Serves Pike County through the McComb office. Intake: 1-800-519-2915. Services are income-restricted, and the office may not take an estate administration matter, but it is the place to check eligibility if paying for counsel is a barrier. |
When to hire an attorney
In a Mississippi full estate, this is a rule, not 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 for the entire appointment, and the chancellor fixes the attorney's fee (UCCR 6.02; Miss. Const. art. 6, § 159). The counterweight is the $75,000 small estate affidavit under Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-322, which is presented to the holder of personal property and does not appoint a fiduciary. A Pike County family that cannot afford counsel should check eligibility with Mississippi Center for Legal Services through mslegalservices.org or 1-800-519-2915, though that provider may not take estate administration matters. Sunset connects families to a vetted local probate attorney, which Mississippi rules require for a full estate.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 institutions to help identify bank accounts, retirement accounts, life insurance, investments, loans and other assets that shape the Pike County estate settlement plan.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset organizes the information a Mississippi attorney needs for the Pike County Chancery Clerk, including family details, asset lists, debt information and the documents needed to decide between full administration, muniment of title and an affidavit route.
Find a local probate attorney. Because UCCR 6.02 requires a fiduciary to retain an attorney for a full Mississippi estate, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted local probate attorney who understands Pike County chancery practice.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize estate settlement tasks, find assets and understand next steps without paying Sunset a fee.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file a Pike County estate?
File with the Pike County Chancery Clerk in Magnolia. Call (601) 783-3362 before traveling to confirm the exact street address, because public listings point to more than one courthouse address. Mailing address: Pike County Chancery Clerk, P.O. Box 309, Magnolia, MS 39652. The chancery court handles matters testamentary and of administration under Miss. Const. art. 6, § 159.
Is Pike County in McComb or Magnolia for estate filings?
The courthouse city is Magnolia. McComb is in Pike County, and the Mississippi Center for Legal Services office serving Pike County is in McComb, but estate filings go through the Pike County Chancery Clerk in Magnolia.
Can I e-file a Pike County estate?
Attorneys file through MEC after the case is opened, but every estate begins with a paper filing at the chancery clerk's counter. A non-attorney public access account is read-only through PAMEC. Start at https://courts.ms.gov/mec/mec.php.
What is the Pike County filing fee?
Call the Pike County Chancery Clerk for the current total before filing. Under the text effective through December 31, 2027, Miss. Code Ann. § 25-7-9 lists a $140.00 statutory floor made up of $85.00 for an estate of deceased, plus $10.00, $40.00 and $5.00 statutory assessments.
Does Pike County have local probate forms?
Mississippi uses a chancery clerk cover sheet and the Uniform Chancery Court Rules rather than a statewide estate packet. Ask the Pike County Chancery Clerk whether Pike requires any local estate form with the statewide cover sheet. In a full estate, UCCR 6.02 requires the fiduciary to retain an attorney to prepare the petition.
Do I have to travel to Magnolia for a small estate?
Not for the affidavit route. If 30 days have passed and the entire probate estate is $75,000 or less, excluding liens and encumbrances, the small estate affidavit is presented to the holder of personal property under Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-322. If letters testamentary or letters of administration are needed, the Pike County filing is made through the chancery clerk, and the clerk's authority is subject to court approval (Miss. Code Ann. § 9-5-141; Miss. Code Ann. § 9-5-147).
Can I attend a Pike County chancery hearing by phone or video?
Ask the Pike County Chancery Clerk before the hearing. Phone or video attendance depends on the chancellor and the 4th Chancery Court District's practice. The district's annual term order is posted through the chancery clerk under Miss. Code Ann. § 9-5-3(2), and the chancery court sits under Miss. Const. art. 6, § 159.
How do I look up a Pike County estate case?
Use the MEC and PAMEC hub at https://courts.ms.gov/mec/mec.php. Remote access uses a registered PAMEC account, and free viewing of filed civil documents is available at the Pike County Chancery Clerk's office during regular business hours.
Shaped by the families we've helped
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.